The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has found that coated paper imports from China and Indonesia are causing material injury to American workers. The 6-0 vote by the bipartisan commission will allow the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of coated free sheet paper from China and Indonesia.

The ruling was welcome news to Appleton Coated LLC, NewPage Corp., and Sappi Fine Paper North America, as well as the United Steelworkers (USW), who filed unfair trade cases in 2009 with the Commerce Department and the ITC last year. The companies alleged that certain coated paper from China and Indonesia had been dumped and subsidized, resulting in injury to the domestic industry and its employees. The Commerce Department found that imports from China and Indonesia were indeed dumped and subsidized by significant margins.

The three American companies, which employ about 6,000 production workers represented by the USW, blamed the government subsidies for suppressing prices and forcing mill closures in the U.S. They look to the ITC ruling to restore fair competition.

Coated paper covered by the cases is used in many high-end commercial printing applications, including annual reports, coffee table books, magazines and brochures.

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Torraspapel, Barcelona, Spain, has launched a campaign, "The Truth About Paper," that explores the life cycle of paper. At the Paper Effect website, Torraspapel shows how paper contributes to the sustainability of our planet, starting with a natural, renewable raw material harvested from responsibly managed forests that serve as major carbon dioxide sinks. Paper has also proven to be 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

Visitors to the site can collaborate on a reforestation project in conjunction with the Spanish NGO AccióNatura.

Torraspapel, part of the Lecta Group, of Spain, manufactures all of its products with wood harvested from responsibly managed forests. It has chain-of-custody certifications for all its mills according to the internationally recognized PEFC and FSC certification systems. One of the guiding principles of Torraspapel's environmental policy is transparent, regular communication of its environmental practices, the company notes.

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Specialty Papers 2010 begins in just two weeks. This second joint TAPPI and Pira International event, set for November 10-11 in Chicago, Ill., features 18 presentations from leading companies such as Suntech Resources, Hewlett Packard, Neenah Paper, and many others.

According to the upcoming Pira International report on The Future of Specialty Paper 2015, "the U.S. is the biggest single market for specialty papers, followed by China, Japan, and Germany, with a vast potential in untapped consumer demand in the emerging markets."

Specialty Papers 2010 attendees will emerge with a better understanding of how to capitalize on this forecast and to recover from the economic downturn. Building on last year's interactive and highly informative launch event, this year's conference will cover: global market trends; insights into how to improve the manufacturing process, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness; the latest technology developments and the forecast for sustainability and LCA.

New for this year, each day of Specialty Papers 2010 will feature a "Hot Topics Roundtable Lunch" where attendees can discuss t issues that truly affect the industry. Participants will have the opportunity to submit the topics in advance. Please send thoughts and ideas to Barbara Rojas at barbara.rojas@pira-international.com.

More information and registration forms are available online.

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With the U.S midterm election next week and all polls showing the economy and jobs topping the list of voter concerns, the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) will hold its final "Keep it Made in America" Town Hall meeting tomorrow, October 29, at the Stoney Creek Inn in Wausau, Wis., beginning at 5:00 p.m. The non-partisan group has been conducting the 10-state tour since October 4.

The Wausau event will include a panel of local and regional leaders in manufacturing, including:

• Dr. Gerry Ring, professor and chair of the Paper Science and Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
• Mike Roemerman, NewPage human resource director
• Phil Neuenfeldt, Wisconsin AFL-CIO president
• Andy Gussert, Citizens Trade Campaign director.

The Wausau Town Hall meeting will focus on:

• The need to create good jobs for the 21st Century
• The importance of fighting for manufacturing as the key to any economic recovery
• Leveling the playing field for American workers and businesses in the global marketplace.

AAM notes that next year, economic forecasters predict America will lose its No.1 global ranking in manufacturing for the first time in 110 years, with China projected to pass the U.S. in total manufacturing. American manufacturing has already suffered its worst decade on record with more than 5 million jobs lost, skyrocketing trade deficits with China, 50,000 shuttered factories, and a drop in output, AAM stresses, adding that "our leaders in Washington need to understand that without manufacturing, there can be no economic recovery."

The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required. There will be a free fish fry and a limited quantity of American-made tee shirts and buttons will be given away, as well as books on how America can revitalize manufacturing. Contact Meghan McKeefry for more information: 202-316-6386, or mmckeefry@aamfg.org. More information is also available online.

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P. Borje Wahlstrom, 84, died at home in Audubon, Pa., USA, on October 4. He was born in Harnas, Sweden, on September 29, 1926, and moved to the U.S. in 1965, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1991.

Graduating in 1949 from the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Wahlstrom joined the pulp and paper industry, working first for several pulp and paper companies and then a prominent machinery manufacturer. Always passionate about his work, he launched his own successful consulting business in 1973, from which he reluctantly retired in 2000.

During the course of his career, Wahlstrom was granted more than 50 patents and received a considerable number of awards. In 1992 he was recognized with the Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal, the highest honor in the pulp and paper industry, for his preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the industry.

Wahlstrom traveled the world for work and fun. His hobbies included tennis, table tennis, bridge, reading, dancing, and socializing. He was fiercely competitive and did nothing to hide it. He will be best remembered for his intellect, sense of humor, and exuberant optimism.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, and is survived by three daughters and four grandchildren.

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Total printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 1% in September compared with September 2009, according to the AF&PA's September 2010 Printing-Writing Paper Report. Two of the four major P&W paper grades posted increases compared with last September. U.S. purchases (shipments + imports – exports) of P&W papers increased slightly, up 1% in September. Total P&W paper inventory levels decreased 6% from August 2010.

Some additional key findings include:

• Uncoated free sheet (UFS) year-to-date shipments trail 2009 slightly
• Coated free sheet (CFS) shipments increased year-over-year for the eleventh consecutive month
• Coated mechanical (CM) shipments increased year-over-year for the eighth time this year
• Uncoated mechanical (UM) shipments decrease year-over-year for the first time in nine months.

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China's newsprint output in September fell 15.4% from a year earlier to 31,900 metric tons, the National Bureau of Statistics reported this past week. Total output in the January-September period fell 0.1% from the same period last year to 3.33 million tons, the bureau said in a Dow Jones Newswires report.

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Total U.S. industry consumption of recovered paper was 2.63 million tons, 8% higher than September of last year, according to the September 2010 Recovered Paper Monthly Report published this week by AF&PA, Washington, D.C., USA. However, consumption in September was 3% lower than in August. The U.S. consumed 9% more recovered paper in the first nine months of 2010 than during the same period last year.

U.S. exports of recovered paper were down 3% in August compared with July. Year-to-date exports of recovered paper are 2% lower than during the same months last year.

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Both the softwood and hardwood wood fiber price indices (SFPI and HFPI) fell in the second quarter for the first time since early 2009, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ), Seattle, Wash., USA.

Wood fiber cost, which accounts for the largest cost component in wood pulp manufacturing, declined for many pulp producers worldwide in the second quarter. Hardwood fiber prices (in U.S. dollar terms) fell in the U.S., Australia, and most European countries, bringing the Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) down 2.3% from the previous quarter to $103.37/odmt.

Meanwhile, the Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) was $98.29/odmt, which was down 1.2% from the previous quarter. Softwood fiber prices fell the most in the U.S., Eastern Canada, Germany, Spain, and the Nordic countries.

Declining wood fiber indices were mostly the result of a strengthening U.S. dollar against other currencies in the second quarter. In the local currencies, prices of both wood chips and pulpwood actually increased in most of the 17 regions the Wood Resource Quarterly tracks.

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The Wood Resources Quarterly (WRQ) also reported that despite slower lumber export sales, sawlog prices in Sweden continued upward in the second quarter, reaching their highest levels on record in local currency. Log prices have increased faster in the southern part of the country where both saw logs and pulpwood prices are now higher than in the northern region. As a result, forest owners in Central and Northern Sweden are increasingly considering shipping logs southbound unless local log prices become more attractive.

Swedish sawmills continue to have lower wood costs than many of their competitors in Finland, Germany, and Austria, as reported by WRQ. However, the cost discrepancy has declined substantially from last year. Sawmills in Eastern Europe and Northwest Russia, on the other hand, currently have 15% - 30% lower wood costs than Swedish mills, with the Czech Republic being the only exception. The major reason for this disparity is the Czech's increasing log exports to neighboring Austria and Germany. So far this year, log shipments from the Czech Republic have gone up more than 30% compared with 2009.

Pulpwood costs, which account for about 60% of cash costs for Swedish pulp mills, were higher in the second quarter this year compared with the same quarter last year. Average softwood and hardwood pulp log costs have gone up 12% and 18% (in U.S. dollar terms), respectively, in 12 months, according to WRQ. In the local currency, the increases have been slightly smaller.

With many sawmills reducing production this summer and fall and, as a result, less availability of residual chips, the demand for pulp logs has increased. The pulp industry is very dependent on wood chips as this source is typically the lowest cost fiber. In 2009, slightly more than 27% of the total softwood fiber consumption was bi-products from theSwedish sawmills. It is likely that this share will be slightly lower this year because of the continued high demand for fiber and a reduction in available supply of residual chips. As a result, there will continue to be strong demand for pulp logs in the coming months. More information is available online.

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Prices for woody biomass, whether it was sawmill byproducts, forest residue, or urban wood waste, were higher in the third quarter than the previous quarter in most regions of the U.S., according to the North American Wood Fiber Review (NAWFR), Seattle, Wash., USA. The Northwest saw the biggest increase; forest biomass prices (delivered) were up 19% from the second quarter.

During the past few years, there has been an expansion of the biomass-consuming sector in the Northwest, both of stand-alone facilities and for energy plants in conjunction with pulp mills and sawmills. This development has resulted in a decline in open-market volumes of sawmill biomass (bark and wood fiber residues) and there is starting to be an increased need to source additional volumes of higher-cost forest biomass and even urban recycled wood from the larger metropolitan areas in both Oregon and Washington, NAWFR notes.

As a result of low prices for fossil fuels, there has not yet been a dramatic increase in the consumption of biomass in the Northwest, and prices for both mill and forest biomass were actually lower in the third quarter compared with the same quarter in 2008 and 2009. This picture may very well change over the next two years if the plans for six new energy facilities in Western Washington materialize, as this would increase the demand for wood fiber, NAWFR points out.

California, home to the largest concentration of stand-alone biomass plants in North America, was one of the few states where U.S. BCAP (the Biomass Crop Assistance Program) money seemed to function as intended earlier this year, namely to bring out additional volumes of forest residues. With the absence of the BCAP incentives, average woody biomass prices in the 3Q returned to pre-BCAP levels of 2009.

In the U.S. Northeast, the third quarter found biomass plants receiving lower income due to relatively low demand for power in the region. Prices for feedstock, in reaction, drifted lower in part also due to plentiful inventories left over from the second quarter. Forest biomass prices have trended downward since early 2009 and are currently 22% below the first quarter of 2009, NAWFR reports.

Demand for woody biomass in the U.S. South has slowly increased the past few years as more energy plants have decided to add green energy to their portfolio of alternative energy sources. As a result, biomass prices have trended upward the past four years and were almost 50% higher in the third quarter this year compared with early 2007. This trend is likely to continue because of the expansion of biomass plants that is expected in the region in the coming years. More information is available online.

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Clearwater Paper Corp., Spokane, Wash., USA, announced the completion of the 30-day waiting period for antitrust review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in connection with the company's acquisition of Cellu Tissue Holdings, Inc.

Clearwater Paper announced in September that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Cellu Tissue for $12.00 in cash for each share of Cellu Tissue common stock.

Boards of directors at both companies have approved the acquisition, which is subject to approval by Cellu Tissue's stockholders and other closing conditions. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

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CMPC Celulosa S. A., Santiago, Chile, announced that it will upgrade the pulp drying line stock preparation systems at its Pacifico mill in Mininco, Chile. Metso, Finland, will handle the upgrade. Startup is scheduled for the second quarter of 2011.

Metso's delivery will include Delta screens, cleaners for reject handling and particle separation, engineering, erection, and startup supervision. The upgrade will improve pulp quality and cleanliness and reduce loss of fiber and electricity consumption at the mill.

The mill has a capacity of 500,000 metric tpy of ECF bleached softwood kraft pulp from radiata pine.

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Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, announced that its mills in Port Hudson, La., and Crossett, Ark., will be the sites for more than $500 million investments in advanced, proprietary tissue-papermaking technology.

With startup scheduled for 2012, each site will use the advanced technology to upgrade one of its existing paper machines and will install associated converting equipment.

The investments will allow Georgia-Pacific to produce an innovative, next generation of premium branded and top-tier customer branded bath tissue. This proprietary technology meets consumers' needs for softness and absorbency while reducing combinations of fiber use, energy use, or water use versus alternative papermaking processes, the company notes.

The projects are a portion of the $12 billion Georgia-Pacific and other Koch companies have invested in the businesses during the last five years.

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Korsnäs Gävle, Sweden, has built a new evaporation plant, having invested a total of SEK 570 million ($84 million) and spent a number of years on planning and construction.

With four evaporation units replaced by one, the new evaporation plant is more efficient than its predecessor. The new plant cuts carbon dioxide emissions in half and enhances efficiency, reducing energy costs and generating major savings.

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MWV Corp. and Finch Paper have received the American Forest & Paper Association's 2010 Environmental & Energy Achievement Award. Each year, this award is given to AF&PA member companies that make significant contributions to advances in the application of new and improved environmental and energy technology.

MWV used advanced technology to cut ash discharge by 75%, while Finch Paper used a new energy efficiency best practices system that cut greenhouse gas emissions by 14%.

MWV's project at its Evadale, Texas, mill allowed the mill to use lower-cost alternative waste materials in the protection process and increase its self-generated electricity. This reduced the amount of ash by 75%.

Finch Paper's "Energy Efficiency Initiative" at its Glens Falls, N.Y., location engaged employees at all levels to transform how they thought and worked with regard to energy use. The mill saw a 14% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions as well as cost-saving energy reductions without significant capital expense.

A panel of judges reviewed the applications for the Environmental & Energy Achievement Award. They looked at a project's ability to reduce energy use and improve environmental footprints.

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Metso Fabrics PMC Inc., Finland, reports that it has given personnel group representatives at its Juankoski plant in Finland a negotiation proposal according to the Employee Negotiations' Act, due to economic and production reasons. Employee negotiations will discuss the measures needed to adjust operations to the current production situation. Due to the capacity decrease in the Finnish paper industry, orders at the plant have not reached the level they were at before the economic downturn.

The plant is expected to cut 25 of 260 jobs. Temporary layoffs and part-time work are being considered as well. Plant operations will be made more cost-efficient through other measures, such as possibly outsourcing certain functions.

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International Trade Minister Stockwell Day announced this past week that Nanaimo's Harmac pulp mill is among 38 pulp and paper mills across Canada to receive funding under the $1 billion federal Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program.

The company estimates that upgrades to the mill's power boiler will use most of the $27 million in federal funding the mill expects to receive. These upgrades to the boiler would make the facility self-sufficient in energy use and allow Harmac to produce additional electricity that can be sold to B.C. Hydro.

Upgrades to the power boiler will allow it to burn hog fuel (consisting mostly of wood chips, a renewable energy source) and create steam more efficiently. Emissions from the mill will be slightly decreased and the use of non-renewable natural gas will be eliminated.

The federal money must be used within three years to improve energy efficiency or environmental performance.

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SCA has been named the number one Swedish company and third in the Nordic region for carbon dioxide reporting in the annual global Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) survey. More than 500 institutional investors, including Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and HSBC, use the survey as an evaluation tool.

SCA has also qualified to be included in the Nordic Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index 2010, which documents the 20 Nordic exchange-listed companies with the most professional and serious approach to corporate governance regarding carbon dioxide reporting.

The CDP's sub-report Annual Nordic 200 Report, which includes SCA, contains 200 Nordic exchange-listed companies.

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UPM, Helsinki, Finland, is ranked high on the Carbon Disclosure Project's (CDP) Nordic Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. The index is part of the CDP's annual Nordic 200 Report, which highlights companies in the Nordic stock exchanges with the most professional approach to corporate governance in terms of climate change disclosure practices.

Companies are scored on their climate change disclosure focusing on greenhouse gas emissions, emissions reduction targets, and how the companies manage risks and opportunities associated with climate change.

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Xiamen Xinyang Paper Co. is installing a new tissue production line at its mill in Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China. The new line, supplied by Metso, Finland, will begin operations in the fourth quarter of next year.

Metso's delivery, with a market value in the range of EUR 15-20 million, will comprise a complete production line with stock preparation equipment and a tissue machine, including a multi-layer headbox, a yankee cylinder, a hood, a dust management system, and a reel. The delivery will also include an extensive automation package, including machine, process and integrated drive controls, and a quality control system.

Xiamen Xinyang Paper Co. was established in 2009 by four companies based in Fujian Province, China. The first phase in the company's investment plan is a tissue mill for producing 60,000 metric tpy of facial, toilet, and towel grades.

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Huhtamaki Oyj, Finland, has relocated its foodservice packaging manufacturing from the old Siemianowice site in Poland to Czeladź. Relocating the plant supports the Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania business segment's ambition to grow in Central and Eastern Europe and provides room for additional production capacity.

The Czeladź factory is the company's most modern, state-of-the-art paper cup plant. It features optimized work flow and high hygiene and safety standards.

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"Magic Corner," developed by SCA, Sweden, in collaboration with Mars Western Europe, earned top honors at the German 2010 Packaging Awards, "Deutscher Verpackungspreis," in the Displays and Promotional Packaging category.

Magic Corner impressed the jury with its attractive product presentation. Side and back openings and an open tray facing ensure optimal product visibility. The product also reduces complexity and is optimized for the entire logistics chain.

Challenged to create a tray that could be assembled manually in 4 seconds, SCA Packaging developed the "magic corners," which gave the solution its name. Supporting corner posts automatically pop out during manual assembly of the tray, making it easily stackable. Recycled paper can be used exclusively throughout the manufacturing process, which is an important aspect for SCA Packaging and Mars as they strive to develop sustainable packaging solutions.

In another SCA-Mars collaboration, the "Christina J" design won silver at the Dutch "De Gouden Noot" awards of the Nederlands Verpakkingscentrum. The jury was impressed by the visual impact of the design, as well as the advantages of in-store flexibility. The shelf-ready product can be easily stacked for attractive and efficient off-shelf displays.

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Stora Enso, Finland, this week signed an agreement to acquire 51% of the Chinese packaging company Inpac International. Inpac is a packaging company with production operations in China and India, and service operations in Korea. It specializes in manufacturing consumer packaging, especially for global manufacturers of mobile phones and other consumer goods. The enterprise value of the company is EUR 82 million. In 2009 Inpac's sales were EUR 82 million, with an EBITDA of EUR 16 million.

"This joint venture is an important step on the path to our future, offering strong synergies with our existing Stora Enso consumer packaging businesses in Europe. This step supports our effort to become a market and consumer need driven renewable materials company - with access to the two fastest-growing consumer packaging markets globally," says Stora Enso CEO Jouko Karvinen.

"We believe that this acquisition provides an excellent opportunity to enhance our presence in China and India, and strengthen our existing relationships with customers and brand owners by supplying packaging directly to them in these markets, as well as Europe," adds Mats Nordlander, Stora Enso EVP, Packaging and Asia Pacific.

"We are very pleased to be joining forces with Stora Enso. By combining our skills and knowledge through this partnership, we can continue to develop this packaging company further and serve global brand owners with innovative packaging solutions," notes Inpac Chairman Guo Cai.

Inpac's main production plants are at Qian'an in northern China, Dongguan in southern China and Chennai in India. The company has approximately 3,100 employees.

Stora Enso's annual operating profit is expected to be enhanced by EUR 11 million. The all-cash acquisition is expected to be closed within six months, subject to approval by regulatory and competition authorities, and other customary closing conditions.

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Fibertect, a decontamination technology developed by researchers at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA, was one of seven new innovations selected by Cotton Incorporated, Cary, N.Y., USA, to show the versatility of the fiber. The products are highlighted in short vignettes on Cotton Incorporated's Cotton Today website.

In 2005, Seshadri Ramkumar and his team at the Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech leveraged the absorbent capabilities of cotton to create the Fibertect wipe that can absorb and neutralize gases and liquids that might be used in chemical warfare.

"To be recognized by the U.S. cotton industry as one of seven inventions is humbling, as it showcases the practical use of cotton technology developed at Texas Tech," Ramkumar said. "The need for decontamination wipes, such as the kind we've created here at TIEHH, were a top priority for the Department of Defense. Years ago, we began the research, developed a product, and met a top national security issue. Now we're finding even more uses for the material."

The process to make Fibertect® has received a patent and has been validated for use as a low-cost decontamination wipe for the U.S. military. Also, the wipe's qualities were re-engineered to create a better absorbent material to pick up the "chocolate mousse" oil slicks inundating Gulf Coast beaches following the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Amit Kapoor is president of First Line Technology, which commercially distributes Fibertect that is manufactured by Hobbs Bonded Fibers Inc. He said that unlike synthetic materials like polypropylene that are currently used in many oil containment booms, Fibertect is made from environmentally friendly raw cotton and carbon.

"This summer, Fibertect was taken to the empty beaches of Grand Isle, La., and then laid out on top of a blob of oil that had settled on the beach," Kapoor said. "It worked very well in absorbing and containing the oil. First Line technology is really pleased to take the laboratory technology into marketplace. Fibertect is a platform technology and is finding applications in military and oil spill situations."

Kater Hake, VP of agricultural and environmental research at Cotton Incorporated, said that cotton has been essentially a source of textile fiber for six millennia. However, creative organizations such as Texas Tech are evolving the use of cotton and, in the process, its future.

"At Cotton Incorporated, we define sustainability as practices that create an environmental, economic and societal benefit," Hake said. "The developments of these organizations certainly address those three tiers of sustainability, and demonstrate the seemingly infinite uses for the cotton plant."

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Domtar, Montreal, Que., Canada, has released its new Cougar swatchbook. Cougar is an economical alternative to the higher-priced text, cover and writing products with a competitive edge for its quality, performance, breadth of line, environmental position, and service.

The new Cougar swatchbook includes a one-glance look at samples of Super Smooth, Smooth, Vellum Natural, Digital, and Envelope with easy identification of text and cover basis weights and stocking information.

Domtar is also offering a new line extension to the Cougar family – Cougar 30% Recycled. Available in select sizes in both 80 lb. text and 80 lb. cover, this new offering contains 30% recycled fiber while maintaining the characteristics that make Cougar a go-to sheet.

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Caraustar Industries, Inc. Atlanta, Ga., USA, announced that it will increase prices on paperboard converted products, including paperboard tubes and cores, in the U.S. and Canada. A 4% increase takes effect with shipments on or after November 22. The price increase is a result of recent price increases on uncoated recycled paperboard, the company says. Back To Top

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Chemrec, Stockholm, Sweden, a provider of gasification technology used in pulp and paper mills to produce sustainable, low-carbon fuels, announced it has been named in the prestigious 2010 Global Cleantech 100. The award, given to the most promising private clean technology companies from around the world, is produced by the Cleantech Group, providers of global market research, events, and advisory services for the cleantech industry.

To qualify for the list, companies must be independent, for-profit, cleantech companies that are not listed on any major stock exchange. More than 4,600 nominations from 50 countries were received.

The full list of Global Cleantech 100 firms is available online.

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Dalkia Poznań ZEC S.A. will convert a boiler fired by pulverized coal to a biomass-fired boiler in its combined heat and power plant in Poland. Andritz, Graz, Austria, will convert the boiler, which will produce approximately 170 GWh/a of certified green electricity and 325 GWh/a of heat. Startup is scheduled for December 2011.

The converted biomass boiler will be based on Andritz's bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustion technology. The scope of supply includes pressure parts, combustion air system, fuel feeding and ash handling equipment, soot blowing system, modification of the existing flue gas cleaning system, erection work, and startup.

Dalkia Poznań ZEC is a member of Dalkia Polska, the largest private operator of district heating networks in Poland, present in 40 towns and cities across Poland and providing heating for 2,000,000 people. Its strategy is based on sustainable development, including the use of renewable energy sources, in particular biomass.

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PIMA, the Management Division of TAPPI, has issued a call for nominations for its 2011 awards. The recipients will be honored at the 2011 PaperCon on May 3, 2011, at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center near Cincinnati, Ohio. The deadline for nominations is November 30, 2010.

Here are the awards and brief descriptions:

PIMA'S Executive of the Year --The Executive of the Year Award is the highest honor bestowed by PIMA, traditionally presented to senior-level executives in the pulp, paper or converting industries for excellence in management and outstanding contributions to the industry as a whole.

Mill Manager of the Year --The Mill Manager of the Year Award recognizes the mill manager who has best demonstrated outstanding leadership, management and organizational skills leading to improved results at the facility for which he or she is responsible. Nominees for this award are judged on four criteria: skill in people development; application of best management practices; effective use of external resources; and change management.

The Brookshire Moore Superintendent of the Year -- Recognizes the mill superintendent who has shown high personal standards and professional management qualities that contribute to the betterment of those under their management and in their company.

Technologist of the Year -- The Technologist of the Year Award recognizes a member of a technology or IT team from a paper or paper converting company who has best demonstrated outstanding leadership, management and organizational skills leading to improved results at the facility or enterprise for which he or she is responsible. Nominees for this award are judged on five criteria: effective application of technology, skill in people development; application of best management practices; effective use of external resources; and change management. This award is only available to employees of a paper company.

Ray H. Cross Community Service Award -- This award pays tribute to pulp and paper industry persons who have rendered outstanding service to their communities by involvement in the activities of local business, educational, civic and philanthropic organizations.

Delano L. "Del" Boutin Local Section Service Award -- The Del Boutin Division Service Award is presented to pulp and paper or affiliate members for devoted service to a PIMA Local Section. The award recognizes long-term dedication of PIMA members at the local division level.

Thomas F. Sheerin Sr. Service Award -- The Thomas F. Sheerin Sr. Service Award is presented to a supplier for outstanding contributions to the pulp and paper industry and/or the community.

IT Service Award -- This award is presented to an IT affiliate/supplier for outstanding contributions to the pulp and paper industry and/or the community.

Kenneth H. Phillips Specialist Group Award -- The Kenneth G. Phillips Specialist Group Award is presented to pulp and paper or affiliate members in recognition of outstanding service as a member of one of PIMA's Professional Specialist Group committees.

Student of the Year Award -- This award recognizes and supports outstanding students enrolled in paper science programs.

Nomination forms may be downloaded, completed and e-mailed to standards@tappi.org. There is also a downloadable PDF version that can be completed and mailed to TAPPI, PIMA Nominations, 15 Technology Parkway, Norcross, GA 30092. It may also be faxed to +1 770 446-6947.

TAPPI is the leading association for the worldwide pulp, paper, packaging and converting industries and publisher of Paper360°and TAPPI JOURNAL. Through information exchange, events, trusted content, and networking opportunities, TAPPI helps members elevate their performance by providing solutions that lead to better, faster, and more cost-effective ways of doing business. As the Management Division of TAPPI, PIMA helps management professionals address relevant industry issues and develop their management and leadership skills. To join TAPPI & PIMA, go to www.tappi.org/join. For more information, visit www.tappi.org or www.pimaweb.org.

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Registration is now open for TAPPI's popular course, Best Practices on the Corrugator, taking place February 15-18, 2011, at TAPPI's new training facility in Norcross, Ga. It's not too early to act. Your registration now will cost less than putting off the decision. And, this course has filled to capacity in the past with a sell-out limit at 25 participants for optimum interaction among knowledgeable instructors.

Operators of corrugators, production managers, box plant supervisors and engineers can all benefit from the content offered during this short course. Take a look at the Preliminary Course Schedule to see what's planned.

You can learn how to increase productivity, improve quality and minimize waste. Take home new ideas and operational methods to improve production. And, share your specific problems and issues with the experts who'll be onsite to answer them.

Don't just take our word for it. Here's what participants wrote in evaluations from the 2010 course:

• "The instructors were very knowledgeable and class participants were not all of an entry level. Great interaction."
  
• "I have a much better understanding of what's happening in all aspects of the operation."
  
• "Great networking; very intelligent instructors who really know their stuff!"
  
• "This course covers all aspects of the corrugating industry from paper to end products."
  

Register before January 14 to take advantage of your savings opportunity and the 2.4 CEUs offered for this 3.5-day course.

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The Virginia Carolina Local Section Fall 2010 Conference will be held at The Ulmstead Hotel in Cary, N.C., November 17-18, 2010. The conference topics include the Emergence of Green Technology and Biochemical Business Evolution in Packaging & Energy.

Here's more information about this event.

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Northeast PIMA/TAPPI invites you to attend its Annual Fall Meeting and Conference to be held at the Buchanan Alumni House in Orono, Maine, November 18. The Annual Meeting will feature an informative one-day conference entitled Energy Conservation & Optimization.

Here's more information regarding this event.

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There are some things that you can count on. For example, January begins the calendar year and each January brings two popular TAPPI courses.

The first is the TAPPI Intro to Pulp & Paper Technology Course, January 10-13, 2011. Led by Dr. Mike Kocurek, one of the industry's leading instructors, this course is ideal for anyone new to the pulp and paper industry. It delivers a comprehensive overview of the entire pulping and papermaking process. Historically, the course has been designed to meet the needs of pulp and paper company employees as well as chemical and equipment suppliers. Visit online to learn more about reasons to attend and what can be expected after completing the course.

Occurring at the same time is another perennial favorite, the 2011 TAPPI Kraft Recovery Course. The course chair is the venerable Honghi Tran, who also serves as Professor and Director of the P&P Centre at the University of Toronto. The course aims to meet the needs of pulp mill operations professionals. Assisting Professor Tran are a faculty of 14 field and veteran instructors. More information appears online. Back To Top

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Join TAPPI and Pira International for Specialty Papers 2010, November 10-12, 2010, in Chicago, Ill. USA. Specialty Papers 2010 features 18 presentations from leading companies including Suntech Resources, Hewlett Packard, Neenah Paper and many more.

Specialty Papers 2010 attendees will emerge with a better understanding of how to capitalize on this forecast and to recover from the economic downturn. Building on last year's interactive and highly informative launch event, this year's conference will cover global market trends; insights into how to improve the manufacturing process, reduce costs and increase competitiveness; the latest technology developments; and the forecast for sustainability and LCA. Don't miss this rare gathering of the specialty papers industry! Visit www.specialtypaperconference.com.

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The fall 2010 meeting of the TAPPI Yankee Dryer Safety and Reliability Committee will be held in Appleton, Wisconsin on November 4. This group is actively developing standard practices and visual standards for problems which cause drying system delay and compromise safety across the tissue industry. They also review and discuss and track all know incidents of yankee dryer failure from around the work. Committee members include tissue manufacturers, yankee dryer manufacturers, suppliers and consultants who support yankee operations. The meeting is open to all TAPPI members; visitors may attend one meeting.

More information is available from TAPPI's Website.

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The 2010 TAPPI Nominating Committee announces the 2011 TAPPI Board Slate. Nominees and their respective positions are:

Chair – Norman Marsolan - Director IPST and Chemical Engineering Professor of the Practice, Georgia Tech IPST@GA Tech
Vice Chair – Thomas J. Garland - President and CEO, PaperWorks Industries Inc.
Directors –
• Sandra L. Le Barron, Director of Environmental, Health and Safety, Finch Papers
• Markku A. Karlsson, Senior Vice President of Technology, UPM-Kymmene Corporation
• Bob Snyder, President and CEO, Orchids Paper Products

Returning Directors
Davide R. Friedman, General Mills Inc., 2009-2011
Robert J. Gallo, Voith, 2010-2012
Jeff Hamilton, Sappi Fine Paper North America, 2010-2012
Chris Luettgen, Kimberly-Clark, 2010-2012
Thomas E. Rodencal, Rodencal Paper Consulting Inc., 2009-2011
Gary M. Scott, State University of New York, 2009-2011
Larry N. Montague, President and CEO, TAPPI

Other Nominations
Per TAPPI's Bylaws, the Association's membership has until November 1, 2010, to submit other nominations to the President and CEO of TAPPI, Larry N. Montague at lmontague@tappi.org. Such nominations must be signed by at least one percent of the voting members, and each voting member may sign for only one such nomination. Each such nomination must be accepted in writing by the nominee.
The name of each such nominee so submitted, signed and accepted shall be placed on the election ballot. The election ballot shall give voters the options of voting for or against the entire slate or for or against the individual candidate(s) for each position. Elections will begin December 1, 2010, and conclude January 15, 2011. Contact Mary Beth Cornell, + 1 770-209-7210 or mcornell@tappi.org with questions.

Retiring Officers and Directors:
Jeffrey J. Siegel, Mica Corporation(Chair)
Vincent Newberry, Mondi Akrosil, LLC
Nicki S. Slusser, International Paper

2010 Nominating Committee
Chair: Mark R. McCollister, Paperchine Inc.
Members:  
Kathy Buckman Gibson, Buckman
Scott Frasca, RohmNova
Charlie Hodges, Port Townsend Paper
Asko Hyttinen, Strategy First
Norman F. Marsolan(non-voting), IPST @ GA Tech
Larry N. Montague, TAPPI
Jeff Pallini, Fosber
Gerry Ring, University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point
Barb Russell, Sonoco

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"Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth." – Nathaniel Hawthorne, writer (1804-1864) Back To Top

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