Domtar Corp., Montreal, Que., Canada, has launched a new online tool that allows customers to view the environmental impacts of specific paper grades, providing transparency among today's industry calculators. The tool, known as the "Paper Trail," discloses what it takes to manufacture Domtar paper and helps businesses and consumers measure their impact on the environment while also providing guidance in their choice of product.

The Paper Trail tool develops personalized reports that measure Domtar products across five categories: water usage, the distance fiber travels to a paper mill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste sent to landfills, and renewable energy usage. Data are displayed in real-world equivalents and compared with issues such as the amount of water the average household uses or the amount of waste it generates. The Paper Trail will also illustrate how Domtar compares with the rest of the industry in these particular categories.

"We know consumers are increasingly aware of their effect on the environment and want to know where their paper comes from. We think we have a good story to tell, and part of that story is being transparent," says Lewis Fix, Domtar VP of Sustainable Business and Brand Management.

"Other paper calculators often give only part of the story," Fix continues. "They usually compare recycled and non-recycled grades and the differences in resources used, and they estimate savings based only on industry averages. The Paper Trail will show Domtar mill-specific data, and since no company is environmentally perfect, it indicates what we are doing well and what needs to be improved. We think it's crucial to share all of the information, and then let the customers make their own decisions."

Initially, the Paper Trail will measure the impact of two Domtar products—EarthChoice Office Paper and Cougar—both of which have been certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), More products and mills will likely be added to the new online tool in the future. The Paper Trail also provides users with a look at Domtar's mills –all of which are in North America—with additional information about each facility's environmental impact and the social and economic benefits the mills have in their communities. In areas where the environmental impact can be improved, Domtar will voluntarily disclose the information, as well as provide efforts for improvement.

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Catalyst Paper, Richmond, B.C., Canada, has been named one of the top 20 overall best corporate citizens in Canada by Corporate Knights in its "2011 Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada" list. Corporate Knights magazine was founded in 2002 to raise awareness of sustainability issues and is distributed quarterly as an insert to the Globe and Mail.

Catalyst was also named to the "2011 Maclean's/Jantzi-Sustainalytics" list of the 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations in Canada. The honor is based on the company's environmental, social, and governance performance, and for what Jantzi-Sustainalytics recognizes as "Catalyst's commitment to developing and implementing sustainability policies and practices."

Catalyst President and CEO Kevin J. Clarke notes that "these are tremendous honors, and a great many people in and around Catalyst share in their achievement. We know the importance to our company, our customers, and especially our employees and communities of making environmental, social, and governance considerations part of our overall business strategy and everyday operation. We made a commitment, for instance, to the World Wildlife Fund to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at our B.C. operations by 70% between 1990 and 2010, and we delivered. In 2010, direct GHG emissions from our B.C. operations were down 85% on an absolute basis."

The honors also reflect Catalyst's ongoing engagement with partners and organizations. These include the World Wildlife Fund, the Forest Stewardship Council, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, Smartway, a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, GreenBlue Institute, the Coast Forest

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The TAPPI Tissue Properties & Manufacturing Course, scheduled for August 10 - 11, 2011, at TAPPI's headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA, will deliver a comprehensive and structured overview of tissue manufacturing processes, and their effects on product performance. The course is specifically designed to increase the ability of attendees to improve manufacturing operations and produce a more competitive product. Register before July 13 and receive a $100 early bird discount.

Course topics will cover:

• Tissue properties and tests and how these relate to sheet structure
• Performance effects of fiber raw materials, pulp mill, and recycling operations
• Stock prep refining for tissue
• Chemicals for tissue
• Tissue machine wet end operations and effects on sheet structure and properties, including multilayer headboxes, formation, fiber orientation, dewatering, and fabrics for sheet forming and sheet structure
• TAD and yankee drying and effects on properties
• Wet felts for obtaining desired sheet structure
• Creping
• Calendering.

Instructors for this special course are: Michael J. Kocurek (chair), PhD, Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University, who has taught this tissue short course to operators at multiple corporations and mills; Lucyna M. Pawlowska, tissue process application specialist, Kemira North America; Peter E. McCabe, tissue business leader, AstenJohnson; and Roger Banks, tissue press felt section presenter, AstenJohnson.

More Information about this course, including registration, is available on the course webpage.

Conservation Initiative, ForestEthics, Greenpeace Canada, and Sierra Club B.C.

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SCA Tissue North America, Philadelphia, Pa., USA, this week announced the release of survey results showing an uptick in consumer spending on green products and services. This is the third year that SCA has conducted a survey to determine green habits, furthering the company's commitment to leadership in the green and clean marketplace.

This year's results were debuted this month for World Environment Day, a United Nations observance of environmental issues. The survey, conducted online among 2,124 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older from April 25 - 27, 2011 by Harris Interactive on behalf of SCA Tissue North America, found that 77% of American adults purchase green products/services, including 57% who do so because they believe it's better for the environment. These results, as well as those from the 2009 and 2010 surveys, showcase sustainability as a new way of life – with both of the previous surveys revealing that more than seven in ten adults continued purchasing "green" products and services, even during the down economy.

"The results stemming from our annual research continue to confirm that the use of responsible products and services is becoming a core value and a driver of behavior," said Mike Kapalko, SCA Tissue North America sustainability marketing manager. "People know how important their purchasing decisions are and are ensuring they make the best choices for themselves and the planet while doing day-to-day activities like shopping and dining out."

The survey showed that consumers are careful about how they verify companies' claims to sustainability, with 72% of American adults indicating they know how to determine if a green claim or statement is true. The survey also revealed that only 6% of American adults rely on reputation, awards, or news stories about the company to verify green claims or statements. However, 21% feel that independent third party certification is the most reliable method to determine viability.

The survey also showed that consumers look to product offerings to determine a brand's commitment to environmental stewardship. One quarter (26%) of American adults feel designations on menus or store shelves are the best ways for a business/restaurant/store to show their commitment to being green – which is fairly consistent with the 28% who felt these communication tactics were the best ways in 2010 – and continues to illustrate the importance of sharing sustainability information at the point of purchase.

American adults showed a willingness to stand behind restaurants that prove to be socially and environmentally responsible, with 5% indicating they would choose a restaurant fitting this description over another that didn't, and 23% said they would make the same choice even if the wait time was longer. While patrons are fond of these eateries, they do expect to pay a premium price for the choice, with 47% indicating they expect to pay more at a restaurant with a social and environmental focus.

The majority of American adults (56%) would be equally as likely to visit a restaurant or business focused on being green as they would to one that did not, regardless of the distance/effort required – which is similar to the 55% showcasing the same opinion in 2010. This continues to provide opportunities for business owners to emphasize their own sustainability efforts and, in turn, ensure they are speaking to these customers actively seeking out sustainable businesses.

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William J. Whitsitt, a world expert on corrugated containers and corrugator runnability, passed away on May 28, at the age of 84. A Minnesota native, Whitsitt joined the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC) in Appleton, Wis., USA, in 1948, upon receiving his BChE from the University of Minnesota that year. His more than 40-year tenure at IPC was spent in all aspects of container research, including boxboard and multiwall sack but with a major emphasis on corrugated containers. The latter included studies of material (liner and medium) and combined board properties and performance, as well as combined board and box manufacturing processes, in order to learn how material properties and manufacturing processes impacted box performance.

Whitsitt was internationally known for his work through his many publications, but he also conducted numerous confidential research projects for member companies. An effective educator, he made frequent presentations at TAPPI Corrugated Container Conferences and taught a Corrugating Short Course at IPC and a course in Containers offered to IPC students. His friendly, easy going manner coupled with his vast knowledge also made him a popular instructor in a number of other courses. He joined Menasha Corp. in 1989 when IPC moved to Atlanta.

A TAPPI member since 1964, Whitsitt was an active member of the Test Methods Review Board, and was named a TAPPI Fellow in 1991. He will be missed by his family and friends and the international corrugating community. A scientist to the end, he donated his body to science.

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2015 is the 100 year anniversary of TAPPI and an excellent time to celebrate the successes of this industry and the people and companies who have contributed to it. Our celebration will focus on the innovative discoveries and breakthroughs developed by academic and industrial research groups over the past 100 years. This will generate enthusiasm for the past as well as the creative future of the global pulp, paper, packaging, and converting industries.　

As part of the anniversary we are developing a 100 year logo. Please take a look at the two logos below, and vote for "Yellow Ribbon logo" or "Big 100 logo" in the poll located at the end of the column to the right. Thank you!

Yellow Ribbon logo

Big 100 logo

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U.S. containerboard production in May rose compared with April 2011, with month over month average daily production up 0.3%, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) May 2011 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report released this week. The containerboard operating rate for May 2011 was down 1.5 points over May 2010, to 93.8%.

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Linerboard production decreased over last year
• Corrugating medium production rose slightly over May 2010.

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U.S. NBSK prices rose $20/metric ton to a record $1,040/mton in June. Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank, asks "is this is the last leg upward for pulp prices?" Chinese demand is soft and spot prices are down as much as $100/metric ton, he notes. Reports suggest that local NBSK prices in China are ˜$60 - $70/metric ton below international levels. In Europe, NBSK prices could rise further, mainly due to the weak U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, sluggish paper demand and record pulp prices are forcing non-integrated mills to curtail/shutdown production, Wilde reports.

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Will International Paper's bid for Temple-Inland table any effort to boost containerboard prices? Wilde also asks. "Possibly, but not probably," he answers, adding that the central focus remains industry fundamentals—supply and demand as well as cost factors. "Recent data suggests that the economy is slowing. Escalating input costs and lower box prices are pressuring margins. With margin pressures mounting, we continue to expect an increase attempt by late summer. However, we aren't assuming a successful implementation in our forecasts," Wilde says.

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Domestic old corrugated container (OCC) prices rose $7/ton to $162/ton in June, Wilde reports. Key drivers are lower OCC generation in the U.S., strong export demand, and expectation of higher OCC demand from the startup of several new machines in China, he explains.

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The $35/metric ton July newsprint price hike appears dead, Wilde says. AbitibBowater, he adds, has informed customers that they are not raising prices in July. With the No.1 North American newsprint producer (40% capacity) not participating in the price hike, other producers are backing out. The price increase announcement was driven by escalating input costs. But the key issue is weak fundamental demand, Wilde explains.

Meanwhile, the strong Canadian dollar is eating into Canadian producers' margins. In May, estimated 30-lb newsprint prices in the West slipped $5/metric ton to $620/metric ton. East estimated prices were flat at $640/metric ton, +7.6% y/y, Wilde reports.

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Double A Holdings, Chachoengsao, Thailand, reports that it has signed an Investment Cooperation Agreement with the Dafeng Port Administrative Committee in China to establish an Integrated Pulp and Paper Mill Project in Dafeng Port Economic Zone in Jiangsu province, mainland China.

According to Thirawit Leetavorn, CEO of Double A, "this new venture in China will have an annual capacity of 500,000 metric tpy of paper and 420,000 metric tpy of pulp, with the possibility of expanding to 1 million metric tpy of paper and 840,000 metric tpy of pulp. The project will only use sustainable fiber sourced from KHAN-NA, which comes from 1.5 million farmers who grow trees along their empty rice paddy ridge. This sustainable fiber source will help regenerate natural forests and limit impact on the environment."

The project will drive the company's development in Northern Jiangsu, mainland China, by providing Double A with premium quality copy paper in the province and with the potential to export to other markets including Korea, Australia, South Asia, Europe, and Africa.

The photo below shows Leetavorn (center) with Ni Xiangrong (left), director of Dafeng Port Administrative Committee, and Wang Hai (right), deputy mayor of Dafeng City Government during the signing ceremony. Also in the photo are witnesses from Double A, local government officials, and members of Dafeng Port Administrative Committee.

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Patriarch Partners, New York, N.Y., USA, last Friday held the grand opening of Gorham Paper and Tissue in Gorham, N.H. Patriarch acquired the mill from Fraser Paper after it was shutdown last October, leaving more than 200 people without jobs.

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and New Hampshire Governon John Lynch attended the grand opening, which was part painting party and part barbecue, along with Patriarch Partners founder and CEO Lynne Tilton. Patriarch plans to re-start production at the 110-year-old mill later this month, with the towel machine being the first machine up and running. Once the towel machine is running, the remaining two specialty paper machines are expected to be operating within 90 days, according to a report by the Conway Daily Sun, North Conway, N.H.

Over the next 15 months, Tilton has said she intends to acquire and install a new tissue machine at a cost of about $35 million, the newspaper reported, adding that she has indicated if the demand is there, she is willing to consider a second tissue machine.

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KapStone Paper and Packaging, Northbrook, Ill., USA, reports that it is investing $15.2 million to upgrade its No. 3 paper machine at Roanoke Rapids, N.C. With an annual capacity of 205,000 tons, the lightweight kraft paper products manufactured on PM 3 are primarily sold into the shipping sack, refuse bag, and coating and laminating market segments.

A total of $5.8 million has been invested at the mill during the past three years, resulting in strength enhancements, improved contaminant removal, and reduction in overall process and product variability. By the fall of 2011, an additional $9.4 million will be invested for additional modernization to improve overall energy efficiency, reliability, and performance.

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MP Hygiene, located in the Annonay Ardeche Department of Rhone-Alps Region, France, has purchased a new tissue line with an average production of 100 metric tpd from Toscotec, Italy. The state of the art line will allow MP Hygiene to fulfil the needs of its existing converting facilities. The machine is expected to come on-stream in the first quarter of 2013.

The new Toscotec's line includes an AHEAD 1.5S crescent former tissue machine with a single-layer headbox, double press configuration, a Steel Yankee Dryer (TT SYD 12FT), machine auxiliaries, stock preparation plant for virgin pulp, and the electrification and control system. The scope of supply also includes a boiler plant, air compressors, turboblowers for vacuum production, steam generator, and a cascade heat exchanger system for the hood heat recovery. A three-unwind-stand tissue slitter rewinder TT WIND-H and an automatic roll handling system complete the supply.

The machine design speed is 1,900 m/min with a net web width of 2,820 mm. The greenfield project will be focused on energy savings and low emission concepts, with great attention to the environmental issues as well as to the impact on the site. It will be managed by Toscotec on an EPC (engineering and procurement) basis.

MP hygiene has a diversified range of cleaning products, from paper wipes to textiles, nonwovens, and hand-cleaning lotions and foams. It primarily manufactures and sells paper refills on the professional market, round products such as hand towels rolls, industrial rolls or toilet paper, and flat products such as W or Z fold towels. Today the company has five industrial divisions with ten converting lines and three production sites with more than 34,000 cubic meters.

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Stora Enso, Finland, and its partner Alucha Recycling Technologies have been granted the "Best of the Best" LIFE Environment Project award for 2010. This award is granted by the European Union to recognize projects that have a positive impact on the environment.

Stora Enso and Alucha received the award for developing and investing in innovative recycling technology in Stora Enso's Barcelona, Spain, mill. The new technology separates plastic-aluminum laminate from recovered beverage cartons by a process that enables both fiber and aluminum to be fully reused, and the plastic to be utilized to generate energy in the mill.

Selections of favorable projects were made by the representatives of EU Member States working in cooperation with the European Commission's DG Environment LIFE Unit to produce a shortlist of projects for the award.

"The fiber-based beverage carton is a great packaging product because it is a natural material with a low carbon footprint that comes from renewable resources and is highly recyclable," explains Mats Nordlander, EVP at Stora Enso Packaging. "We are continuously working to enhance the recycling of our products, and look for innovative ways to reduce our environmental footprint. This is why we are especially proud of this recognition from the EU."

Stora Enso's Barcelona mill receives used milk and juice cartons from Spain, France, Portugal, and the U.K. that are used as raw material for the production of white lined chipboard, a carton grade based on recovered fiber used in various packaging applications.

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Yuen Foong Yu, China, has ordered from PMPoland S.A., Jelenia Gora, Poland, a member of the PMP Group, two new complete Intelli-Tissue™ 1500 lines to be delivered in the first quarter of 2012. Startup of the two crescent former tissue machines is set to follow one by one at the end of the second quarter of 2012.

The new lines follow the mill's 2008 installation of a similar PMP supplied crescent former Intelli-Tissue 1500 machine that has a maximum operating speed of 1,500 m/min, 2.4 m width, and a capacity of 1,000 metric tons/month.

Yuen Foong Yu has three business units. One is the household products division which owns the company's current three brands of tissue paper—Mayflower, Tender, and Deyi. Its production lines produce paper products such as toilet paper, tissue paper, facial tissues, paper towels, and napkins. In addition, it is also responsible for producing cosmetic products such as bio facial masks for leading brands in the country.

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VIDA AB, Sweden, reports that it plans to diversify into cellulose dissolving pulp production at its Lessebo paper mill in Sweden. The first step in the project will increase the mill's production of 52,000 metric tpy of paper to 70,000 metric tpy of pulp and paper. The 28,000 metric tpy of new dissolving pulp production will begin in early autumn of this year.

According to VIDA Paper's CEO Jan Fjeldsa, "economy of scale together with the decision to depend on three strategic business areas—premium paper, dissolving pulp, and energy production—will add further stability to the future at Lessebo."

Henrik Thuresson, mill sales and marketing director, added that "resultant from this project, we now have the ability to further improve the quality of our premium papers with a full focus on the optimal pulp mixture, particularly so when taken with the additional investment in a new quality control system being installed on PM 3. We are very optimistic that these developments will further consolidate us as ‘the' premium uncoated paper supplier in Europe."

The initial phase of the cellulose pulp production project will temporarily reduce the volume of finished paper manufactured at the mill and some less profitable volume in production will be sacrificed to that end, Thuresson notes, adding, however, that none of the mill's primary contracts with major customers and merchant groups will be affected by this temporary reduction.

VIDA Paper currently produces 30.000 metric tpy of sulfite pulp captive to its internal production of 52,000 metric tpy of white and cream shade premium uncoated papers, colored uncoated woodfree, and woodfree digital papers. VIDA Paper's pulp is based on 100% spruce wood chips. Among other industrial uses, dissolving pulp is used in textile (rayon), cellophane, and hygiene product manufacture.

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Cascades Inc., Kingsey Falls, Que., Canada, this week reported that it will sell two of its boxboard facilities—the Versailles mill in Connecticut and the Hebron plant in Kentucky—to OpenGate Capital, a private equity firm, The sale is expected to be completed on June 23. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Versailles mill specializes in the manufacturing of coated recycled boxboard, and has an annual production capacity of 165,000 metric tons. The Hebron plant converts coated boxboard into approximately 20,000 metric tons of folding cartons annually.

Net proceeds from the transaction will be reinvested in the other Cascades boxboard facilities, to improve their operations, efficiency, and competitiveness in the years to come. In particular, Cascades plans to purchase new printing presses and other equipments for certain of its remaining folding carton plants. The Canadian boxboard mills will also benefit from this transaction through future capital investments.

Alain Lemaire, president and CEO of Cascades, said that "the divestiture of the Versailles and Hebron facilities, following the sales of Dopaco and the Avot-Vallée mills announced earlier this year, is a further step in our overall strategy to gain more financial flexibility and streamline our portfolio of assets in order to better pursue the development of our core operations. We intend to continue focusing our efforts and investments towards modernizing our packaging and tissue paper facilities to improve productivity and profitability."

Marc-André Dépin, president and CEO of Norampac, a division of Cascades Canada, added that "Cascades and OpenGate Capital have made every effort to ensure the transfer of ownership will be seamless for the customers of both facilities. We want to thank the Versailles and Hebron employees for their involvement and efforts throughout the years, and wish them every success."

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International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., USA, this week said it will indefinitely shutdown the No. 3 paper machine at its Valliant Mill in Oklahoma on November 1. This machine produces approximately 430,000 tpy of containerboard used to make corrugated packaging.

"The decision to shutdown this machine will enable us to match our production to our customer needs and limit our exposure to high fiber and other input costs in the area," said Carol Roberts, SVP of IP's Industrial Packaging business. "Nevertheless, this decision will impact very good, hardworking people, and we are taking steps to support them."

Approximately 60 jobs will be impacted at the mill as a result of the machine shutdown. The company will provide severance and outplacement assistance to affected employees.

Key grades produced on the No. 3 machine will be transitioned to other mills to meet customers' needs. Prior to the shutdown of Valliant PM 3, IP's North American containerboard production is about 11.5 million tpy.

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M-real, Finland, has contracted Metso, Finland, to rebuild two board machines at mills in Finland. Startup of the rebuilt machine at the Kyro mill is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011 and startup of the rebuilt machine at the Äänekoski mill is set for the second quarter of 2012. The combined value of the orders is more than EUR 15 million.

Metso's delivery to the Kyro mill will include a rebuild of the press, dryer, and coating sections. In a coating drying rebuild, new energy-efficient high-drying-capacity air dryers will be added both to increase drying capacity and to replace old gas infrared dryers. After the rebuild, the annual board capacity of the Kyro mill will increase to approximately 190,000 metric tons.

Metso's delivery to the Äänekoski mill will include a rebuild of the headbox, the coating section, and the reel, including an automatic parent roll transfer system to the new winder. A new headbox and a new two-drum winder will aim at capacity increase. After the rebuild, the annual board capacity of the Äänekoski mill will increase to approximately 240,000 metric tons.

M-real is Europe's leading primary fiber paperboard producer and a major paper supplier. The company's customers include brand owners, carton printers, converters, publishers, printing houses, merchants, and office product suppliers. In 2010, the company's sales totaled EUR 2.6 billion, and it has approximately 4,500 employees. M-real is part of the Metsäliitto Group.

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SCA Containerboard will shutdown the machine at its Witzenhausen, Germany, mill for 17 days, from June 20 to July 7, to move forward with planned developments, including finalizing the rebuild of the last two groups of the pre-dryer section that involves installation of a new hood. The rebuild will improve runnability of the machine and positively impact quality of all of the mill's products. Installation of the new hood will also contribute to the mill's energy savings program. The project will have no impact on output capacity of the mill.

Built in 1975, Witzenhausen, situated in the heart of Germany, is equipped with a gap former – fourdrinier machine. Its product range includes SCA Testliner 3, SCA Medium HP, and SCA Medium.

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Ahlstrom, Finland, reports that it will invest EUR 30 million for a new nonwowens wallcover substrates production line at its Binzhou plant in China, where the company is already manufacturing filtration materials. Deliveries from the new line are expected to start in early 2013.

According to Jan Lång, CEO and president of Ahlstrom, the investment plays a significant role in the company's growth strategy in Asia. "Ahlstrom has a strong presence in Europe and Americas, and we continue to grow our presence in Asia as well. China is expected to be the world's largest market for wallcovers in a few years time, offering a significant growth potential in the coming years".

Laura Raitio, EVP, Building and Energy, added that "we will use Ahlstrom's extensive know-how and experience in wallcover manufacturing in responding to the market needs in China. We are extremely pleased that we will have the opportunity to grow together with and serve our customers from a local production plant in China."

Ahlstrom's Binzhou plant is located in the Shandong province on China's eastern coast. The plant currently manufactures transportation filtration materials and employs 170 people. The new wallcover materials production line will employ a total of 50 people locally. In addition to Binzhou, Ahlstrom has two other manufacturing sites in Asia—Hyun Poong in South Korea and Mundra in India. In addition to the manufacturing plants, Ahlstrom has sales offices in nine major cities in Asia. In total, Asia accounts for approximately 10% of the Group's net sales.

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Vaskiluodon Voima Oy in Vaasa, Finland, has ordered a 140-MW bio-gasification plant from Metso, Finland. Vaskiluodon Voima's total investment is about EUR 40 million, over half of which is attributable to Metso's delivery. The bio-gasification plant is scheduled for commissioning in December 2012. Metso's full-scope solution includes fuel handling, a drying plant, and a circulating fluidized bed gasifier, modification work on the existing coal boiler, and automation and IT systems.

The bio-gasification plant will be constructed as part of the existing coal-fired power plant. The plant will be fueled primarily with wood-based biomasses, particularly forest residue, and the produced gas will be combusted along with coal in the coal boiler. The delivery includes the drying plant where biomass will be dried to the proper level for gasification. As a result of the new solution, close to 25-40% of the coal can be replaced with renewable energy, which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 230,000 metric tpy. This is the first time in the world that biomass gasification is being adopted on such a large scale.

"Metso has a great opportunity to offer a solution that includes biomass drying technology and gasification. This provides the possibility for a diverse range of biofuels and a significant share of biomass in the combustion process. At the same time, our cost- and eco-efficient solution provides an opportunity to significantly increase the use of biofuel. The size class of the delivery makes this delivery interesting to large coal-fired power plants around the world," explains Juhani Isaksson, Metso's manager responsible for gasifiers and pyrolysis systems.

"The fact that Metso is a full-scope supplier of bio-gasification plants and is capable of combining the power plant process, biomass drying, modification of the existing coal boiler, and the automation into a functional and competitive package supported the decision to start collaboration with Metso. A significant advantage of Metso's gasification solution is the diversity of the fuel selection; it gives us flexibility in acquiring biomass," says Mauri Blomberg, managing director, Vaskiluodon Voima.

Vaskiluodon Voima Oy is a power and heat production company equally owned by EPV Energia Oy and Pohjolan Voima Oy. EPV Energia Oy is a Finnish company specializing in power and heat production and procurements, and its headquarters are in Vaasa, Finland. Pohjolan Voima Oy is a national energy company. Its main products are power and heat.

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NewPage Corp., Miamisburg, Ohgio, USA, this week announced that Jay A. Epstein will join the company's senior leadership team, effective July 5, as SVP and CFO, replacing Curtis Short who was serving in the role on an interim basis. Epstein will be responsible for the management and direction of the company's finance, accounting, treasury, compliance, and investor relations organization.

Reporting to George F. Martin, president and CEO, Epstein joins NewPage with experience in the pulp and paper industry. "We are pleased to have a finance professional of Jay's caliber join NewPage," said Martin. "His experience in the paper industry combined with his proven fiscal management experience will greatly benefit NewPage."

Prior to joining NewPage, Epstein had been VP of finance, treasurer, and secretary of Brant Industries, White Birch Paper Co., and SP Newsprint Co., and was CFO for SP Recycling Co. He was director, Global Risk Management at National Bank of Canada from 2002 to 2004, and served in a number of roles at Enron from 1999 to 2002, which included its pulp and paper business. Prior to Enron, Epstein held positions of increasing responsibility in process engineering, capital, and energy management and operations management at BASF Corp.

Epstein earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in business administration with concentrations in finance and economics from The University of Chicago.

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Gould Paper Corp., New York, N.Y., USA, has appointed Sandra Bisker market development manager-Brazil for the company's wholly-owned subsidiary Price & Pierce. In her new position, Bisker will continue to reside in Sao Paulo. She has more than 10 years of experience in the Brazilian paper market, having spent most of her career with Votorantim/VCP.

In her last position before joining Price & Pierce, Bisker served as a regional business manager for FIBRA-KSR, a Votorantim owned paper merchant. She holds an MBA degree from BSP-Business School Sao Paulo, and a BA degree from ESPM.

Gould Paper is one of North America's four largest distributors of printing and business papers. Early in 2010, Japan Pulp & Paper purchased a 51% ownership position in Gould. With this acquisition, Gould, in concert with JPP, has offices in almost every major city throughout the world with total revenues in excess of $6 billion.

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International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., USA, this week announced the election of Joan E. Spero, Ph.D., to its board of directors. Spero served in the U.S. Department of State as undersecretary for economic, business, and agricultural affairs and as ambassador to the United Nations for economic and social affairs. She has held leadership positions in corporate strategy and corporate affairs over a span of 12 years at American Express, and from 1997 to 2008 she served as president of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. She is currently a senior research scholar at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Previously, Spero served on the board of directors of ING Groep N.V., Delta Air Lines Inc., and First Data Corp. She is a member of IBM's board of directors, a Trustee of both the Council on Foreign Relations and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and a Trustee Emeritus of Columbia University and Amherst College. Spero earned a masters degree and a doctorate from Columbia University.

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The Lake States TAPPI North Central PIMA - Kick-Off Meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 23, 2011, at the Bull's Eye Country Club, 3320 Timber Valley Drive, Wisconsin Rapids, WI.

A morning shotgun, scramble golf outing is planned with dinner to follow. Prizes will be awarded and individual pin events will be held. Those submitting their registration with their fee, postmarked by August 9th, will be assigned holes on a 1st come, 1st serve basis. Later registrations will be assigned as space is available.

Foursome sponsors and all singles will be notified of their hole assignment via phone, fax or email. The scramble will have prizes and individual pin events. Check-in registration will be at the main entrance of the golf course club house. Golf clubs will be unloaded, tagged, and placed on golf carts for your assigned hole. Beverage carts will also be available throughout the day on a cash basis. Lunch will be provided at the turn, with the standard fine cuisine of brats, hamburgers, and beverage.

For registration details and complete details about this event

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Organised by Recycling Today Media and Pira International, Paper Recycling Conference Europe 2011 (PRCE) is designed to bring the supply and consuming sides of the industry together to create an active dialogue and generate trading opportunities. The conference will feature sessions touching upon trading/commercial activities, collection methods and recycling plant operations.

The programme will include: 

• EU end-of-waste criteria for recovered paper: expected impact and the new opportunities
• trading views from all sides of the trading triangle
• challenges of decreasing fibre quality
• implications of generators' move to market their recovered paper directly
• a new Q& A session with a leading industry expert
  

The 2 day conference will be complemented by an exhibition and extensive networking opportunities with over 250 attendees. Find out more at www.paperrecyclingeurope.com

TAPPI Members are entitled for 20% discount. To claim, book online and use promo code: TM20D

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William J. Whitsitt, a world expert on corrugated containers and corrugator runnability, passed away on May 28, 2011, at age 84. A Minnesota native, Bill joined the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC) in Appleton, WI, in 1948, upon receiving his BChE from the University of Minnesota that year. His over 40 year tenure at IPC was spent in all aspects of container research including boxboard and multiwall sack but with a major emphasis on corrugated containers. The latter included studies of material (liner and medium) and combined board properties and performance, as well as combined board and box manufacturing processes, in order to learn how material properties and manufacturing processes impacted box performance. Bill was internationally known for his work through his many publications, but he also conducted numerous confidential research projects for member companies.

An effective educator, he made frequent presentations at TAPPI Corrugated Container Conferences, taught a Corrugating Short Course at IPC and a course in Containers offered to IPC students. His friendly easy going manner coupled with his vast knowledge also made him a popular instructor in a number of other courses. He was always willing to share his knowledge with others. Bill joined Menasha Corporation in 1989 when IPC moved to Atlanta.

A TAPPI member since 1964, Bill was an active member of the Test Methods Review Board, and was named a TAPPI Fellow in 1991. He will be missed by his family and friends and the international corrugating community. A scientist to the end, Bill donated his body to science.

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Lake States TAPPI/North Central PIMA held the Triple J Wing & Clay Spring Outing on April 5, 2011, at Triple J Sporting Clays. There were 72 shooters, the largest turnout ever for this event, and all had a great time. In addition to enjoying the shoot and network with other industry members the event raised over $4000.00 for our scholarship program.

The fall clay shoot is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, 2011, at Triple J Sporting Clays. Be sure to mark your calendars as this is an excellent opportunity to meet with industry folks.
The Lake states TAPPI/ North Central PIMA Golf Outing will be held at Bull's Eye Country Club in Wisconsin Rapids on Tuesday, August 23, 2011. It will be a scramble event so put together your foursomes and join us for a great day of golf and help our scholarship program.
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Mike Kocurek, Professor of Paper Science & Engineering at North Carolina University, will be again leading one of TAPPI"s more popular courses in Norcross (Atlanta), Georgia on August 8-9.
Past attendees of this course have agreed that the course format provides an excellent introduction to kraft pulp mill operations, and allows them to provide stronger input on operations after returning from the course.

After successfull completion of the course, participants should be able to:

• Describe and define kraft pulp mill processes, equipment, operating variables, and terminology, in order to increase ability to improve operations and pulp quality.
• Recognize how one part of the process affects other operations, in order to increase awareness of thinking on a mill wide scale.
• Interpret how the process variables affect pulp quality, in order to improve pulp quality and troubleshoot variations in quality.
• Extend awareness of the complex environmental challenges associated with kraft pulp production.
  
  In addition, 13.3 continuing education credits are awarded upon completion of the course.

Learn more and register to attend

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The TAPPI Tissue Properties & Manufacturing Course will be held in Atlanta on August 10-11.
The overall objective of this course, led by Mike Kocurek, Professor Emeritus of North Carolina State University, is to increase understanding of tissue performance properties and manufacturing. It is designed for participants who desire an intermediate level, comprehensive, and structured course on tissue properties, and the effect of manufacturing processes on product performance properties.

Completion of this course earns participants 14 CEU's.

To learn more and to register

Course topics will cover:

• Tissue properties & tests and how these relate to sheet structure
• Performance effects of fiber raw materials, pulp mill and recycling operations
• Stock prep refining for tissue
• Chemicals for tissue
• Tissue machine wet end operations & effects on sheet structure & properties
• multilayer headboxes, formation, fiber orientation, dewatering, and fabrics for sheet forming and sheet structure
• TAD and Yankee drying & effects on properties
• wet felts for obtaining desired sheet structure
• Creping, calendering, embossing

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TAPPI is still accepting applications for the William L Cullison Scholarship . Scholarship funds are currently awarded in increments up to $4,000 per academic year for the last two years of a student's undergraduate program. The deadline has been extended to August 1, 2011. All candidates will be notified of their application status by September 1, 2011.

Potential candidates must meet all of the following eligibility criteria to be considered. It is important to note that financial need is not a requirement to be eligible.
• Major in a pulp and paper science course of study at a college or university. Many of these colleges and universities sponsor a TAPPI Student Chapter.
• Maintain a 3.5 grade point average or better (on a 4.0 scale) through the first two years in a four-year program, or first three years in a five-year program.
• Demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities.
• Demonstrate significant interest in the pulp and paper industry.

TAPPI's selection committee has created a new, expedited process for applicants to submit their application. It recognizes that while students are seeking additional ways to cover the cost of their education, they also appreciate electronic solutions to facilitate application submission. The committee is happy to oblige and the online process is fairly straightforward.

For further information and to apply go to Scholarship Information

 

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