Kimberly-Clark, Dallas, Texas, USA, this past week announced that its Kleenex Brand facial tissues is committing $500,000 to help fund an important component of children's education—school field trips. K-C notes that field trips offer experiential learning in real-world settings, and they have always been a favorite school activity for kids who like to stay on-the-go.

According to the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, hands-on activities outside of the classroom, such as field trips, are one of the most effective ways to engage youth ages 12 through 17. Unfortunately, however, one in four schools in the U.S. is being forced to cut or even eliminate field trips due to budget cuts, according to a 2009 survey conducted by the American Association of School Administrators.

To help fill the gap, K-C is committing half a million dollars to help schools across America keep field trips as a part of the educational curriculum. The brand is inviting parents, teachers, and others to help their schools win a share of the cash by participating in the online sweepstakes program.

The Kleenex brand Back to School Sweepstakes will award 100 schools a $5,000 award to be used toward field trips during the 2011 – 2012 school year.

The top 100 U.S. schools that finish with the most votes will receive a $5,000 award. Voting ends on September 14. The winning schools will be notified on or around September 15.

More information is available online.

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The TAPPI Tissue Properties & Manufacturing Course, to be held on August 10 - 11, 2011, at TAPPI's headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA, delivers a comprehensive and structured overview of tissue manufacturing processes, and their effects on product performance for those operations and administrative personnel that are new to the industry or process of tissue production.

"The course is specifically designed to increase the ability of attendees to improve manufacturing operations and produce a more competitive product," says Michael J. Kocurek, PhD, Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University, who chairs this course.

Kocurek adds that "we have put together a ‘top notch' team of instructors to make sure that attendees receive a well-rounded overview of the processes." The team of instructors for this course will include 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.

Kocurek has taught this course for a number of years with TAPPI and has also taught this curriculum to operators at multiple mills and corporations.

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.

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

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U.S. containerboard production was flat in June 2011 compared with May 2011, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) U. S. Containerboard Statistics Report released this week. However, the month-over-month average daily production was up 3.3%. The containerboard operating rate for June was up slightly, 0.1 point over June 2010 to 96.9%, but it gained 3.1 points over May's operating rate.

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Linerboard production has a slight gain over last year
• Corrugating medium also showed a slight increase over June 2010.

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The AF&PA this week also released its June 2011 U.S. Paperboard Report. The report shows that total boxboard production decreased by 0.2% compared with June 2010, and was flat from last month.

Additional key findings in the report include:

• Unbleached kraft folding production decreased over the same month last year, and decreased over last month
• Solid bleached boxboard and liner production increased over June 2010
• The production of recycled folding decreased compared with June 2010, and decreased when compared with last month
• Inventory of solid bleached kraft paperboard increased in June.

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U.S. kraft paper shipments totaled 135,100 tons in June, a decrease of 3.5% compared with June 2010, but up 2.5% when compared with May 2011, according to the AF&PA's Kraft Paper Sector Report released this week. Total inventory was 62,600 tons.

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Total unbleached kraft shipments decreased compared with June 2010
• Total bleached kraft shipments were up compared with the same month last year for the fifth time in 2011.

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U.S. domestic box volumes provided more evidence of a sluggish economy, according to Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank. There was some good news, he adds. Operating rates were better than expected and the inventory decline was three times the average May to June decline. Exports were healthy, albeit at a lower pace than previous months.

With cost rising and prices easing, second half margins will likely be pressured, Wilde notes. With IP's hostile bid for Temple-Inland (see article in Pulp & Paper section below) and weak demand trends, a fall containerboard price hike seems unlikely, he says, adding, however, that "with cost rising and pressure on margins, we wouldn't rule out a hike attempt." Global Markets Research Company

Average week and actual box shipments were down 0.1% y/y, Wilde continues. Trade reports had suggested a "better" June result. However, softness in the numbers is consistent with a wide range of macroeconomic indicators suggesting continued economic weakness. While June's ISM index rebounded from 53.5 to 55.3 (+1.8 m/m), it remains sharply below the 60.4 recorded in April, he points out.

Combined mill and box plant inventories fell 38,000 tons m/m to 2,155 tons, Wilde reports. Over the past 10 years, inventories typically declined 12,000 tons m/m in June. The overall containerboard operating rate in June was 96.9%. "This is better than May's rate (93.8%), and better than we anticipated. Historically, operating rates at this level would have producers strutting confidently. Total containerboard exports were up 9.4% y/y," Wilde explains.

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Andritz, Graz, Austria, has acquired Iggesund Tools International AB, headquartered in Iggesund, Sweden, including its subsidiaries in the U.S., Canada, and other countries. The acquired companies have approximately 160 employees and generate annual sales of about EUR 25 million. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Iggesund Tools, now Andritz Iggesund Tools, supplies wood chipping and debarking equipment (mainly chipper knife systems) for pulp and saw mills. Andritz noted that its Pulp & Paper business area is thus strengthened and its service offerings in the wood processing area are complemented by the acquisition.

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Cascades Inc., Kingsey Falls, Que., Canada, this week announced that it will purchase the remaining 50% of shares it does not hold in Papersource Converting Mill Corp. (Papersource), located in Granby, Que. The cash purchase price for the acquired shares will be approximately $60 million and Cascades will assume a debt of approximately $25 million, for an approximate corresponding enterprise value of $145 million.

The transaction, expected to be signed in mid-September, is contingent on approval by the Canadian Competition Bureau. The 100% ownership of Papersource will have a positive impact on Cascades' net consolidated results, the company notes.

According to Suzanne Blanchet, president and CEO of Cascades Tissue Group, "with sales of more than $130 million and a consumption of more than 90,000 metric tpy, the acquisition of the remaining shares of Papersource will increase the level of integration of Cascades Tissue Group to more than 70% and will thus strengthen its positioning in the away-from-home segment in Canada and in the U.S."

Alain Lemaire, president and CEO of Cascades Inc., added that "this announcement confirms the firm intention of Cascades to be a key player in the tissue paper sector in North America."

Papersource is a tissue paper converting plant that essentially manufactures products for the away-from-home market. It has more than 160 employees.

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Clearwater Paper Corp., Spokane, Wash., USA, this week announced that it will offer Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified premium and ultra-premium bath tissue, and ultra-premium paper towel products to retail customers. The Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood Program performed all certification audits to ensure conformance to the FSC standards. The company shipped the first batch of these new FSC-certified ultra-premium tissue products in early June.

In June 2010, Clearwater began offering FSC-certified facial tissue to retail grocery private label customers. Since then, the company has applied the FSC logo and the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal to millions of customer facial cartons, and currently supplies the largest case volume of FSC-certified private label products to U.S. retail chains.

"The combination of certified premium and ultra-premium facial products since June of last year, coupled with increases planned this year, means that products certified by the Rainforest Alliance to FSC standards represent more than 50% of Clearwater Paper's total retail product case volume nationwide," said Bob DeVleming, president of Clearwater Paper's consumer products division."

FSC-certification indicates to consumers that the products they are purchasing come from responsible, well-managed forests where forest ecosystems are conserved and the rights of workers and their communities are protected.

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Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, this week announced that it expects to raise $3 billion to $3.5 billion in unsecured financing to refinance its secured indebtedness outstanding under its existing senior secured credit facilities. Additionally, the company said it expects to syndicate an unsecured revolver to refinance its existing revolver under its senior secured credit facilities. As a result of the refinancing, the company expects to have an unsecured capital structure.

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Ilim Group, St. Petersburg, Russia, reported this week that company locations in the Northwest of Russia (the Ilim Branch in Koryazhma and Ilim Gofra corrugated board plant in Leningrad Oblast) produced 530,000 metric tons of pulp and paper products during the first six months of this year. This is 8% above the performance during a similar period in 2010.

The January – June 2011 production includes 176,000 metric tons of market pulp, which is a 11% increase compared with January – June 2010. Market containerboard production reached 247,000 tons during the first half of this year, a 5% gain over last year.

Paper production increased to 107,000 metric tons, which is 9% more than in the first six months of 2010. This includes 37,000 metric tons of sack paper, 50,000 metric tons of offset paper, and 20,000 metric tons of paper for wallpaper manufacturing purposes. Pulp production grew by 8% to 554,000 metric tons. Wood supplies to the Koryazhma Branch totaled 268,000 cubic meters, which is 5% more than in January – June of last year.

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Following an exhaustive search, Sappi Fine Paper Europe this week announced that it has not found a suitable acquirer for its Biberist mill in Switzerland, and thus has decided to completely close the mill. Production on paper machines 8 and 9 has already ceased and production on the uncoated paper line will halt at the end of August. Redundancy notices to all remaining employees affected by the closure have been sent out.

"The process to find a suitable purchaser included numerous discussions with interested parties and involved close cooperation between local mill management and Sappi's European and global management teams to make the purchase as attractive as possible," said Sappi Fine Paper Europe CEO, Berry Wiersum. "Unfortunately several industry players quickly withdrew their interest and we were unable to come to an agreement with any other interested parties."

Some 550 employees in total will be affected by the closure, of which 134 had earlier been given notice. Sappi has agreed to a social plan with the employees and the labor unions. Meanwhile, the company continues its search for a new owner.

With the cessation of coated graphic paper production at Biberist, Sappi will reduce its graphic paper capacity by 500 000 metric tpy. Volumes produced at the mill will be transferred to other Sappi sites in Europe, and the company notes that there will be no supply interruption to customers during the mill closure and transfer of production.

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Shouguang MeiLun Paper Co., Shouguang, Shandong province in China, has successfully started up its Metso-supplied coated fine paper line PM 6. The new machine includes a complete OptiConcept papermaking line from headbox to reel, as well as two winders. It produces double-coated woodfree paper within the basis weight range of 70-128 gsm.

The annual maximum production capacity of the 11.15-m-wide (wire) line is around 800,000 metric tons and the design speed is 2,000 m/min. The papermaking line has been equipped with the latest Metso technology, including an OptiFormer SB forming section, OptiFlo Pro headbox, and OptiDry Twin drying technology.

Shouguang MeiLun Paper is part of Shandong Chenming Paper Holdings Limited, one of the biggest paper producers in China. The group is made up of more than 10 subsidiaries with a production capacity of 4 million metric tpy.

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SP Newsprint Co., Greenwich, Conn., USA, has inked a forbearance agreement with its lenders to avoid foreclosure. According to the agreement, SP will be provided with additional liquidity and its lenders will forebear from exercising any rights or remedies that might otherwise have been available to them. During the forbearance period, SP, its lenders, and advisors will work to develop and implement a business plan for SP that will ensure its viability on a long-term basis.

SP Newsprint's Dublin, Ga., mill produces some 540,000 metric tpy of newsprint. The company also has a mill in Newberg, Ore., and runs 22 recycling facilities through its SP Recycling Corp. unit.

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Temple-Inland Inc., Austin, Texas, USA, this week announced that its board of directors, after careful consideration with its independent financial and legal advisors, voted unanimously to reject the unsolicited tender offer from International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., to acquire all outstanding common shares of Temple-Inland at a price of $30.60 per share in cash. The board said that it unanimously determined that the offer "grossly undervalues Temple-Inland and is not in the best interests of Temple-Inland's stockholders" The board unanimously recommended that Temple-Inland stockholders not tender their shares into IP's offer.

The basis for the board's recommendation with respect to IP's tender offer is set forth in Temple-Inland's Schedule 14D-9 filed this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The reasons why the board recommends that Temple-Inland stockholders not tender their shares into IP's offer are detailed in the Schedule 14-D-9.

"Since we launched the 'new' Temple-Inland in January 2008, we have delivered superior results to our stockholders compared with our corrugated packaging peers, building products peers, and the S&P 500. The Temple-Inland board is unanimous in its belief that the offer grossly undervalues Temple-Inland and its prospects, including its position as the return on asset leader in the corrugated packaging industry, expected benefits from box plant transformation, its low-cost building products operation, and its strategic place within the industry as the third largest producer of corrugated packaging in North America," said Doyle R. Simons, chairman and CEO of Temple-Inland.

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VIDA Paper, Sweden, is set to begin producing some 28,000 metric tpy of new dissolving pulp capacity at its Lessebo mill in Southern Sweden this fall and has selected Noss AB, Sweden, to provide new cleaning equipment for the line. According to Noss, the mill will install a Radiclone hydrocyclone system for cleaning and thickening. Noss notes that the Radiclone is a proven concept used when demands for cleanliness are in the high or very high range. Also included in the delivery is a Radiscreen-C protection screen. The new cleaning system will be started up in early August.

VIDA Paper belongs to VIDA AB, Sweden's largest privately owned sawmill company. VIDA Paper currently is producing sulfite pulp as well as white and natural colored uncoated premium paper. The company also produces colored uncoated wood free paper and wood free digital paper. In connection with its new dissolving pulp production, the Lassebo mill also decided to invest in improved cleaning of its bleached sulfite pulp.

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Amcor Packaging PTY, Australia, has contracted Metso, Finland, to supply mill maintenance services for Amcor's Botany mill B9 board making line in New South Wales, Australia. The value of the agreement was not disclosed.

The B9 containerboard production line at the Botany mill, to be supplied by Metso, is scheduled to startup in mid 2012.

With this multi-year mill maintenance agreement, which became effective July 12, Metso assumes full responsibility for the establishment of maintenance operations, mill maintenance services, and management of improvement projects for the stock and paper production facilities as well as mill utilities at the Botany mill.

Amcor Packaging is part of Amcor Limited, a global packaging manufacturer offering a broad range of plastic, fiber, metal, and glass packaging products, along with packaging-related services. It has annual sales of about EUR 9 billion and 35,000 employees worldwide, through more than 300 manufacturing sites it operates in 43 countries.

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Oji Paper Co., Japan, reports that it has decided to make a general offer for all of the issued shares of HPI Resources Bhd, a holding company of Harta Packaging Industries, a major manufacturer of corrugated board in Malaysia. HPI produces 47,000 metric tpy (250 million cubic meters) of corrugated boards and operates box plants in Malaysia and Cambodia. It also has plastic bag manufacturing capabilities in Malaysia.

The acquisition complements Oji's earlier acquisitions of S Paper & Packaging Sdn Bhd and United Kotak Bhd. In Malaysia and will secure the company some 30% share of the Malaysian corrugated board market. Combined with the paper bag capacity, the acquisitions place Oji in the position of "total packaging provider" in the South East Asia region.

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Allegan County, Michigan, reportedly will attempt to auction off the former RockTenn mill in Otsego later this summer, now that the city of Otsego and the state of Michigan have declined to buy the property, according to a report this week in the Kalamazoo Gazette. The property, which includes three parcels totaling 50.1 acres, will be listed on the eBay website later this month or early August.

Allegan and Ottawa counties will try selling their unsold properties in foreclosure, including the former RockTenn site, in a single auction on August 13 at the Ottawa County Administrative Building, 12220 Fillmore St., in Olive Township. Registration for the auction is set for 9 a.m. and the auction will be held at 10 a.m.

Bidding on the former mill site will start at $250,800, which includes $248,278 that the site's previous owner, Cogswell Property LLC, owed the county in overdue taxes for 2006-10 and the amount that the county spent on the property. If no one buys the property at the event, a second auction will be held at 10 a.m. September 24 at the Comfort Inn at 622 Allegan St., in Plainwell, Mich. There will be no minimum bid at the second auction.

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Stora Enso, Finland, has ordered a new testliner machine from Voith Paper, Germany, for its Ostroleka mill, approximately 120 km north of Warsaw, Poland. The new PM 5 will allow Stora Enso to meet the increasing demand for corrugated board and ensure the competitiveness of its location. Startup is scheduled for the first quarter of 2013.

At a wire width of 8,600 mm and a design speed of 1,800 m/min, the Narew PM 5 will produce 455,000 metric tons of testliner per year. The new machine is especially designed for the production of lightweight testliner in a basis weight range of 65 - 140 gsm. The key focus of this investment is on low operating costs as well as a resource-efficient overall concept.

Voith Paper will supply the entire paper machine from headbox to winder. A particular highlight is the new DuoDryer CC that will be installed in the Narew PM 5 for the first time. It permits symmetrical drying with a continuously closed web run. Light and low-tension papers can be produced at high speeds and high efficiency at the same time. A VariFlex winder also is included in the scope of supply.

In addition to the OnQ ModuleSteam (steam box) and the OnV ConditionMonitoring (machine monitoring system), the automation package also includes the new OnV EnergyProfiler software. This software visualizes energy consumption of the paper machine and thus permits energy cost saving production. A quality control system with two Voith LSC Scanners supplements the package.

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Germany-based Thimm Verpackung will acquire the corrugated packaging division of Tektura Opakowania Papier (TOP), a company based in the southern Poland town of Tychy. The manufacturer of corrugated board transport and sales packaging, which achieved a turnover of EUR 17 million in 2010, employing 170 people, will be taken over after approval by the Polish anti-monopoly office. The company will be jointly owned by the Northeim-based packaging specialist Thimm, with a 51% stake, and Spanish company Saica (S.A. Industrias Celulosa Aragonesa), with a 49% stake. These two family businesses have been working together in a strategic sales alliance since the late 1990s. TOP's paper and board divisions are not part of the acquisition deal.

Jeremiasz Zaleski, GM of TOP Packaging Division, noted that "my colleagues and I are delighted that we have been acquired by two such prestigious international companies who have previously not been present in the Polish market. Significant additional investment is planned to increase our capacity and widen our capabilities, which we are confident will make TOP an even more attractive supplier to an extended range of local, national, and multi-national customers."

This move into the Polish market will also allow Thimm Verpackung to continue its growth strategy in Central and Eastern Europe. The Northeim-based family business is already operating its own production facilities in the Czech Republic and Romania. With the newly acquired plant in South Poland, Thimm is now in a position to serve much of Poland and neighboring export markets.

Jens Fokuhl, managing director of the Thimm Group explained that "strategic takeovers such as the acquisition of TOP in Poland are a key part of our growth strategy. We thus continue to focus on the internationalization of our business and are developing the largest Eastern European market in the EU for our packaging operations." Per-capita consumption of corrugated cardboard in Eastern Europe currently is well below that of Western Europe. Thimm expects substantial growth due to positive economic development in the region, especially in Poland.

Fokuhl added that "both TOP's business model and their client and product portfolio match our operations ideally. TOP specializes in high-quality printed packaging, their technical facilities are good. These factors were pivotal in Thimm's decision to enter the Polish market through acquisition."

Susana Alejandro, managing director of Saica Pack added that "the acquisition is part of Saica's long-term strategy to become a global player in Europe. Saica has ambitious expansion plans with regard to corrugated business in Poland in order to strengthen Saica's long term commitment to its customers and the key importance of the Polish market for the group."

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Clariant, Muttenz, Switzerland, reports that it is offering papermakers new deposit control solutions with the addition of Cartaspers® SCH and Cartabond® DST.01 to its range. The extended portfolio has been developed specifically to improve machine cleanliness and runnability when wastepaper is used as a raw material in the papermaking process.

Cartaspers SCH makes use of nanotechnology to introduce trillions of tiny polymer particles into the wet-end of a paper machine system. The emulsion particles, which are hydrophobic in nature, are derived from a very hard (high melting point) polymer. In a typical wet end environment, the tiny polymer spheres associate themselves with other hydrophobic components in the pulp slurry.

Cartaspers SCH works through a mechanism of passivation, combining with pressure sensitive adhesives, latex binders, pitch, and all other potential "stickie" contaminants, to give them a hard protective shell that prevents agglomeration and reduces the tendency of stickies to foul machine clothing. The increased softening point of the passivated stickies helps prevent "picking" in the drying section and the transfer of contaminant to the hot cylinders is significantly reduced. Addition levels of Cartaspers® SCH are aligned with the degree of stickie contamination and the product is applicable to mills using wastepaper but also virgin fiber as a raw material.

Cartabond DST.01 is a low charge cationic polymer solution designed to reduce turbidity in the wet end circuits, without affecting backwater or fiber charge. Micro-stickies are transferred onto fibers without significantly increasing particle size, unlike the traditional high-charge polyamine coagulants known for creating agglomerated secondary stickies—much larger particles responsible for machine contamination and sheet quality problems.

Primarily, but not exclusively, for tissue grades, the Cartabond DST.01 polymer is rich in hydrogen bonding groups and has been proven as a dry strength additive. The product therefore provides dual functionality and replaces both the coagulant and dry strength resin, the company notes.

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DuPont Titanium Technologies, Wilmington, Del., USA, has announced a net price increase of $500 per metric ton for all of its Ti-Pure® titanium dioxide (TiO2) coatings grades and a net price increase of $700 per metric ton for all of its Ti-Pure® TiO2 plastic and paper grades sold in Latin America. The increases will become effective September 1.

DuPont Titanium Technologies is the world's largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide, serving customers globally in the coatings, paper, and plastics industries. The company operates plants at DeLisle, Miss.; New Johnsonville, Tenn.; Edge Moor, Del.; Altamira, Mexico; and Kuan Yin, Taiwan; all of which use the chloride manufacturing process.

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Papierfabrik Scheufelen, Lenningen, Germany, this week reported that it will raise prices for its coated woodfree papers by 8% in all countries, beginning with shipments on and after September 1. The company attributes the price increase to continuing increases in raw materials and energy costs.

Scheufelen, founded in 1855, was acquired by the Dutch company Paper Excellence this past May. At the Lenningen site, some 550 employees produce up to 300,000 metric tpy of premium coated woodfree paper from FSC and PEFC certified pulps. The paper brands Phoenixmotion, Parilux, Heaven 42, Bys, and Bro are available in a grammage range from 90 gsm – 400 gsm and are available with matt, semi-matt, and glossy surfaces.

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Catalyst Paper, Richmond, B.C., Canada, this week appointed Brian Johnston to the position of VP, technical services. Most recently serving as VP, operations, this new assignment will leverage Johnston's extensive industry background as the company intensifies its focus on manufacturing consistency and efficiency.

"Brian's experience and knowledge of all of our operating assets and technologies will enable the business to ensure appropriate procedures, processes, and resources are fully deployed in each mill and functioning at a level that delivers maximum productivity and reliability," said Catalyst president and CEO Kevin J. Clarke. "His technical expertise will also be instrumental in the efficient deployment of major capital projects such as the federally funded boiler upgrade at Powell River."

Johnston has held a range of leadership assignments at Catalyst since joining the company in 1994 and brings more than 25 years of coast-to-coast mill experience to his new role. Pending completion of the search for a new head of manufacturing, mill operations will report to the president.

Catalyst Paper manufactures specialty printing papers, newsprint, and pulp. It operates four mills located in British Columbia and Arizona, with a combined annual production capacity of 1.9 million metric tons.

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The 2011 TAPPI Improving Paper Machine Performance Course will be held August 23-25, 2011.
This upcoming TAPPI course will give students the tools needed to evaluate the performance of paper machines against industry standards. By measurement and comparison, the student will be able to evaluate ways to improve performance and optimize the efficiency of the paper machine operation.

The course will be led by James W. Atkins, president of Atkins, Inc., a consulting company. Mr. Atkins has over forty years in the paper industry and has held the titles of Manager Paper Manufacturing, Mill Manager, and VP/General Manager in several paper companies. He has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina. Joining the instructor team will be Charles P. Klass, President of Klass Associates, Inc.

To find out more click Course Information

 

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The deadline is just over a week away for nominations to be submittied for the major annual assocation awards which recognize outstanding contribution to the association and industry. The submission deadline is August 1, 2011. The following awards may be presented in the upcoming year:

• Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award - The Association's highest technical honor recognizes an individual or individuals for preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the world's pulp, paper, board, forest products and related industires. 
• Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award - The Association's highest award for service recognizes leadership and service which have significantly and demonstrably contributed to the advancement of the Association.
• Paul W. Magnabosco Outstanding Local Section Member Award – The award recognizes an individual for outstanding leadership and exceptional service to one or more Local Sections, which have resulted in significant and demonstrable benefits to the Local Section members. It's the association's highest honor for Local Sections.
• TAPPI Fellow - TAPPI Fellows are TAPPI members who have contributed meritorious service to the Association and/or the paper and related industries. Retiring members of the TAPPI Board of Directors become Fellows automatically at the end of their term. Nominees must have been TAPPI members for not less than 10 years prior to the nomination

TAPPI Awards and Honors  shows the award qualifications links to the nomination forms that must be completed. All nomination forms may be submitted by email to standards@tappi.org, faxed to the attention of the awards department at +1-770-446-6947, or mailed to TAPPI, Awards Department, 15 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, GA 30092, USA.

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The deadline is close at hand to register for the Intro to Kraft Pulping and Bleaching Course!

This course, to be held August 8-9, 2011 in the TAPPI Training Room (Norcross, GA), is ideal for anyone new to the kraft pulping process, particularly process engineers and operators. In addition to a wide range of knowledge about specific unit operations, process variables and key technologies, the course provides a big picture view of these operations as well. Attendees learn to recognize how one part of the process affects other operations, in order to increase awareness of thinking on a mill wide scale. In addition, the course provides insight that extends awareness of the complex environmental challenges associated with kraft pulp production.

Participants will learn specifically about:

• Wood and Fiber Raw Materials
• Preparation of Wood and Chips for Pulping
• Preparation of White Liquor
• Pulping Terminology, Properties and Tests
• Batch and Continuous Cooking
• Kraft Pulping Chemical Reactions
• Pulping Variables and Effects on Properties
• Trends in Kraft Pulping and Bleaching
• Brown Stock Washing
• Screening and Cleaning
• Bleaching and Oxygen Delignification

Learn more and register at the Course Webpage

 

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Have you registered for the 2011 TAPPI Extrusion Coating Course yet? Don't wait! You can save $200 on your TAPPI registration and on most flights with a 21-day advance booking. This course takes place August 16-18 in exciting Nashville, Tennessee.

Top Leadership Attendance
Just last year, the course attracted representatives from more than 30 different companies and based on registration so far, the course appears destined for the same broad and elite representation. You can see a list here of Companies Represented in 2010 and 2011

Another Reason to Attend
You'll receive your own copy of the Roll and Web Defect Terminology, Second Addition, for attending the entire three-day program. (You must stay until the end of the course to receive your book.) This is a must-have communication tool for suppliers and their customers to assist in the identification and elimination of roll and web defects, such as those commonly found in paper, film, Nonwoven webs and wound rolls.

Book Your Hotel Special Rate for Attendees
(Sheraton Downtown Nashville)
623 Union Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37219
United States
Phone: 615-259-2000
Please call to make room reservations. Be sure to say "TAPPI" to get the special TAPPI Corporate Rate of $139.00 plus fees.

We thank you for your continued support of TAPPI's educational resources and look forward to seeing you in Nashville, Tennessee very soon!

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The Preventive Maintenance/Essential Care & Condition Monitoring Course will be held September 12-13, 2011, in Raleigh, NC. TAPPI will be partnering with IDCON on a series of maintenance courses such as this.

Preventive maintenance is essential to achieving improved equipment reliability. The implementation of a preventive maintenance program will enable your plant to identify and minimize equipment failures.

This training in Preventive Maintenance/Essential Care and Condition Monitoring will teach participants how to set up a cost-effective process and provide practical exercises and techniques.

You will benefit from this training if you:

Plan preventive maintenance work

• Execute preventive maintenance tasks (operations and maintenance)
• Manage preventive maintenance
• Work with reliability improvements
• Manage and/or supervise maintenance personnel
• Work with a Computerized Maintenance Management System
• Work as a maintenance or reliability engineer
• Coordinate PM tasks between E/I, mechanical and operations
• Manage Operator Essential Care and inspections

Learn More and Register!

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Register now  to attend the TAPPI PEERS Conference (October 2-5, 2011 in Portland, Oregon) and benefit from the integration of both management and technical topics.

At PEERS, you'll gain a better understanding how of the entire mill process works together – helping you Optimize the Lean Green Machine.

Learn more about the program

With seven focused tracks and more than 30 sessions, this year's updated conference offers peer-reviewed papers, expert speakers, exclusive networking opportunities and new technologies that can help mills optimize operations.

Why Attend? You'll benefit from:

• Unrivaled networking opportunities
• Hearing directly from Keynote Speaker Miles P. Drake from Weyerhaeuser
• Save time and money by also attending the International Pulp Bleaching Conference at a discount
• Learn the latest updates on Boiler MACT rules and regulations
• Gain knowledge from peer-reviewed technical sessions
• See the latest products and services available to the marketplace
• Share strategies and know-how at Hot Topic Breakfasts

See you in Portland!

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On June 28 and 29, 2011 Clark Atlanta University hosted a High School Summer Institute. The goal of this program is to train and promote energy science and engineering, multi-disciplinary education and research among high school students. During the program, the students were introduced to areas of alternative and renewable energy, recycling, conservation, weatherization, enabling technologies and training.

TAPPI was asked to help them to promote the pulp, paper, and packaging industries. As always, our industry stepped up to the plate. Mr. Bill Bohn, Area Vice President, North America, Fiber Business Line, from Metso kindly agreed to speak to the students about the industry. Caraustar in Austell, Georgia provided a mill tour thanks to Rob Maino, General Manager of Austell Mill One & Two.

Veda Chandler, who coordinated the event for Clark said, "Everything worked out perfectly! The speaker did a wonderful job during the lecture, and the tour went GREAT!!! The students had no idea how the products were made, so being able to hear about the process, followed by the mill tour and actually seeing the process up close really sparked their interest."

Clark Atlanta University currently has a dual degree program with the Georgia Institute of Technology in Chemical Engineering. This program can be designated as a chemical engineering degree with a certificate in paper. For more information on this program please contact David Bell, V.P. Corporate Relations, dbell@tappi.org.

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As the leading association for the worldwide pulp, paper, packaging, and converting industries, TAPPI announces that it 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.

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.

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.

Convinced that today's students are tomorrow's leaders, the TAPPI Foundation endowed the William L. Cullison Scholarship fund in honor of TAPPI's fifth Executive Director, an extraordinary industry leader. The field offers satisfying, well-paying careers in the pulp and paper, corrugated container, or polymers, laminations, adhesives, coatings and extrusion industries. Attracting skilled, motivated young people is the cornerstone to building a highly skilled workforce and a technically advanced industry. This scholarship provides a compelling incentive for students entering their third year of college to pursue an academic path related to this vital work.

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The TAPPI Tissue Properties & Manufacturing Course, to be held in Atlanta, GA on August 10-11, 2011 is quickly filling up. But, you can still register and receive an early registration discount of $100 off of the course fees if you register by Tuesday, July 26.

Learn more about this course and register online.

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The 2011 International Pulp Bleaching Conference will be hosted by TAPPI on October 5-7, 2011 in Portland, OR in conjunction with the TAPPI PEERS Conference.

This conference is dedicated to all chemical and engineering aspects of pulp bleaching. Not held since 2008, it is the most important meeting on this subject and attracts a global audience to meet, learn and exchange ideas. This year's program will include a Weyerhaeuser Mill Tour. Space is limited on this tour, so make your reservations early! Full details on the conference, including the technical program and registration are available on the TAPPI website.

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