The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, and The Climate Registry (TCR) have named International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., USA, among the winners of the inaugural Climate Leadership Awards. IP was recognized for aggressively managing and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

"This award reaffirms our commitment to continuous improvement and reductions in our environmental footprint. Efforts to improve the environment are most successful when stewardship and business results go hand-in-hand," said Teri Shanahan, IP's VP of Sustainability.

During the past decade, IP has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels by 40% and has committed to reducing another 20% by 2020. "We are also proud of the fact that close to 70% of our energy needs are being met with carbon-neutral biofuels," Shanahan added.

"International Paper and all of our Climate Leadership Award winners demonstrate that organizations who are taking action to mitigate climate change are also operating more efficiently, more innovatively, and more competitively," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.

IP was one of 20 organizations, and the only forest products company, recognized for its leadership in addressing climate change and reducing carbon pollution.

"C2ES joins EPA and our partners in congratulating International Paper as an inaugural recipient of the Climate Leadership Awards," said C2ES President Eileen Claussen. "International Paper demonstrates every day that it's possible to manage your carbon footprint without compromising your bottom line. Corporate leadership is essential to meeting our climate and energy challenges. International Paper's accomplishments will inspire other companies to act and contribute to strong, sensible policies benefiting both our economy and our climate."

The awards were presented at the inaugural Climate Leadership Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The conference brought together leaders from business, government, and academic institutions who are interested in exchanging best practices on how to address climate change while simultaneously running more competitive and sustainable operations.

More information about the Climate Leadership Awards and award winners is available online.

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Domtar Corp., Montreal, Que., Canada, has renewed its sponsorship of the Environmental Film Festival, the largest showcase of environmental film in the U.S. The 20th annual Environmental Film Festival will take place March 13 - 25 in Washington, D.C., featuring 180 engaging and thought-provoking films, including 93 world premieres from 42 countries.

This marks the second straight year that Domtar has sponsored the Environmental Film Festival, providing Cougar® paper - part of its EarthChoice® line of environmentally and socially responsible papers - for the printing of the festival programs. Domtar Cougar paper is certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

"Once again, the Environmental Film Festival has lined up meaningful work from some of the leading environmental filmmakers, helping us focus on the environment and the ways we can work together to manage natural resources," said Lewis Fix, Domtar's VP of Sustainable Business and Brand Management. "That's a message that is vital to us at Domtar, and we're pleased to be supporting this important event."

Films are screened at partnering museums, embassies, libraries, universities, and local theaters. Selected to provide fresh perspectives on global environmental issues, most films are accompanied by discussions with film makers, environmental experts, and special guests, including national decision makers and thought leaders, and are free to the public.

More information is available online.

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International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., USA, was ranked No. 1 in the Forest and Paper Companies category of CNN/Fortune's list of most admired companies in 2012. SCA, Finland, was ranked No. 2, Weyerhaeuser, Federal Way, Wash., was ranked No. 3, Stora Enso, Finland, was ranked fourth, Domtar, Montreal, Que., Canada, was N o. 5, and UPM, Finland, was No. 6.

Fortune's survey includes the 1,000 largest U.S. companies ranked by revenue, non-U.S. companies in Fortune's Global 500 database with revenue of $10 billion or more, and the top foreign companies operating in the U.S. A total of 4,100 U.S. executives, directors, and securities analysts responded to the industry surveys to select the 10 companies they admired most.

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Two opening keynote speakers at TAPPI's PaperCon 2012 event, April 22 - 25, in New Orleans, La., USA, are highly accomplished authors and well-know movers and shakers in their respective business arenas. During the PaperCon opening session on Monday morning, April 23, Jeffrey Hayzlett, a bestselling author, global business celebrity, and "sometime cowboy," will discuss how the paper industry can drive and deliver change and avoid the pitfalls that beset other industries. Following the PaperCon opening session, Dr. Howard W. Penrose, an active reliability consultant, publisher, and writer, gets TAPPI's co-located OpEx Reliability Seminar underway with his keynote look at physical asset management "futureshock" and how our industry's past affects its future.

Hayzlett is author of the business book The Mirror Test, which received acclaim on numerous bestseller lists including Inc's 800CEORead and USA Today. His second book, Running the Gauntlet, released in January 2012, answers the question: How do I change my business in a way that instills enthusiasm and increases profits? Providing the inspiration and tools for spearheading dramatic change, Hayzlett helps readers tackle their biggest obstacles to making changes necessary for business success—fear, apathy, and failure to take personal responsibility. In his trademark fast-paced, brash, humorous style, he provides a realistic approach to competing effectively in an increasingly competitive business environment.

With years of international marketing, sales, and customer relations management experience, Hayzlett is a well-traveled public speaker, author, celebrity editor to one of the largest-circulation business publications, and one of the most compelling figures in global business. Dubbed "a born leader" by Mark Burnett, he has successfully leveraged multiple media appearances on programs such as Fox Business News, MSNBC's Your Business, and NBC's Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump.

Dr. Penrose, VP of Dreisilker Electric Motors Inc., received the 2008 Axiom Business Book Award for Physical Asset Management for the Executive: Caution – Do Not Read this on an Airplane, and 2008 Foreword Book of the Year for Electrical Motor Diagnostics: 2nd Edition. He currently is webmaster and social media specialist for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (DEIS), and also serves as outreach director for the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP).

Dr. Penrose's research in reliability, maintenance, time to failure estimation, hybrid vehicles, bio-engineering, and the environment are well published in technical conferences and magazines as is his work with causes such as autism. He is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional and a NAVAIR and NAVSEA RCM specialist. He received five consecutive UAW and GM "People Make Quality Happen" awards from 2005 through 2009 in relation to reliability, maintenance, and energy projects within General Motors.

More details about the PaperCon 2012 program, exhibition, workshops and seminars, including the OpEx (Operating Excellence) Seminar, special events, and registration are available online, along with information about travel and accommodations.

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Walmart/Sam's Club Packaging SVN has announced the 7th Annual Sustainable Packaging Expo on May 8 - 9 at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, Ark., USA. Merchants, marketers, and other Walmart associates are invited to join product vendors and packaging suppliers to review opportunities for cost savings and sustainability improvements within the Walmart/Sam's Club supply chains.

The Expo will be focused on:

• Cost savings and sustainability improvements in product packaging
• Exhibition of packaging products and services from hundreds of packaging suppliers
• Information sessions to share successes and provide key information and solutions
• Recognition of outstanding packaging innovations in FY 2012.

The purpose of the Expo is to:

• Drive EDLC through packaging savings
• Identify new opportunities for more sustainable packaging
• Connect buyers, product suppliers, and packaging suppliers in a collaborative effort.

Attendees can register online. Enter your email address into the "Check Email" to complete the application. Then click on the "Information Sessions" tab to register for the classes. Attendance is on a first-come basis.

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CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries), Brussels, Belgium, has released its Fifth Sustainability Report. According to the report, the paper industry across Europe has been recovering from the financial crisis of 2009-2010, while coping with various blips in the availability of raw materials. Substantial amounts of recovered paper collected in Europe are going to China, and wood is increasingly being subsidized for energy generation. In spite of this, the report notes, recycling has increased and certification of the wood used in Europe's mills has risen to a new level.

The report also notes that the paper industry in Europe has further reduced carbon dioxide emissions, even taking mill closures into account, and has reduced its energy consumption. The percentage of companies with environmental management systems is at an all time high of 90%. On the social side, CEPI has started a dialog with the European Employees Federation representing mill workers, and has made health and safety a priority.

European paper industry accomplishments cited in the report include:

• 90% of production capacity has environmental management certification
• The European paper recycling rate is 69%, a world record
• 90% of newspapers and corrugated boxes are made from recycled fiber
• 94% of water used is returned to its source
• There has been a 14% reduction in energy consumption since 1990
• The industry has 86% less SO2 emissions since 1990
• AOx per metric ton of product has been reduced by 95% since 1990
• Today, 80% of wood used by CEPI members comes from CEPI countries
• 71% of wood virgin fiber used by the industry is certified
• The industry's accident rate has fallen by 58% since 1990.

A summary of the report is available online.

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Below is the latest listing of job openings in the TAPPI Career Center. The current listing includes a variety of technical sales/specialists, maintenance, and production manager positions available in the U.S. pulp and paper industry. Current, specific job openings at companies and locations in the TAPPI Career Center include:

Employer	Title	Location
Filcon America	Technical Sales Rep	Southeastern U.S.
BASF, The Chemical Co.	Tech. Specialist (Paper- Wet End)	Appleton, Wis.
NCR Corp	Creative Chemist	Atlanta, Ga.
BASF, The Chemical Co.	Technical Sales Rep, Senior II	Washington State
Orange County Container Group	Maintenance—Paper Mill	East of Dallas, Texas
RockTenn	Division Safety Manager	Duluth, Ga.
Southworth Co.	Paper Mill Manager	Western Mass.
BASF, The Chemical Co.	Develop. Scientist (Paper Chem.)	Charlotte, N.C.
Longview Fibre	Quality Team Leader(s)	Yakima, Wash./Twin Falls, Id.
Longview Fibre	Maintenance Engineer	Longview, Wash.

More information about these jobs is available online.

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Total U.S. kraft paper shipments were 118,700 tons, a decrease of 14.2% compared with January 2011, according to the AF&PA's (Washington, D.C., USA, January 2012 Kraft Paper Sector Report released this past week. Total inventory was 83,300 tons in January 2012.

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Total Unbleached Kraft shipments decreased compared to January 2011
• Total Bleached Kraft shipments stayed constant compared to last January but increased from last month.

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Sawlog prices in the fourth quarter of 2011 were down both in U.S. dollar terms and in local currencies in most of the 20 regions covered by the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ) Seattle, Wash., USA, compared with the previous quarter. The Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) declined for the second straight quarter to $87.28/cubic meter in the fourth quarter. The Index was down 6% from the all-time high in the second quarter of 2011. In U.S. dollar terms, the biggest declines from the third quarter 2011 occurred in the Nordic countries and Oceania.

In the fourth quarter, the U.S dollar continued to strengthen against the currencies of all of the countries covered by the WRQ except Japan. This development, together with a downward price pressure on pulp log and wood chips in local currencies because of weakening pulp demand, resulted in a decline of both of the global wood fiber indices.

The Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index fell for the second straight quarter to $105.30/ovendry metric ton (odmt) in the fourth quarter of 2011. This was down 3.3% from the previous quarter, but 1.6% higher than the fourth quarter of 2010. The biggest price declines from the third quarter took place in Western Canada, Brazil, Spain, Germany, and Finland.

The Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index fell 3.6% from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2011, when it averaged $113.69/odmt. Despite this drop, this was still 5.0% higher than in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the third highest level ever recorded. The biggest price reductions from the third to the fourth quarter occurred in Spain, Finland, Brazil, and Chile.

Production of market pulp on a worldwide basis was up 4% from October to November, and operating rates reached 91% for 20 of the world's largest producing countries. For the first 11 months of 2011, world production was 3.7 % higher than the same period in 2010, with production going up the most in Latin America and W. Europe. Prices for bleached hardwood kraft pulp (BHKP) fell more than those for northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp last fall, but they seemed to reach a bottom in early January and have been slowly climbing during late January and early February.

More information is available online.

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Billerud Skärblacka AB's Skärblacka mill outside Norrköping in Sweden has ordered from Metso, Finland, a new evaporation plant and an upgrade of its existing recovery boiler. The goal is to strengthen the mill for the future by improving environmental performance and energy efficiency as well as to enable future company expansion. The value of the order was not disclosed.

Metso's delivery will allow for a substantial increase in production capacity in the future. In addition, the mill's energy efficiency will be improved, leading to a significant reduction in consumption of fossil oil and external biofuels.

"This investment is very important for Billerud as the mill's overall energy efficiency and environmental performance will improve significantly," Johanna Lindén, Metso director, Scandinavia, said.

The project will go through two project phases. The first is to install the new evaporation plant and the second to upgrade the recovery boiler. The entire project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2013.

Billerud Skärblacka AB is part of Billerud Group, a supplier of packaging paper and packaging solutions to four industries—food and beverages, industrial, consumer and luxury goods, and medical and hygiene. The company has an annual net sales of approximately EUR 1 billion.

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Domtar Corp., Montreal, Que., Canada, has completed the acquisition of privately-held Attends Healthcare Limited (Attends Europe), manufacturer and supplier of adult incontinence care products in Europe, from Rutland Partners for EUR 180 million. Attends Europe sells and markets a complete line of branded and private-label adult incontinence care products distributed through several channels, with sales organizations in nine European countries.

Attends Europe has 413 employees and operates a world-class 374,000 sq ft (34,000 sq meter) manufacturing facility with eight production lines, a research and development center, and a distribution center in Aneby, Sweden, along with distribution centers in Scotland and Germany.

Domtar produces communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and adult incontinence products. It is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. In 2011, Domtar had sales of $5.6 billion from nearly 50 countries. The company employs some 9,100 people.

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Finland-based Pöyry and Metsä Group this week signed a frame agreement for technical consulting and engineering services. The companies note that the agreement enables easy cooperation in small and medium sized operations improvement and engineering assignments and provides Metsä Group access to Pöyry's global service network.

According to the agreement, Pöyry will provide Metsä Group with mill lifecycle services ranging from project development services to daily operational engineering work and document management services.

As Pöyry explains, the new agreement is a further step in the long history of cooperation between Metsä Group and Pöyry, which started in 1958 with Pöyry's first assignment for the engineering of the Äänekoski pulp mill in Finland.

"This agreement further strengthens our co-operation with Metsä Group by bringing value added services for the whole life cycle of a mill," Nicholas Oksanen, Pöyry's president, Pulp & Paper, said.

Arto Kankaanpää, head of Main Category, Mill related Support Services from Metsä Group, added that "we have a long history with Pöyry, which has provided us a wide range of engineering services. As we want to focus on the continuous and efficient development of our mills, we needed a partner who knows our operations and is capable of providing state-of-the-art know-how and services. I look forward to our extended co-operation."

Metsä Group's five business areas are Wood Supply, Wood Products, Pulp, Board and Paper, and Tissue and Cooking Papers. The company's sales total EUR 5.3 billion and it employs 12,500 people.

Pöyry, a global consulting and engineering company, has some 7,000 experts and a local office network in about 50 countries. Its net sales in 2011 were EUR 796 million.

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Sappi, South Africa, has awarded ABB, Dundalk, Ireland, a large electrification and instrumentation (E&I) and distributed control system (DCS) order. ABB will engineer, procure, and supply equipment for Sappi's Ngodwana mill in Nelspruit, South Africa. The project is part of Sappi's Project Go Cell, which involves expansion of the current mill for the production of chemical cellulose. The order follows ABB's successful implementation of Sappi Saiccor's Amakhulu project in 2007.

Among the products to be supplied are medium voltage switchgear, low voltage MCCs incorporating intelligent motor controls, Profibus intelligent instrumentation, variable speed drives, and ABB's 800xA control system. These products will support the mill's goals of increased efficiency and lower energy consumption.

Due to the size and complexity of the project and to meet Sappi's project deadline, ABB will have an international team of pulp and paper composite plant experts from South Africa, Finland, and Singapore work on this project. The project team will ensure the seamless installation and completion of the electrification and automation equipment in Sappi's required timeframes (plant production is expected to begin in 2013).

Sappi Southern Africa is a producer of chemical cellulose (dissolving pulp) used in the production of a wide range of consumer products such as clothing, plastics, food, and pharmaceutical products.

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Lila Kagit' has started up a Metso (Finland)-supplied Advantage DCT 200 TS tissue production line at its mill in Corlu, Turkey, about 100 kilometers west of Istanbul. It is the second production line supplied by Metso for this company. TM 2 started up smoothly and produced a good-quality saleable product from the very beginning, the mill reported.

Metso's delivery included a complete tissue making line. Besides the Advantage DCT 200 TS tissue machine, it included, among other things, stock preparation equipment, process ventilation, controls, electrical equipment, basic engineering services, erection, and startup and training services.

The new line, using virgin fiber, adds another 195 metric tpd of tissue paper to Lila Kagit's production capacity

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Ji'An Group Co., China, has successfully started up its new Metso, Finland-Supplied PM 3 containerboard production line, followed by the startup of the line's curtain coating process. Both the new production line and curtain coater were supplied by Finland-based Metso, and were installed at the company's mill located in Haiyan County, Jiaxing City in Zhejian Province, China. The 7.25 m-wide PM 3 is the world's fastest coated board machine with a design speed of 1,200 m/min.

Metso's delivery included a complete containerboard line from headboxes to reel, with a 3-ply multi-fourdrinier forming section with a ValFormer top forming unit. The delivery also included a ValPress press section equipped with two straight nips, a dryer section with single- and double-fabric dryer groups, an OptiHard precalender, a ValSizer film size press, coating sections with two ValCoat Jet blade coating stations and an OptiLayer curtain coating station, a ValSoft soft calendar, and a new type of a ValReel reel. The comprehensive Metso automation system includes process, machine, and quality controls with headbox and moisturizer profilers and retention analyzers.

"The new PM 3 features an OptiLayer multilayer curtain coating unit that applies two coating layers on the web at the same time in a non-contact operation with no speed restrictions. Curtain coating is a coating method that gives a full coverage for brown base sheet. The uniform-coverage coating layer makes it possible to run the machine without expensive bleached fiber in furnish. This is a totally new tool for optimizing raw material costs," says Henri Vaittinen, Metso's Paper Technology manager.

The daily production capacity of PM 3 is approximately 1,900 metric tons of coated and uncoated white top testliner in the basis weight range of 130-280 gsm, mainly without virgin fiber.

Ji'An Group currently produces containerboard on four machines, of which three are Metso-supplied—the new PM 3, PM 1 (started up in 2008), and PM 2 (started up in 2006). The company's annual production capacity is around 1,650,000 metric tons.

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Propapier PM 2 GmbH in Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany, has set yet another 24-hour world speed record of 1,675 m/min. The Metso (Finland)-supplied PM 2 thus becomes the first containerboard machine to break the 100 km/h milestone. During the record run, the 10.85-m-wide PM 2 was producing corrugating medium at a basis weight of 80 gsm at a total efficiency of 91%.

This is the third 24-hour world speed record set by Propapier PM 2 in a fairly short time. The first was set on Nov. 25, 2010, when PM 2 set a record of 1,620 m/min at a basis weight of 90 gsm, becoming the world's first containerboard machine to exceed the 1,600 m/min speed level. A few months later on April 14, 2011, producing corrugating medium at a basis weight of 80 gsm, a new speed record was set at 1,650 m/min. PM 2 was started up in March 2010.

"A third world record in a row is truly a great example of results that can be achieved with highly skilled and motivated teams working together, determined to get the most out of modern papermaking technology," says Jürgen Heindl, CEO of Progroup AG.

The gigantic PM 2 features Metso papermaking and automation technology from the stock preparation plant to the OptiConcept paper machine. The design speed of the machine is 1,900 m/min. The annual tonnage of Progroup AG's two paper mills equals 1 million metric tons of containerboard.

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Oji Paper Co., Japan, reports that it will establish a new company in Cambodia and construct a new corrugated box plant at Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia. After construction of the new plant, Oji will have 15 corrugated box plants in Southeast Asia, including two in Cambodia.

The new plant will be known as Ojitex Harta Packaging (Sihanoukville) Ltd, and will startup in early 2013. Oji's investment in the new operation will total an estimated JPY 1.2 billion ($15.6 million). The plant will have a production capacity of 67 million sq meters per year.

According to Oji, In recent years Cambodia's economy has grown rapidly, accompanied by an increase in corrugated box demand. The company's existing plant in Phnom Penh has achieved satisfactory business results since its establishment in 2004, and currently almost fully utilizes its production capacity, Oji noted.

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Sonoco Recycling Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., USA, and one of the largest packaging recyclers in North America, announced that Sonoco's Chicago-Dupage rigid paper facility has received a gold-tier Sonoco Sustainability Star Award for going landfill free. The facility has actually been landfill free since October 2011, according to Ron Camp, plant manager, who noted that "we've maintained 100% landfill diversion since then and are very excited to receive this prestigious sustainability award."

Ray Howard, GM, Sonoco Recycling, said that "in 2011, we committed to taking 10% of our plants landfill free by 2015. The Chicago-Dupage facility is the next step towards achieving our goal, and we applaud them for their efforts."

While the Chicago plant had been recycling for many years, employees worked with Sonoco Sustainability Solutions (S3) to achieve landfill-free status. All plant waste streams were audited and evaluated for potential opportunities, using reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery to determine the best solution for diversion of all landfill waste. The facility created a team focused on reaching 100% landfill diversion while remaining cost neutral, or better than its existing cost of disposal.

Together with S3, the facility developed a thorough plant recycling program that includes all paper, corrugate, wood pallets, metal, stretch film, plastic banding, aluminum cans and plastic bottles. All other waste is sent to an alternative waste-to-energy (WTE) facility, and all material is compacted, sorted, shredded, and baled.

Created to recognize customer and Sonoco facilities for achieving significant milestones in landfill diversion and waste stream reduction, the program is composed of three tiers:

• Gold Star Awards that recognize facilities achieving 99% landfill diversion
• Silver Star Recognition awarded to facilities achieving 95% landfill diversion
• Bronze Awards that recognize facilities achieving significant waste reduction.

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ABB. Dundalk, Ireland, recently introduced its Weight xP extended profiling actuators. The state-of-the-art actuators help customers achieve the lowest possible cross direction variability and reduce cost. The latest generation of ABB's popular xP profilers, the new Weight xP actuators help papermakers meet even the most exacting product specifications. With robust design, proven components and unique technologies, Weight xP delivers precision and reliability, ABB notes.

"With the new Weight xP's technology, mills can achieve faster recovery from grade changes and process upsets that they need to keep productivity at high levels," says Steven St. Jarre, head of Sales and Marketing for ABB Quality Control Systems.

The Weight xP family of actuators includes the Slice xP, Dilution xP, and Coat Weight xP systems that are designed based on ABB's experience in applying actuators on more than 25 different manufacturers of headboxes and coaters.

The actuators feature patented and patent-pending technology that eliminates dependence on a physical position sensor, and allows the actuator to achieve its new position in one continuous and fast movement, reducing the time needed to make control actions. In addition, the power management scheme allows simultaneous movement of actuators at all times, even during flush cycles, global setpoint changes, or even if one power supply has failed, providing papermakers with the ultimate in reliability, ABB explains.

Slice xP, Coat Weight xP, and Dilution xP each offer advanced diagnostics for easy troubleshooting and increased system availability, as well as built-in monitoring of more than 60 different parameters, to predict an impending actuator failure long before it occurs, ABB adds.

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Twin Rivers Paper Co., South Portland, Maine, USA, a producer of lightweight specialty publishing, packaging, and label papers, has added 22 lb and 24 lb to its Border Brite grade line. The company notes that, with the brightness of a freesheet, Border Brite is ideal for reference books, bibles, catalogs, manuals, and financial printing.

Launched in 2011, Border Brite was engineered to bridge the gap between groundwood and freesheet papers since they provide a cost-effective alternative to freesheet. The addition of 22 lb and 24 lb broadens the basis weight range, creating more options for the customer.

"Twin Rivers Paper Co. has operations in New Brunswick, and Québec in Canada, and Maine in the U.S.

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American Process, Inc. has launched apiMAX™ a process simulator to accurately simulate mass and energy balances in pulp and paper mills. apiMAX™ is offered in two versions – standard and professional. The standard version is available at no cost to pulp and paper facilities.

apiMAX™ provides a User-friendly interface that utulizes color to rapidly identify stream contents and proximity sensors to quickly glean data from the model. Also, the product includes easy construction of process flow sheets by dragging and dropping equipment onto the flow sheet from standard equipment libraries, simple and rapid process stream creation using the mouse or simply "bumping" two pieces of equipment together, a large library of pulp and paper and energy equipment and has simulation capability for biorefineries.

American Process, Inc will be holding free apiMAX™ training class in Atlanta, GA March 20, 2012. Additional information can be found at www.americanprocess.com/apimax.aspx or by contacting jsamp@americanprocess.com.

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Domtar, Montreal, Que., Canada, reportedly will raise the price of its uncoated freesheet offset rolls by $60 per ton. The price increase becomes effective with shipments beginning April 1.

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DuPont Titanium Technologies, Wilmington, Del., USA, has announced a net price increase of $200 per metric ton for all of its Ti-Pure® titanium dioxide grades sold in Asia Pacific. The price increase becomes effective April 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., and Edge Moor, Del., in the USA, as well as in Altamira, Mexico, and Kuan Yin, Taiwan, all of which use the chloride manufacturing process. The company also operates a mine in Starke, Fla.

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Effective April 1, DuPont Titanium Technologies, Wilmington, Del., USA, is also increasing the price for its Ti‑Pure® titanium dioxide sold in North America (U.S. and Canada) into coatings, plastics, laminates, and specialty applications. The increase will be 20 cents per pound (USD), or as permitted by contract. It is in addition to any previously announced increases for North America.

Price increases for DuPont RPS Vantage™ titanium dioxide products sold into paper and paperboard applications will be managed separately.

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., and Edge Moor, Del., in the USA, as well as in Altamira, Mexico, and Kuan Yin, Taiwan, all of which use the chloride manufacturing process. The company also operates a mine in Starke, Fla.

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Kemira, Finland, will raise its Paper segment prices for polymers, dispersants, and wet and dry strength products in all regions by 5% - 15%, effective immediately or as specific contract terms allow, the company said this week. Kemira noted that it will continue to take actions to minimize the impact of escalating raw material costs, but it is necessary to adjust pricing to compensate for the increased costs of raw materials, energy costs, and freight costs.

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MeadWestvaco Corp., Richmond, Va., USA, has elected Gracia C. Martore a director of the company. Martore brings financial and management experience, media and marketing expertise, and unique consumer insight to MWV's board of directors, which the company says will help guide its global packaging business.

Martore is president and CEO of Gannett Co., a media and marketing company with a diverse portfolio of broadcast, digital, mobile, and publishing companies. She joined Gannett in 1985 as assistant treasurer, becoming a VP in the treasury group in 1993, and investor relations duties being added in 1995. Martore was named treasurer and VP of investor relations in 1998. She was promoted to SVP of finance in addition to her treasurer's responsibilities in 2001. In 2003, she became SVP and CFO and was appointed to Gannett's management committee. In 2005, she became EVP and CFO, and in 2010 was named president and COO. Prior to joining Gannett, she worked for 12 years in the banking industry.

As a member of the MWV Board of Directors, Martore's duties will include her participation on the audit committee and the finance committee. She serves on the Board of Directors of Gannett Co. Inc. and FM Global and the advisory board of Florence Crittendon.

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The dates of February 28-March 1, 2012 will go down in history as the kick off dates of the one event that has been on the minds of many within the ranks of PIMA & TAPPI for years.

For nearly a century, TAPPI has been the go-to place for technical training in the Pulp, Paper and Packaging industries. The missing link with our training program has been in Management and Leadership Training.

The inaugural Foundations of Leadership Excellence Course, sponsored jointly by TAPPI, The University of Memphis Professional and Continuing Education Department and Genesis Performance Partners, took place recently on the campus of The University of Memphis.

Our course instructors included three industry veterans, Ron Bridges and Steve Farmer, both partners of Genesis Performance Partners, LLC and Fred Ellrich Ed. D., MBA with The University of Memphis.

My compliments go out to these gentlemen as well as Maryanne MacDonald of the university and Mary Beth Cornell of TAPPI, who put in countless hours of preparation to bring this course together.

I was joined by 16 students from 11 companies, from 10 states, who participated in one of my bucket list items since I have been with TAPPI. I was extremely pleased with how the course was conducted and the interaction with the students. I have attended many of these type courses over the years and this one ranks right at the top. The instructor's teaching styles were all different yet they complimented each other's throughout the course. They came prepared with decades of real life management skills. The debrief session revealed that all attendee's course expectations were met.

Stay tuned to hear more about this course that TAPPI plans to add to our list in the very near future.

More information on this or other TAPPI courses please see our website at tappi.org or contact Mary Beth Cornell at mcornell@tappi.org

There are two types of people in our industry, TAPPI members and those who should be.

Until next time......

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Roll Damage a Problem?

Attend the Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop, in Nashville, April 2-4, 2012, and learn new ways to avoid expensive roll damage and improve your bottom line.

Discounted Registration Ends March 9

Be a part of this dedicated group of mills, carriers, warehouses and printers as they collaborate to reduce in-transit damage to rolls of paper at this premier forum for industry leading paper shippers.

This is truly a practical, interactive and collaborative shipping and receiving workshop put on by industry professionals, for industry professionals - all parties of the supply chain - to address common issues and concerns relating to damage and damage prevention in the paper industry. It's an excellent networking opportunity - paper buyers, paper companies, carriers, securing / damage prevention specialists, block and bracing manufacturers, safety experts all under one roof. Learn more about TAPPI's Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop.

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Eliminating Cost while Enhancing Customer Value Workshop

Taking place at PaperCon, this one-day workshop on Sunday, April 21 will help you learn and identify effective tools and techniques needed to build a customer-centered, fact-based cost reduction strategy

Lead by Christopher W. Miller, PhD, NPDP, President Innovation Focus, Inc., this workshop features a customer-centered and creative approach to value analysis (the Unilever approach). Attend and learn how to unleash the power of your organization; design a customer-centered cost reduction project; facilitate an effective cost reduction effort; and how to select tools and techniques that will help you and your team be more customer-centered.

During this workshop, you'll learn how to design a customer-centered cost reduction project, facilitate an effective cost reduction effort, select tools and techniques that will help their team be more customer centered and build a customer centered, fact based cost reduction strategy

Process engineers and mid-to-upper level manufacturing managers within the paper manufacturing industry with an interest in cost management and reduction will find this course beneficial. Experience in cost reduction and related activities would be helpful.

Learn more about Eliminating Cost while Enhancing Customer Value Workshop and PaperCon.

The cost for this course is only 500 USD, which includes lunch and course materials. This special rate is being offered to TAPPI for this one-time workshop. Register now.

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With the industry's largest technical program, PaperCon is where CEOs, mill managers, superintendents, scientists, process engineers and suppliers gather to learn and network. PaperCon 2012 is about "Growing the Future": leveraging resources and people to ensure value for your customers, long-term success. Located in the heart of the Southern USA pulp and papermaking region, PaperCon sessions will highlight today's dynamic packaging sector.

Program tracks include Papermakers, Coating and Graphic Arts and PIMA Management. The PaperCon program also features: Inside and outside the box: Optimizing paperboard grades , the Sustainability Forum , an Executive Panel Discussion , a Young Professional Program , Coating 101 Course and other practical workshops and seminars and features the largest PaperCon exhibit ever. Bonus Sessions (open to all PaperCon registrants) Control Systems 2012: The first USA appearance for this highly-rated biannual conference. RPTA Production-Technical Seminar , the OpEx Reliability Seminar .

Take a moment to register and reserve your hotel room for this year's "must attend" event.

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Troubleshooting the Papermaking Process
By: Jerome M. Gess and Paul H. Wilson

This book takes the reader through the process of making paper, pointing out where interruptions can occur and where elements which are added to the system can cause problems in that part or subsequent parts of the papermaking process. The aim of this book is to give papermakers and those involved in the papermaking process the information required to allow them to understand how to track down and solve problems at their source rather than where the problems surface. Troubleshooting the Papermaking Process.

View the Table of Contents

Product code: 0101R298

Member Price: $106.00

Non-Member Price: $161.00

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PaperCon's Procurement and Sourcing Forum taking place Monday, April 23, 2012, is an opportunity for professionals involved in the procurement of materials and services in the manufacturer of paper and packaging materials to identify best-in-class procurement strategies, highlight better ways to manage data, discuss mechanisms and approaches to increase value, learn about relevant industry-wide issues and concerns, and meet and network with industry peers Topics will address best practices and emerging trends in procuring consumables, chemicals, energy, mechanical parts, but not capital equipment.

Designed by industry professionals, PaperCon 2012 will bring together CEOs, mill managers, superintendents, scientists, process engineers and suppliers for the largest pulp and paper technical program in the world, April 22-25 in New Orleans.

Located in the heart of the Southern USA pulp and papermaking region, PaperCon 2012 will focus on "Growing the Future"; leveraging renewable, recyclable raw materials to ensure value for customers and long-term sustainability for shareholders. It's an event you can't afford to miss.

Learn more about the Procurement and Sourcing Forum and PaperCon.

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Leading up to the Sustainability Forum at PaperCon in April, a series of webinars are taking place to help manufacturers and customers better understand key issues around sustainability. Participate in these seminars, and attend PaperCon's Sustainability Forum to assure you have the most up-to-date knowledge of this dynamic and important topic.

Sustaining Profit in Tomorrow's Green Economy
March 12, 2012, 11:00 EST
Facilitated by: Avrim Lazar, FPAC
Cost: There is no cost to participate, but you must register to attend.
Register for this webinar

The global economy will need to go green. What does that really mean? Will old concepts of sustainability endure? Where will forest products fit and who will profit? Join Avrim Lazar as he looks into our future. He'll speak to how the global forest products industry is moving to become a major player in the developing bio-economy, through extracting more value out of the tree as bio-fuels, bio-chemicals, and bio-materials. Learn more and make plans to participate.

Additional webinar in the series:
A Comparison of the FSC and SFI Forest Certification Standards
Took place on January 30. Listen to a recording.

How to Deal with Misleading Environmental Claims Related to Print and Paper
Took place on February 27. Listen to a recording.

PaperCon 2012 will take place April 22-25, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and will focus on "Growing the Future"; leveraging renewable, recyclable raw materials and developing human capital to ensure value for customers, long-term sustainability for shareholders, and a future for our peers.

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Nominations for the major TAPPI 2013 awards are due by August 1, 2012. The awards that may be presented in the upcoming year are: Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award - The Association's highest technical honor may be presented annually to recognize an individual or individuals for preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the world's pulp, paper, board, and forest products industries and the other industries that TAPPI serves.

Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award - The Association's highest award for service, may be presented annually to recognize leadership and service which have significantly and demonstrably contributed to the advancement of the Association.

Paul W. Magnabosco Outstanding Local Section Member Award – The highest honor for Local Sections may be presented annually to recognize 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.

TAPPI Fellow - TAPPI Fellows are Individuals who have been members of TAPPI for not less than 10 years prior to the nomination, and 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.

The TAPPI Awards and Honors page has links to these awards which will show the qualifications required and links to the nomination forms that must be completed. You may submit all nomination forms by email to standards@tappi.org, or you may fax them to the attention of the awards department at +1-770-446-6947, or send by mail to TAPPI, Awards Department, 15 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, GA 30092, USA.

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Each year, TAPPI is generously supported by companies who join, or renew, as Sustaining Members. Through their dues, these companies support TAPPI's extensive educational efforts as well as facilitate the work of the TAPPI Foundation, a significant source of funding for the vital scholarship programs we offer to next-generation superstars. We are proud to list these visionary leaders as dedicated participants in sustaining, and growing the future of the paper, pulp and converting industries.

If you, or your company, are not currently members of this select group, we invite you to join today. To see if your company is a Sustaining Member, click here. To learn more about the many benefits inherent in becoming a Sustaining Member, please click here, or call Sustaining Member Concierge Piper James at 770-209-7225.

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As most industry professionals can tell you, TAPPI JOURNAL (TJ) has been an invaluable scientific resource for many years. But for 42-year TAPPI member Al Button, Ph.D., it actually served as the catalyst for a successful pulp and paper career devoted to research and discovery.

Fueled by his TJ findings, and subsequent TAPPI membership, Al went on to develop a seemingly insatiable appetite for learning and knowledge-sharing throughout his long and successful career. To this day, he says he is still amazed at the number of contacts he has made through the years and how readily accessible they remain. Find out more by reading this month's Member Spotlight.

Spotlight participants are recommended by fellow members and staff. If you would like to nominate a member just send their name (or names) to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org. We will forward a Spotlight Questionnaire to fill out and return. We look forward to seeing you in the Spotlight!

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