Catalyst Paper Corp., Richmond, B.C., Canada, has entered into an agreement with certain holders of its 11% senior secured notes due 2016 (Senior Secured Notes) and 7 3/8% senior notes due 2014 (Senior Notes) with respect to a plan of arrangement under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) of Canada. The company filed for protection under the CCAA on Jan. 31, 2012.

Catalyst said it believes the agreement and restructuring transactions that will form the basis of its plan of arrangement are the best alternative for the company and its noteholders, shareholders, and other stakeholders. The proposed plan of arrangement, it added, will address the company's current debt level, preserve jobs, and preserve Catalyst's business as a going concern for the benefit of all stakeholders and the communities in which Catalyst operates.

"The proposed plan of arrangement provides the opportunity to reposition Catalyst Paper for the future at this very challenging time for the entire paper and pulp industry," said Kevin J. Clarke, president and CEO. "There are many interested parties involved and we are continuing to work hard to address the requirements that will enable us to finalize this transaction in a timely and effective manner."

According to the agreement, if a plan of arrangement is not approved by the requisite voting threshold, the company will commence a sale transaction in accordance with certain agreed sale and investor solicitation procedures. Also, the agreement can be terminated in certain circumstances, including if a new labor agreement with all union locals at the company's Canadian mills has not been ratified.

More information and agreement details are available online.

With four mills, located in British Columbia, Canada, and Arizona, USA, Catalyst produces some 1.8 million metric tpy of specialty mechanical printing papers, newsprint, and pulp.

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SCA, Stockholm, Sweden, reports that it recently conducted a survey showing that sustainability activities play an important role in relationships with customers. As many as 41% of respondents said they had participated in contract negotiations in which sustainability was the deciding factor for the outcome.

The company says that measurability and access to relevant key performance indicators are crucial factors in ensuring successful sustainability programs. Systematic preparatory work, it notes, has resulted in a number of specific new targets for SCA:

• Triple the production of biofuels from SCA's forests by 2020
• Increase wind power production on SCA forest land to 5 TWh by 2020
• Set aside at least 5% of SCA's productive forestland from forestry in the ecological landscape plans and a further 5% for nature conservation purposes
• Decrease the accident frequency rate by 25% between 2011 and 2016
• Make SCA's hygiene knowledge base available to customers and consumers and ensure access to affordable, sustainable hygiene solutions
• Deliver better, safe, and environmentally sound solutions to customers through sustainable innovation

"The middle class is expected to grow by three billion consumers in the next 20 years, primarily in emerging markets. This represents a major opportunity for us to improve hygiene and health standards for millions of people at the same time as ensuring our commercial success," said Kersti Strandqvist, SVP of Corporate Sustainability.

"Innovation and sustainability are strongly intertwined, and sustainable innovations are essential if we are to surpass customer and consumer expectations. For us to further emphasize the importance of this area, we are today proud to announce that we have decided to join the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, where global corporations go from words to action on sustainability matters," Strandqvist added.

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The management program at TAPPI's PaperCon 2012 event, April 22 - 25, in New Orleans, La., USA, is focused directly on the industry's most pressing concerns from the boardroom table to the mill operating floor. Bringing together top leaders in a series of roundtables and panel sessions, this year's program, organized by TAPPI's PIMA Division, explores on-going operations management strategies, future product development, new approaches for "growing people," safety challenges, and procurement and sourcing. It also includes PIMA's annual mill manager and superintendent's roundtables and the State of the Industry report on Wednesday.

The Executive Panel Discussion on Monday, following the opening session and keynote address, features James Rubright, chairman and CEO of RockTenn, Dan Cappell, president and CEO of AstenJohnson, and Jean Moreau, president and CEO of Celluforce. These leaders will share their insights and perspectives on trends and drivers shaping today's paper industry world-wide, and look ahead at emerging market developments and challenges the global industry faces through the end of this decade.

Since Rubright became CEO in 1999, RockTenn has undergone a transformation making it the most profitable company in the industry as measured by return on sales. In 2011, RockTenn acquired Smurfit-Stone Container, the second largest producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging in North America. The acquisition tripled RockTenn's size to approximately $10 billion in revenues.

A 30-year veteran of the pulp and paper industry, Cappell joined Asten Inc. in 1984. In October 1997, he was promoted to COO and was a principle in the planning and execution of the merger between Asten and JWI in late 1999. In May 2005, Cappell was named president and COO of AstenJohnson. In October 2006, he was appointed president and CEO of the company.

Moreau brings a wealth of experience in finance, operations, and business development which he acquired in both private and public corporations, in various fields including manufacturing, entertainment, distribution, and consumer goods. In February 2011, he was appointed president and CEO of CelluForce, a global leader in the commercial development of NanoCrystalline Cellulose (NCC).

The Future Products for the Pulp and Paper Industry session immediately after lunch on Monday afternoon features Dan Burciaga, president and CEO of ThermoChem Recovery International, Dr. Michael Lake, co-founder of Liquid Lignin Co., and Harry Cullinan, director of technology deployment at the Alabama Center for Pulp and Bioresource Engineering at Auburn University. The session analyzes how the industry can improve its revenue generating production by adding value to mill streams that have traditionally been waste streams or low value streams. These future products are within the grasp of commercialization and include diesel or jet fuels and value added products from forest residues and bark, value added chemicals from the cellulosic portions of mill sludge, and the separation of lignin from black liquor to reduce load on recovery limited mills and to produce value added chemicals from the lignin.

The Procurement and Sourcing Forum in the second half of Monday afternoon is designed specifically for sourcing and procurement professionals, The two sessions will address best practices in the procurement of materials and services in the manufacturer of paper and packaging materials.

On Tuesday morning, Selina Hall, process engineer at Domtar in Kingsport, Tenn., Vince Somody, paper machine E&I supervisor at Domtar in Hawesville, Ky., and Matthew Kanneburg, RockTenn Containerboard Division safety manager, conduct a special safety session titled "It's Never Too Early—or—Too Late to Become a Safety Leader." Organized by the Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA), the session explores challenges "new" leaders have in trying to engage employees to work as a team towards injury free.

The Growing Your People session leading up to lunch on Tuesday morning is being chaired by Keith Kemp, of AstenJohnson. It looks at how high levels of retirement have created two significant challenges in the workforce—skills gaps and engagement issues, and that the best performing operations address both. In this session, leaders from best in class companies including paper mills, present experiences and challenges.

The Superintendent's and Papermaker's Roundtables on Tuesday afternoon and the Mill Manager's Roundtable on Wednesday will be examined in next week's edition of Over the Wire, along with the State of the Industry report by Peter Franadina of Accenture and Jimmy Lu of PacificNet Holding.

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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Syscom Services, Silver Springs, Md., USA, recently placed second in the Neenah Paperworks Letterhead Contest for its entry, "Syscom Services Brand Identity." Neenah Paper, Neenah, Wis., awarded one gold, silver, and bronze distinction to agencies and companies from the following four geographic regions: East, Southeast, Central, and West. This was the final year that Neenah Paper will hold the Paperworks contest, its longest running design contest.

"We're so honored that Neenah Paper chose us as a recipient," said Sarah Jane Dunaway, Brand & Marketing director of Syscom Services. "I'm a tremendous fan of Neenah's text and cover products, so choosing Classic Crest for our new corporate identity materials paid off. I'm especially pleased with the end result of our corporate rebranding, and knowing that Neenah valued the time and effort we put into the redesign, by recognizing us with this award."

Founded in 1986, Syscom Services collaborates with organizations from web development and content management systems to automation using forms processing technology, network based fax systems, and document management systems. The company recently underwent an extensive rebranding campaign, launched last June 2011. The final stage of its efforts will conclude with the redesign of its website,  scheduled to launch June 1.

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Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich., USA, this past week announced that it will offer its paper coating course June 12-14, featuring classroom instruction and laboratory workshops. The three-day WMU course offers optional (additional fee) hands on laboratory testing experience offered on a fourth day. Altogether, it provides participants access to more than 150 years of experience in product development, operations, and problem solving in the coatings industry.

The course is designed for newcomers to paper and paperboard coating as well as those with experience who want to broaden and update their knowledge and understanding of the basics of coating materials, process technology and coating property, and coated substrate testing.

According to WMU, course participants will learn:

• Why paper and paperboard are coated 
• Printing and imaging processes and quality demands on coated paper 
• Raw materials used in the preparation of paper coatings 
• Principles of coating formulations to meet desired end-use requirements 
• Coating application and drying processes and equipment 
• Coated paper and paperboard calendering processes and equipment 
• An understanding of important paper coating and coated paper test methods 
• Coating defect terminology, causes and solutions 
• Coating preparation methods.

More information, including registration, 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 production and maintenance management positions as well as technical, safety, and sales opportunities 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
NCR Corp	Creative Chemist	Atlanta, Ga.
Orange Co. Container	Maintenance Mgr.- Paper Mill	East of Dallas, Tx.
RockTenn	Division Safety Mgr	Duluth, Ga.
Southworth Co.	Paper Mill Mgr	Western Mass.
BASF, The Chemical Co.	Development Scientist (Paper Chems)	Charlotte, N.C.
Longview Fibre	Quality Team Leader(s)	Yakima, Wash./Twin Falls, Id.
Longview Fibre	Maintenance Engineer	Longview, Wash.
Action Box Co.	Sales Mgr	Houston, Tx.
Doris Engineering	Technician
Longview Fibre	Pulp Mill Superintendent I	Longview, WA

More information about these jobs is available online.

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Eucalyptus log prices in Brazil reached a peak in the third quarter of last year, but fell back almost 8% in the fourth quarter in U.S. dollar terms because of the strengthening dollar, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ), Seattle, Wash., USA. Current price levels are still among the highest since the WRQ started tracking Brazilian wood prices in 1990.

Prices for Eucalyptus pulpwood traded in the open market are high not only from a historical perspective, but also compared with many other regions around the world, WRQ notes. Only pulp mills in Europe and Australia had higher hardwood fiber costs than Brazil in late 2011, while North America, Chile, Russia, and Indonesia all had lower hardwood log prices than the world's largest market pulp exporter.

Wood fiber cost is by far the most important cost component for Brazilian pulp mills, more so than for most other pulp mills in the world, WRQ says. In the fourth quarter, wood costs accounted for as much as 72% of the total cash costs in Brazil, according to Fisher International. This is substantially higher than the global average of 61%.

For the sawmilling industry in Brazil, 2011 was a better year than the previous year, with higher demand both from their domestic market and from abroad. Lumber exports in 2011 were up 6% to their highest levels in three years, with shipments to China, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Morocco increasing the most. As a result of the higher lumber production, sawlog prices have trended upward for almost three years, reaching an all-time high in the 2Q/11, according to WRQ.

During the second half of 2011, log prices fell in U.S. dollar terms, while there were only small price adjustments in the Brazilian Real terms. Domestic demand for lumber is expected to continue to improve in 2012 with the construction sector gearing up for the World Cup in soccer (2014) and the Olympic Games (2016). If the U.S. dollar continues to strengthen against the Brazilian Real, exports may also contribute to a better year for the Brazilian lumber industry than that of the past two years. This development is likely to put upward pressure on sawlog prices in the coming year, WRQ advises.

More information 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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Appleton, Appleton, Wis., USA, reports that it will begin implementing the 15-yr supply agreement with Domtar, Montreal, Que., Canada, announced in last week's Over the Wire. According to the agreement, Domtar will supply Appleton with most of the uncoated base paper the company needs to produce its thermal, carbonless, and other specialty paper products.

Since the agreement will result in a reduction of some 330 jobs at Appleton's West Carrollton mill, the company's management team planned to conduct discussions with leaders of Local 266 of the United Steelworkers (USW) about why it chose to pursue the agreement before implementing it. Those discussions have now been completed.

This Monday (March 12), company officials started negotiations with the mill's union leaders to address transition issues and terms of separation packages for union employees who will lose their jobs as a result of the permanent shutdown of papermaking operations at the mill. Affected salaried employees have been notified that they will receive benefits in accordance with the company's severance pay plan for salaried employees.

"We intend to help all affected West Carrollton mill employees make a smooth transition and we look forward to completing the effects bargaining process in a productive and timely fashion," said Kerry Arent, Appleton's VP of human resources.

The company expects job reductions at the mill to begin in May. Approximately 100 employees will be retained to continue operating the mill's thermal paper coating facility. Carbonless coating currently conducted at West Carrollton will be shifted to the company's converting plant in Appleton, and will result in an increase of approximately 50 jobs at that facility. Employment at Appleton's mill in Roaring Spring, Pa., will be unaffected by the agreement.

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Cathay Forest Products Corp., Richmond Hill, Ont., Canada, reports that the Russia Forest Products Group (RFP), a Russian-based forestry company, will acquire a controlling interest in its DalEuroLes LLC operations in Far East Russia. According to the agreement, RFP and Cathay Forest will establish a special purpose entity to which Cathay Forest will transfer its equity interest and other assets it holds in DalEuroLes.

In exchange for a controlling position of the special purpose entity, RFP will pay Cathay Forest $13 million in cash. RFP then expects to acquire the remaining shares of DalEuroLes it does not own and will provide sufficient funds to DalEuroLes to continue operations and to expand its current harvesting operations.

After completing the transactions, Cathay Forest's equity interest in DalEuroLes will be decreased from 51% to approximately 30%. Cathay Forest will also have the right to nominate two of the five directors of the special purpose entity.

The transactions, subject to approval of Cathay Forest's shareholders of other regulatory approvals, are expected to be completed by June 30.

Cathay Forest manages some 1 million hectares of standing timber properties and fast-growth, high-yield poplar plantations in China and Russia. The company's customer base includes the domestic Chinese pulp and paper industry and other wood products customers in the Russian and Japanese market.

RFP is one of the largest integrated forestry groups in Russia and Asia-Pacific region by timberlands area with 6.4 million hectares of standing timber and annual harvesting volumes of over 2 million cubic meters. RFP mainly exports its wood products to China, South Korea, and Japan and is the world's largest single timber supplier to China and Japan, controlling around 10% of Russian timber export to China and around 15% of Russian timber export to Japan.

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Metso, Finland, this past week inaugurated its new facilities in Brazil. The new facilities, incorporating a machinery production and services unit and an administrative office, are situated in Araucária, a metropolitan area of Curitiba, in the state of Paraná. The facilities will reach full production capacity by this June.

The investment value of the construction project was close to EUR 20 million. The new facility is a milestone in Metso's 42-year history in Brazil. "Brazil, along with China, is one of the countries in which Metso is focusing its investments. The Araucária investment will be continued by further increasing the capacity and capabilities of the facilities," says Celso Tacla, area president, South America, Pulp, Paper and Power, Metso.

On a land area of 60,000 sq. meters, of which 10,000 sq. meters represent the built area, the Araucária plant will generate 150 new jobs and some indirect jobs. Together with the staff transferred from the earlier location in Curitiba, the total number of personnel at the Araucária plant will rise to 500 when the operation reaches its full capacity.

"The Araucária plant will improve Metso's capabilities in serving the pulp, paper and power generation industries in South America where Metso has a wide installed base and where several greenfield projects and new production lines are to be supplied to customers, e.g. in Brazil and Chile," adds Celso Tacla, pointing out to a new cycle of the pulp and paper production expansion in South America.

In addition to the production and administrative facilities in Araucária and eight other locations in Brazil, Metso has offices in Chile, Peru, and Argentina.

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M-real Corp., Finland, a member of the Metsä Group, reports that it has concluded the information and consultation process regarding the planned closure of its Alizay mill in France. M-real started negotiations with the workers' representatives in October 2011.

Following conclusion of the negotiations, M-real can make final decisions to close the Alizay mill. As a result, the company's annual uncoated fine paper capacity will be reduced by approximately 310,000 metric tons. The related personnel reduction, which is 330 people at most, will be implemented by the end of the second quarter of this. The level of redundancy and other related costs are in line with cost provisions made in the last quarter of 2011.

A voluntary reindustrialization project is planned in Alizay. The project will be carried out jointly by M-real, workers' representatives, and local authorities. The target of the project is to create new jobs and businesses at the Alizay site.

"This is a very material step in our efforts to eliminate losses of our paper business. We are now, according to our strategy, very strongly focused on the profitable paperboard business that we will further strengthen in the future," says M-real's CEO Mikko Helander.

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SCA, Sweden, has upgraded its 43,000 metric tpy tissue machine at the company's Svetogorsk mill in Russia, according to a RISI, Brussels, Belgium, report. The capacity of the machine has been increased to 52,000 metric tpy.

Russia is the eleventh largest market for SCA regarding tissue. The plant in Svetogorsk was acquired by SCA in the late 1990s. A couple of years ago, the company started up a greenfield mill in Sovetsk, near Tula, some 300 km south of Moscow. The Sovetsk mill houses one tissue machine, supplied by PMT Italia. A second machine is now being built at the site.

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MeadWestvaco Corp., Richmond, Va., USA, this week officially opened its state-of-the art pilot plant in Eastern Henrico County, Va. A key component of MWV's Center for Packaging Innovation, the pilot plant is a 48,000 sq ft packaging materials and technologies research and development facility.

To help kick off the opening, MWV hosted Virginia State Senator Donald McEachin for a tour of the facility. McEachin was given an inside look at the plant's operations and capabilities. Joining McEachin were members of MWV's global innovation team and Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA) President and CEO Brett A. Vassey.

In 2010 MWV decided to move its Center for Packaging Innovation and the pilot plant, from Raleigh, N.C. to the company's global headquarters in Richmond. Since that time the company says it has been hard at work relocating and hiring CPI and pilot plant employees, selecting the site for the pilot plant, engineering, building out, and equipping the facilities. MWV has invested more than $13 million in infrastructure and equipment to establish the pilot plant in Eastern Henrico County. Today the pilot plant is fully operational.

Bringing the Center for Packaging Innovation and the pilot plant to Richmond has created 114 new jobs over two years (108 housed in CPI facilities at MWV's corporate headquarters downtown, 6 at the pilot plant). These high-value jobs, paying approximately $13 million in annual wages and employee incentives, supplement another 736 employees also located at corporate headquarters. In total, MWV employs 850 people in Greater Richmond with annual wages and benefits of more than $117 million.

"MWV's decision to bring its pilot plant to the Ninth Senate District in Henrico County is more proof that we have the talent and infrastructure to support innovative projects like these; we can be a hub for innovation," said Senator McEachin. "I am proud that MWV calls Richmond home, pleased to welcome its new pilot plant to Eastern Henrico County, and we look forward to watching the operation succeed for many years to come."

MWV and its Center for Packaging Innovation use consumer insight and deep market knowledge to identify unmet packaging needs. With size and capabilities nearing commercial scale, the facility enables MWV to tackle bolder innovation projects by helping to minimize development risk. The pilot plant plays a key role in the company's development of new products and/or technologies to address these needs.

"The choice to move our Center for Packaging Innovation and the pilot plant to the Richmond area was an easy one," said MWV VP of Global Innovation Alex Cedeño. "Our experience locating our global headquarters and our more than 700 corporate employees here a few years prior was so positive, we knew we needed to bring the CPI and pilot plant along to allow for even better collaboration and synergies. Siteing the pilot plant in Eastern Henrico County gave us the kind of space we needed to test at close to commercial scale, while also giving our researchers, engineers, scientists, and designers easy workflow and convenient access to interact and travel between the pilot plant and the headquarters building downtown."

The pilot plant is located in Henrico County near the Richmond International Airport. Its close proximity to additional science and design labs and other CPI experts housed within MWV's headquarters building downtown enables the plant and its employees to better collaborate with colleagues, customers, and suppliers in support of the company's work to develop packaging materials and solutions for the global consumer packaged goods industry.

"Manufacturing is vital to the Commonwealth's economy," said Vassey. "Employing more than 1,500 in the Alleghany Highlands, MWV has long been a key contributor to Virginia's manufacturing sector. But good manufacturing doesn't happen without good R&D. Although much smaller in scale than MWV's mill in Covington, Va., this state-of-the-art R&D pilot plant facility truly differentiates MWV in the market and is something we can all be proud of."

The MWV pilot plant has 32-ft ceilings, 10 loading bay doors, and five labs (Materials and Metallurgy Engineering, TAPPI Conditioned Materials Testing, Polymers and Packaging, Paper Science, and Coating). Its capabilities include wood fiber development, polymer compounding and characterization, metallurgy and corrosion analysis, coatings and materials testing, form/fill/seal machines, die-cutting, plastic and paperboard thermoformers, distribution and supply chain testing, cup forming and converting, equipment prototyping, injection molding, paperboard slitting, winding and calendaring, coating, and multi-layer polymer extrusion and lamination.

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Smurfit Kappa, Dublin, Ireland, has announced a three-year £98 Million investment plan for its Townsend Hook, Kent, U.K., papermaking facility. The installation and commissioning of a custom designed, 5-m, lightweight recycled containerboard machine is due to be completed and operational by the end of 2014. This will secure the supply of paper for all of Smurfit Kappa's packaging operations in the U.K. and Ireland.

The new machine will produce lightweight corrugated papers, for use in Smurfit Kappa integrated plants meeting market requirements for high efficiency and sustainable, recycled papermaking. The cost associated with the project will be phased over three years and will be within the scope of SKG's stated annual capital expenditure guidance. The outlay represents one of the largest investments by an established U.K. paper producer, the company notes.

The equipment sourced from Cartiera di Cadidavid will replace two existing containerboard machines, increasing Townsend Hook's annual capacity of FSC certified, recycled paper by more than 8%, from 240,000 metric tpy to 260,000 metric tpy.

Together with Smurfit Kappa's SSK mill in Birmingham, the company will offer the widest portfolio of corrugated paper available in the U.K. Accredited with FSC certification and Carbon Trust Standard, the new paper mill will offer the most sustainable approach to packaging in the U.K.

Chris Allen, CEO, Smurfit Kappa Paper U.K., said that "this investment in the current financial climate shows Smurfit Kappa's commitment to the U.K., Ireland, and Pan-European customers of our Corrugated and Paper divisions. The design of the new machine features state-of-the-art technology that will produce a superior lightweight paper, enhancing our position and confirming us as a leading player in the U.K. and Ireland. Smurfit Kappa's two U.K. mills will now specialize in producing all of the recycled brown corrugated case material for its U.K. and Irish corrugated business, while maintaining its presence in the market."

The investment continues the 150-year history of papermaking at Townsend Hook. Smurfit Kappa's position in Europe as a leading paper manufacturer, producing 4.7 million metric tpy, will ensure that the supply of paper to its customer base is uninterrupted during the complex installation and commissioning of the new equipment.

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Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., USA, reports that its retail point-of-purchase display and packaging services business won four awards at the Point-of-Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) 54th annual Outstanding Marketing at Retail Achievement (OMA) competition.

POPAI's annual OMA competition recognizes the most innovative and effective retail promotions. Approximately 500 entrants from more than 100 companies were adjudicated in 26 industry categories during this year's competition, held during GlobalShop 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev. Entries were judged on innovation, interactivity, design, and the proven ability to lift sales.

Sonoco won three Silver OMA awards, including a health care award for its Allegra® Allergy RX-to-OTC national launch series, a home and garden award for its Swiffer® WetJet® Shine display, and a drug store retailer award for its Allegra® Allergy RX-to-OTC national launch displays. The Company also received a bronze OMA in the health care category for its holiday ARM & HAMMER® Spinbrush® Battery Operated Toothbrush display program.

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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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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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The Newark BCI Division of The Newark Group, Cranford, N.J., USA, has announced an 8% price increase on all sheets, cut-to-size panels, loose-leaf panels, and spines. The increase for these specialty products will be 5% and will apply to all of the division's foam-padded products, unitized covers, and various lines of industrial packaging products. It will become effective with all orders shipped on or after April 9.

Newark BCI serves the global coverboard, file, puzzle, game, and associated markets, with converting plants in Chicago, Ill; Franklin, Ohio; and Los Angeles, Calif. With the invention of multi-ply laminating of completed book covers (two panels and a spine joined together in a continuous manufacturing process), The Newark Group began serving the book manufacturer market with this new "unitizing" capabi

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Wolfgang Lübbert has been appointed Sales & Marketing Director of Arctic Paper S.A., Poland, effective April 1. He will succeed Hans Karlander who earlier decided to leave the group for new opportunities in another industry sector.

Lübbert has a strong paper industry background. He joined Arctic Paper 20 years ago and has an excellent track record as managing director of Arctic Paper Deutschland, the company notes, adding that through these years he has actively contributed to the growth of the Group.

Arctic Paper S.A. is the second-largest European producer of bulky book paper in terms of production volume, and one of Europe's leading producers of high-quality graphic paper. The Group produces uncoated and coated wood-free paper and uncoated wood-containing paper for printers, book publishers, magazine publishers, the advertising sector, and paper distributors

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Kimberly-Clark, Dallas, Texas, USA, reports that Robert N. "Bob" Stargel Jr., VP of Global Nonwovens, has been named to Savoy Magazine's 2012 list of "Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America." The Top 100 listing showcases a cross section of national and international business leaders and executives representing a diverse range of industries who demonstrate leadership and influence within their company and community.

Stargel, who was also recognized on this prestigious list in 2010, was honored this year alongside influential executives such as Ursula M. Burns, chairman and CEO of Xerox; Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and CEO of American Express; Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman, CEO, and president of Merck; Clarence Otis Jr., chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants; Richard D. Parsons, chairman of Citigroup; and Don Thompson, president and COO of McDonalds.

"This year's Top 100 features an elite group of executives entrusted with leadership at the highest levels of America's corporations," said L.P. Green II, publisher of Savoy Magazine. "Savoy is proud to feature professionals boldly redefining and representing leadership in their respective organizations through our list."

Stargel said that "I am truly grateful for this recognition and honored to share it with such a distinguished group of individuals. At Kimberly-Clark, we are dedicated to helping local communities build a better future. This recognition underscores the importance of that commitment as well as my personal commitment to give back. When we give back to the communities where we live, work and play, we all benefit."

As head of K-C's nonwovens business, Stargel oversees the development, commercialization and supply of materials used to support the company's branded personal health and hygiene products. The business includes seven manufacturing facilities, a centralized research and engineering team, as well as planning, finance, and staff manufacturing operations.

Throughout his K-C career, which began in 1984 as an entry-level electrical engineer, Stargel has worked in various divisions including Engineering, Research, Manufacturing, and Marketing, and has held positions of increasing responsibility and leadership. Outside of K-C, Stargel also lends his time and expertise to a number of organizations. Currently, he serves on the board of the Peachtree Regional FIRST Robotics Division and the European Disposables and Nonwovens Association (EDANA); the finance committees for the Georgia Council of Economics Education, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) Women in Engineering, and the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech. He is also on the executive committee of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association.

In 2007, Stargel received the Rodney D. Chip Memorial Award by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in recognition of his commitment and support to help women succeed in engineering. He was inducted into the Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni for The Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996. Stargel is a Georgia Tech graduate.

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Sappi Fine Paper North America (SFPNA), Boston, Mass., USA, this past week named Jennifer Miller EVP-Coated Business and chief sustainability officer (CSO). In her expanded role, Miller will have profit and loss responsibility for the company's coated business unit, directly managing operations planning, marketing, logistics, and customer service and will continue to serve as the company's CSO. She has held various senior executive positions since joining SFPNA in 1996, most recently EVP-Strategic Marketing, Coated Business.

The company also announced that Annette Luchene, VP and CFO, will assume responsibility for the company's Lean Six Sigma program. Luchene will manage the program to meet cash generation goals through cost and waste reduction, as well as identify new revenue opportunities through process excellence and productivity improvements. Luchene has served as the company's CFO since 2004.

Deece Hannigan , formerly VP-Fiber Resources, has been named VP-Procurement and Fiber Resources. In his expanded role, Hannigan will lead procurement initiatives to create and sustain competitive advantage across all three business units—coated, pulp, and release. He will also work with the global business team to ensure the full commercialization of Sappi's announced chemical cellulose conversion at its Cloquet, Minn., facility. He has been serving as VP-Fiber Resources since 2007, managing the sale and purchase of kraft pulp for the company.

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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 23

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.

Keynote addresses will be presented by Michele Donahue, Executive Director of Paper Supply Chain with Conde Nast publishers, and Colin Barrett, Consultant, Author and Educator.

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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PaperCon 2012 will feature two Keynote Speakers as the industry gathers April 22-25 in New Orleans. Jeffrey Hayzlett , Bestselling Author, Global Business Celebrity and Sometime Cowboy will address the crowd on Monday, April 23 in the Opening Session and Lisa Bauer Lotto, M.S., Director, Environmental and Sustainability Programs, Green Bay Packaging Inc., will kick-off the Coating program during a special session on Sunday, April 22. Learn more about PaperCon and these speakers.

PaperCon is where CEOs, mill managers, superintendents, scientists, process engineers and suppliers gather to learn and network. 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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The TAPPI Nonwovens Engineers & Technologists (NET) Division and the Binders & Additives Committee will hold the first webinar in a planned series of webinars that they will be hosting throughout the year on topics related to binders and additives. The March 22, 2012 webinar is on Binders - Latex: Introduction to Emulsion Polymerization. The seminar leader is Mike Yanutola of OMNOVA.

It is free to register and participate. If you have any questions about TAPPI, The NET Division, or the Binders & Additives Committee please contact cmckinney@tappi.org.

To pre-register. 

This webinar has been designed to cover both the technical and practical aspects of emulsion polymerization. It will discuss kinetics and the basic theories for polymerization mechanisms, the specific role of emulsion polymerization ingredients, and basic polymer properties and characterization. An overview of the commercial manufacturing process will also be covered.

There have been many excellent mathematical treatments for idealized systems, and while this will be covered in some detail, some of the more practical aspects will also be discussed. The goal is for the audience to take away a rationale of emulsion formation and formulation that will show how the theoretical approach can be used as a guide for practical work.

As noted, this is the first of a planned series this year. The schedule is as follows:

March 22, 2012: Binders - Latex: Introduction to Emulsion Polymerization, presenter Mike Yanutola / OMNOVA
May 2012: Raw Materials: Trends and Forecast, Gero Nordmann/ BASF
July 2012: Binders - Latex: Butadiene Based Polymers, D. Andrew Spears / Styron
September 2012: Binders - Latex: Acrylate / Acetate Based Polymers, Maureen Nunn / Dow
November 2012; Binders - Resin: UF / PF / MF Crosslinking Resins, Zuzana Salkova / Arclin

 

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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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Attend the Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop, in Nashville, April 2-4, 2012, and learn new ways to improve your bottom line. 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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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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The Coating Process
Edited by: Jan C. Walter

This book covers fundamentals and practical applications of paper coating. The book is divided into eight chapters that outline the process of making coated paper, the preparation, application and drying, and treatment of the dried coated surface. Each chapter is written by an expert in the particular subject area covered. This book is an excellent resource for both businesses and universities. The Coating Process.

View the Table of Contents

Product code: 0102B057

Member Price: $103.00

Non-Member Price: $155.00

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Winning at New Products: Proven Roadmap to Success

Contrary to popular belief new product ideas often are not the biggest problem companies face. It's figuring out which ones are most likely to succeed – and then taking them through to development and launch. Join Stage-Gate International April 17-18 in Alexandria, VA, to learn how the top global competitors get it done!

The two-day seminar will help attendees improve their ability to conceive and develop winning new products and launch products faster than ever before. Why attend? Because research shows that a high-quality product development process increases new product success by almost 40%.

The seminar is led by the creator of the Stage-Gate process, Dr. Robert Cooper, an internationally recognized forest products innovation thought-leader who has helped companies develop new products for more than 25 years. The seminar will teach attendees how to:

• Tap customer knowledge and needs to identify the right products to develop
• Pinpoint the factors that will help, or hinder, product success
• Structure a cross-functional approach to speed development
• Engage company leadership to champion the right development projects

After two days packed with lectures, self assessments, problem solving sessions and case studies, you'll leave ready to take your team and company to the next level of new product success.

Learn more

Plan to attend "Winning at New Products: Proven Roadmap for Success" and the May 15-16 seminar "Successfully Implementing and Sustaining Your Idea-to-Launch Innovation Process" – AND SAVE! Contact Valerie Sather for promotion information – valerie.sather@stage-gate.com

 Remember to use the code TAP11 to receive the TAPPI member discount!

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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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