Verso Paper Corp., Memphis, Tenn., USA, this week reported that it has completed a preliminary assessment of the damage resulting from the recent explosion and fire at its paper mill in Sartell, Minn. The incident at the Sartell mill on May 28, which claimed the life of one Verso employee and injured four others, caused substantial damage to the mill's paper warehouse and important infrastructure including the electrical system.

While a visual inspection of the mill's paper machine indicates that it was not damaged, the operability of the paper machine has not yet been confirmed. Based on the preliminary damage assessment, Verso has concluded that a period of several months would be required to complete necessary repairs to the mill. Verso intends to continue the damage assessment and will make a decision on the mill's future once the assessment is completed.

Verso has determined that more than 5,000 tons of finished paper and work-in-process inventory were destroyed by the explosion and fire at the Sartell mill. The company said that it is working closely with its customers to provide alternative paper supplies in an effort to meet their needs in a timely manner. "Verso is appreciative of the cooperation and flexibility that our customers have demonstrated as we work together to resolve the production, supply and logistical issues resulting from this unfortunate, unforeseen event," said Mike Weinhold, Verso's SVP of Sales, Marketing, and Product Development.

"The tragic loss of our employee, Jon Maus, makes this an especially difficult time for Verso and our employees," said Dave Paterson, Verso's president and CEO. "Our collective thoughts and prayers continue for Jon's wife Lucy, their children, and the rest of the Maus family." Verso also continues to offer counseling services for all employees affected by the Sartell incident.

Parallel with the damage assessment, Verso has begun an investigation into the origin and cause of the explosion and fire at the Sartell mill. "Our top priority is to determine why this unfortunate event happened and to make sure that nothing like it ever happens again," said Paterson. The Sartell mill has consistently achieved "Star" status in the Voluntary Protection Program sponsored by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which recognizes employers and employees who have demonstrated exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of occupational safety and health hazards.

The State Fire Marshal Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Verso's insurer also are investigating the explosion and fire at the Sartell mill. Verso is voluntarily and fully cooperating with these investigations.

Verso said that it is grateful for the tremendous assistance provided by many organizations and individuals in response to the Sartell incident. "We want to thank everyone – including the mill's first responders, fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency response organizations, emergency relief agencies, governmental officials, and concerned businesses and citizens – for their outpouring of support for Verso and the Sartell mill," said Lyle Fellows, Verso's SVP of Manufacturing and Energy.

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Iggesund Paperboard, Sweden, reports that at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday of this week, June 12, its new recovery boiler and turbine came online at the Iggesund Mill in Sweden. At almost EUR 240 million, this is the mill's largest investment ever. The startup also meant that the project team, including almost a thousand contractors, reached the finish line exactly on schedule. Iggesund Mill produces Invercote paperboard.

"It feels terrific that the project has come to a successful conclusion, and that we've done so both within the projected time frame and without any significant mishaps or accidents," says Lennart Wanberg, Iggesund's manager of the project. "We've focused very strongly on safety, not least because people have been working up to 60 meters above the ground."

Iggesund managed the instantaneous switchover from two old recovery boilers to the new one without any interruption in the production process. The boiler is built to withstand higher pressure than any other recovery boiler in Europe, and will work with a steam pressure of 110 bar.

The increased pressure makes it possible to generate more electricity. The new turbine should be able to supply 520 GWh/year and in the longer term also make Iggesund Mill completely self-sufficient in electricity. When exactly the latter will occur depends very much on how the pulp production develops. Currently, the mill has a permit to produce 255,000 metric tpy of pulp, but has applied for permission to increase yearly production to 420,000 metric tons.

"We're building for the future step by step," Iggesund Mill Director Staffan Jonsson notes. "With increased pulp production, we can also grow our paperboard production as we continue to eliminate bottlenecks and fine-tune our board machines."

Iggesund Mill has received some of the highest levels of investment in the world for a paperboard mill. What lies behind this willingness to invest, explains Jonsson, is the company's desire to attract and keep the most demanding customers with the most exacting quality requirements.

"Our location in Sweden means we can never compete with the cheapest raw materials or lowest paid workforce. Instead, our competitive tool is a product that provides the greatest possible efficiency in our customers' processes, top-class environmental features and, of course, printing and converting properties, which mean that the end products – packaging or printed materials – have a power of attraction that creates superior shelf appeal."

Concurrently with the investment in its recovery boiler in Sweden, Iggesund is also investing EUR 123 million in a biomass boiler in Workington, England. Both investments will help reduce fossil carbon emissions from the mills.

As shown in the photo below, the new recovery boiler is Iggesund Mill's tallest building and changes the skyline of the mill. The photo was taken during security testing when the steam in the boiler was quickly evacuated.

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The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) will be hosting a workshop June 26 on Sustainable Nanomaterials in the Washington D.C., USA, area. Sustainable nanomaterial production from forest products is an area of emerging interest given the potential for effective and efficient utilization of renewable and sustainable resources as substitutes for petroleum-derived materials, AMO notes.

The forest products industry looks to nanotechnology as a means to tap the enormous undeveloped potential of trees as photochemical "factories" that produce abundant sources of raw materials. AMO is particularly interested in understanding the manufacturing challenges and needs to improve energy efficiency and reduce cost of manufacturing sustainable nanomaterials, as well as the potential applications of sustainable nanomaterials to energy technologies.

Through the workshop, AMO seeks to gather stakeholder input from industry and academia on the current state of the art, understand the development opportunities and manufacturing challenges, as well as gather feedback on the potential role of AMO to support these emerging technologies. The workshop will include overview presentations by government personnel, presentations by industry and academic experts, as well as breakout session to gather input from session participants. Registration is limited.

More information and registration is available online.

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The Paper Industry International Hall of Fame, Appleton, Wis., USA, reports that its membership roster will expand to 111 on October 11 with the induction of six more paper industry notables who have been chosen as the 18th anniversary induction class. The new inductees are Ernst Richard Behrend, Arnold E. Grummer, Erling Sven Lorentzen, Hannu Paulapuro, Nicolas-Louis Robert, and Jusso Walden, who will join 105 previous members of the Paper Hall of Fame during ceremonies at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton.

The Paper Industry International Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who, through their inventions, initiative, and efforts, built or improved paper and allied industries worldwide.

Each of the six inductees is being recognized in multiple categories, including Founders, Service, Leadership, Research & Development, Education, Academic, Marketing, Inventor, and Entrepreneur. Inductees are from the U.S., Brazil, Finland, and for the first time, France.

More information on the 2012 inductees is included in the following:

• Ernst Richard Behrend (deceased) was president and CEO of Hammermill Paper, and was responsible for the development of a patented rubber roll process for watermarking writing paper on high-speed machines in the early 1900s which led to Hammermill Bond dominating the market and ensured the company's dynamic growth. Erie, Pa. USA.
• Arnold E. Grummer, president of Greg Markim Inc. d/b/a Arnold Grummer's Paper Making, has been a tireless promoter of the paper industry and facilitated the resurgence of hand papermaking in the U.S. Appleton, Wis., USA.
• Erling Sven Lorentzen, chairman of the board of Aracruz Celulosa S/A was instrumental in the development of the Aracruz project into a company that is now the world's leading exporter of bleached eucalyptus pulp. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Hannu Paulapuro, professor of paper technology, Aalto University, where his research made significant contributions in paper machine diagnostics, wet pressing, fiber physics, and mechanical pulping. Helsinki, Finland
• Nicolas-Louis Robert (deceased) invented the first paper machine to produce paper in a continuous manner in 1799. Corbeil-Essones, France.
• Juuso Walden (deceased) was managing director and CEO of United Paper Mills and was one of the most prominent leaders of the Finnish paper industry for two decades after World War II. Valkeakoski, Finland.

The 18th annual ceremony will begin with a reception at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremony at 8 p.m. Attendees also will have the opportunity to witness the hanging of the commemorative plaques at the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame within the Paper Discovery Center located at 425 W. Water St., along the Fox River in Appleton.

Reservations for the induction event can be made through the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame office at 920-380-7491.

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Mercer International Inc., New York, N.Y., USA, this week announced it has established a C$1 million partnership with The University of British Columbia's (UBC) Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and The Pulp and Paper Centre, both in the Faculty of Applied Science, in the creation of an industrial research chair in Advanced Forest Bioproducts Engineering.

"Mercer is very pleased to be partnering with the Department and the Centre, both of which have well respected reputations for strong commitments to education and research excellence," said Jimmy Lee, president and CEO.

"Mercer's five year commitment to support this new research chair at UBC underscores our belief in the future of the forest products industry and the opportunities and resulting value potentially available to the industry in the emerging bio-economy," Lee said. He also noted that "Mercer is committed to being a global leader in sustainable forest practices, which includes maximizing the value of our forest resources through sound forestry management and investing in research and development that will generate tomorrow's transformative technologies. Partnering with UBC is a natural extension of our desire to be at the forefront of the industry's transformation."

The chairholder, who will be appointed in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and who will work closely with the Pulp and Paper Centre, will focus specifically on establishing the scientific and engineering breakthroughs needed to create commercially viable opportunities for sustainably converting forest fiber resources into new high-value bioproducts.

"Our strategy of continuously striving for world-class performance, and of implementing new and innovative technologies that improve our social, environmental, and economic sustainability, is at the core of why Mercer is proud to support this research chair in Advanced Forest Bioproducts Engineering at UBC," said David Gandossi, EVP, CFO, and Secretary.

Mercer International Inc. is a global pulp producer, operating three NBSK (northern bleached softwood kraft) pulp mills with a consolidated annual production capacity of approximately 1.5 million metric tons.

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As an alternative to diesel, Södra, Sweden, reports that it is introducing the fossil-free fuel RME, rapeseed methyl ester, for its own timber trucks, loaders and fork lift trucks in Sweden at five of its fuelling stations. At the same time, transport companies that have agreements with Södra are being offered the opportunity to fill up with RME at the stations.

"The objective is to reduce overall fuel costs for Södra and at the same time provide a more eco-friendly fuel," said Henrik Brodin, project manager for Södra's RME initiative.

The introduction of RME is very much in line with the Södra business model, where the use of fossil-free and renewable products is a key issue," said Klara Helstad, Sustainability manager at Södra.

Södra has entered into agreements concerning the supply of RME manufactured in Sweden with BioFuel Express in Landskrona and Ecobränsle in Karlshamn. "We are seeing greater demand for RME, and so Södra's RME initiative is very timely. Being a selected supplier and helping to develop RME provides us with great impetus," said Clemen Rasmussen, CEO of BioFuel Express.

"Thanks to this agreement, we provide Södra with an excellent product in terms of both quality and the environment, and thanks to our close proximity to Södra's fuelling stations, we are also able to provide an excellent service and fast, secure supplies," said Claes Ramel, CEO of Ecobränsle.

From June, RME will be available alongside diesel at Södra's five biggest fuelling stations in Mönsterås, Mörrum, Värö, Kinda, and Långasjö.

"Fuelling stations supplying RME have been available in just a few locations throughout the country to date, but Södra is working on changing that now. By offering RME at our fuelling stations in various geographical locations throughout southern Sweden, we will allow this renewable fuel to be used just as much as diesel," said Brodin.

Södra's aim is for RME to account for at least half of all the fuel used by Södra in Sweden within a year.

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Steve Newell, director of Spooner Industries Ltd, U.K., providers of air flotation and impingement dryers, coolers, and Air Turns, has been selected as one of the U.K.'s inspirational individuals to carry the Olympic Torch as part of London 2012 Olympics. Newell last year completed one of the hardest endurance events there is—the Ironman U.K., which consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. He completed the mammoth challenge in under 14 hr,, raising more than £1,400 for cancer research.

Newell was chosen by organizers of the London Olympics after being nominated by his colleagues at Spooner Industries, for helping to raise £10,000 through competing in triathlons and other sporting events as well as putting himself forward for "director punishments," which included being placed in the stocks for comic relief.

Newell, 46, said that "I was already excited about the Olympics coming to the U.K., but to play a part in it by being chosen as a torchbearer is more than I could have wished for."

The torchbearers will carry the Olympic Flame during its 8,000 mile journey around the U.K. before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium this July 27 for the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

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Smithers Pira, Falmouth, Maine, USA, in partnership again with TAPPI, Norcross, Ga., has announced the Fourth Annual Specialty Papers Conference, scheduled for November 7 - 8 at the Hyatt Rosemont in Rosemont, Ill. This year's program will focus on markets and trends in specialties and pulp, packaging and printing advances, perspectives from paper makers, and new developments in coatings, fibers, and equipment.

Specialty Papers 2012 will be shaped by an esteemed advisory board of paper industry leaders including: David Bell, VP corporate relations, TAPPI; Chuck Klass, president, Klass Associates Inc.; Tom Rodencal, president, Rodencal Paper Consulting Inc.; Steve Rosenberg, senior director, business development and innovation, Neenah Paper Technical Products Business; Steve Ottone, technical service manager, Mallard Creek Polymers; Dr. Frank Adamsky, market development manager, Daikin; Frank Perkowski, president, Business Development Advisory; and David B. Cutler, senior process engineer, Domtar Inc.

"After a successful year in Europe, we are excited to have our Specialty Papers conference return to North America. This event has proven itself to be a must-attend for anyone in the paper industry, and the 2012 program will cover a wealth of new topics," said Barbara Fowler, conference director at Smithers Pira. "For example, for the first time ever, we have paper mills presenting about the new technologies they are developing for specialty grades and how they have bounced back from difficult economic times and global trends."

Bell added that "we're very pleased to announce that the conference program will include presentations from members of the Functional Paper Society from Japan. Professor Hiroshi Inagaki will provide an overview of the Society's research over the past 50 years and his views for future research. Other members will discuss advanced synthetic fibers for papermaking and nanocellulose fiber for barrier coatings. Other key speakers include David Fortin, economist – Fiber, RISI, speaking on the "Outlook for the World Pulp Market" and "Barrier Coatings for Packaging and Printing" by Frank Adamsky, Daikin America."

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More than 185 people attended the Pulp and Paper Safety Association's 69th Annual Safety & Health Conference the week of June 10 in Orlando, Fla. The conference included 2½ days of safety and technical programs that have a direct impact on the forest products industry. In addition, an awards banquet was held to recognize significant safety accomplishments and milestones of many of the PPSA's members.

PPSA's commitment to safety does not stop there. The Association will be partnering with TAPPI to offer the Safety Management Leadership Course, bringing the best practices in safety to the paper and packaging industry. A special focus will be placed on leadership commitment and engagement in cultivating a culture of safety excellence.

The 2012 TAPPI/PPSA Safety Leadership Course will be held at TAPPI headquarters, August 15 - 16, 2012 in Norcross, Ga, USA. Registration is available online, as is more information about PPSA.

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Below is the latest listing of job openings in the TAPPI Career Center. The current listing includes electrical and control engineers, service technician, technical specialist, and safety and plant managers in the U.S. pulp and paper industry. Current, specific job openings at companies and locations in the TAPPI Career Center include:

Employer	Title	City
Longview Fibre	Electrical Engineers	Longview, Wash.
BASF, The Chemical Co.	Tech Spec. (Paper/Board Coating)	Charlotte, N.C.
RockTenn	Division Safety Manager	Norcross, Ga.
BTG Americas	Service Technician	Alabama
Burriws Paper Corp.	Tech. Asst. Plant Mgr.	Pickens, Miss.
FPInnovations	Control Eng., Dev & Applications	Vancouver, B.C

More information about these jobs is available online.

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Norske Skog, OIslo, Norway, is planning to take downtime equal to approximately 10% of its newsprint and magazine paper capacity in Europe during the third quarter to support the current price situation in the region, RISI, Brussels, Belgium, reports. Norske Skog president and CEO Sven Ombudstvedt noted that "we have experienced declining volumes, especially as a result of the macro-economic insecurity in Europe. With fading margin opportunities on exports out of Europe, we think it is time to take more active downtime than normal during summer."

After the permanent closure of its Follum mill in Norway at the end of March, the company has had an operating rate of around 90%. This will decline to around 80% in the third quarter as a result of the downtime. The capacity curtailment will cover both newsprint and mechanical paper, but will focus more on newsprint and coated mechanical paper, where the firm sees a "relatively weak" demand situation, and less on supercalendered paper, where the situation remains "okay," Ombudstvedt explained in the RISI report.

The temporary curtailments will be carried out in the third quarter, starting July 1, but the duration of the process will depend on how the demand situation develops, In Europe, Norske Skog has a capacity of some 1.3 million metric tpy of newsprint and some 1.5 million metric tpy of mechanical paper, almost evenly split between coated and uncoated mechanical paper, according to RISI.

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Finnish pulp and paper production will decrease this year, while export prices for paper and paperboard will remain flat, according to a report by the Finnish forest research institute METLA. Demand for many forest industry products will remain weak this year in Finland's most important export areas in the European Union, according to METLA.

The Euro area economy is expected to show a zero growth rate this year, at best, METLA continues, Globally, economic growth is also expected to remain slow. As a result, METLA forecasts Finnish paper production and exports to drop by 8% to 7.9 million tons and 7.3 million tons, respectively, this year from last year's levels.

Paperboard demand, however, has remained reasonable despite the recession, METLA adds. It expects Finnish production and exports of paperboard to edge down by only 1% to 2.7 million metric tons and 2.5 million metric tons, respectively, this year. On the price side, METLA forecasts stability for both paper and paperboard prices this year, after increases of 6% and 7%, respectively, in 2011.

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Sluggish demand for printing and writing paper and a slow pace of general economic activity in Europe and the U.S. are increasing the likelihood of pressure being exerted on pulp prices on the European market, according to EUWID, Germany. Only in the rarest cases, with specialty paper producers, for instance, were softwood pulp manufacturers able to maintain their list price in May. Prices were down by an average of $10/metric ton in May, and market players are expecting to see another reduction, EUWID notes.

"Although the market for hardwood pulp is still looking firmer, the headwind could become stronger here as well. Several buyers said they did not always accept the full extent of the May price increase for eucalyptus pulp. The spot market is also looking quiet at the moment. Converters believe they have a better chance to achieve a price reduction in June. European port stocks are expected to rise, which will enable pressure to be exerted on suppliers," EUWID reports.

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Catalyst Paper, Richmond, B.C., Canada, this week announced that it is seeking the support of its secured noteholders for a proposed amended plan of arrangement under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act of Canada. Catalyst requires the support of certain of its secured noteholders under the terms of a Restructuring and Support Agreement (RSA) to seek approval of an amended plan. Accordingly, Catalyst has presented the primary terms of the amended plan to its secured noteholders for consideration and is in discussions with certain of its other secured and unsecured creditors regarding the amended plan.

"We continue to receive and consider input from various parties on further amendments to the plan in an effort to secure a consensual deal that improves our financial structure and that addresses the interests of creditors, our workforce, pensioners, and community leaders. In the meantime, the sales and investor solicitation process is proceeding so that regardless of which restructuring pathway is ultimately agreed to, Catalyst can emerge from creditor protection in an effective and timely manner," said president and CEO Kevin J. Clarke.

The proposed changes to the plan of arrangement include the compromise of certain extended health benefits plans for former salaried employees of Catalyst that were not to be compromised under the prior plan of arrangement. All claims in connection with the elimination of the extended health benefits would be general unsecured claims pursuant to the amended plan and would be entitled to vote with all other general unsecured claims under the amended plan.

Catalyst says it has been advised that there is substantial support for the amended plan by the holders of the extended health benefits claims that would be compromised under the amended plan. In addition, certain holders of unsecured notes who previously voted against the plan of arrangement or did not vote on the plan of arrangement have indicated that they would support the amended plan. Further, there may be additional unsecured claims voted in favor of the amended plan that when combined with the foregoing would be sufficient to yield creditor approval from the unsecured class, Catalyst explains.

In addition, Catalyst has proposed modifications to its salaried pension plan to provide for a special portability election option and solvency funding relief which require provincial government approval. The Minister of Finance has confirmed that he is prepared to submit the proposal to Cabinet for its consideration with a recommendation in favor. The company estimates that it would save approximately $7 million annually if these modifications were implemented following a successful plan of arrangement.

In the event that Catalyst obtains the requisite support of its secured noteholders to move forward with the amended plan under the RSA, the company will seek an order of the Court to hold a further meeting of the secured and unsecured creditors to vote on the amended plan as soon as reasonably practicable.

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Fortress Paper reports that it has ramped up dissolving pulp production at its specialty cellulose (dissolving pulp) mill in Thurso, Que., Canada. Fortress says the mill has averaged 92% of its targeted capacity during the past 10 days and has averaged approximately 83% over the past four weeks.

The mill, which has an annual production capacity of about 200,000 metric tpy, started production this past December.

"We are pleased with the ramp-up of dissolving pulp production at our Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill and the quality of the product," said Chad Wasilenkoff, CEO. "We expect our dissolving pulp segment to provide a meaningful contribution to our financial results as the year progresses,"

Following initial delays, the mill recently took scheduled periods of downtime to eliminate process constraints, which have proven successful and the ramp-up to full capacity continues to improve, Fortress said.

To boost its output of dissolving pulp, Fortress has already agreed to buy the assets of a non-operating pulp mill in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Que.

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Holmen Paper, Stockholm, Sweden, has signed a deal to sell PM 61 at its mill in Madrid, Spain. . The dismantling is set to begin at the end of the summer and will be completed in the first six months of 2013. Holmen ceased production on the machine in Madrid in 2011.

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Toscotec, Italy, reports that it has successfully started-up the first TT SYD (Steel Yankee Dryer) installed in Japan. In collaboration with Toscotec local agent Shinsei Corp., the TT SYD-12FT Yankee was supplied to Nishinihon Eizai Co., a producer of tissue in Tatsuno-chō, near Osaka (Japan).

Nishinihon Eizai was founded in 1963, and is managed by Yasuhito Goda, the third generation of the family to manage the business. The mill houses five paper machines and produces 2,500 tons per month of toilet roll and tissue towel made from 100% wastepaper.

The new TT SYD-12FT replaced the old 12 ft cast iron Yankee on Tatsuno-chō PM 2. After startup, the machine speed was increased 18% with considerable energy savings, a key issue in Japan, Toscotec reports.

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Sappi broke ground this past week on its dissolving pulp mill project in Cloquet, Minn., USA, The $170 million project converts the existing kraft pulp mill at Cloquet to dissolving pulp, or chemical cellulose. When completed, it will have the capacity to produce 330,000 metric tons of chemical cellulose per year.

Plans for the conversion, announced last November, represent the largest investment Sappi has made in North America in some time, and the largest investment at the mill itself since the $500 million former Potlatch mill expansion in the 1990s. The new cellulose production is set to start in May 2013.

Sappi is currently the world's largest manufacturer of chemical cellulose out of its Saiccor Mill in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Cloquet project, together with the earlier announced expansion at the Sappi Ngodwana Mill in South Africa, will bring Sappi's total chemical cellulose capacity to more than 1.3 million metric tpy.

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The United Steelworkers (USW), Pittsburgh, Pa., USA, reported this past week that its members at NewPage Corp. have ratified a new, four-year master contract that covers employees at the company's facilities in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It sets corporate-wide economic terms for wages, pensions, health insurance, and sickness and accident benefits, and gives workers additional security in the event any facilities are sold again in the future, according to USW.

NewPage, an Ohio-based producer of coated papers, voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, along with certain of its subsidiaries, six years after being bought by Cerberus Capital Management LP.

"The resulting deal restructures collective bargaining agreements in a fair manner, and also provides our members with enhanced security for the future, while providing a period of stability to the new company that emerges from bankruptcy to improve, invest, and grow the business," said USW District 2 Director Michael Bolton, who chairs the USW NewPage Council of Local Unions.

"We could not be more proud of the commitment our local leaders made to the process, their members, and the community. The efforts of all of the local unions involved strengthen the long-term future of our mills and all of the stakeholders," said USW International VP Jon Geenen, who oversees the union's paper sector.

The master agreement will be effective upon court approval and NewPage's emergence from bankruptcy reorganization. In locations where old agreements have expired, the new pact will take effect immediately.

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Xpedx, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, is opening a new 320,000 sq ft mega-distribution center this fall in Aurora, Ill., with increased inventory, a state-of-the-art warehouse management system, and an advanced, best-in-class package design center. The expansion will nearly double xpedx's Chicago employee base in the expansion.

"xpedx needs to expand to serve our growing customer base in Chicago more efficiently," said David Watson, GM, xpedx Chicago. He added that xpedx will deliver packaging, printing, and facility supplies and services to manufacturers, printers, and facility managers from the new mega-distribution center.

"The package design center is part of a nationwide network of structural and graphic specialists and engineers that deliver packaging solutions to our customers to improve their product marketing, protection, speed to market, and costs," Watson said. "This design center will support both our xpedx and Fidelity Container customers."

Mary Laschinger, xpedx president, says the Chicago expansion is an outcome of a nationwide strategy to reposition xpedx distribution centers to grow with its customers.

"Our new mega-distribution centers will be more efficient for our customers and our xpedx business," Laschinger said. "In recent years xpedx has grown its distribution network through acquisition. Our strategy moving forward ensures we have more ideal geographic locations to grow with customers. We're also using the mega-centers to help streamline customer purchasing and improve our own cost effectiveness. We look forward to growing with our customers."

Xpedx, a business of International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., is one of the largest distribution companies in North America. It distributes a wide variety of print, packaging, and facility solutions supplies and equipment to printers, manufacturers, retailers, and commercial facilities across North America

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MeadWestvaco Corp., Richmond, Va., USA, this week announced that it is acquiring AARDEX Group SA, Switzerland, a pioneer in the design and use of electronic medication event monitoring systems and applications designed to measure, analyze, and manage patient adherence in clinical drug trials.

"This acquisition builds on MWV's long-standing commitment and scientific approach to showing medication packaging's impact as an important adherence intervention," said Bruce Thomas, president, MWV Healthcare and SVP, Global Innovation. "We recognize the critical global need to create packaging solutions that address the issue of medication non-adherence. With the acquisition of AARDEX Group, MWV will now be able to provide customers with a complete range of packaging, data analysis, and service solutions that address non-adherence to medications, from phase II clinical trials all the way through commercialization."

AARDEX Group is led by scientists Dr. Bernard Vrijens and Dr. John Urquhart, who pioneered electronic medication event monitoring, now widely recognized as the gold-standard method for compiling patients' drug dosing histories during clinical trials. A small microcircuit, integrated into the drug package, records the time and date of each opening of the package. This technology has been employed in over 500 clinical research studies conducted by leading universities, public and private research organizations, and numerous research-based pharmaceutical companies.

With the acquisition of AARDEX Group, MWV adds the Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS®) Cap for bottles to its portfolio of adherence-enhancing package designs that currently includes Cerepak®, Helping Hand®, Dosepak®, Dosepak Express®, Med-Easy® and Shellpak® solid oral dose solutions. These packaging solutions have had a positive effect on patient adherence in clinical trials and commercial settings by eliminating double-dosing or omission of dosing.

The AARDEX Group management team will remain in place and the team of 12 employees will become MWV employees. Dr. Bernard Vrijens will serve as managing director, AARDEX, and will engage more broadly with pharmaceutical customers and prospects around adherence strategies in drug development and life-cycle management. Dr. John Urquhart will continue to work in the new organization as Senior Scientific Advisor.

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SCA Packaging Munksund AB, Sweden, has contracted with Metso, Finland, to rebuild the white top kraftliner machine at its Piteå mill in Sweden. The rebuilt production line will be fully operational during 2013. The value of the order was not disclosed.

The main target of the rebuild is to increase the share of the production of value-added white top kraftliner products. As a result of the rebuild, SCA Packaging Munksund will be able to increase its total annual white top kraftliner production from the current level of 110,000 metric tons to 165,000 metric tons and the total kraftliner production from today's 360,000 metric tons to 415,000 metric tons.

"The investment in the rebuild facilitates increased production of white top kraftliner, a strong specialty paper for the corrugated board industry that is experiencing a high growth rate. The investment is in line with the company's strategy, which is to increase production and sales of products and services with a higher degree of refinement that add value to our customers," said Jan Johansson, president and CEO of SCA.

Metso's delivery will include a rebuild of the approach flow system, headbox, forming, press, and dryer sections, as well as of the board machine ventilation system.

The 7.01-meter-wide (wire) PM 1 produces white top kraftliner in the basis weight range of 115 - 200 gsm and unbleached kraftliner in the range of 170 - 440 gsm at the design speed of 1,100 m/min.

SCA is a global hygiene and paper company that develops and produces personal care products, tissue, packaging solutions, publication papers, and solid-wood products. The company's sales in 2011 amounted to EUR 11.7 billion and it has approximately 44,000 employees.

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The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., USA, has introduced its technology platform for RHOPLEX™ ECONEXT™ acrylic binders for the North American hygiene and medical market. This series of low and ultra-low formaldehyde binders allows companies an opportunity to manufacture end-use nonwoven products with minimal levels of formaldehyde and comply with the industry's most stringent standards.

The first line of products to be commercialized in North America – RHOPLEX™ ECONEXT™ 110, 210, and 230 Acrylic Binders – can be used in disposable and re-usable nonwoven applications and are particularly useful in environments that might be formaldehyde sensitive, including hospitals, schools, LEED certified buildings, and manufacturing facilities.

Dow notes that it introduced this innovative technology platform to address growing demand for the best performance characteristics of the conventional self-crosslinking nonwoven binder technology, but with ultra-low levels of formaldehyde. This family of acrylic binders enables customers to meet increasingly stringent industry standards, such as the OEKO-TEX 100 standard for textile raw materials, intermediates, and end products. The OEKO-TEX Association is a third-party certifier that evaluates products used in textile applications.

"Our breakthrough RHOPLEX™ ECONEXT™ technology allows companies an opportunity to use this family of binders with the knowledge that they were made with minimal formaldehyde and frequently maintain the same performance characteristics as those traditionally served by formaldehyde-releasing solutions," said Courtney Fretz, global marketing director for Textile, Non-Wovens, and Films at The Dow Chemical Co. "With this new technology platform, we continue to expand the range of performance of Dow's binder solutions for North America that demand nonwoven products with low or ultra-low formaldehyde levels."

The RHOPLEX™ ECONEXT™ technology platform offers excellent wet strength, rapid fluid penetration (or hydrophobicity), and offers customers options to adjust the degree of softness or stiffness for differing applications.

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Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., USA, along with Paper Pak Industries, La Verne, Calif., a manufacturer of absorbent mediums for the food industry; and Bunzl Distribution, St. Louis, Mo., a global packaging and supplies distribution company, have introduced the UltraFreshSystem™ for packaging fresh-cut produce. The UltraFreshSystem features a custom-designed, thermoformed Sonoco tray combined with an UltraZapXtendaPak food safety pad from Paper Pak Industries.

The tray includes an insert to channel liquid away from the product while the food safety pad absorbs excess moisture inside the package and emits a steady stream of carbon dioxide, reducing the growth of microorganisms such as yeast and mold. Together, the tray and absorbent pad maintain the appearance of the fresh-cut product and extend shelf life by slowing the produce's respiration rate. The result is a fresher, firmer product through the use-by date.

"The UltraFreshSystem is a cost-effective package that delivers superior merchandising appeal and extended shelf life," said Rodger Fuller, VP of Global Rigid Plastics at Sonoco. "Produce processors can also count on less shrink, better margins, and reduced packaging costs."

The unique design of the tray lowers stacking height, increasing shipping density and reducing costs for shipping and storage. The tray's composite surface also results in a better, faster seal at lower temperatures compared with other trays in the marketplace, which minimizes the risk of cross contamination and operator liability. And because it is made with less plastic, the custom-designed tray creates less waste and a smaller carbon footprint.

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International Paper Co., Memphis, Tenn., has elected Ilene S. Gordon to its board of directors, effective October 1. Gordon is chairman, president, and CEO of Ingredion Inc. (formerly Corn Products International), a publicly traded global ingredient solutions company, a position she has held since May 2009. Gordon also has served as president and CEO of Rio Tinto's Alcan Packaging, a multinational company engaged in the production of flexible and specialty packaging, and has served in various senior executive roles at Alcan Packaging and Tenneco Inc.

"Ilene brings to our board of directors a deep understanding of our industry combined with broad international experience. We are extremely pleased to have her join the company," said John Faraci, chairman and CEO.

Gordon holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a master's degree in management from MIT's Sloan School of Management.

With the election of Gordon, the size of IP's Board is now 10 members.

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Later this month, June 21 - 22, Portland will host the 2012 TAPPI Paper Machine Drives Short Course. This one-and-a-half-day course will be conveniently held in conjunction with the IEEE Pulp and Paper Technical Conference. 

Paper Machine Drives Course attendees will acquire a complete understanding of the selection, operation, and maintenance of paper machine drives as well as troubleshooting skills to reduce downtime and machine failure.

The Paper Machine Drives Course is taught by experienced industry experts who will lead not only classroom training but also team activities and problem solving exercises. This is your opportunity to get specific and individual questions answered directly. After completing this course you will be able to increase production volume capabilities to speed up operations and know how to upgrade and select new paper drives.

The Paper Machine Drives Course takes place Thursday, June 21 through Noon on Friday, June 22 in Portland, Ore., USA.

For additional information and to save your seat please visit the course website.

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The Empire State TAPPI and New York-Canadian PIMA Local Section invites you to join them on June 21, 2012, for the 2012 Transformational Technologies Conference in Glenn Falls.

The event will be held at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls, N.Y., USA. 
   
Phil Jones, director of Disruptive Technologies with Imerys and co-chair of the Nanotechnology Task Force for the Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance, will speak on Materials of the Twenty First Century. 

Phil also is vice chair of TAPPI's Nanotechnology Steering Committee. This group produced the "Rethink Trees" video, created to raise the awareness about the opportunities of nano-cellulose. The video is avialable online.

Also featured at this year's event, are Charlie Pound, manager-Forming Systems at Kadant Solutions, Brandon Meyer and Matt Bryer from Albany International, and Bob Belair from Metso.

Complete event information and registration details are available online.

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This information-packed volume provides practical, industry-focused approaches to operational issues, and includes a first-ever, complete examination of the ongoing environmental and staging changes that occurred after the discontinuation of chlorine usage in 1996. 

 Bleaching of Pulp, 5th Edition is written to assist production engineers, supervisors, and scientists find quick solutions to today's immediate challenges in modern bleaching. The text is also designed to help both novice and seasoned professionals quickly understand a wide range of operational issues.

Authors: Alan W. Rudie, Ph.D., and Peter W. Hart, Ph.D.

Together they have delivered the industry's premier text on bleaching technologies. 

Thanks to strong pre-ordering, TAPPI has extended this special pricing into late June.

Order your copy of Bleaching of Pulp, 5th Edition today and pay only $110. This is a savings of more than 50% off of the June release list price of $232 (TAPPI members: $155). 

For more information contact TAPPI's Member Connection by email (MemberConnection@TAPPI.org). You can also call +1 800 332-8686 (USA), +1 800 446-9431 (Canada), or +1 770 446-1400 (Worldwide).

June's special order-price: $110

TAPPI Member Price : $155

List Price: $232

Remember, this offer ends on exactly June 28!
 
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More than 185 people attended the Pulp and Paper Safety Association's 69th Annual Safety & Health Conference the week of June 10 in Orlando, Fla. The conference included 2½ days of safety and technical programs that have a direct impact on the forest products industry. In addition, an awards banquet was held to recognize significant safety accomplishments and milestones of many of the PPSA's members.

PPSA's commitment to safety does not stop there. The Association will be partnering with TAPPI to offer the Safety Management Leadership Course, bringing the best practices in safety to the paper and packaging industry. A special focus will be placed on leadership commitment and engagement in cultivating a culture of safety excellence.

The 2012 TAPPI/PPSA Safety Leadership Course will be held at TAPPI headquarters, August 15 - 16, 2012 in Norcross, Ga, USA. Registration is available online, as is more information about PPSA.

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The deadline for All Pan Pacific Group of Pulp and Paper Associations paper submission has been extended to June 20, 2012. This event will be hosted by the Indonesian TAPPI (Ina-TAPPI) and Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association (IPPA) and will be held November 20 - 22, 2012, in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

This event will be held in conjunction with the First Resource Efficiency in Pulp and Paper Technology (REPTech) International Symposium and Exhibition carried out by the Center for Pulp and Paper (CPP), Ministry of Industry, Republic of INDONESIA.

The symposium will attempt to answer some of the questions raised by speakers and delegates at the 2010 APPITA Symposium in Sydney, Australia, as a review of the current international situation of the pulp and paper and related industries, and will feature invited papers/presentations over the whole two days for the following topics:

• Non-Wood Fiber Source and Technology
• Recycled Fibers and Technology
• Lignocellulosic Materials and the Future of Other Raw Fiber Materials for Paper Industry
• Wood Supply and Sustainable Forest Management System
• Sustainable Production System of the Pulp and Paper Industry
• Process Control and Instrumentation
• Developing, Implementing, and Maintaining an Energy Efficiency Program
• Renewable Energy Resources and Alternatives
• Best Available Technology in the Pulp and Paper Industry
• Other related topics.

Additional information can be found on the Reptech 2012 website. If you have any questions or need additional information about submitting a paper, please contact: Ina-TAPPI Secretariat Andri T. Rizaluddin, email: inatappi@gmail.com, andritr3@yahoo.com, CP: 62 8179296562; Ph: 62 22 5202980 ext 426, or Fax.: 62226202871

The Conference, Symposium, and Exhibition of REPTech and PPC will be held in the Hotel Horison, Jl. Pelajar Pejuang No. 45, Bandung, 40264, West Java, INDONESIA.

Please advise the hotel representatives that you are participating in the 2012 PPC Indonesia.

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TAPPI's International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, October 17-19, 2012 in Savannah, Georgia, USA will focus on advancements and commercialization of bio-conversions that leverage the forest products manufacturing infrastructure, providing you with a deeper analysis of the technology and economics involved in commercializing bio-refineries.  Learn more about IBBC and see the entire technical program.

Keynote Speakers:

• Paul Spindler, Vice President of Technology at Catchlight

• John B. Crowe, Chairman and Chief Executive Office, Buckeye Technologies, Inc.

In addition, IBBC will include technical presentations, expert panels, case studies, and reports from projects that address:

• Feedstock and harvesting improvements to increase yield and quality of biomass

• Bioelectricity using combined heat and power (CHP)

• Bioconversion technologies for wood and biomass

• Production of chemicals and transportation fuels from wood and biomass

• Policies and incentives for bioconversion projects

IBBC will be co-located with the TAPPI PEERS Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for participants to expand their learning, networking and resources by attending both events.  

Exhibit and Sponsorship opportunities are available.  Contact Shane Holt at 800.369.6220, ext. 3345 for more information.
   
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PaperCon 2012 was held April 22 – 25, 2012, at the Sheraton New Orleans in New Orleans, La., USA.

The 2012 conference focused 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.

New technology programs joining PaperCon 2012 included:

• Control Systems Conference
• RPTA Conference
• Inside and Outside the Box – Optimizing Paperboard Grades
• Sustainabililty Forum
• Procurement Forum.

PaperCon is designed by industry professionals, bringing together CEOs, mill managers, superintendents, scientists, process engineers, and suppliers for the largest pulp and paper technical program in the world. No other event provides such a comprehensive program, networking opportunities, and exhibit among such a distinguished group of industry leaders.

This CD-ROM contains more than 125 presentations and papers presented throughout the conference and is only available on this fully searchable CD-ROM. PaperCon 2012 Conference Proceedings.

View Table of Contents

Product code: PAPERCD-12

Member Price: $74.00

Non-Member Price: $111.00

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Join us on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, at the Mid-Valley Country Club in De Pere, Wis., USA.  An afternoon shotgun scramble golf outing is planned with dinner to follow. 

Your participation will help fund scholarships for local TAPPI and PIMA programs.

Multiple Prizes will be awarded and individual pin events will be held.

Those submitting registration with their fee, postmarked by August 9, will be assigned holes on a first-come, first-serve basis. Later registrations will be assigned as space is available. Foursome sponsors and all singles will be notified of their hole assignment at the course on the day of the event. 

Check-in registration will be at the main entrance of the golf course club house. Golf clubs will be unloaded, tagged, and placed on golf carts for your assigned hole. 

Beverage carts will also be available throughout the day on a cash basis.  Lunch will be provided prior to tee-off, with the standard fine cuisine of brats, hamburgers, and beverage. 

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Chris Wolslegel.

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Nominations for major TAPPI 2013 awards are due by August 1, 2012. The awards that may be presented next 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 that 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, resulting in significant and demonstrable benefits to 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 Assciation 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 and shows the qualifications required and links to the nomination forms that must be completed.

You may submit all nomination forms by email at 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, Suite 115, Norcross, Ga. 30092, USA.

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The 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference, October 14-17 in Savannah, Georgia, USA has announced it's detailed technical program. 

Five programming tracks of peer-reviewed sessions, Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling and Sustainability, will answer the most pressing business and technical questions faced by pulp and paper companies as they manage raw materials, assets, regulatory requirements and production assets.  

In addition to the in-depth, peer-reviewed technical program, Keynote Speaker Don Roberts, Vice Chairman of CIBC World Markets will offer a global business perspective.  PEERS will also offer exclusive networking opportunities and insight into new technologies that can help you optimize your mill operations.
 
The TAPPI PEERS Conference will be co-located with International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for you  to expand your learning, networking and resources by attending both events.  See you in Savannah!

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The 2012 TAPPI Linerboard/Medium Manufacture Course, August 7 - 9, 2012, at the TAPPI Training Facility, in Norcross, Ga., USA, is designed to help increase your understanding of linerboard and medium performance properties and manufacturing  to improve corrugated box performance and runnability. This intermediate-level course is ideal for process engineers and operators in linerboard and medium manufacturing facilities and converting plants with a more intermediate background.

For those participants who require an overview background on pulp and papermaking technology, there will be an optional one-half day Introduction to P&P on Monday afternoon, August 6, prior to the beginning of the main course on Tuesday. This supplemental session is intended for corrugators, new pulp and paper mill and supplier personnel, and those without exposure to pulp and paper operations.

If you are looking to increase your understanding of linerboard and medium performance properties and how they are achieved, build your confidence in interacting more knowledgeably within the mill with suppliers and with corrugators; and improve manufacturing operations to produce a more competitive product, then this course is for you!

Only 25 seats are available for this course. Will you be one of the lucky ones? Register now.

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The TAPPI International Research Management Committee requests that nominations be submitted for the William H. Aiken Prize for Research and Development. The award is given for outstanding accomplishments and/or contributions that have advanced the technology of paper and related industries in the R&D field. 

The $500 prize is funded by an endowment from the estate of William H. Aiken, TAPPI President in 1967 - 1968, and VP of Technology for the former Union Camp Corp. at the time of his death in 1974. Dr. Aiken won the TAPPI Gold Medal, the association's highest honor, in 1971.

Nominations should be sent to David Bell (DBell@TAPPI.org) TAPPI Headquarters,15 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, Ga. 30092, USA, or by fax (+1 770-446-6947).

The deadline for nominations for the William H. Aiken Prize for Research and Development Award is August 1, 2012.

The nomination should contain a summary of the nominee's technical achievements, impact on the industry and peers, personal data (such as education and work history), and information of other pertinent activity (such as TAPPI activities).

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TAPPI and the Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA) are pleased to announce their new course on workplace safety leadership and modern safety management principles, The Safety Management Leadership Course. The course will be held at TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Ga, August 15 - 16.

The papermaking, conversion, and paper recycling industries have traditionally suffered from high workplace accident rates. Through a concentrated industry effort, the number of workplace injuries in the paper and pulp industry between 1994 and 2010 declined at a faster rate than the national rate for all private industries.

The Safety Management Leadership Course will provide managers and leaders with the best practices in safety for the paper and packaging industry that should help further reduce these workplace safety incidents. The course is designed for anyone involved in workplace safety including human resources, training, safety supervisors, team leaders, plant managers, project leaders, frontline supervisors, and safety committee participants.

The course will be led by industry expert and course chair Matthew Kanneberg from RockTenn.

"Participants in the course will be able to understand the fundamentals of safety and safety management principles, including recordkeeping, incident investigation, safety culture, managing change safely, understanding safety behavior, risk management, and measuring performance," Kanneberg said.

Course registration is limited to 30 participants so please register today at the course website. Early registration discounts are available.

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Interested in nanotechnology but can't bear to wade through detailed technical reports?

Individual reports on nanotechnology by research and marketing firms as well as governmental agencies are comprehensive and insightful. But they can also be tedious to read, expensive to procure, and generally unknown to non-experts interested in nanotechnology. 

Offering a reader-friendly and affordable alternative to these options, Nanotechnology: Health and Environmental Risks introduces risk analysis as a tool for responsible environmental decision making in nanotechnology development. The text provides examples of past, present, and future technologies that demonstrate the need for and benefits of evaluating the risks of nanotechnology.

Access the most up-to-date and relevant information on the impact of Nanotechnology on our health and surroundings. After outlining the steps of risk analysis, this book examines the opportunity costs inherent in present day nanotechnology development. It then introduces life cycle analysis, examining the toxicology of nanoscale materials, and the known impacts of specific nanoscale materials on human beings.

The text also covers environmental impacts and exposure, followed by chapters on the state-of-the-art tools that adapt life cycle thinking into risk analysis for nanotechnology. The final chapters describe current practices for managing the hazards and risks of nanoscale materials and explore the numerous international efforts that address the risks, science, and policies of nanotechnology. 

Learn to recognize and overcome the risks involving nanotechnology. With full-color images and insights into the key health and environmental aspects of nanotechnology, this resource shows how risk analysis can play an important role in creating a sustainable future for nanotechnology.  

Product code: 11NANOENV

Member Price: $42.00

Non-Member Price: $52.00

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TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA, will host the annual Improving Paper Machine Performance Course August 21 - 23. This course provides students the tools needed to evaluate the performance of their paper machines against industry standards and evaluate ways to improve performance and optimize efficiencies. This year the course schedule has been expanded to include an important area of operation- evaluating energy savings.

Dick Reese of Dick Reese and Associates will help attendees learn how to evaluate energy consumption. Reese has completed energy evaluations on more than 125 paper and pulp machines in 56 mills. Several mills have reduced annual energy cost by $1 million-plus by implementing recommendations from the energy evaluations.

After successfully completing this course, participants should be able to:

• Explain how to establish a paper machine performance audit
• Improve performance and optimize energy conservation and efficiency of your paper machine
• Determine the tools needed to benchmark paper machine operations
• Identify areas of PM performance that are sub-standard.

The educational material has been designed as an intermediate or advanced course for process engineers and mid- to upper-level manufacturing managers. Service technicians, sales personnel, and engineers within the chemical and equipment categories will also benefit by attending this course.
 
A degree in engineering or other technical field is suggested, but not required. A good working knowledge of the paper machine is recommended (this is not an introductory course). Please bring your laptop computer for this working course. If you don't have one you may share with another course participant.

There is only room for 25 course participants, so please register today.

For more information, please visit the course website.

Early registration, travel, and lodging discounts are available.

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The 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference, October 14 - 17 in Savannah, Ga., USA, is designed to answer the most pressing business and technical questions faced by pulp and paper companies as they manage raw materials, assets, regulatory requirements, and production assets. Learn more about the PEERS Technical Program

In addition to the in-depth, peer-reviewed technical program, keynote speaker Don Roberts, vice chairman of CIBC World Markets, will offer a global business perspective. PEERS will also offer exclusive networking opportunities and insight into new technologies that can help you optimize your mill operations.

The TAPPI PEERS Conference will be co-located with the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for you to expand your learning, networking, and resources by attending both events.

Exhibit and Sponsorship opportunities also are available. Contact Shane Holt by email at TAPPIPEERS@naylor.com or by phone at 800.369.6220, ext. 3345.

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TAPPI's International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, October 17-19, 2012 in Savannah, Ga., will include a tour to Herty Advanced Materials Development Center the morning of Wednesday, October 17. Chartered by the State of Georgia, Herty has leveraged its industry-proven laboratory and pilot capabilities to execute its strategic plan that includes significant emphasis in the biopower and biofuels areas. Herty's focus is on feedstock with current impact of more than $1.5 billion in alternative energy commercialization projects. Herty provides a hub location needed for rapid cost-effective development of biomass resources for energy production. Learn more about Herty and this tour.

IBBC will focus on technical advancements and commercialization of bioconversion technologies that leverage the forest products manufacturing infrastructure. Learn more about IBBC and see the entire technical program.

IBBC will also feature Keynote Speakers:

•  Paul Spindler, VP of Technology at Catchligh
• John B. chairman and CEO, Buckeye Technologies Inc.

In addition, IBBC will include technical presentations, expert panels, case studies, and reports from projects that address:

• Feedstock and harvesting improvements to increase yield and quality of biomass
• Bioelectricity using combined heat and power (CHP)
• Bioconversion technologies for wood and biomass
• Production of chemicals and transportation fuels fromwood and biomass
• Policies and incentives for bioconversion projects'

IBBC will be co-located with the TAPPI PEERS Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for participants to expand their learning, networking and resources by attending both events.

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The 2012 TAPPI Tissue Properties & Manufacture Course is coming to TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA., on August 15 -16. This two-day course is a comprehensive overview of the entire tissue manufacturing process taught by leading industry experts.

The focus of the course is on learning ways to improve tissue manufacturing operations and produce a higher quality final product.The Tissue Properties & Manufacture Course will provide participants with more confidence in understanding tissue performance properties and how they are achieved, steps to improve tissue manufacturing, and preparation for more advanced topics.

The course will be taught by Michael J. Kocurek, PhD, Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University, along with a faculty of experienced industry professional. Last year, more than 95% of Tissue Properties & Manufacture Course participants reported that they had increased their ability to impact tissue performance and design by attending the course. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to learn and network with industry peers and receive instruction from multiple instructors.

The Tissue Properties & Manufacture Course is designed for professionals with limited or intermediate experience including;

• Tissue Mill Operators
• Technical Process Engineers
• Non-Technical Professionals
• Tissue Manufacturing personnel.

This is an introductory/intermediate level course.  if you are looking for an advanced course on tissue, consider the next TAPPI Tissue Runnability Course.

There are only 25 spaces available for this popular course, so please register today at the course website.

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Authors: Wei-Hong Zhong and Bin Li, Jo Anne Shatkin, Russell G. Maguire, Vivian T. Dang, Gwen M. Gross, and Michael C. Richey

A comprehensive account of how nanomaterials are synthesized and processed, this book presents the theory and technology of introducing nano-based materials as value-added elements into product manufacturing. The book explains the fundamentals of vapor, liquid, solid phase, and biosystem-assisted nanoparticle syntheses, with sufficient analysis of each method to permit decisions on which is most productive, energy efficient, and safe. The text then confronts the problems of scaling up from lab-based syntheses to manufacturing and demonstrates how nanomaterials on the shop floor require new protocols of quality assurance and employee and environmental protection. The book concludes with case studies of individuals who endeavored to commercialize nanotechnologies for higher-volume production.

Nano Science and Nano Materials:  Synthesis, Manufacturing, and Industry Impacts.

Product code: 12NSNM

Member Price: $129.00

Non-Member Price: $149.00

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The Nonwovens Engineers and Technologists Division (NET) of TAPPI will co-locate its annual Innovative Nonwovens Conference (NETInc) next year with PaperCon 2013, April 28 - May 1 in Atlanta, Ga., USA.. The NETInc technical conference is a unique event developed by engineers and technologists to cover the latest market and technical developments and innovations in the global nonwovens industry. 

"Co-location of the NETInc Conference at PaperCon 2013, the pulp and paper industry's largest event and most comprehensive technical conference, will provide attendees an expanded range of options to network and learn the latest cutting edge technical content," notes TAPPI President and CEO Larry N. Montague. "The nonwovens industry is a dynamic, rapidly growing segment of our industry that encompasses a wide range of raw materials, applications, and market segments, and it employs some of the most innovative technology in the industry. We're excited about the synergy provided by having these two industry leading events located in one venue."

NETInc offers peer reviewed papers, expert speakers, and exclusive networking opportunities. A comprehensive technical program covers a wide range of products, innovative technologies, and topics including market trends, raw materials, fibers, and processing used in an array of applications including absorbent products, medical applications, building science, and many others.

TAPPI's NET Division covers the global nonwovens business and includes members and nonwovens experts from diverse markets and disciplines. It covers materials, equipment, and processes for the manufacture and use of nonwovens. The division's technical committees sponsor courses, conference sessions, roundtables, and TAPPI PRESS products, as well as networking and problem-solving opportunities.

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Wet End Chemistry is the eleventh of 15 CD-ROMs in the Making Pulp and Paper CD-ROM Series. Through this highly interactive, self-paced CD-ROM, participants learn wet end chemistry terms, concepts, and processes.

Learning outcomes
After completing the Wet End Chemistry CD-ROM, participants should be able to: 

• Understand the reasons why papermakers use wet end additives in paper
• Describe commonly used functional additives
• Describe commonly used process additives.

Benefits for Everyone
The series is designed for anyone who would benefit from a working knowledge of the pulping and papermaking process, including:

• Paper machine operators
• Process and product engineers
• Sales and technical support staff
• New employees
• Students.

It will also be beneficial to experienced production or technical employees who need a more thorough understanding of a specific area of the operation, especially for cross-training purposes. New employees of chemical and equipment suppliers and paper industry consultants will also benefit from this series.

The complete set of all 15 Making Pulp and Paper CD-ROMs are also available.

Product code: MPP-11

Member Price: $78.00

Non-Member Price: $119.00

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The Extrusion Coating Manual, Fourth Edition is now available through TAPPI Press.

Edited by: Thomas Bezigian

This comprehensive volume details all aspects of extrusion coating. The book will be a valuable training tool for new employees and a useful reference for everyone involved in extrusion coating. It includes information on classic materials and troubleshooting techniques as well as the latest materials and machine designs available anywhere in the world today.

Completely revised and updated, the fourth edition contains the work of more than 30 well-known industry experts.

View the Table of Contents.

Product code: 0102B065

Member Price: $93.00

Non-Member Price: $140.00

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Martin A. Hubbe and Kasy King

This handbook provides cost-saving strategies associated with the use of chemical additives during the manufacture of paper. Topics include:

• Loss of materials (i.e. "yield" of the papermaking process)
• Production rate issues
• Downtime
• Inefficient use of functional additives
• Process-enhancing additives and their control
• Strategies to reduce the amount of fibers required to make a paper product
• Strategies to reduce the amount of energy to make paper.

A glossary of terms and a brief introduction to selected principles of capital budgeting are provided as appendices.

This book is ideal for paper machine process engineers/scientists, paper machine superintendents, paper mill management, chemical supplier technical staff, product development engineers, paper mill consultants, and technical staff from allied industries, e.g. process control equipment, papermaking machinery, and environmental services.

Cost Saving Strategies in Papermaking Chemistry

View the Forward and Table of Contents.

Product code: 0101R325

Member Price: $150.00

Non-Member Price: $215.00

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Tension Control

Author: Kee-Huyn Shinn, Ph.D.

This volume provides a thorough study of the longitudinal dynamics and tension control of web handling systems. Critical web handling problems that can be related to improper tension control include wrinkle, slack, breakage, lateral movement, and poor roll quality. This valuable text is the only reference currently available devoted entirely to tension control.

Tension Control

View the Table of Contents.

 Product code: 0101R275

Member Price: $50.00

Non-Member Price: $75.00

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