Over the Wire

Printing and writing (P&W) paper demand in North America was down 8.2% y/y in April, and was off 5% y-t-d.

 

China dissolving pulp imports were up 10.5% y/y through the first four months of 2015, with more coming from Europe and less from South Africa.

 

The Lewiston Tribune reported that the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley's largest employer is requesting the permit so it can move forward with a $160 million project that includes a new chip pulp digester.

 

AF&PA's Harman stated that "EPA should focus on implementing the 2008 ozone standards before shifting focus to further tighten them, and we appreciate Congress’ efforts to bring certainty to this issue by introducing legislation to address our concerns. Lowering the standard at this time could place up to five times more paper and wood product mills at risk with billions in additional controls, while the science shows the current standard is protective of public health."

 

Lignin, a natural component of wood, is a co-product of RYAM’s cellulose specialties manufacturing process and is currently used for its energy value by the facility. The planned JV would process the lignin into higher-value products that provide environmentally friendly alternatives to petroleum-based chemicals used globally in construction, agriculture, and other industrial applications.

 

Author, James Ward, writes that a large part of the appeal of stationery lies in its potential: "it’s a way of becoming a new person, a better person. Buying this set of index cards and those page markers means I’ll finally become the organized person I always wanted to be." Obsolete stationery could represent potential wasted, withering away in the depths of office cupboards.

 

Together, the 14 partners have all the expertise needed to make the initiative a success, from waste collection to conversion to industrial plants and sales. The primary aim is to use Enerkem's proven conversion process to turn domestic and other waste into useful products.

 

Miles Roberts, group chief executive, said that "we are delighted to complete the acquisition of Duropack, a business that is highly complementary to DS Smith's geographic footprint and transforms our position in higher-growth South Eastern European geographies.

 

Company this week completed the purchase of Victory Packaging/Golden State Container of Houston, Texas, a large, national distributor of all types of packaging specializing in providing unique solutions.

 

Founded in 1992, Packaging Professionals specializes in paper and poly bags, hand stretch film, strapping, carton sealing and specialty tapes, cushioning and void fill, custom boxes, and single-face corrugated. The company's six packaging experts also bring expertise in stretch wrap and stretch wrap equipment,.

 

"Acquiring an additional company in Canada that is well-aligned with our values and business model provides Menasha Packaging with additional capabilities and resources to meet the growing needs of CPG customers in North America," said Jim Kotek, president and CEO of Menasha Corp.

 

Scheduled for occupancy in the fall of 2016, Menasha Corp.’s new office building will house both its companywide headquarters and the corporate office of its subsidiary, Menasha Packaging Co. It is being constructed on the site of the company’s current headquarters at 1645 Bergstrom Rd. in Neenah.

 

Pratt has started phase two of the hiring. The company needs 20 material handlers, 10 mechanical technicians, and 10 electrical and instrumentation technicians. Base salaries for the positions range from $33,500 to $54,000 a year, not including overtime and incentives.

 

As the Environmental Protection Agency continues to implement its Clean Power plan without any definitive guidance for the treatment of biomass, U.S. Senator Angus King visited Sappi North America in Westbrook this past week, a biomass-utilizing pulp and paper producer that employs more than 300 people, to highlight legislation he recently introduced that would protect the renewable energy resource and the thousands of jobs it supports across Maine.

 

Nanoval has developed a spinning process in which continuous filaments are spun from orifices, normally holes, and split-up from the exiting liquid monofilaments into a multitude of finer filaments. This effect occurs less by drawing than by shear forces of an accompanying air flow, inducing a pressure into the monofilaments until they burst, breaking up the outer skin--the sheath.

 

The IBM scientists’ work, in partnership with the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland, described in a scientific paper published in Plant Physiology, is part of a longer-term program to develop a 3D computer simulated model of the entire plant wall.

 

Xerium Technologies Inc., Youngstown, N.C., USA, has launched Aurora, a new advanced cover technology for corona treater positions on flexible packaging machines. Aurora Technology was specially engineered for high performance corona treater applications.

 

The wood biomass power generation plant is located at the Yatsushiro Mill in Japan and uses as fuel unused woody materials such as timber from forest thinning in the Kyushu region.

 

Soundview Paper Co., Elmwood Park, N.J., USA, this week announced that company President Karl Meyers has been appointed CEO and SVP of Strategy, and that and Rob Baron has been named the company’s new president. In addition, longtime tissue and paper industry executives Steve Ziessler and Bob Snyder have joined Soundview’s Board of Managers.

 

"Bob Mundy has made significant contributions to Verso while serving as our CFO since the inception of the company in 2006," said David J. Paterson, president and CEO of Verso. "Bob's dedication and skills have helped shape the evolution of Verso into the leading producer of coated papers in North America. We thank Bob for his valued service to Verso and wish him continued success in his career."

 

Richard B. West, who has served as CFO of PCA since 1999 and SVP since March 2002, is being replaced by Robert P. Mundy, who has been Verso Corp.’s SVP and CFO since 2006.

 

TAPPI’s Corrugated Packaging Division is seeking nominations to fill two elected positions on the Corrugated Packaging Council (CPC). Nominations are being accepted for two industry members for a three year term. The due date for accepting nominations is August 14.

 

If you have not already done so, please join TAPPI or renew your membership with the association to receive this top quality publication. We appreciate your interest and look forward to your involvement!

 

The Gulf Coast TAPPI Local Section will be hosting its 2015 Annual Meeting, June 10-13, at the Seascape Resort and Conference Center in Destin, Fla., USA, with two days of technical workshops and one day devoted exclusively to fun and recreational activities.

 

Learn about the new Passport Program, the very first PEERS Conference Dinner, and more networking opportunities designed to put attendees in productive contact with PEERS exhibitors, greatly enhancing the experience for both producers and suppliers as well as potential customers looking for today's best solutions.

 

Screens are used in every area of a mill for contaminant removal. This June 17 webinar will cover the basics of screening including barrier screening vs. probability screening, key components of a pressure screen, housing, baskets (holes vs. slots) rotors, and basic mode of operation / controls.

 

2015 PEERS features keynote speaker, John D. Williams, CEO and president of Domtar. Three special all-day workshops are also being offered prior to the start of the 2015 PEERS Conference, October 25-28 in Atlanta, Ga., USA. Each presents an opportunity to expand your knowledge and learn from our industry’s best.

 

Coming off a record breaking year in 2014, including a 40% growth in attendance, Specialty Papers 2015 will bring together experts from across the specialty papers supply chain on the most topical content relevant to this sector of the industry. Sponsored by TAPPI and Smithers Pira, this year's conference will return to "The Brew City" (Milwaukee, Wis., USA) this September 15-17.

 

From general safety orientations to mill-specific classes, our direct eLEARNING courses are designed with both student and our industry's employers in mind. Select courses are now available and can also be customized.

 

This glossary defines hundreds of terms commonly used in flexographic printing and pre-press operations. It will be a valuable reference for everyone involved in converting and printing. TAPPI members have a chance to purchase this useful text for less than $30.00.

 

The conference "Engaging the Heart and Mind" will be held June 7-10 in Savannah, Ga., and will focus on bringing together safety and industry professionals, as well as lawyers and OSHA experts to navigate the ever-changing field of pulp and paper industry safety. Learn who PPSA has announced as their Keynote speaker...