Over the Wire

Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 6% in June compared with June 2014, with inventory levels increasing 1% from May.

 

U.S. kraft paper shipments this past month (June 2015) totaled 149,300 short tons, which is 5.8% higher than in June 2014, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) June 2015 Kraft Paper Report.

 

The market report defines and segments the pine-derived chemicals market with analyses and projection of the market size and trends, in terms of value. It also identifies the driving and restraining factors for the market with analyses of opportunities, burning issues, and challenges.

 

U.S. containerboard production in June was 1.2% higher than in June of last year, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) June 2015 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report released this past week.

 

According to the report, production of paper and board in Europe decreased by 0.2% in 2014 compared with the previous year, after a cumulative decline of 4% between 2010 and 2013. It is now established at 91.1 million metric tons in 2014.

 

Bielomatik’s paper processing product line that cuts, binds, finishes, and wraps paper will merge with BW Papersystems, headquartered in the U.S., a global supplier to the paper and board sheeting; paper converting; and corrugating industries.

 

Specializing in characterization of finished products, development of products and analysis methods, technical support and customer service, contaminant measurement and characterization, and optical and electronic microscopy, the RDC in Kingsley Falls, Canada, has nine specialized laboratories, a plant emergency team, and access to an international group of experts.

 

The new plant will be the first mechanical pulping line in India for production of high-brightness board grades. Startup is scheduled for the third quarter of 2016.

 

The company is the U.S. largest privately owned manufacturer of fine papers, envelopes, and specialty substrates. Mohawk operations include commercial and digital printing. Their officials describe the South Hadley, Mass. venture as "new, world-class envelope converting facility."

 

"This investment will increase our production capacity and improve our profitability in Brazil in the long term. The investment enables us to capitalize on the growth opportunities that we can see in the Brazilian market for incontinence products and to potentially launch other product categories in the future," said Magnus Groth, president and CEO of SCA, Stockholm, Sweden.

 

It's a myth that reducing the packaging will automatically cut the amount of waste from fast food - in fact effective corrugated solutions can help the environment by reducing the amount of consumer food going to landfill, said the U.K.-based Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI).

 

Iggesund is not just establishing a distribution channel in Asia. The company will also keep Invercote in stock and offer local sheeting from a service point in Taiwan to minimize lead times.

 

Axiom Corp. (St, Catharines, Ont., Canada) reports that PaperNuts has partnered with Spark Innovations, a Canadian (King City Ont.) industrial design company, for the completion of design and prototype development of the company's first ever retail scale units.

 

Known for their high quality standard stock cartons that are corrugated boxes manufactured with precision machinery in Vancouver, Racer Boxes (Vancouver, B.C, Canada) has identified the need to provide the possibility to customize the order so that the boxes can better fulfill the need of the customers.

 

Visy is one of the world’s largest privately owned paper, packaging, and recycling companies. It was established in Melbourne in 1948 as a manufacturer of corrugated cardboard boxes, and today’s operational footprint extends to more than 120 sites across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam, and trading offices across Asia, Europe and the U.S.

 

The EnviPortfolio from Monadnock, Bennington, N.H., USA, has expanded significantly since its launch in 2012. All of the paper stocks in the Envi line are FSC certified, manufactured carbon neutral (VERs) with Green-e Certified 100% renewable electricity (RECs).

 

This innovation ensures that labels that are not supposed to be dispensed onto a pack remain on the backing strip and are wound together with the backing strip. This function is particularly important when, for example, the print layout is changed or a label has been identified as incorrect.

 

APP, Jakarta, Indonesia, launched a study that noted a marketplace shift in consumer attitudes that points to an emerging preference for sustainable products made more from natural products and fiber instead of difficult to re-use plastics. 64% of millennials said brands that include environmental-related information on labels influence their perceptions of a company.

 

Enova has granted NOK 52 million in support to the project, while Sparebank 1 Gruppen and Halden Municipality's pension fund has provided about NOK 100 million in debt financing. Norske Skog plans to build biogas facilities at its mills, utilizing biowaste from the paper production process to renewable energy. Norske Skog is currently considering replicating the project at its other mills.

 

The promotion of Yvon Pelletier to president and CEO follows a robust succession planning process. During this process, current President and CEO Chadwick Wasilenkoff and the board recognized Pelletier's contributions to operational improvements at Fortress Paper and concluded that the company and its shareholders would benefit by expanding his role, which will free Wasilenkoff to focus on strategic initiatives to unlock value for shareholders and to improve the balance sheet.

 

Most recently, David Gray was the national account executive for RockTenn, developing new business with global mass market consumer packaged goods brand owners, and retailers. Previously, he spent seven years with MeadWestvaco in business development positions.

 

Jimmy S.H. Lee, currently CEO, president, and chairman of the company, transitioned to executive chairman of the board, effective July 20. At that time, David M. Gandossi, Mercer's CFO assumed the role of president and CEO and became a director. David K. Ure, SVP, Finance concurrently became the CFO and secretary of the company.

 

LanzaTech executive addresses how waste resources will frame a carbon smart future in keynote speech at IBBC, October 28-30 in Atlanta, Ga., USA.

 

Depending on the source, up to 82% pf biomass is composed of energy rich sugars that can also be used to produce every day products. Those with training in the forest industry can benefit from this unique tour demonstrating first hand how components of natural wood products can be made into a variety of useful products using today's technology.

 

Now that the TAPPISAFE® Basic Safety Orientation program has been implemented within Asten-Johnson, the training time for each company field staffer has been reduced from five or more hours to two hours each year. According to AstenJohnson’s Training Administrator Penny Crosby, the feedback from staff has been good, and the program has been easily adopted internally.

 

BASF Corp. is currently searching for a technical sales representative for upstate New York and the southern portion of the state of Maine in the U.S.. The selected candidate will work from a remote home based office within the areas. The position may require travel to other regions of North America. The selected candidate must be located near a major airport.

 

This week's featured text is available to TAPPI members for nearly $30 off list price.

 

The Introduction to Kraft Pulping and Bleaching course, taught by Dr. Michael Kocurek, will take place August 4-5 at TAPPI’s Headquarters. Seats will sell out at 25. Registration is now open.

 

In addition to gaining a basic understanding of the more common IH hazards that may be present at their site, participants will learn how to sample and measure those hazards, the primary methods of controlling and eliminating those hazards, and the IH standards and exposure limits at the September 16-17 course in Metro Atlanta, Ga., USA.

 

Dr. Don Satchell, technology director and manager for Situ Biosciences LLC will present on analyzing the methods of compostability for pulp products that are enhanced with color, gloss, and preservatives at Specialty Papers 2015. Register now to save $200 off the full conference registration rate. The deadline to register at the discounted rate is Friday, August 14.

 

The only Improving Paper Machine Performance Course to be held in 2015 is scheduled for October 13-15 in Peachtree Corners, (Atlanta) Ga., USA.

 

This unique workshop held August 3-7 provides attendees an overall view of the fundamental principles of environmental life cycle analysis (LCA) for a product or service.