Over the Wire

Education, corporate sectors, and higher GDP will likely drive domestic demand, but India Ratings and Research has still maintained a 'negative-to-stable' outlook on the paper industry overall for 2017 on the expectations of a limited improvement in the global demand-supply environment and import risks.

 

Paper production fell 2.6% while paperboard production was up 3.6% to account for a modest growth in the industry overall.

 

According to U.S. tissue industry statistics just released by RISI, Boston, Mass., converted tissue and towel product production and shipments increased in December 2015.

 

The fiber supply for APP's new OKI pulp mill is in question since the Indonesian government has indicated that it will prevent replanting of areas burned in 2015. In the South Sumatra province, 37% of the company's holdings were burned including 26% of organized timber plantations.

 

The unit will have a capacity of 135 bone dry metric tons per day, and one of the main properties that led to the order was the possibility to bleach in-line. The system will be commissioned during the autumn of this year.

 

The Hebei company's (China) TM 2, a twin-sister machine of TM 1, also is based on the philosophy of Optimum Cost Solution, including a tissue machine fully designed in Europe. The machine’s key components, such as the Intelli-Jet V® hydraulic headbox and Intelli-YD™ steel yankee, were also manufactured in Europe.

 

A team from A.Celli Paper’s Customer Service Department, in collaboration with the mill’s specialized personnel, replaced the two cutting units and updated the drive, the PLC system, and mechanical transmission of two Interstate Paper rewinders, completing intervention in just six days of machine downtime per plant.

 

International Paper CFO Carol Roberts discussed the company's position in the Russian and Brazilian markets, as well as the fluff pulp conversion project in Riegelwood, N.C., USA, and company efforts to complete the sale of its Chinese box business due to limited availability of materials. 2016 is described as a transition year for IP.

 

"We are very pleased with this upgrade that has allowed us to once again obtain a very high quality of the wound product, increasing the performance of the rewinder, and consequently of the entire plant," commented an employee of Lucart Group after working on the A.Celli airlaid tissue mill in southern Italy.

 

The president and CEO of Madison Paper Industries said that he can’t confirm the details of a potential months-long curtailment at the paper mill, saying only that while production at the mill is down, the situation is changing on a weekly basis and layoffs have been avoided.

 

The Canadian tissue manufacturer, a subsidiary of Kruger Products, is reporting significantly lower sales volumes. The Carthage, N.Y., USA, mill would continue to operate only if a new customer was found for its products. There could also be an option for the mill's 25-30 employees to buy the plant.

 

PAPCEL will upgrade the tissue machine press section, deliver a new yankee cylinder (3.6 meters in diameter), completely modernize the drying part hood, and modify and complete the drive.

 

PMT Italia, Italy, and Joe Solberg Inc. (Tyrone, Ga., USA) have signed a sales representative and distribution agreement for winder products in the U.S. and Canada. Under terms of the agreement, JSI will market and sell the PMT winder products and provide technical service for PMT winders and reels as required by PMT.

 

Sappi's Lanaken (Belgium) Mill will improve the performance of PM7 by installing a state-of-the-art film-press coater, and Sappi Kirkniemi (Finland) Mill will undergo a variety of modifications to PM3 to increase energy efficiency and further improve quality consistency.

 

Years ago the retirement rate at Sappi was only 3%— now it has risen to 10%. Retiring workers are taking years of experience with them. The company is creating a new computerized training system at the Minnesota site with the help of two retired workers, heading up a project that could be used at other Sappi locations in the U.S.

 

The investment by the Wilmington, Del., USA, company doubles production capacity for polyacrylamide powders used in a wide variety of water-based industries including the P&P markets. It also creates two new production lines to handle increased sales of its sizing and defoamer products in the pulp and paper industry.

 

An industry source said this past week that Sun Paper is also considering one or more locations in Mississippi as well as at least two in south Arkansas. The Chinese company confirmed it is looking at other states but wouldn't identify them. The site of choice must be able to harvest around 3 million tons of timber annually.

 

Each tissue machine will have 60,000 metric tpy of tissue production capacity. Construction is scheduled to begin this May, with startup at Imperatriz planned for the third quarter of 2017 and startup at Mucuri expected in the fourth quarter of 2017. The total value of the machines is $58 million.

 

Valmet's delivery includes a production line, preparation systems, an Advantage DCT 200TS tissue machine, and a Focus Rewinder line. The machine is equipped with an OptiFlo II TIS headbox and a cast alloy yankee cylinder. It features Advantage tissue technology, including ViscoNip press, AirCap hood, and a SoftReel reel.

 

Jamil has purchased new box making equipment for its plant in Indiana to increase capacity, enabled by the company's partnership that opened Alliance Sheets in 2014 to directly supply corrugated sheets, an investment making the company more competitive. The corrugator at Alliance is the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

 

Approximately 150 employees will either be losing jobs or finding new ones in the company as Georgia-Pacific closes its Buena Park, Calif., USA, facility by September 1. The company determined the facility was outdated. Production will shift to its more efficient plant in La Mirada, about 2 miles away.

 

In a key legal victory for KapStone, the National Labor Relations Board agreed this past week that the company acted in good faith when it declared a bargaining impasse with the millworkers’ union on Aug. 3, 2015. That’s when the company implemented its latest rejected contract offer. The union now faces an uphill battle.

 

Trois-Rivières' PM 10 newsprint machine is being converted into a state-of-the-art lightweight and high-strength recycled linerboard production facility. Pöyry's assignment includes services for the installation of a new starch system, chemical systems, heat recovery, and modifications to the existing stock approach system.

 

Valmet (Finland)-supplied coated board production line for Metsä Board has started up at the company's Husum mill in Sweden. The new machine produces high-quality folding boxboard with an annual capacity of 400,000 metric tons and a basis weight range of 185-350 gsm.

 

The U.S. Treasury Department ended the over-the-counter sale of paper savings bonds in 2012 and this program is now the only way to obtain a paper savings bond. Security concerns about not having paper based versions of important financial information is a major factor in the support of this bipartisan bill.

 

The duties on some companies may have been unwarranted and could lead to job cuts at Irving and Catalyst operations in Maine. Catalyst owns a paper mill in Rumford that employs about 800 people, and Irving owns and manages 1.2 million acres of Maine woodlands and two sawmills in the state.

 

The company launched an ethylene absorbing film technology applied to containers suited for retail displays. "(PrimePro Core’s) incorporation into rigid produce retail corrugate and paperboard easily extends shelf life... But more importantly, it reduces food that goes to waste," said Chantler's VP of sales and marketing.

 

The companies are providing Esterlam’s high quality doctor blades to the North American corrugated and coating markets. As a pioneer in "plastic" blades, Esterlam provides two unique ranges of products to the global market—laminated polyester and UHMW, both delivering superior performance and a higher safety standard.

 

Unique to SKF, the app enables the user to achieve accurate adjustment of spherical roller and CARB toroidal roller bearings mounted on tapered seatings. The correct fit is attained by controlling the axial drive-up of the bearing from a predetermined starting position.

 

This restructuring is part of a broader project for change across the company that includes aspects such as streamlining processes, upgrading IT systems, optimizing functions, and overall cultural transformation. The new organization includes three new heads of business units.

 

Shan’s responsibilities include WestRock’s supply chain and technology functions, as well as the company’s recycling business. Shan will report to CEO Steve Voorhees. She will join the company on February 29.

 

The National Paper Trade Association (NPTA), Chicago, Ill., USA, this week announced the installation of the 2016 board of directors. Five new officers and six new directors were chosen.

 

Specialty Papers Europe, April 4-6, is hailed as a "must attend to stay ahead of the curve" event.

 

Lithotype is currently seeking a Quality Assurance and Product Development Manager for its South San Fransisco, Cali., and Bolingbrook, Ill., USA, locations.

 

The TAPPI Microbiology & Microbial Technology committee invites you to attend their free webinar, "Off-Odors in Paper and Board" on Wednesday, March 2 at 1:00 p.m. EST

 

The revised and updated manual provides the box plant with a practical and useful tool to make better starch adhesives as well as see better bond quality. TAPPI members will save $50 on this purchase.

 

This leader knows what it takes to stand out in a crowd and get noticed! There are still sponsorship opportunities available to companies dedicated to nanotechnology and eager to show their support for this emerging market.

 

CEO’s and senior executives from top suppliers to the paper industry meet in Florida on February 24-26.