Over the Wire

Four market research summaries published on the P&P manufacturing segment "paperboard trays" are collectively sourced in comprehensive feature coverage from year 2017 and 2018 ytd projected through 2022-2023. Segment is experiencing relatively-strong near 6% CAGR. Includes current to early-2020s consumer use segmentation (via pie-chart) and collective market projection valuations as well as competitive dynamics in a set-by-set series.

 

Boxboard production in August 2018 decreased 0.9% compared with August 2017 and decreased 1.4% from last month.

 

India is growing its P&P industry by a 6-7% rate as reported by a domestic newspaper this month. The Indian P&P Industry is still only approaching 4% of a global presence, and most of the industry holdings are still focused domestically. However, this is approaching double the global market share as reported by one of the nation's news services in 2009.

 

Total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 11% in August compared to August 2017. Total P&W paper inventory levels decreased 3% from July. Imports of P&W papers in July increased 6% compared to July 2017 imports, while exports declined 24% compared to July 2017.

 

Imports fell by 5.5% compared to the year before. Since peaking at 1.09 million metric tpy in 2010-2011, imported P&W paper has dropped to 621,000 metric tpy. At the peak level, imports accounted for close to 80% of total consumption percentage of P&W grades intended for communication instead of packaging, other than newsprint... In 2017 in Australia, these grades accounted for less than 63%.

 

Containerboard production was up 2.2% compared to August 2017 and up 1.6% year-to-date. The month-over-month average daily production compared to July 2018 was 2.5% lower.

 

Major lumber and paper mills were in the Category 2 storm’s path, and producers raced to secure equipment and sites as Florence made landfall, said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Carolina Loggers Association.

 

Sanitary products manufacturer Global Hygiène has announced more concrete plans for the former Arjowiggins plant Charavines in the east of the country. The company, which had announced the takeover of the idle site back in 2015 and now finalized it, plans to start tissue paper production in early 2020.

 

Valmet's scope of delivery includes a complete Advantage DCT 200HS tissue production line with a design speed of 2,200 m/min. The machine is 5.6 m wide, making it one of the largest machines in the Central Eastern European market.

 

The original value of the term loan at its inception on July 15, 2016, was $220 million. The final payment of approximately $50 million plus accrued interest was paid from excess cash and available capacity from Verso's asset-based revolving credit facility.

 

There are at least three distinct new organically sourced bio-films from different sources that each offer potential for shelf-life storage enhancement. One bio-film tested showed dramatic, never-before-witnessed levels of successful standard (non pressure sealed) banana preservation. Ability to preserve is not the only factor. The market can create skepticism about high costs involved with development of most successful pioneering materials. Mango peel sourced materials show affordable promise for enhanced preservation alternative to plastic-wrapping.

 

If you bought an iPhone lately, there’s a chance the box was made using trees from Southeastern North Carolina. "As our paper demands grow and change, we will continue protecting and creating enough responsibly managed forest to cover all our packaging needs," Apple stated in a 2017 environmental sustainability report.

 

FPAC believes that by eliminating tariffs and strengthening trade relations with CPTPP countries Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, Canadian forest products exports have the opportunity to reach even greater heights.

 

After heavy lobbying from both sides, state of New Hampshire lawmakers this past Thursday (Sept. 13) overrode Gov. Chris Sununu’s veto of a biomass bill that supporters argue will save thousands of jobs and help prop up the forestry and wood-chip industry.

 

Research determined that CNFs could increase shelf life of ice cream, or at least decrease its sensitivity to temperature changes that occur when moved to and from the freezer. In addition, CNFs increased the viscosity of low-fat ice cream, which improved the creaminess and texture of the product.

 

Student's thesis on 3-D printing points to a project called the Onskin project, for which the aim is to develop novel wound dressings based on microfibrillar cellulose, or MFC, and sustainable materials.

 

Company successfully devised the world’s first prototype of tissue / fiber fabric sheets from citrus fruits. Product is light, soft, high quality, and described as "like silk". As of 2018, product line is no longer focused exclusively on clothing market (new prototype shifted to a cosmetic application). Key to process is discovery of a new preparation that works through a nano-scale determined / defined molecular or sub-level reaction. Breakthrough produces a fine yarn from orange peel fiber that can be woven into proper, dry, soft & silky tissue designed to be applied as a unique concept: a "wearable skin cream" equivalent. Orange Fiber tissue releases a dense citrus extraction gently into the skin for nutrition, health, and vitality.

 

"Measuring chip piles at a pulp mill has always been a challenge. In the past, a team of surveyors would climb onto the chip pile and arrive at a manual measurement," said Mitch Dunlop, accounting manager, Celgar. "This method is slow, poses safety concerns and is not very accurate. Hiring a contractor for monthly surveys of the chip pile was not economically feasible. Having the Kespry drone onsite, we can survey the chip pile every month and we have more accurate inventory volume reporting."

 

New sizing additive improves production of water resistant, hydrophobic paper. Product is comprised of a blend of depolymerized lignin and cationic polysaccharide which is added to a lignocellulosic pulp suspension containing aluminum salt at the wet end of the paper manufacturing process. Development was a collaboration between SCA R&D Center and SCA Kraftliner business.

 

Ideal for flexographic printing, OptiLabel HB has premium brightness and enhanced blue-white shade, with high opacity and a semi-gloss finish. OptiLitho C1S is a new family of C1S glue-applied cut and stack label papers for label / converting applications designed to perform in demanding, unique printing / situations. OptiPrime Inkjet WS is a wet strength label paper designed for premium aqueous inkjet and flexographic direct food contact pressure sensitive labels requiring wet strength durability in humid environments.

 

The continuous increase in manufacturing costs makes the price increase unavoidable according to the company. The new prices will be effective on deliveries from October 1.

 

Most of those who study the (rather complex) explanation of environmental impact of the full bio-mass for energy production cycle understand that the benefits are real; the growth of each generation of sufficient biomass provides a sufficient, equalized (if forests stay up to speed) carbon-sink / carbon-capture "net-neutral" effect. This recent article also noted that bio-mass made into energy from residuals / "leftovers" in lumber processing from industries such as P&P is significantly more sustainable in some regions of the U.S. where this type of collection for processing is now becoming a more fine-tuned, established, and understood long-term practice.

 

Trees and other plants such as switchgrass naturally remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it. Some researchers think that burning that kind of biomass for energy, and then targeting and capturing and storing the exact site of all related carbon emissions will play a key role in carbon-capture technologies designed to reduce the increasing CO2 levels that are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere.

 

Metsäliitto (Metsä Group parent company) this past week announced a new COO, Juha Mäntylä, while the Metsä Group Tissue business, Metsä Tissue, announced the appointment of new CEO Esa Kaikkonen.

 

C. Cato Ealy, SVP, Corporate Development for IP, retiring at end-of-year, has been credited by the company as responsible for the company's acquisitions and divestitures during his tenure (since 2003). He played a key role in developing and executing the company's transformation plan, which included significant divestitures and several important acquisitions transforming IP into a leading global packaging, pulp,and paper company.

 

Register now for access to nearly 180 exhibitors and over 1,200 attendees.

 

TAPPI’s 2019 International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials is heading to Chiba, Japan, June 3-7, 2019. Mark your calendars for this premier event in the country known for pioneering nanocellulose technology.

 

Claim your seats now while they last for TAPPI’s introductory tissue training!

 

Proclamation issued in recognition of Tissue 2018, Specialty Papers US, and other industry-specific special events and activities.

 

Advance your commercial papermaking knowledge with hands-on courses led by Dr. Gerry Ring at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

 

Share your knowledge and expertise at the world’s largest technical event for the paper and packaging industry, PaperCon 2019. Submit your abstract by October 12, 2018.