Over the Wire

PPMA, the Pulp and Paper Manufacturers Association, kicked off its Annual Meeting and Conference today in Milwaukee, Wis., USA. This year PPMA is celebrating its 75th anniversary of providing human resource services to the pulp, paper, and allied industries. The conference program, titled "Wisdom to Plan, Strength to Prevail," includes speakers on the new health care reform law, the aging workforce, labor law changes expected from the Obama administration, and minimizing workplace liability. More info is available online.

Pictured at right: John Wirch, PPMA President, Little Rapids Corporation (left), and Dick Kendall, Executive Director, Pulp and Paper Manufacturers Association (center) receive congratulations from Scott Springmier, TAPPI (right).

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Yesterday morning (April 6) salaried employees began a two-week strike that impacts the majority of UPM's operations in Finland. The strike does not include UPM's mechanical forest industry, i.e., plywood, timber, and UPM ProFi businesses, UPM's forestry specialists, senior salaried employees, nor salaried employees of other forestry companies in Finland. At UPM, there are some1,300 salaried employees working within the supply chain, and finance and HR in Finland.

"At this stage it is impossible to estimate the exact impacts of the strike, but even a conservative estimate of the damage would be given in millions of Euros. When the strike begins, we most probably must begin running down paper mills within a couple of days," says Jyrki Ovaska, president of UPM's Paper Business Group.

"Continuous disturbances in the labor market damage Finland's reputation and the repeated strikes will shift orders permanently to other locations from the Finnish production units. Industrial actions targeted towards only one company represent negotiation tactics that have unreasonable consequences to customers, the company, and also to all of the company's employees.

"In recent years, UPM has centralized its global administration services in a service center in Tampere, Finland. If there is repeated uncertainty in our operations in Finland, we must evaluate whether our operations in Finland are in right proportions or whether we have to start to steer our operations to countries where the risk of strike is lower," says Ovaska.

Conciliation lead by the conciliator general ended unsettled on Monday of this week, UPM noted. For the time being, the conciliator general has not invited the parties to further conciliation. The Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) and trade union Pro have negotiated on salaries and the labor contract at the beginning of the year. In the negotiations led by the conciliator general, UPM said that "Pro required a 3.5% rise in salary and transfer into an old-fashioned compensation system, which does not match the needs of today's labor market. The FFIF considers the salary request oversized in comparison with other wage settlements completed this spring."

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The State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, N.Y., USA, reports that more than 250 boys between the ages of 11 and 17 invaded its campus this past weekend, with one goal in mind—to get a merit badge. The boys represented troops from the Longhouse Council of the Boy Scouts of America based in Syracuse, as well as scouts from across upstate New York.

The Boy Scouts took courses toward getting 16 different merit badges, including a pulp and paper (papermaking) badge. The SUNY-ESF paper facilities were used to teach the rarer Pulp and Paper (Papermaking) merit badge program.

"This is the 12th consecutive year APO has hosted Merit Badge Day," said Chapter President Meredith Nackley. "Phi Chapter goes into the surrounding community on a daily basis to do service projects. Merit Badge Day has always been a great way for us to extend our hand to local youth. We invite them up to the Hill for a taste of college and to teach them the skills they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to learn."

Meanwhile, at Carson, Calif., USA, the International Printing Museum will host a Boy Scout Merit Badge Day on May 7. Already more than 200 Boy Scouts have signed up to earn Graphic Arts and Pulp and Paper merit badges.

"For the past eight years, I have been a merit badge counselor for the Graphic Arts and Pulp and Paper merit badges," said Don Burdge, president of Burdge Cooper Printing. "During that time I received only one call from a boy interested in getting his Graphic Arts merit badge; and he never showed up for the appointment.

"Witnessing the demise of graphic arts education in our school system over the past generation and watching the public condemn paper as an evil tree killer, I was not too surprised that today's youth did not seem interested in our industry. Yet as the father of an eagle scout (and one myself), I knew that scouts jumped at the opportunity to further their rank advancement during ‘merit badge days' held throughout the city.

"For the past year or so, Mark Barbour, curator at the Printing Museum, and I kicked around the idea of creating a Merit Badge Day at the museum," Burdge continued. "Recently, with help from Dan Freedland of Southwest Offset, and Ethan Lipton, professor at Cal State LA, we developed a program that will be held on May 7, the day before Mother's Day. Flyers were printed up and calls were made to the five Boy Scout Councils in Southern California to promote this event and a week later we were sold out with another 100 boys on a waiting list (Why isn't printing this easy to sell?)."

The scouts will spend all day at the museum completing 21 requirements at 12 stations around the museum property. They will make their own paper, silk screen their own T-shirts, and print their own Mothers Day card, along with earning two merit badges in the process. They will learn about careers in the industry and about colleges in the area that offer graphic arts programs. They will also learn that, contrary to popular to belief, paper is actually good for the earth and the forests.

To accommodate the backlog of scouts already signed up, a second Merit Badge Day will be offered on June 18. As long as there continues to be interest by the Boy Scouts in earning the Graphic Arts and Pulp and Paper merit badges, the museum says it will continue to host a Merit Badge Day.

"We currently have about 20 volunteers lined up, but we still need another 20 from our industry to help out that day," Burdge (don@burdgecooper.com) noted.

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Sentinel Bioactive Paper Network's research team member S.M. Zakir Hossain, McMaster University (Hamilton, Ont., Canada), is currently competing in Canada's Rising Star/Global Challenges Fund award for one of twenty $100,000 awards. A portion of the proposal review process is the capturing of social media votes for each submitted project.

Sentinel has supported Zakir's application and prepared an accompanying video. It is asking readers to view the video and vote online for the project. So far, Sentinel reports, more than 1,000 votes have been cast, but notes that the voting ends April 29.

Hossain's project involves field-testing of a paper-based biosensor platform technology in Bangladesh. As Hossain notes, food/water-borne illness in developing countries is rising. "Our bioactive paper sensors offer a simple/fast test to determine food/water safety. We will field-test the new technology platform in Bangladesh. Results will be extended to sensors for detection of pathogenic bacteria. Benefits from this technology include improved health in the developing. World," he explains.

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U.S. paper and paperboard capacity declined 3.1% in 2010 to a level of 91.05 million short tons, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) 51st Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard, and Pulp Capacity released this past week. Total paper and paperboard capacity previously declined 0.8% in 2008 and 2.5% in 2009.

In addition, the survey reported that a total of 22 machines and 12 mills were classified as permanently closed and removed from the survey base during 2010. Seven additional machines and two mills are slated to permanently close during 2011.

According to the survey, total paper and paperboard capacity is expected to contract by 1.4% in 2011 and then record small gains of 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively, in 2012 and 2013.

The Survey reports U.S. industry capacity data for the years 2010 through 2013 for all major grades of paper, paperboard, and pulp, based on a comprehensive survey of all U.S. pulp and paper mills. Survey respondents represent about 90% of the U.S industry capacity.

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The earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 took more than 10,000 lives, and in the immediate aftermath, more than 400,000 people lost their homes and 100,000 - 150,000 buildings were destroyed. The re-building of towns, roads, railways, and the power grid in the impacted region northeast of Tokyo will be a lengthy and difficult undertaking. Much is still uncertain regarding short-term and long-term changes in the importation of forest products as a result of the catastrophe, but the need for construction material is going to be considerable in the coming years, according to a news brief this week by Wood Resources International (WRI), Seattle, Wash., USA.

Initially, there have been requests from Japanese authorities and trading houses for pre-fabricated houses. There have also been inquiries for glue-laminated products and other pre-cut wood products that more quickly can be used for re-building efforts, as opposed to the need for basic commodities such as lumber and plywood, WRI notes. To start with, the government has asked for 30,000 temporary houses within two months.

Japan is one of the largest importers of wood products in the world. In 2010, the country imported wood raw-material (logs and chips) and processed wood products valued at more than $10 billion dollars, which was 20% more than in 2009, as reported by WRI. Japan was the biggest importer of wood chips and plywood, the second largest importer of logs, and was ranked the third biggest importer of lumber in the world last year.

It is not likely that imports of lumber, plywood, and sawlogs will increase much in the next few months before ports and access roads have been cleared and the power has been restored for at least the most basic needs. But during the next 6 - 12 months, it can be expected that there will be a rise in demand for both lumber and plywood. This will result in increased importation of processed products and of logs to supply domestic Japanese mills.

Based on contacts already established between importers in Japan and manufacturers around the world, it is probable that there will higher shipments of softwood lumber from Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, and Finland later this year. The major suppliers of plywood will most likely continue to be Malaysia, Indonesia, and China, according to WRI.

Japan imported 3.6 and 4.1 million m3 of softwood logs in 2009 and 2010, respectively. As the domestic forest industry increases production later in 2011, imports of logs predominantly from the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Russia can be expected to increase to their highest levels in at least three years.

More information about WRI is available online.

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According to Deutsche Bank Senior Analyst Mark Wilde, last Friday's 61.2 reading on the ISM's manufacturing index should boost confidence among containerboard producers. "Although we've argued that the ‘best case scenario' is a mid-summer price initiative, that wait will prove expensive as costs continue to rise and margins are squeezed. For the moment, linerboard prices appear mostly stable with reports of some ‘spot deals' by tier-II producers. Box markets remain highly competitive. Export pricing is mixed," Wilde reports.

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In the market pulp arena, all major producers have announced a $30/metric ton price hike on NBSK, taking the U.S. price to $1,020/metric ton, Wilde says. With U.S. demand steady, U.S. spot prices rising, and the downtime season approaching, "we think an NBSK price hike will be implemented. The $30/metric ton global hardwood increase appears more of a challenge," Wilde adds. Deutsch Bank's survey of trade contacts last week found a wide divergence of opinion. Big customers are battling the hardwood hike, but consumer inventories are lean in most industrial nations and Latin American eucalyptus producers are "hanging tough," Wilde reports.

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It's not on the scale of IP's early 2010 Franklin, Va., USA, closure, but it will tighten the market, Wilde says, referring to Domtar's announcement last week that it will close a 25,000 tpy paper machine at Ashdown, Ark. The move suggests a focus on maintaining supply/demand balance in a structurally declining market, Wilde continues. Producers have announced a $40/ton price increase on offset rolls and converting grades for April. Reports suggest the $40/ton offset hike is gaining traction. Most industry participants expect a May cut-size attempt, he says.

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AbitibiBowater, Montreal, Que., Canada, has announced it will permanently close a paper machine at its Baie Comeau, Que., mill, according to ForestTalk.com. The closure will affect more than 90 jobs.

Renaud Gagné, VP of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada's Quebec Region denounced the closure, and said the union will make every effort to support workers who have lost their jobs.

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APP, Indonesia, has started up two Andritz (Austria) P-RC APMP mechanical pulping lines at its mill in Jingui, Guangxi Province, China. The guaranteed production of 750 a.d. metric tpd was achieved within only 2.5 months for Line No.1 and 1.5 months for Line No. 2. This sets production records for single mechanical pulping lines in China. In addition, excellent pulp properties are being reported by the mill.

The lines at Jingui process eucalyptus fiber from plantations. They operate totally free of silicates within the bleaching process. Effluents are recovered to reduce the environmental impact. White liquor is retrieved in the chemical recovery cycle and reused in the mechanical pulping process to a very large extent, resulting in a significant reduction in operating costs, according to Andritz.

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Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, this week announced it has begun the final construction phase at its nearly complete oriented strand board (OSB) facility at Clarendon, S.C. The mill was part of the acquisition last May from Grant Forest Products that also included an operating plant at Allendale, S.C., and another operating plant at Englehart, Ont., Canada. The acquisition totaled approximately $400 million.

"We expect it will take most of this year to complete construction on the plant," said Mark Luetters, president – Georgia-Pacific wood products. "We are currently planning to start the plant in December 2011. Having now operated an identical plant at Allendale, we believe we will be able to quickly and efficiently begin producing OSB."

Luetters said G-P will spend an additional $30 million to complete the facility. The amount includes a construction crew of more than 100 people, plus the purchase and installation of the remaining equipment and infrastructure. Once completed, both Clarendon and Allendale (which also employs about 150 people) will supply markets across the eastern U.S. with the versatile building material used in residential construction.

Applications for about 150 permanent positions, including management, craft, and production roles at the facility, will be accepted through the company's website  beginning April 11.

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Holmen AB and Statkraft, Sweden, have signed a cooperation agreement for wind surveys in five potential wind farms in the Norrköping area of Sweden. The areas are wholly or partly on Holmen's land.

The surveys will start this autumn, and decisions on any further cooperation will be made following completion of the wind survey work.

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During a recent scheduled downtime, Metsä Tissue discovered problems with the sealing of the yankee dryer on PM 2 at its Stotzheim, Germany, mill. Voith Paper of Germany and Metsä Tissue worked out an operation schedule to not only seal the yankee, but also to service the machine's suction press roll in the Voith Service Center at the same time.

Voith tissue engineers worked through the day and night to seal the yankee and to re-start production as soon as possible on PM 2. Roll experts from Voith Paper were able to grind, balance, and totally service the suction press roll. During the service, they also noticed damage to the bearing housings and were able to replace them. The suction press roll was returned to the customer completely overhauled just two days later.

Re-installation of the serviced roll and the successful work on the yankee allowed PM 2 to re-start production after a record of only four days of downtime.

Metsä Tissue operates 12 production units located across Europe, and employs some 3,200 people. The company does an annual turnover of around EUR 940 million. Metsä Tissue is part of the Finnish Metsäliitto Group.

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Paper Excellence Canada Holdings Corp., Vancouver, B.C., Canada, this past week reached an agreement to acquire Northern Resources, the parent company of Northern Pulp Nova Scotia and Northern Timber, Abercrombie Point, Nova Scotia.

"The agreement is good news for the company's 230 employees, 400 timberlands contract employees, suppliers, and community and business partners as it strengthens the mill's economic position over the long-term," says Wayne Gosse, president and CFO, Northern Resources. "A strong demand for the mill's product globally presents a great opportunity for the mill to be part of a large international network of pulp mills and to diversify and expand its markets."

Paper Excellence operates three mills in Canada—Meadow Lake in Saskatchewan and Howe Sound and Mackenzie in British Columbia—and is in the process of acquiring the long closed Prince Albert mill in Saskatchewan. The Group currently employs more than 800 Canadians. The Northern Resources team will continue to operate the mill and land holdings under the Northern Pulp name. There are no job impacts as a result of the transaction.

Northern Pulp was sold by Neenah Paper three years ago amidst uncertainty about the mill's future as a result of very difficult business conditions in the forestry sector worldwide. Since then, Northern Pulp's workforce has improved efficiency and productivity and local management has worked closely with stakeholders to stabilize the business. A $1 million investment in R&D, the acquisition of 422,000 acres of forest land for active management, and a commitment to work with Pictou Landing First Nation on economic development have been instrumental in the mill's resurgence.

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Sappi Fine Paper Europe (SFPE), Brussels, Belgium, is considering the closure of its Biberist Mill in Switzerland in response to market conditions and sustained increases in input cost. Sappi notes that due to continued overcapacity in the European coated and uncoated fine paper markets, it has not been possible to recover the sharply increased costs of raw material and energy during recent years. The company has therefore undertaken a review of its European production activities.

"Despite our best efforts to curb costs and gain better margins, Biberist Mill has been unable to generate acceptable returns. Consequently, SFPE is entering into a consultation process with its Biberist mill employee representatives and social partners," the company explained in a press release. "The aim is to identify the best way of improving SFPE's profitability, which may also include a full closure of Biberist Mill. The continued, unrelenting increases in input costs and the excessive local energy prices, combined with overcapacity in the European market, have led to unacceptable returns for SFPE and it therefore became necessary to review production capacity."

In the event that production at Biberist Mill does cease, customers for the coated fine paper products would be offered comparable products and services from other Sappi sites in Europe and no supply interruption would be anticipated, the company added. The uncoated product lines consisting of the Cento family of brands would be discontinued. The sales office in Switzerland will continue operations.

If the Biberist mill is closed, Sappi would reduce its coated fine paper capacity by 435,000 metric tons and its uncoated fine paper capacity by 65,000 tons. Should the mill close, approximately 550 employees would be affected.

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Sappi Fine Paper's Stockstadt mill in Germany has ordered a modern metsoDNA control system for the Metso/Valmet winder type JR 1000 that was delivered to the mill in 1992. The system upgrade will enable adapting production line No. 2 at the Stockstadt mill to constantly changing market requirements.

To adjust to the increasingly stringent safety requirements and bring the JR 1000 winder to the newest level of safety engineering, modifications will also be made in the winder's safety devices and its surroundings. The rebuild is planned for this summer and fall.

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Tembec, Temiscaming, Que., Canada, this past week closed the sale of its hydro-electric generating assets in Smooth Rock Falls, Ont., Canada, to Gemini-SRF Power Corp. Total consideration for the hydro assets, which have a capacity of approximately 7.4 MW, was $16.5 million.

"This transaction is consistent with the company's strategic plan and represents an attractive valuation for the assets," said James Lopez, president and CEO of Tembec. "It provides the opportunity to redeploy capital to establish superior returns for our shareholders or further enhance our liquidity."

As a result of the sale, Tembec will record a gain of approximately $3 million in its June 2011 fiscal quarter financial results.

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The United Steelworkers (USW), Pittsburgh, Pa., USA, reports that this week it reached a tentative, four-year master agreement with International Paper (IP), Memphis, Tenn., after a week of negotiations over key economic issues. The agreement was reached after nearly a year of planning and strategic meetings culminating with the 80-person bargaining committee representing 15 sites meeting in New Orleans, La., in face-to-face discussions.

"These negotiations are particularly important for our union. IP is the biggest company in the sector and a leader in the global industry. The success of our local unions here sets the tone for bargaining across the industry," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.

"The accord with IP represents a historic moment for our paper sector," added Jon Geenen, USW VP, who heads collective bargaining for its members employed in the paper industry. "In the past, our locals bargained site by site, even though most companies approach bargaining as part of a national strategy. One of the main benefits of all the locals bargaining together at the same time is that everyone gets a voice in shaping the package," he said.

The local unions will take the offer, which includes wage increases in each year of the agreement, improvements to the pension and 401(k), cost stabilization for health care costs, and employment security, back to their members for discussion by the first week in May. A ratification vote will be conducted later in the month.

The USW represents 850,000 workers in the U.S. and Canada employed in the industries of metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service sector. Some 100,000 are employed in the paper and pulp sector.

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West Fraser, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, this week announced that Gerry Miller, EVP, Finance and CFO will retire at the end of July. Miller joined the company in 1986 as corporate controller and has served West Fraser in a number of senior management roles in administration, operations, and finance.

Hank Ketcham, chairman, president and CEO noted that "Gerry has made an enormous contribution to West Fraser during his 25 years with us. He personifies the West Fraser culture-straightforward, consistent, hard-working with strong fundamental values."

Larry Hughes, SVP and secretary, will become VP, Finance and CFO upon Miller's retirement. Hughes joined the company in September 2007 following a 27-year career as a corporate and commercial lawyer.

West Fraser is an integrated wood products company producing lumber, wood chips, LVL, MDF, plywood, pulp, and newsprint. The company has operations in western Canada and the southern U.S.

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Iggesund Paperboard, Sweden, reports that it is investing strongly to completely eliminate all fossil carbon emissions from the company's paperboard mill at Workington in the U.K. The board of Holmen, the Sweden-based forest products group that owns Iggesund, has agreed to invest a total of £108 million to switch the whole mill's energy supply from fossil natural gas to biofuels.

Iggesund is already investing in a new recovery boiler at the company's mill at Iggesund, Sweden. The boiler will mean that all production at the mill will be biofuel driven and the mill will also be self-sufficient in electricity. The investment at Workington means that the same approach will be used at the company's U.K. facility.

"Our two paperboard mills will have a unique position in the market," said Björn Kvick, president of Iggesund Paperboard. "Whether a customer wants solid bleached board such as the Invercote we produce in Sweden or Incada, the folding box board we produce in the U.K., we can offer a world-class product with regard to low fossil carbon emissions. And this is in addition to all of the other benefits our products offer."

The planned biofuel plant at Workington is being dimensioned for a thermal output of 150 MW and will supply all of the mill's energy needs, both as electricity and as thermal energy in the form of steam.

"This investment proves very clearly our ambition to develop our paperboard production at Workington," comments Ola Schultz-Eklund, Managing Director at Workington, who was the driving force behind upgrading the mill's energy supply. "Last year we also invested 3.6 million pounds in rebuilding the refiners in our pulp mill," he says. "That reduced our electricity consumption by 13%, but even more importantly it has created the conditions for us to further improve the quality of Incada."

Over the past decade or so, Iggesund has invested almost £100 million in developing paperboard production at Workington. Each year the mill produces 200,000 metric tons of the folding box board Incada and employs close to 400 people.

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Papier und Kartonfabrik Varel, Germany, reports that it is pushing forward with the revamp of its PM 4. The machine is being reconstructed to expand the mill's product portfolio with white testliner and kraftliner substitute qualities. Some of the newly installed components of PM 4 are already in operation or startup is imminent.

With a new starch preparation plant, the mill will be able to activate starch enzymatically. This process is more eco-friendly, since the usage of chemical substances is not necessary, the company explains. Also, the cumulative energy balance is significantly better compared with the thermochemical method, it adds, noting that the new starch preparation plant was put in operation at the beginning of this year.

A new indoor crane with a lift capacity of 80 metric tons was installed several weeks ago. This crane will lift all components to their final position during the time of revamp, beginning in April. Thereafter this crane will be used for tambour lifts as well as for maintenance jobs.

A newly designed 90-m³ D-pulper is set to startup at the end of April. This unit will supply pulp to PM 4-line 1.

All revamp measures are being carried out during the mill's regular manufacturing schedule, which underscores the complexity of the project and capability of the project teams, the company points out.

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Clariant's Paper Business Unit, Switzerland, a supplier of optical brighteners, colorants, and chemicals to the paper industry, announced price increases across its product portfolio. The adjustments, which take effect immediately, are necessary to recover significant on-going cost inflation in raw materials, labor, energy, and transportation, the company noted.

Price increases of 8% will affect all product groups and as contracts allow. Selected individual products will experience higher increases due to the severe impact of their particular raw material cost increase. Customers will be contacted individually regarding the specifics of the price increases, Clariant added.

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Ahlstrom Corp., Finland, has appointed Paul H Stenson EVP, Business Development, and also named him a member of the Executive Management Team as of May 30. Stenson will report to Jan Lång, president and CEO. In his new role, Stenson will be responsible for managing business development related processes and exploring new business opportunities within Ahlstrom. He will be based in Windsor Locks, Conn., USA.

Prior to joining Ahlstrom, Stenson held various senior executive technology positions at Valspar Corp. since 1993 in the U.S. and Europe, last as divisional VP, Technology, Global Packaging and Industrial Coatings ( Europe ), based in Zürich, Switzerland.

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Södra, Sweden, has appointed Carina Olson as its new CFO, effective June 1. Olson has been employed at Södra since 2001. She has been part of the Södra Group Executive since 2009 and is currently the HR Director for the Group. She was previously CFO for the Södra Cell and Södra Timber business areas.

As CFO, Olson will continue to be part of Södra's Group Executive and report to CEO and Group President Leif Brodén. She will retain responsibility for HR in her new position.

At the same time, Gustav Tibblin, Business Development Director, will take over responsibility for acquisitions (M&A) and the Group teams IT and Environment and Energy.

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The TAPPI Lean Manufacturing – Flexo and Die Cutters Course – offered May 24-26 in Norcross, Ga., focuses on two aspects of machine calibration that help our box plants manage costs and improve throughput:

1. Centerlining – Gives the plant the necessary tools to sustain board caliper in the converting process. It assures proper ECT numbers.

2. Time & Register Calibration – This is the calibration tool that Dick Target terms the "One-Box Set Up" calibration, which can certainly reduce plant waste.

(View coverage about this course) [http://www.tappi.org/content/events/11lean/corrugatedtoday.pdf] in the recent Corrugated Today magazine.

Industry veteran Dick Target of "On Target Consultants" leads the (Course Schedule) [http://www.tappi.org/content/events/11lean/schedule.pdf], which offers 1.5 CEUs. Target's content also covers:

• Methods on how to Zero the Gear Train in the Press

• Proven, effective "One Box Set Up" techniques • Ink management for consistent color and proper wash-up procedures

• Measuring TIR (Total Indicator Runout) settings for pull collars, scoring and slotter heads

• Anilox roll care and maintenance schedules

• Implementing a successful Five-S Program (sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain)

• Identifying tools for effective waste reduction

• Simulating the presentation of technical and commercial contracts to printing plate and cutting die suppliers

• Calibrating machines to OEM specifications

• How tooling should be purchased and used in a cost-effective manner

Don't linger because this course will sell out at 25 seats. (Register) [http://www.tappi.org/11LEAN] before April 29, 2011 to get a discounted rate.

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Approaching the 40 year mark in membership, M. Hassan Loutfi knows what he's talking about when it comes to extolling TAPPI benefits – in three languages, no less! In 1974, Hassan was nearing completion of his second Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering when he started looking for useful ways to supplement his education and expand his presence in the industry. Originally drawn to TAPPI's educational elements, he felt sure he would benefit from the many networking opportunities he might find at the conferences, workshops and committee meetings. He also says receiving the numerous publications that come with membership enticed him as well. He considers his longtime relationship with TAPPI to be one of the best career enhancing moves he made and key to building his network of professional contacts and resources. Find out the reasons why by reading this month's Member Spotlight (http://www.tappi.org/Membership.aspx).

Spotlight participants are recommended by fellow members and staff. If you would like to nominate a member (or even yourself!) just send their name (or names) to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org. We will forward a Spotlight Questionnaire (http://www.tappi.org/content/membership/spotlightquestionnaire.pdf) to fill out and return. We look forward to seeing you in the Spotlight!

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There is no doubt that the forest sector is in economic stalemate, and that one of the leading solutions for revenue diversification is the forest biorefinery. Whereas corporate executives, mill management, leading equipment suppliers and consultants are aware of what the biorefinery potentially offers, there is an important need for identifying viable implementation strategies for such a transformative change.

TAPPI is offering its first week-long course on the biorefinery, May 16-20, 2011 in Norcross, GA, involving leading biorefinery experts from across North America – shedding light on the key issues facing companies considering biorefinery implementation. With a course format designed to facilitate exchange between faculty and participants, it is sure to provide important value for your company.

Six key factors that companies considering a biorefinery implementation must consider (and that will be addressed in this course) include:

1. Which biorefinery products (wood pellets, biofuels, or biochemicals...) will provide sustainably good margins over the long term?
2. Which emerging biorefinery processes are the most promising for making these products?
3. What is their efficiency and operating costs today and what will they be in 5 years from now after the process technologies have matured?
4. How do we best make-use of our existing mill infrastructure when implementing the biorefinery?
5. Can we implement the biorefinery, and at the same time lower the unit costs of our wood, pulp and paper products?
6. What might be the role of government policy relative to key issues such as stumpage fees, biorefinery capital cost reduction, and other incentives such as greenhouse gas reduction policy?

How You Can Benefit From Attending This Course

This course will seek to provide the knowledge and tools for forest industry leaders, technology providers and consultants to develop biorefinery strategies and better understand emerging biorefinery technologies and their design/implementation in a business strategy. The course syllabus will be delivered by more than 20 experts from across North America, treating both strategy-setting and design issues related to transformation to the biorefinery.

Course Instructor

This course will be led by Paul Stuart, Consultant and Professor, Ecole Polytechnique. Paul Stuart has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from McGill University, after which he worked in process design consulting as Company Associate and Manager of Process Engineering at Beak Consultants Limited, as Partner and Manager of Environmental Services at Simons Environmental Group, and as Director of Process and Environmental Engineering at H.A. Simons Limited in Montreal (later AMEC). Since 2000, Paul has been a Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at École Polytechnique of the University of Montréal, where he is Chairholder of an NSERC Environmental Design Engineering Chair entitled Process Integration in the Pulp & Paper Industry (www.pulp-paper.ca). Paul is Co-Founder and Principal Consultant of EnVertis Inc, who seeks to be a leader providing strategic and multidisciplinary consulting services consistent with new business paradigms such as the biorefinery that provide sustainable enterprise value in the longer-term, for the forest industry and its partners.

Learn more about this course and register to attend at the TAPPI website.

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TAPPI and PIMA are pleased to announce the selection of the following individuals for the 2011 PIMA Management Division Awards.

Mike Jackson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Verso Paper Corp., has been selected as the association's 2011 Executive of the Year. The award is PIMA's highest honor and is bestowed on senior-level executives in the pulp, paper or converting industries for excellence in management and outstanding contributions to the industry as a whole.

Mike Bruner, Mill Manager with International Paper's Courtland Mill has been named Mill Manager of the Year. This award recognizes the mill manager who has best demonstrated outstanding leadership, management and organizational skills leading to improved results at the facility for which he or she is responsible. Nominees for the award are judged on four criteria: skill in people development; application of best management practices; effective use of external resources; and change management.

Rodger F. Brzezinski, Mill Supervisor at NewPage's Escanaba Mill has been named the Brookshire Moore Superintendent of the Year. This award recognizes the mill superintendent who has shown high personal standards and professional management qualities that contribute to the betterment of those under his or her management and in his or her company. Rodger will also be inducted into Couch Pit University. Couch Pit University Fraternity (CPU) is an invitation only organization of long-time papermakers. In order to become a member of CPU, you must have been nominated for membership and accepted into the fraternity by the other members or win the Brookshire Moore Superintendent of the Year award.

Jef Howell, Purchasing Manager of Verso Paper Corp.'s Androscoggin Mill in Jay, Maine, will receive the Ray H. Cross Community Service Award. This award pays tribute to pulp and paper industry persons who have rendered outstanding service to their communities by involvement in the activities of local business, educational, civic and philanthropic organizations.

Micki Meggison, Technical Director, Sappi Fine Paper North America, Westbrook, Maine, will receive the Delano L. "Del" Boutin Division Service Award. The Del Boutin Division Service Award is presented to members for devoted service to a TAPPI/PIMA Local Section. The award recognizes long-term dedication of TAPPI/PIMA members at the local level.

Peter R Gaddie, Key Account Manager, Nalco Company, will receive the Thomas F. Sheerin Sr. Service Award. The Thomas F. Sheerin, Sr. Service Award is presented to a supplier for outstanding contributions to the pulp and paper industry and/or the community.

Nicholas Knowlen, A Senior Chemical Engineering student at the University of Maine, will receive the Student of the Year award, which recognizes and supports outstanding students in paper science programs.

The 2011 PIMA awardees will receive their awards during the 2011 PaperCon Conference in Covington, Ky., near Cincinnati, Ohio, May 1-4. See www.papercon.org for more information.

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The Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA) will hold its 68th Annual Safety & Health Conference at the Hyatt Regency in San Antonio, Texas, on June 19-22, 2011.

Program highlights:

• Meet and make valuable safety contacts within Forest Products Industry
• Hear first hand from companies like yours with outstanding safety records
• Find out what the latest OSHA activity and direction is
• Learn new accident avoidance techniques
• Learn about new industry specific training programs
• Find out what is on the cutting edge and currently available from safety suppliers
• Learn from both the positive and negative experiences of others in our industry

For more information download the conference program or visit the website.

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PaperCon's Sustainability Forum to highlight the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field during this one-day event.

Attend PaperCon's Sustainability Forum and discover the latest developments and trends directly from our industry's sustainability leaders - and learn what the future holds in this rapidly evolving field.

The Sustainability Forum, taking place Wednesday, May 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. will:

 Focus on the "Science Behind Sustainability" - providing a venue for technically based discussions on sustainability and reviewing the basics of sustainability grounded in science - from providing definitions and interpretations of existing/proposed standards and certifications, to sharing best practices, impacts and assessment of sustainability drivers.

 Share Knowledge Among Paper Manufacturers and Their Customers - and created a technically-focused learning environment for the paper/packaging industry and its suppliers - and bring togehter end users, technical marketers, paper merchants and buyers to enhance their knowledge about paper sustainability.

 Share and Leverage Best Practices and Lessons Learned - enhancing overall industry advancement in sustainability by sharing experiences and initiatives with product development, manufacturing improvements and customer relations.

 Bring Industry Issues to the Forefront - providing a forum to gather industry opinions and develop industry consensus (as appropriate) on sustainability issues and drivers to enhance the industry's performance.

Learn more about the Sustainability Forum and PaperCon, taking place May 1-4, 2011 in Covington, Ky., (Greater Cincinnati area).

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TAPPI's OpEx Maintenance Seminar: Operating Excellence through Advanced Asset Management is an important two-day seminar, taking place May 2-3 during PaperCon 2011. It is designed for mill maintenance and reliability supervisors who are interested in bringing the latest reliability techniques and best practices back to their mill. Organized by TAPPI's Asset Management Committee, speakers include mill personnel, consultants and suppliers.

Attendees will bring practical ideas back to their mill; meet and network with world class asset management experts and suppliers; and attend a roundtable of maintenance superintendants from TAPPI's Ohio Local Section. Up-to-date program information is available.

Learn more about this event and all PaperCon has to offer.

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TAPPI has announced a sell-out of exhibit floor space for PaperCon, the largest and most comprehensive event in the global pulp and paper industry. This year's exhibit floor will be the most extensive since PaperCon's inception in 2008, offering concentrated access to the industry's newest products, services, innovation and expertise. Organized by TAPPI, the leading association for the paper and converting industry, the PaperCon Conference & Trade Fair runs from May 1-4, 2011, at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area.

"We've carried the PaperCon momentum, fueled by a 60% increase in attendance for 2010, right into 2011 with an exhibit floor that is now 33% larger than last year," said Scott Springmier, Pulp and Paper Division Manager for TAPPI. "We're absolutely thrilled with the growth of PaperCon and what we are able to provide the industry in terms of technical content and networking opportunities."

PaperCon boasts the largest program of any industry conference, including more than 150 speakers in more than 50 sessions, workshops and seminars. The program is organized by 30 member groups comprising more than 300 volunteers within TAPPI, including PIMA Management, Papermakers and Coating and Graphic Arts. Other highlights include a Sustainability Forum and Tissue Forum, as well as a two-day Maintenance and Reliability workshop.

In addition, the Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA) has joined PaperCon this year, bringing its Production-Technical Seminar that runs concurrently and is open to all attendees.

"When RPTA approached TAPPI to collaborate on PaperCon, we jumped at the opportunity to bring attendees yet another option for expanding their technical knowledge," commented TAPPI President & CEO Larry N. Montague. "If content is king, then PaperCon wears the crown among industry events by combining the broad expertise of our members, sponsors, exhibitors, and related associations like RPTA."

In addition to a robust program and extensive exhibit floor, PaperCon offers a popular mill program that allows paper mills and corporate offices to send an unlimited number of employees to attend at any time their schedule permits. Registration for this program is still open and details are available at www.papercon.org. For more information, please contact Scott Springmier or call 770-209-7241.

TAPPI has created a waiting list for companies who may want to exhibit or explore the limited sponsorship opportunities still available. To join the waiting list or learn more about remaining sponsorship options, contact Shane Holt or call 1-352-333-3345.

Learn more about this event and all PaperCon has to offer.

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The 2011 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials is scheduled for June 6-8, 2011 at the Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia USA. The comprehensive Technical Program includes over 60 papers and five keynote presentations.

The event's Poster Session will feature findings from the leading researchers from around the world as well as a Student Poster Competition! Abstracts that focus on new and novel uses are highly encouraged. Analysis of challenges and trends in emerging markets for renewable nanomaterials are sought to provide a foundation for new research and industrial activities. Abstracts for the Student Poster Competition must be submitted by April 4. Prizes and certificates will be awarded to the first and second place winner.

Learn more about the event.

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