Over the Wire
TAPPI
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Nominations for major TAPPI 2013 awards are due by Wednesday of next week, Aug. 1, 2012. The awards that may be presented next year are:
Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award - The Association's highest technical honor may be presented annually to recognize an individual or individuals for preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the world's pulp, paper, board, and forest products industries and the other industries that TAPPI serves. Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award - The Association's highest award for service, may be presented annually to recognize leadership and service that have significantly and demonstrably contributed to the advancement of the Association. Paul W. Magnabosco Outstanding Local Section Member Award - The highest honor for Local Sections may be presented annually to recognize an individual for outstanding leadership and exceptional service to one or more Local Sections, resulting in significant and demonstrable benefits to Local Section members. TAPPI Fellow - TAPPI Fellows are Individuals who have been members of TAPPI for not less than 10 years prior to the nomination, and who have contributed meritorious service to the Assciation and/or the paper and related industries. Retiring members of the TAPPI Board of Directors become Fellows automatically at the end of their term. The TAPPI Awards and Honors page has links to these awards and shows the qualifications required and links to the nomination forms that must be completed. You may submit all nomination forms by email at standards@tappi.org, or you may fax them to the attention of the Awards Department at +1-770-446-6947, or send by mail to TAPPI, Awards Department, 15 Technology Parkway South, Suite 115, Norcross, Ga. 30092, USA. ##SHARELINKS##
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The Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), Washington, D.C., this week signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to develop new tools to optimize sustainability improvements in manufacturing facilities, and their associated supply chains. These improvements will directly address the endpoints of P&G's long-term environmental sustainability vision, announced in September 2010.
The P&G vision includes:
To meet this commitment, new methods and tools are needed to help optimize design and decision-making across a wide range of operations and supply choices, as well as various environmental sustainability measures. The EPA has developed a comprehensive list of sustainability metrics and performance indicators that can be used to quantify sustainability in a manufacturing and supply chain context, while P&G has a diverse set of manufacturing operations and supply chains that can be leveraged to optimize how such metrics are used to guide improvement choices. The work under this CRADA will leverage P&G's manufacturing and supply chain knowledge with the EPA's work on metrics to develop a modeling and assessment tool that can be used to assess future product design, material sourcing, and manufacturing options. P&G will be developing this framework based on metrics associated with its tissue and towel products. "This is a tremendous opportunity for us to be at the leading edge of developing tools to support the entire company's effort to improve the sustainability of our products and our operations," noted Stefano Zenezini, VP of Product Supply for P&G's business unit that makes Charmin, Bounty, and Puffs. "We've made great progress in areas like energy and water use reduction, but really need these new tools to help guide the increasingly complex choices we will be making as we continue to strive to meet the vision the company has committed to." EPA's NRMRL Director Cynthia Sonich-Mullin, added that "we are very pleased to bring our resources together under this CRADA to produce tools that will not only benefit P&G, but other companies as well. Our goal is to develop innovative solutions that have broad applicability in protecting human health and the environment." The duration of this CRADA is five years. ##SHARELINKS##
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Two Sides U.S., Chicago, Ill., USA, has joined the Forest Legality Alliance (FLA), a joint effort of the Washington, D.C.-based World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Environmental Investigation Agency, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development and companies in the paper and forest products sector. With goals to reduce illegal logging and eliminate illegal fiber in paper products, FLA's diverse membership includes organizations such as Staples, Ikea, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Forest Legality Alliance staff will help provide training and education services to Two Sides U.S. member companies on topics related to illegal logging and associated trade, including legal requirements in global marketplaces and the sourcing of legal and sustainable paper products. FLA will also provide peer review for Two Sides materials including web content, blogs, printed publications, and promotional materials. "This partnership is a perfect fit for Two Sides U.S. because the FLA shares our commitment to sustainability and to science-based environmental improvement," says Two Sides U.S. President Phil Riebel. "FLA's global reach, expertise in paper-related issues and solutions-based approach to the environment will not only benefit our members, but also will strengthen our mutual efforts to promote the responsible production and use of paper. When fiber is sourced legally from well managed forests and paper is manufactured responsibly, print on paper can be a sustainable way to communicate because it's renewable and recyclable." More information about the WRI and the FLA is available online. ##SHARELINKS##
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During TAPPI's 2012 PaperCon event in New Orleans, La., USA, Albert B. Moore, was awarded the Glen T. Renegar Award, one of the highest honors given to a TAPPI PIMA Division member. Moore, who retired in the Spring of 2010 after 39 years with Buckman in Memphis, Tenn., has been an active TAPPI member since 1964.
The Renegar Award is presented each year to a TAPPI member who has given more than their fair share of time and leadership to further the success of the PIMA, the Management Division of TAPPI. It expresses the association's gratitude for outstanding contributions that have made PIMA a better, stronger division of TAPPI. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Moore studied for two years in the pulp and paper engineering master's degree program at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He began his paper industry career at Georgia-Pacific's Plattsburgh, N.Y., facility as a process engineer. At Nekoosa Edwards Paper Co., in Port Edwards, Wis., he was employed as the Quality Control Engineer-Xerox, specializing in process and product improvements necessary to meet the high quality demands of paper manufactured for the Xerox Corp. Joining Buckman in 1971 with an assignment to Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, Moore was later appointed regional sales manager for the northeastern section of the U.S. In 1992, he became corporate accounts manager for the company's Papermaking Technologies Division. For many years leading up to his retirement, Moore served as assistant to the president, representing Buckman at various industry forums and marketing events. During his paper industry career, Moore was active in several local TAPPI sections, including New England, Virginia, Empire State, Maine-New Hampshire, and Metropolitan. He has served on the Technical Operations Council, the Action Items and Information Subcommittee, the Awards Subcommittee, the Board of Directors Research Committee, the BOD Communications Transition Team, the Microbiological and Microbial Technology Committee, the TAPPI API Conference Subcommittee, Chairman of the TAPPI Research Challenge Conference for two years, and Chairman of the Research and Development Division. In addition to TAPPI, Moore has also served on the PIMA Board of Directors, Purchasing and Affiliate Specialist Committee, PIMA Annual Meeting Planning Committee, and TAPPI/PIMA Student Summit Committee. He has been on the Board of Directors of the Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation, Board of Directors of the Miami University Paper Science and Engineering Foundation, and Chairman of the Open House Committee of the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation. In the following photo of the Renegar Award presentation at PaperCon 2012 are (l-r): Keith Kemp, PIMA Affliliate Chair, AstenJohnson; W. Roger Smith, PIMA Chair, Domtar; Albert Moore; Larry Montague, president and CEO of TAPPI; and Norman Marsolan, director of IPST at Georgia Tech and TAPPI chairman.
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Below is the latest listing of job openings in the TAPPI Career Center. The current listing includes job openings for new business development manager, mechanical pulping specialist, reliability engineer, process engineer, account managers, sales manager, chemical technical specialists,and extrusion coating specialist. Current, specific job openings at companies and locations in the TAPPI Career Center include:
More information about these jobs is available online. ##SHARELINKS##
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Total U.S. printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments decreased 8% in June compared with June 2011, according to the AF&PA, Washington, D.C., USA, June 2012 Printing-Writing Paper Report released this week. Shipments for coated free sheet and uncoated mechanical grades posted double-digit year-over-year decreases compared with last June.
U.S. purchases (shipments + imports – exports) of P&W papers also decreased 8% in June. Total P&W paper inventory levels decreased 4% from last month, primarily due to double-digit decreases among the mechanical grade papers. Additional key findings include:
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The list of European kraft linerboard producers announcing price hikes is growing longer, according to a report this week by Deutsche Bank's Mark Wilde. Sweden's SCA has just announced a EUR 60/metric ton hike on all grades of kraft linerboard, effective September 1, Wilde notes. With the recent sale of its European converting plants to David S Smith, he adds, SCA has become a large merchant supplier to the European converting market. SCA produces 800,000/ metric tpy of kraft liner at two mills in Sweden.
Interestingly, Wilde continues, each additional player seems to be boosting the rate. Last week, Spain's Europac announced a EUR 50/metric ton hike in all European markets, effective August 1. A week earlier, Mondi announced a EUR 40/metric ton hike for brown kraft linerboard and substitute grades around the Mediterranean, and indicated that hikes would be forthcoming on other grades and in other regions of Europe. The moves come amidst long-term and short-term cuts in European kraft liner supply. This spring, Norwegian kraft liner producer Peterson filed for bankruptcy and idled a 290,000 metric tpy mill in Moss, Norway. More recently, a ruptured black liquor tank has idled Smurfit Kappa Group's 520,000 metric tpy kraft linerboard mill in Facture, France. Reports suggest that the SKG mill (one of the largest in Europe) will be out of commission for approximately one month. The recent European moves provide incremental support to efforts by U.S. producers to raise containerboard prices in early/mid August, Wilde says. Over the past 10 days, virtually all of the U.S. containerboard producers have announced price hikes of ˜$50/ton. Since exports account for 15% - 20% of U.S. kraft linerboard production (the primary U.S. containerboard grade), rising offshore price levels should aid the effort to boost domestic pricing, Wilde notes. ##SHARELINKS##
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Total U.S. boxboard production decreased by 1.8% compared with June 2011 and decreased 0.7% from last month, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C.,USA) June 2012 Paperboard Report. Unbleached kraft folding production increased over the same month last year, but decreased compared with last month.
Total solid bleached boxboard and liner production decreased compared with June 2011 and remained flat compared with last month. Recycled folding production decreased compared with June 2011 and decreased slightly when compared with last month. ##SHARELINKS##
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U.K. producers of publication paper initially entered the mid-year price negotiations in 2012 looking to achieve hikes, but in the end they had to accept considerable reductions due to the weak euro and poor demand, according to a report this week by Germany-based EUWID Pulp and Paper.
By mid-July, EUWID notes, pretty much all of the newsprint contracts for the second half of the year in the U.K. had been signed. Although producers urgently wanted increases, they were unable to implement them. Due to the continued decline in demand and the stronger British pound, prices came under pressure and were lowered. The price reductions were even greater than those seen on the Continental European markets. Prices in the U.K. (in euro terms) have come closer to prices in mainland Europe. Prices for improved grades were also reduced significantly even though this market is considered to be firmer than that of the standard grades, EUWID adds. The results of these price negotiations reflect the current market situation, which remains shaped by declining paper consumption, EUWID continues. In addition, there are seasonal factors—events that should increase consumption, such as the Olympic Games in London, that have only a small effect on paper consumption in the British press sector, and will only partially offset the usual summer-related demand weakness, EUWID explains. ##SHARELINKS##
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The global pulp market is mired in uncertainty—uncertainty about when China will move into buying mode, uncertainty about where the European economy is heading, and uncertainty if low spot prices for softwood market pulp will push pulp mills in Europe and North America to take market-related downtime. In this environment, pulp mills are trying to squeeze their costs to remain competitive and to be able to run at full capacity, reports Wood Resources International (WRI), Seattle, Wash., USA.
Because wood fiber costs, according to Fisher International, currently account for between 52% and 71% of the total production costs, depending on region of the world, the primary focus in the cost-cutting has been on reducing the price mills pay for wood chip and pulpwood prices over the past six months. This has created the situation in which many fiber suppliers have been forced to accept lower prices for their fiber. As a consequence, wood fiber prices fell throughout the world in the 1Q/12, WRI notes, which caused the two global wood fiber price indices to decline to their lowest levels in more than a year. The Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) experienced the biggest decline, falling by 3.5% from the 4Q/11 to $109.67/odmt. Since its all-time high last fall, the HFPI has come down 7% in just two quarters. Wood costs were down the most in Europe and Japan. The price premium for hardwood fiber over softwood fiber is currently the lowest since 1Q/11. The Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) fell a more modest 0.4% from the previous quarter, which was 4% lower than in the spring of 2011. Softwood fiber price trends were mixed, with increases in Oceania, Chile, and the U.S. South and falling prices in Europe, Western Canada, and Japan. Softwood chip prices in British Columbia fell 25% from the previous quarter, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review, and are currently 18% lower than last fall when prices were at a 16-year high. In Europe, softwood pulp log prices fell between 1% and 6% in the local currencies in the 1Q/12 compared with the previous quarter, and are now back down to price levels last seen in 2010. With continued soft pulp and paper markets during the second quarter, wood fiber costs are likely to continue to weaken in many key markets around the world in the coming months, WRI says. More information is available online. ##SHARELINKS##
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U.S. containerboard production in June lost just 0.3% over the same month last year, according to the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) June 2012 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report released this past week. Production was down 1.7% compared with May 2012, but the month-over-month average daily production increased 1.6%. The containerboard operating rate for June 2012 rose 1.5 points over May 2012, from 94.7% to 96.3%. ##SHARELINKS##
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Finch Paper, Glens Falls, N.Y., USA, a producer of uncoated papers, this week announced a long-term supply agreement with Omya, a manufacturer of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC). The agreement is expected to expand the mill's capabilities and grade lines well into the future. Finch Paper was one of the first paper mills to construct its own PCC plant in 1984.
Omya operates nearly two dozen PCC plants at paper mills around the world. Finch Paper is Omya's third paper mill in North America. Finch President and CEO Joseph Raccuia noted that "Omya has developed proprietary operating techniques that, combined with new investments we are making in our own plant, will take our operations to a whole new level." In a unique arrangement, the team of Finch employees will continue to operate the PCC plant. Omya employees will be on-site on a regular basis, training the Finch PCC team in the advanced operating practices. "The Finch operators not only understand PCC, but also have an intimate knowledge of the papermaking process," Omya Regional Sales Manager Tim Bradley said. "Their holistic approach is a definite advantage in terms of quality, speed, and cost." Precipitated Calcium Carbonate is used to fill gaps between the fiber in a sheet of paper. The "filler" contributes to important paper characteristics such as brightness, opacity, and bulk. PCC is formed by adding carbon dioxide gas to lime and water. Producing its own PCC is more economical for Finch than buying this ingredient, but also enables the company to capture and re-use 50 million lb/yr of carbon dioxide from its power plant rather than emitting the greenhouse gases into the air. PCC can be formed in a variety of particle sizes with varying surface characteristics to produce specific paper properties. The collaborative effort of Omya and Finch will augment the mill's ability to produce tailored solutions and further supports Finch's growth in the emerging transactional-promotional and print-on-demand book segments. ##SHARELINKS##
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The Nova Scotia, Canada, Supreme Court has granted the NewPage Port Hawkesbury, N.S., Canada, mill another extension to its creditor protection period. The mill now has until August 31, to wrap up the sale and transfer of the mill's assets to Pacific West Commercial Corp. of Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Pacific west, a subsidiary of Stern Partners of Vancouver, has a deal with Nova Scotia Power to get a break on the mill's electricity bill. The energy rate is based, in part, on a complex tax structure that still needs approval from the Canada Revenue Agency and the provincial Utility and Review Board. Nova Scotia Power, as part-owner, is hoping to claim a tax write-off for the mill's losses, as compensation for its reduction in power costs. As reported by ForestTalk.com, hearings at the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board are continuing, and the power rate reduction that Pacific West Commercial Corp. is asking for will give the company among the lowest, if not the lowest, power costs in North America for a seven-year period. If Nova Scotia Power and Pacific West Commercial Corp. have underestimated the amount of power required to operate the mill, then the ratepayers of Nova Scotia will be on the hook, and will have to subsidize the power costs of the mill, according o the ForestTalk.com report. Ron Stern, CEO of Pacific West Commercial Corp., said he will walk away from the deal if this rate proposal is not approved as is. "Unless the Port Hawkesbury mill can become a very low- cost operation, it simply will not succeed," Stern said. The province of Nova Scotia is spending $100,000 a day to keep the mill hot-idled. ##SHARELINKS##
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The Algonquin First Nations held a protest this past week in front of Resolute Forest Products' headquarters in Montreal, Que. Canada. In response to the protest, Resolute issued a statement clarifying its ongoing woodlands operations in the Barrière Lake area located in the Outaouais region of Quebec.
According to Resolute, the wood volume allocation near Barrière Lake was granted to Resolute by the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (QMNRW) under the terms of the Forest Act of the province of Quebec. This wood allocation supplies the company's sawmill located in Maniwaki. As per rulings issued by the Supreme Court of Canada, Resolute said that the QMNRW has developed and implemented a consultation process with First Nations communities that must be completed before any cutting permit can be authorized. Resolute's right to harvest in the area has been approved by the QMNRW, following appropriate consultation with the Barrière Lake Algonquin band council. Resolute has managed woodlands in the Barrière Lake area for four years and also has several partnerships with a number of Aboriginal communities in Quebec and Ontario. The company noted that "the current controversy seems to be linked to political tensions within the Lake Barrière community, and Resolute regrets being at the center of this internal dispute. The company continues to work collaboratively with local government and First Nations authorities." ##SHARELINKS##
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Lenzing AG, Austria, a global producer of cellulose fibers, reports that it has intensified its longstanding cooperation with Sappi of South Africa. Both companies have signed a multi-year pulp supply contract on similar terms as their existing supply contract, which is based on pricing for paper pulps. The agreement is related to Sappi's construction of new chemical pulp capacity (dissolving pulp).
Sappi currently has an annual dissolving pulp capacity of 800,000 metric tons, which is being expanded to 1.3 million metric tons, making it the world's largest producer of dissolving pulp, used mainly for the production of cellulose fibers. The raw material for Sappi's dissolving pulp is primarily certified plantation eucalyptus. For several decades, Lenzing has been purchasing dissolving pulp for its non-fiber-integrated manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, China, Europe, and the U.S., including from the Sappi Group. ##SHARELINKS##
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SCA (Stockholm, Sweden) reports that its acquisition of Georgia-Pacific's (Atlanta, Ga., USA) European tissue business (EMEA) has been completed. The purchase price totaled EUR 1.32 billion on a debt-free basis. The acquired operations had sales in 2011 amounting to EUR 1.25 billion.
GP has a well-established presence in Europe in both away-from-home and consumer at-home tissue products. Its products in both segments are marketed with the Lotus brand. The company Jan Johansson, president and CEO of SCA, noted. will maintain a presence in Europe primarily through regional offices for GP Cellulose and GP Harmon Recycling The annual synergies are estimated at EUR 125 million, with full effect in three years after closing. Related costs are estimated at EUR 130 million. The closing follows the EU clearance and its requirement that SCA divest Georgia-Pacific's consumer tissue business in the U.K. including production capacity, Georgia-Pacific's consumer tissue branded business in Benelux, licensing out the Lotus brand during a limited time, and some of Georgia-Pacific's and SCA's retailer branded business in Scandinavia, including production capacity. The businesses that are to be divested account for sales of approximately EUR 200 million, which is in line with the expectations and does not change SCA's evaluation of the deal. SCA produces personal care products, tissue, publication papers, and solid-wood products. Sales, conducted in some 100 countries, amounted to SEK 106 billion (EUR 11.7 billion) in 2011. SCA has approximately 32,000 employees. GP is a global producer of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose, and related chemicals. The company employs nearly 35,000 people worldwide. ##SHARELINKS##
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The Newark Group, Cranford, N.J., USA, this week announced that it has received nearly 150 new product innovation ideas from employees and customers as part of a program celebrating its 100th Anniversary. While ideas will continue to be accepted on an ongoing basis, the company noted that the deadline for ideas to be a part of the 100th Anniversary incentive program ended on July 15.
New product development teams are assessing the recommendations, looking at everything from feasibility and engineering to market potential and prioritization. According to Frank Papa, president and CEO of The Newark Group, "The caliber of ideas generated was truly outstanding and I have every reason to expect that they will provide the company with a solid pipeline of new products that will help to create a more sustainable world." Winners are scheduled to be announced on August 31. ##SHARELINKS##
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International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., late last week announced the permanent closure of its corrugated container plant in Kalamazoo, Mich., in mid-September, according to a report by Michigan-based mlive.com. Some 77 jobs will be lost in the closure.
Scott Dillon, complex GM, explained in the report that "following the merger with Temple-Inland (this past February), we have more capacity than our customers need in this area. Other area facilities are better positioned to handle the production requirements that will be necessary as we consolidate our operations, and unfortunately, that led to the decision to close this plant." The company said in a news release that it would discuss plans for severance and other benefits with the local union, United Steelworkers Local 946. The 47-year-old plant produces 650 million sq ft of corrugated packaging each year for customers in the automotive, protein, food and beverage, and industrial products industries. ##SHARELINKS##
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The Fibre Box Association, Elk Grove Village, Ill., USA, and the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC), Alexandria, Va., recently recognized a total of 394 corrugated plants for safety achievements in 2011. Two Packaging Corp. of America (PCA), Lake Forest, Ill., facilities were recognized at the highest level of safety recognition. Each winner had the greatest number of hours worked with the fewest recordable cases or lost workdays within their category.
In addition, 22 PCA facilities were among the 134 plants recognized for achieving zero incidents in 2011 and received the FBA/AICC Perfect Plant Award. The Safety Excellence Award was presented to all sheet plants and combining plants who achieved no lost workdays due to job-related injury or illness for the 2011 calendar year. Of the 246 plants, 27 PCA plants were awarded for Safety Excellence. ##SHARELINKS##
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Cortec's (St. Paul, Minn., USA) VpCI®-149 is a new corrosion inhibiting paper for the protection of a wide variety of metals. This environmentally safe, non-toxic paper is formulated for extra protection of sensitive metals such as copper, aluminum, and cast iron. Manufactured using a natural kraft paper, the coating provides a soft and conformable feel to the paper, making it easy to use when individually wrapping parts. The strong vapor phase protection makes it a great product for interleaving and protecting void spaces, the company notes.
Since it is not a saturated paper, VpCI-149 will not tear like many other VCI papers. It is made from neutral, natural kraft paper, without the use of chlorine or other chemical bleaching, which eliminates package contamination. The fully recyclable and repulpable paper does not contain nitrites, phosphates, silicones, chromates, or other heavy metals. The VpCI coating on the paper vaporizes, reaching all metal surfaces to provide corrosion protection. VpCI-149 can be used for a variety of applications such as protection of products for storage and shipment in several ways: the 149 kraft wrap for single item packaging or interleaving, end closures for shipping tubes, insert strips for recessed areas in large packages, and as sheet liners or separators between products. More information is available online. ##SHARELINKS##
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Domtar, Montreal, Que., Canada, reportedly has informed North American customers that the price for its two grades of bleached softwood kraft (BSK) pulp will be reduced by $30/ metric ton, effective August 1. The reduction will take the new price to $850/metric ton, according to RISI, Boston, Mass., USA. ##SHARELINKS##
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Nexterra Systems Corp., Vancouver, B.C., Canada, the U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C., and Johnson Controls Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., recently conducted a grand opening and dedication of the biomass gasification energy plant at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tenn. After a rigorous and comprehensive testing program that included a 30-day endurance trial, third party emissions tests, and an exhaustive readiness review, the system was officially declared open by the DOE and ready for full commercial operation. The system is the sixth Nexterra system to enter commercial operation.
The Nexterra system is the cornerstone of a $94 million Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) for Johnson Controls to undertake a wide range of building management and energy conservation measures at ORNL. Nexterra supplied the complete energy-from-renewable-waste system, from fuel handling and storage through to the exhaust stack. The system converts low-cost waste biomass into a clean burning syngas to produce 60,000 lb/hr of saturated steam, reducing fossil fuel consumption by 80%. The system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20,000 metric tpy, the equivalent of removing 4,000 cars from the road each year. The Johnson Controls contract for ORNL was among the first awarded under the DOE's Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) Initiative. TEAM aims to reduce energy waste and greenhouse gases at DOE facilities nationwide by 30% and have those facilities acquire at least 7.5% of all energy from renewable sources by 2015. ##SHARELINKS##
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 SCA, Stockholm, Sweden, this past week named Joséphine Edwall-Björklund its new SVP, corporate communications. Edwall-Björklund has held leading positions in communications since 1988. She currently holds the position of VP of communications at Ericsson Global Services. She has been working for Ericsson since 1991.
As head of the corporate communications staff, Edwall-Björklund will be a member of SCA's Corporate Senior Management Team, reporting to CEO Jan Johansson. She will assume her position September 15. ##SHARELINKS##
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On June 25, 2012, Scott Springmier, Eric Fletty, and I accepted a previous invitation from long-time TAPPI member and a young, Mike Ditka look-alike, Jim Niemiec, to visit NewPage in Wiscosin Rapids, Wis., USA. At the time we had no idea that (current TAPPI board-member) Jeff Hamilton was in the process of accepting the mill manager's position at this very mill. Jeff was instrumental in bringing PIMA under TAPPI's wings a few years ago. We are proud to have him on TAPPI's board. It felt like a family reunion. We had meetings with several of the mill employees, many whom we had met at various TAPPI functions over the years. We had the opportunity to present a TAPPI update as well as tour the mill and their Research and Development Center. This location is an industrial complex in itself convering more than two miles end-to-end from the pulp mill, waste water treatment plant, and to the shipping dock, with all things in between. The mill houses the largest off-line coater in the U.S., and produces one of the very best coated free sheet products in the industry. The pride in the mill's 1,050+ employees was apparent as soon as you walked in the door. The mill was extremely clean and, according to Jeff Hamilton, you could eat off of the floor. Thank goodness I was full from the catered lunch that they provided us upon our arrival, or I may have taken Jeff up on his offer. In Jeff's words, the mill's "if it isn't bolted down, it needs to have a proper home" attitude really drives the immaculate house-keeping that is apparent throughout the entire complex. The mill offers a broad range of basis weights from 80 lb to 146 lb on a 246-inch wide machine. If you want to see the future of parent roll storage, you have to see the automated system in Wisconsin Rapids. This state of the art system resembles something right out of Star Wars, with nine stories of roll storage. Labor relations are very good at the mill, which is apparent with a union contract that runs through 2018.
From there we went to the Reserch and Development Center, which is overseen by the Director of Research, Dean Benjamin. The building was built in 1959 and has undergone several expansions and equipment upgrades since its inception. It houses a pilot coater and calendar. The center is located in a 42,000 sq ft building on a 40 acre site. The 46 employees support eight mills in the NewPage system. R&D provides world-class process support to advance the products and services that NewPage provides. "The R&D function provides cost-effective and innovative product and process development to meet customer needs and to enable our long-term competitiveness and prosperity through the proper application of science, technology, and innovation. We accomplish this with our internal resources as well as working closely with leading universities and other external research institutions," Benjamin noted. R&D manages the NewPage intellectual property, including their portfolio of 44 U.S. and 48 foreign patents, as well as 27 pending patents.
This was a breath of fresh air in our industry where many have cut back R&D efforts over the past 10 - 15 years. NewPage, at a glance, does $3.6 billion in annual sales. It produces 3.5 million tons of paper annually and has nearly 6,000 employees. The product line breakdown is 75% coated, 14% specialty, 6% supercalendered, and 5% other grades of paper. More information about NewPage is available online. More information about TAPPI is also available online. There are two types of people in our industry - TAPPI members and those who should be.
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One of the more recent shining stars in the new page family of products is the TrueJet™ brand. This is a line of coated papers for high-speed production inkjet printing. The product won the |
Nominations for major TAPPI 2013 awards are due by Aug. 1, 2012. The awards that may be presented next year are: Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award - The Association's highest technical honor may be presented annually to recognize an individual or individuals for preeminent scientific and engineering achievements of proven commercial benefit to the world's pulp, paper, board, and forest products industries and the other industries that TAPPI serves. Herman L. Joachim Distinguished Service Award - The Association's highest award for service, may be presented annually to recognize leadership and service that have significantly and demonstrably contributed to the advancement of the Association. Paul W. Magnabosco Outstanding Local Section Member Award - The highest honor for Local Sections may be presented annually to recognize an individual for outstanding leadership and exceptional service to one or more Local Sections, resulting in significant and demonstrable benefits to Local Section members. TAPPI Fellow - TAPPI Fellows are Individuals who have been members of TAPPI for not less than 10 years prior to the nomination, and who have contributed meritorious service to the Assciation and/or the paper and related industries. Retiring members of the TAPPI Board of Directors become Fellows automatically at the end of their term. The TAPPI Awards and Honors page has links to these awards and shows the qualifications required and links to the nomination forms that must be completed. You may submit all nomination forms by email at standards@tappi.org, or you may fax them to the attention of the Awards Department at +1-770-446-6947, or send by mail to TAPPI Awards Department, 15 Technology Parkway South, Suite 115, Norcross, Georgia. 30092, USA.
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The TAPPI International Research Management Committee requests that nominations be submitted for the William H. Aiken Prize for Research and Development. The award is given for outstanding accomplishments and/or contributions that have advanced the technology of paper and related industries in the R&D field. The $500 prize is funded by an endowment from the estate of William H. Aiken, TAPPI President in 1967 - 1968, and VP of Technology for the former Union Camp Corp. at the time of his death in 1974. Dr. Aiken won the TAPPI Gold Medal, the association's highest honor, in 1971. Nominations should be sent to David Bell (DBell@TAPPI.org) TAPPI Headquarters,15 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, Ga. 30092, USA, or by fax (+1 770-446-6947). The deadline for nominations for the William H. Aiken Prize for Research and Development Award is Aug. 1, 2012. The nomination should contain a summary of the nominee's technical achievements, impact on the industry and peers, personal data (such as education and work history), and information of other pertinent activity (such as TAPPI activities). ##SHARELINKS##
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Your employees are the backbone of the business and only as viable as their abilities and knowledge. Keep their skills strong this summer. TAPPI has prepared an entire month of training courses for nearly every facet of the industry for both beginner- and advanced-level employees. You can be confident that your employees are getting stellar instruction. Course curriculum is always developed by industry professionals with years of experience, credentials, and recognition. Presentations are never "canned" and are specific to the attendees' work.
TAPPI offers group discounts where your facility can save on course fees per person by registering three or more employees from the same location. Since 1915, the industry's leaders have turned to TAPPI to train and educate their facility's workforce. Why? Because TAPPI consistently delivers the most highly regarded resources for superior education and training for the pulp, paper, packaging, and converting industry.##SHARELINKS##
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The 2012 TAPPI Linerboard/Medium Manufacture Course at the Atlanta Hilton Northeast. For those who require an overview background on pulp & papermaking technology, there will be an optional one-day introduction to P&P on Monday, August 6, prior to the beginning of the main course on Tuesday. This supplemental session is intended for corrugators, new P&P mill and supplier personnel, and those without exposure to pulp and paper operations. A separate registration is required for this seminar. ##SHARELINKS##
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Faculty at the TAPPI Linerboard/Medium Manufacture Course offers more than 250 years of collective experience. Nowhere is the adage ‘Knowledge is Power' more true than the TAPPI Linerboard/Medium Manufacture Course, August 7-9 at the TAPPI Training Center in Norcorss, Ga., USA. With its expert faculty and countless opportunities to interact one-on-one with each one, this course is like having a group of consultants at your fingertips ready to help you solve the problems you encounter at your facility. You will learn from the best, including:
So that's a total of 250 years of combined experience and knowledge for attendees to draw upon, to learn from, and get answers to your problems. Register online. Remember, space is limited! Save even more when you register three or more.
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Only a few seats remain for the TAPPI Introduction to Kraft Pulping and Bleaching Course, but if you register now, you may be able to snag a place among other peers. This course takes place at TAPPI headquarters on August 13-14, 2012.
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The NCSU Financial and Strategic Analysis Workshop, October 3-5, 2012, Raleigh, N.C., USA You will learn basic and sophisticated tools to analyze business operations, estimate financial outcomes, and support decision making. In this workshop, you will also discover how to:
Who Should Attend? This workshop is especially beneficial for:
Register today to apply your new skills in business and financial analysis and take your job performance to the next level.
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TAPPI and the Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA) are pleased to announce their new course on workplace safety leadership and modern safety management principles... The Safety Management Leadership Course. The course will be held at TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Georgia., August 15-16. The papermaking, conversion, and paper recycling industries have traditionally suffered from high workplace accident rates. Through a concentrated industry effort, the number of workplace injuries in the paper and pulp industry between 1994 and 2010 declined at a faster rate than the national rate for all private industries. The Safety Management Leadership Course will provide managers and leaders with the best practices in safety for the paper and packaging industry that should help further reduce these workplace safety incidents. The course is designed for anyone involved in workplace safety including human resources, training, safety supervisors, team leaders, plant managers, project leaders, frontline supervisors, and safety committee participants. The course will be led by industry expert and course chair Matthew Kanneberg from RockTenn. "Participants in the course will be able to understand the fundamentals of safety and safety management principles, including recordkeeping, incident investigation, safety culture, managing change safely, understanding safety behavior, risk management, and measuring performance," Kanneberg said. Course registration is limited to 30 participants so please register today! Visit the course website. Early registration discounts are available. ##SHARELINKS##
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The 2012 TAPPI Tissue Properties & Manufacture Course is coming to TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA., on August 15 -16. This two-day course is a comprehensive overview of the entire tissue manufacturing process taught by leading industry experts.
This is an introductory-intermediate level course. If you are looking for an advanced course on tissue, consider the next TAPPI Tissue Runnability Course scheduled for this November 7-9, in Neenah, Wis., USA. (see news item below). ##SHARELINKS##
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TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA, will host the annual Improving Paper Machine Performance Course August 21 - 23. This course provides students the tools needed to evaluate the performance of their paper machines against industry standards and evaluate ways to improve performance and optimize efficiencies. This year the course schedule has been expanded to include an important area of operation- evaluating energy savings. Dick Reese of Dick Reese and Associates will help attendees learn how to evaluate energy consumption. Reese has completed energy evaluations on more than 125 paper and pulp machines in 56 mills. Several mills have reduced annual energy cost by $1 million-plus by implementing recommendations from the energy evaluations. After successfully completing this course, participants should be able to:
A degree in engineering or other technical field is suggested, but not required. A good working knowledge of the paper machine is recommended (this is not an introductory course). Please bring your laptop computer for this working course. If you don't have one you may share with another course participant. There is only room for 25 course participants, so please register today. For more information, please visit the course website. Early registration, travel, and lodging discounts are available. ##SHARELINKS##
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Join Worldwide Coating Experts at the Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium The paper coating community will be converging in Atlanta, Ga., USA, Sept. 10-12, 2012, for TAPPI's 12th Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium. This biennial event attracts the world's foremost experts in coating technology and is the preeminent symposium for leading-edge research. Your next opportunity will not come until 2014! As a special added bonus and for your convenience, the Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium (ACFS) will be co-located with the 16th International Coating Science and Technology Symposium (ISCST) providing you with insights into coating research in non-paper applications. Your TAPPI registration will allow you extended access in to any of the ISCST presentations. It will also include full printed proceedings of the TAPPI program. The ACFS Technical Program will focus on what it takes to commercialize an innovation -- and includes more than 20 peer-reviewed papers covering novel paper coatings, mechanics of printing, new and emerging technologies, and nanotechnology in paper coating. In addition to learning about all of the latest developments, your registration includes an evening of fun and fellowship with coating colleagues from around the world at the Advanced Coating Fundamentals dinner, scheduled at a distinctive Atlanta venue. Click here to view the program. Click to learn more about ACFS 2012. ##SHARELINKS##
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Join us on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, at the Mid-Valley Country Club in De Pere, Wis., USA. An afternoon shotgun scramble golf outing is planned with dinner to follow. Full event information and registration details are available online. ##SHARELINKS##
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Join us on Tuesday, August 28, at the Grand View Lodge, Preserve Course, in Pequot Lakes, Minn. A morning shotgun scramble golf outing is planned with lunch to follow. Please remember, your participation will help fund scholarships for Lakes States TAPPI/North Central PIMA's Scholarship programs. Prizes will be awarded along with a putting contest and a raffle. Reservation preference will be given to foursomes. Groups of two or less will be placed into foursomes pending availability. We will limit the number of participants to 128. Entries will only be accepted with full payment. For entries received after August 16, the cost is $135.00 per person. Check-in registration will begin at 8:00 am. If you have any questions about this event, please contact: Wfrawley@new.rr.com Full event information and registration details are available online. ##SHARELINKS##
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On Nov. 7-9, 2012, TAPPI will conduct its Tissue Runnability Course at Neenah, Wis., USA. This special course is being taught by technical experts in each area of the machine from wet end operations through creping and process control. The experienced, highly qualified faculty for this course will provide a thorough understanding of the entire tissue making process and current best practices in each area. The 2012 TAPPI Tissue Runnability Course is designed for process engineers, machine supervisors, and reliability professionals who have to maximize uptime and saleable production. It is also an excellent tutorial for suppliers who support tissue making customers. It will help attendees:
After successfully completing this course, attendees will specifically be able to:
TAPPI will award CEU credits to participants who attend at least 80% of the educational sessions and complete a final program evaluation. The 2012 Tissue Runnabilitry Course includes advanced process instruction. If you are looking for an introductory-intermediate tissue course, consider the upcoming 2012 Tissue Properties and Manufacturing Course at TAPPI headquarters in Norcross, Ga., USA, on August 15-16 (see news item above). Attendance for the 2012 TAPPI Tissue Runnability Course is limited, so please register today at the course website. ##SHARELINKS##
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 The 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference, October 14-17 in Savannah, Ga., USA, has announced a detailed technical program. Five programming tracks of peer-reviewed sessions, Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling, and Sustainability, will answer the most pressing business and technical questions faced by pulp and paper companies as they manage raw materials, assets, regulatory requirements, and production assets. Register now and save. In addition to the in-depth, peer-reviewed technical program, Keynote Speaker Don Roberts, vice chairman of CIBC World Markets, will present "A Whirlwind Tour of Investment Trends and Issues in the Global Bio-Energy Space." PEERS will also offer exclusive networking opportunities and insight into new technologies that can help you optimize your mill operations. The TAPPI PEERS Conference will be co-located with the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for you to expand your learning, networking, and resources by attending both events. See you in Savannah! ##SHARELINKS##
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The 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference October 14-17 in Savannah, Ga., USA, features a detailed technical program that includes peer-reviewed papers, expert speakers, exclusive networking opportunities and new technologies that can help you optimize mill operations. Of special interest to mills is the Engineering Program which is organized into three sessions/tracks:
TAPPI offers a discounted registration to pulp and paper mills and their corporate offices to attend PEERS Conference. Bring an unlimited number from your mill or office to visit for one day, one hour, or just drop in to see the Trade Fair. Register for PEERS 2012 now and save. The 2012 TAPPI PEERS conference will be co-located with the 2012 International Bioenergy and Bioproducts conference, creating a value-added opportunity for you to expand your learning, networking, and resources by attending both events. See you in Savannah! ##SHARELINKS##
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The 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference Pulping Program will focus on the latest technological breakthroughs and techniques available to today's kraft pulp manufacturers. Sessions regarding how kraft pulping can be improved to produce pulps that are more uniform in quality and at higher yields will be discussed, along with the tradeoffs associated with improving quality and yields. Other industry experts will discuss how to improve brownstock washing, newest developments in bleach plant control sensors, safety related issues with hydrogen peroxide, new steady-state models for hardwood bleaching, and new raw materials as fiber sources. The Pulping Program has several presentations on dissolving pulp production, as well as chip pretreatments-prehydrolysis for extracting value-added components prior to kraft pulping. The 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference, Oct. 14-17 in Savannah, Ga., features a detailed technical program. In addition to Pulping, PEERS has four additional programming tracks of peer-reviewed sessions: Engineering, Environmental, Recycling, and Sustainability – each designed to answer the most pressing business and technical questions faced by pulp and paper companies as they manage raw materials, assets, regulatory requirements, and production assets. The TAPPI PEERS Conference will be co-located with the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for you to expand your learning, networking and resources by attending both events. See you in Savannah! ##SHARELINKS##
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Operating Excellence (OpEx) Maintenance and Reliability Seminar at PEERS This is a first-time program for the 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference.
In addition, 2012 TAPPI PEERS Conference, October 14-17 in Savannah, Ga., features a detailed technical program. Five programming tracks of peer-reviewed sessions, Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling and Sustainability, will answer the most pressing business and technical questions faced by pulp and paper companies as they manage raw materials, assets, regulatory requirements and production assets. The TAPPI PEERS Conference will be co-located with International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for you to expand your learning, networking, and resources by attending both events. See you in Savannah! ##SHARELINKS##
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Pulp and Paper mills often find themselves spending millions of dollars inspecting, repairing, and recovering from unexpected leaks in their boiler tubes, tanks, pressure vessels, exposed and buried pipeline, stacks, bleach towers, etc... Here's your chance to learn how to substantially reduce these costs! Corrosion probe Inc.'s FEMOS Workshop training shows maintenance staff how to rationally manage the mechanical (containment) intregrity of all types of fixed eqpment with a simple, rigorous system utilizing disciplines and procedures by vendors who specialize in the maintenance of rotating equipment. What do you gain from attending? This workshop to be held October 14, 2012, 8 am - 5 pm EDT in Savannah, Ga., USA, will teach attendees how to implement a mill-specific program by using a transparent and disciplined process to systematically design the right inspection plan for each major piece of fixed equipment based on its' materials of construction, present condition, and service conditions. The basic concept employs proven, high-value practices from refining and petrochemical industries for risk based inspection, customizing inspection plans to possible damage mechanism and using fitness-for-service engineering assessments to define damage limits. Who is leading the workshop? Corrosion Probe Inc.'s workshop will employ experienced and renowned TAPPI participants Dave Bennett, David Browe, and Doug Sherman. They will train up to 20 people in a 1-day (6-Hour) workshop. Training is presented so attendees can use their new knowledge to immediately implement FEMOS at their mill. Many working examples are provided and students are invited to bring their mill's costliest fixed equipment inspection and maintenance concerns for case analysis. The FEMOS workshop takes place just before the 2012 TAPPI PEERS conference and the 2012 IBBC conference. Those attending the FEMOS Workshop can also attend these important events. ##SHARELINKS##
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TAPPI's International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, Oct. 17-19, 2012 in Savannah, Ga, USA, will focus on advancements and commercialization of bio-conversions that leverage the forest products manufacturing infrastructure, providing you with a deeper analysis of the technology and economics involved in commercializing bio-refineries. Learn more about IBBC and see the entire technical program. Keynote Speakers:
Exhibit and Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Shane Holt at 800.369.6220, ext. 3345 for more information. ##SHARELINKS##
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TAPPI's International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, Oct. 17-19, 2012, in Savannah, Ga., will include a tour to Herty Advanced Materials Development Center the morning of Wednesday, October 17. Chartered by the State of Georgia, Herty has leveraged its industry-proven laboratory and pilot capabilities to execute its strategic plan that includes significant emphasis in the biopower and biofuels areas. Herty's focus is on feedstock with current impact of more than $1.5 billion in alternative energy commercialization projects. Herty provides a hub location needed for rapid cost-effective development of biomass resources for energy production. Learn more about Herty and this tour. IBBC will focus on technical advancements and commercialization of bioconversion technologies that leverage the forest products manufacturing infrastructure. Learn more about IBBC and see the entire technical program. IBBC will also feature Keynote Speakers:
In addition, IBBC will include technical presentations, expert panels, case studies, and reports from projects that address:
IBBC will be co-located with the TAPPI PEERS Conference, creating a value-added opportunity for participants to expand their learning, networking and resources by attending both events. ##SHARELINKS##
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This comprehensive text covers recovery boilers in great depth and pulls together information on combustion, safety, emissions, plugging, and corrosion. The book also covers fundamental chemical and mechanical engineering principles that bear directly on black liquor and recovery boilers. It contains information about typical values and the normal range of important variables, plus many example calculations, data tables, and charts of relevant material properties or constants and conversion factors. Written by a team of industry experts, the text includes a great deal of practical information such as simple tests to pinpoint problems, important observations to help understand issues for particular operations, and "rules-of-thumb" that are generally used in the industry. This text was written as a project of AF&PA and published by TAPPI PRESS. Click Here to Buy your copy of Kraft Recovery Boilers. View the Table of Contents (PDF). View Sample Pages (PDF). TAPPI MEMBER PRICE: $93.00 Non-member Price: $140.00 ##SHARELINKS##
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TAPPI Press Presents: |
The Nonwovens Engineers and Technologists Division (NET) of TAPPI will co-locate its annual Innovative Nonwovens Conference (NETInc) next year with PaperCon 2013, April 28 - May 1 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.. The NETInc technical conference is a unique event developed by engineers and technologists to cover the latest market and technical developments and innovations in the global nonwovens industry. "Co-location of the NETInc Conference at PaperCon 2013, the pulp and paper industry's largest event and most comprehensive technical conference, will provide attendees an expanded range of options to network and learn the latest cutting edge technical content," notes TAPPI President and CEO Larry N. Montague. "The nonwovens industry is a dynamic, rapidly growing segment of our industry that encompasses a wide range of raw materials, applications, and market segments, and it employs some of the most innovative technology in the industry. We're excited about the synergy provided by having these two industry leading events located in one venue." NETInc offers peer reviewed papers, expert speakers, and exclusive networking opportunities. A comprehensive technical program covers a wide range of products, innovative technologies, and topics including market trends, raw materials, fibers, and processing used in an array of applications including absorbent products, medical applications, building science, and many others. TAPPI's NET Division covers the global nonwovens business and includes members and nonwovens experts from diverse markets and disciplines. It covers materials, equipment, and processes for the manufacture and use of nonwovens. The division's technical committees sponsor courses, conference sessions, roundtables, and TAPPI PRESS products, as well as networking and problem-solving opportunities.
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