Over the Wire

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Japan, this week reported that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a strategic joint venture with SCG Paper Public Co. of Bangkok, Thailand. The investment will represent a Nippon stake of approximately 30% in the joint venture. It is expected to conclude within the first quarter of 2014.

The joint venture, Nippon Paper says, "will collaboratively enhance the competitiveness of SCG Paper's Fibrous Chain, thereby creating further business opportunities and accelerating business growth in Southeast Asia." The company adds that while enhancing the profitability of its ongoing paper business, it will transform its business structure by allocating managerial resources into growing business fields such as packaging and paper processing, lumber, chemicals, and energy. "This joint venture with SCG Paper will create an effective synergistic platform for further business expansion and will lead to sustainable growth of Nippon Paper Group," the company emphasized.

SCG Paper's Fibrous Chain includes forestry, 470,000 metric tpy of pulp production, 570,000 metric tpy of printing and writing paper capacity, and the manufacture of packaging paper and corrugated containers. Revenues from the Fibrous Chain in FY2012 amounted to approximately 17 billion Baht, equivalent to 30% of SCG Paper's consolidated revenues.

Formerly known as The Siam Pulp & Paper Co., SCG Paper was founded in 1979. It operates as a subsidiary of Siam Cement Public Co. Ltd.

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According to Sweden-based Holmen Skog, Iggesund Paperboard's sister company and forest raw material supplier, modern forest management tries to develop felling methods that resemble the effects of a natural forest fire. Forest fires have served an important ecological function for millennia, the company notes. As a result, the planned and controlled burning of forested areas is becoming increasingly common in the Swedish forest industry.

Earlier this summer, Holmen Skog burned an area on the island of Innerstön, one of the group of Baltic islands that lie offshore from the city of Hudiksvall north of Iggesund. By burning standing timber in controlled circumstances, Holmen says it is implementing an important nature conservation measure that benefits a number of rare species. During the next 16 years, all forests on the island, totaling 380 hectares, will be burned in stages.

"There's not enough burned forest at present," explains Magnus Aretorn, who is in charge of caring for the Holmen Skog forests in the Iggesund region and responsible for nature conservation measures. "By having frequent and recurring fires, we will create a mosaic of burned timber at various stages of decomposition. This will create an environment that is unique in Sweden and will benefit rare species that depend on heat from the fires or on various stages of decomposed, dead, or burned timber."

Examples of Swedish species that benefit from these special conditions are the cranesbill plants Geranium bohemicum and Geranium lanuginosum, the lichen Hypocenomyce anthracophila, the black fire beetle Melanophila acuminata and various species of the powderpost beetle Stephanopachys. Forest fires have many ecological functions and are an important aspect of the cycle of nature, the company points out. For millennia the forests have burned at irregular intervals, often as a result of lightning. Nowadays these fires are put out far more efficiently than before. The result is that few burned forest environments are created naturally. Holmen therefore implements controlled burns on some of its forest land.

Innerstön is surrounded by water and lies in a sheltered setting, making it a safer location for a controlled burn than the mainland. The island has been divided into eight different zones. Each year one of these zones will be burned. By 2028 the entire island, totaling 380 hectares of standing timber, will have been burned. By 2030 the controlled burn will start again in the first zone.

"This might seem to be a long-term perspective but in our industry it's not," Aretorn says. "The raw material for the quality paperboard Invercote comes from our forests in this region. Here it takes between 80 to 100 years for a pine tree to grow. So to put it bluntly, we who are planting the trees now won't still be around when the time comes to harvest them."

The photo below shows a controlled burn on the island of Innerstön offshore from Iggesund Paperboard's mill.

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The 2013 TAPPI PEERS Conference in Green Bay, Wis., USA, September 15-18, focuses on advances and emerging developments in the kraft pulping and bleaching arena as well as chemical recovery. In the chemical recovery island specifically, Session 18 on Tuesday, September 17, from 1:30-3:00 p.m., explores some of the industry's latest developments and breakthroughs in the recovery cycle, focusing on operating floor applications at several pulp mills.

In the first of three papers in this session, Wei Ren and Honghi Tran of the University of Toronto look at the free lime content in lime mud. As the authors point out during this presentation, in the causticizing plant of kraft pulp mills, lime (CaO) is added to the slaker to convert green liquor into white liquor through slaking and causticizing reactions that precipitate lime mud (CaCO3). If the lime dosage exceeds the maximum amount required for the causticizing reaction to reach equilibrium, the precipitated lime mud will contain unreacted Ca(OH)2 or free lime. Such a causticizing condition is conventionally referred to as "overliming," which can cause many problems including poor mud settling, low mud solids content, high soda content, poor kiln thermal performance, high TRS emissions, and ring formation. To avoid overliming, many mills monitor and control their free lime content in lime mud below 2 wt% Ca(OH)2. The free lime content is typically determined in a mill laboratory using the conventional ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) method.

The authors explain that at their laboratory, the free lime contents of mud samples from several mills, with and without problems of low mud solids and/or high TRS emissions, were determined using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). They all were found consistently to have Ca(OH)2 below 2 wt%. Why the values were low and did not change between different mills, and how could such low free lime content have a large impact on lime mud solids and TRS emissions were puzzling. A systematic study was therefore conducted both in the laboratory and at a mill site to examine the effect of overliming on the free lime content and the validity of the TGA and NH4Cl methods used for free lime determination. The results show that the free lime content of a given mud sample was different depending on whether or not the sample was washed before the analysis. For unwashed mud samples, increasing the liming ratio, as expected, resulted in a higher free lime content. For mud samples that had been washed with water, however, the free lime content was low and relatively constant even when they were prepared at a high liming ratio. The low free lime content of the washed mud was suspected to be caused by the continued causticizing reaction between the residual Na2CO3 and Ca(OH)2 and the dissolution of Ca(OH)2 during the washing process.

In pulp mills, the authors note, the free lime analysis is typically performed on mud samples collected from the precoat filter before the lime kiln. Since the samples have already been washed to some extent, the resulting low free lime value cannot be used to indicate the extent of overliming in the causticizing plant. On the other hand, if the analysis is performed on unwashed mud before the precoat filter using the standard NH4Cl method, the result is not correct either. In this case, the unwashed alkali (in the residual white liquor) in the mud will neutralize the NH4Cl reactions, resulting in low free Ca(OH)2 content. This study suggests that there is a need for developing a new method for analyzing the free lime content that truly indicates the degree of overliming, Ren and Tran conclude.

In the second paper of Session 18, Greg Ashton Busby of MeadWestvaco describes a continuous digester that experienced severe erosion-corrosion of the shell wall inside the internal flow collection headers of the extraction and MCC zones. Not surprisingly, the worst damage was located where high velocity liquor exits the screen orifices and enters the collection headers. With erosion-corrosion rates as high as 200 mpy, the damage had effectively reduced the wall thickness in half in the worst areas. Also affected were the horizontal backing rings that form the bottom of the flow channels.

Busby encourages owner-users to inspect these locations in their digesters to ensure that erosion-corrosion has not caused accelerated shell thinning. This, he says, is a location that is not readily accessible for internal visual inspection without removal of the flow collection header covers. External, on-stream UT at the proper collection header elevations is an effective way to detect this erosion-corrosion phenomena. Busby also discusses considerations to make on-stream UT thickness testing as accurate as possible.

In this session's third presentation, Jean-Noel Cloutier of Quebec Hydro examines "Electrolytic Treatment of Black Liquor with Caustic Recovery." According to Cloutier, the technical feasibility of electrolytic acidification of black liquor to precipitate lignin was demonstrated at Quebec Hydro's pilot plant. The electrolytic process was tested in the 4.5 – 7.0 pH range. The best energetic performance was obtained at pH 7.0 while converting 63% of the recovered black liquor sodium into a 10% caustic solution using 3 920 kWh/MT. At pH 4.5, the sodium recovery could reach 70% but at the expense of higher energy consumption partially due to the excessive formation of carbon dioxide. A cyclic caustic rinse of the anode compartment helps to remove the fine lignin particle deposits and restore the cell voltage.

The electrochemical option Cloutier proposes leading to lignin precipitation requires no acidifying agents and generates no additionnal effluent. Moreover, he says, it represents an advantage compared with the chemical approach using CO2 for kraft mills limited by the recausticizing system. .

More information on the 2013 PEERS Conference, and more information on the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference being held September 18-20 in conjunction with PEERS are available online.

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The Harmac pulp mill, Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, has begun feeding power into the British Columbia electrical grid from a new $45 million electrical generation plant. The power is being pumped onto the grid through a 15-year agreement with BC Hydro. By selling its excess power onto the grid, the mill creates a second major revenue source for the first time in its more than 50 year history.

The new cogeneration project burns wood waste from the mill's processes. BC Hydro will receive more than half (approximately 15 MW) of the 25 MW generation plant's electricity, which is enough power to supply 17,000 homes.

The Harmac mill was acquired from bankrupt Pope & Talbot five years ago by Nanaimo Forest Products in a four-way partnership that includes Harmac workers and three private partners. The mill has had investments of more than $100 million in capital projects through government grants and its own funding to improve efficiencies and reduce its carbon footprint. Harmac president Levi Sampson said that work to upgrade the mill's operations to make it more cost effective and to make its operations more environmentally friendly will go on.

The mill paid for construction of the plant from its own sources, but the project comes on the heels of the completion of other major upgrades and renovations, worth $27 million, that were paid for from the federal government's Green Transformation Fund, intended to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance in Harmac's operations, according to a report by Nanaimo Daily News.com. In 2010, Harmac was among 38 pulp and paper mills across Canada to receive funding under the government's $1-billion aid package designed to prop up the nation's struggling pulp and paper industry.

The federal funding paid for upgrades to the mill's power boiler, improvements to two lime kilns, the replacement of two out-of-date water chillers, upgrades to three pulp machines, and the replacement of the mill's steam-driven turbines with electrical motors, among other projects, Nanaimo Daily News.com reported.

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Based on its recent research into the natural fiber composites market, Frost & Sullivan, U.K., has presented Mondi, South Africa, with its 2013 Global New Product Innovation Leadership Award for Fibromer®, Mondi's natural fiber composite that offers high mechanical performance with significant weight reduction. This makes it an ideal replacement for polymers and polymer compounds in a number of industries, including the automotive sector.

Frost & Sullivan notes that Mondi has leveraged years of expertise in the paper and pulp industry to develop this innovative and revolutionary product. Manufactured through a proprietary compounding technology that homogenously mixes pulp with polymer granules, Fibromer exhibits superior performance attributes when compared with short-glass fiber, other natural fibers, and talc-filled composites. The lower density of the material combined with the incorporation of cellulosic fibers in optimal proportion makes the finished components much lighter than before. Since Fibromer is highly compatible with injection molding processes; it also helps reduce fabrication time by up to 30%.

"This is very relevant today as OEMs and Tier-I suppliers are increasingly relying on high volume processing," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Deepak Karthikeyan. "Fibromer also enables higher productivity, higher tensile strength, increased stiffness, higher heat distortion temperature, and lower density of the final composite part."

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leverage leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value added features/benefits of the product and the increased ROI it offers customers, which in turn increases customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.

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An accident this past week at RockTenn's Hodge, La., USA, linerboard mill resulted in one fatality and two injuries. All three were contract workers hired to clean out a vat of chemicals. According to a report by thenewsstar.com (Monroe, La.), Dewey Seymour, EVP of Deep South Industrial Services, confirmed that one of his employees died in the accident. He said the investigation is still ongoing.

A second Deep South employee was transported to the Jackson Parish Hospital and later released after being treated for minor burns. The third man, who was employed by Pulp Mill Services, was airlifted to a burn center in Shreveport, La.

Seymour said the men were cleaning the tank, which was filled with about six inches of liquid, when the accident happened. An investigation is underway as to the cause of the accident.

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Below is the latest listing of job openings in the TAPPI Career Center. The current listing includes job openings for a variety of positions including product manager, senior industrial designer, sales manager, site manager, and R&D researcher. Current, specific job openings at companies and locations in the TAPPI Career Center include:

Employer	Title	Location
Clark Nexsen	Senior Industrial Designer	Brunswick, Ga.
Fluor	Site Manager	Louisiana
GL&V	USA Product Manager	New Hampshire
Homasote Co.	Mgr. Lab, Development, and Quality	W. Trenton, N.J.
KapStone Paper & Packaging	Sales Manager - Oakland	Oakland, Calif.
MeadWestVaco	R&D Researcher - Paper Science	Virginia
P.H. Glatfelter	Direct Materials Sourcing Specialist	York, Pa.
RockTenn Merchand. Displays	Design Assistant	Bentonville, Ark.
Suddekor LLC	Quality Supervisor	E. Longmeadow, Mass.

More information about these jobs is available online.

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The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC), Brussels, Belgium, this week announced an impressive 71.7% paper recycling rate for Europe. In its annual monitoring report, the ERPC revealed that current paper consumption in Europe has dropped by 13% to the level of 1998, but the recycled amount of paper is 1.5 times higher than in 1998.

Since 2000, the ERPC has worked consistently on improving the quantity and quality of paper available for recycling. The ERPC monitoring report releases extra insights into the wider context of paper recycling, revealing that Europe is the global champion in this field. Furthermore, the ERPC reports that in Europe paper fiber is recycled an astounding 3.5 times a year. World-wide the average is 2.4 times.

The report illustrates additional good news. The number of European countries with a recycling rate below 60% has decreased, whereas there are 13 countries where paper recycling rates exceed 70%. To increase paper recycling especially in Central Europe, several ERPC members are partners in EU funded projects working to improve collection systems in that region.

Commenting on the results of the report, ERPC Secretary Jori Ringman-Beck, said that "the European paper value chain devotes huge efforts year after year to simplify paper recycling for citizens and consumers in offices and at home. The figures in the report prove that paper recycling is truly an industry "made in Europe." And in line with EU policies, "it needs to be safeguarded to remain so."

In addition, the ERPC will award innovative technology developments and information campaigns in paper recycling at the European Paper Recycling Awards. The event takes place on October 2 in the European Parliament.

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Weaker pulp markets and a strengthening U.S. dollar have resulted in lower wood fiber prices in U.S. dollar terms in most of the major markets, according to Wood Resources Quarterly (WRQ), Seattle, Wash., USA. During the past two years, hardwood fiber prices have fallen more than softwood fiber prices.

The Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) has fallen every quarter for two years with one exception. In the 2Q/13, the HFPI was $100.46, which was 3.1% lower than the previous quarter and 14.8% below the all-time high in the 3Q/11. The biggest price declines since the 1Q/13 have occurred in France, Japan, Australia, Russia, and Germany, WRQ says.

The Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) was also down in the 2Q/13, WRQ continues, but the decline over the past two years has been less dramatic than that of HFPI. In the 2Q/13, the SFPI was $97.75, down 2.2% from 1Q/13, with the biggest price reductions seen in Norway, Japan, France, and Australia.

Higher demand for pulp added upward pressure on prices of both softwood pulp (NBSK—northern bleached softwood kraft) and hardwood pulp (BHK—bleached hardwood kraft) during the 2Q/13, with the biggest price increases occurring in the U.S. Prices have gone up faster for NBSK, with the price premium over BHK averaging $40/ton in the 2Q/13, compared with $30/ton in the 1Q/13, according to WRQ.

In the global biomass market, pellet prices in Germany have increased substantially the past year from an average of EUR 227/metric ton in the 2Q/12 to EUR 267/metric ton in the 2Q/13. In the U.S. South, pellet export volumes to Europe resumed their double-digit growth after a brief pause in the fourth quarter of 2012.

More information is available online.

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Construction of a new, $268 million biomass-fired power plant at Domtar's Rothschild, Wis., USA, mill is nearing completion, with testing of the generator beginning this week. The new boiler will burn 500,000 tons of biomass per year. The biomass will come from within 75 miles of Rothschild, culled from forests (wood removed from the forest floor after logging operations) and sawmills in northern Wisconsin. The boiler will also burn wood wastes from the mill's processes.

The project, which got underway in 2011, is expected to burn 500,000 tons of biomass a year, generating power around the clock. The electricity will be sold to the local We Energies utility, with excess steam being used by the mill. The mill actually will purchase the steam from We Energies. This allows Domtar to shut down its existing steam generation facilities and buy steam at a lower cost.

Although the total price tag for the project is $268 million, a federal grant that is expected to be awarded next year will trim that by about $80 million, according to an article by the Milwaukee, Wis.-based Journal Sentinel.

The power plant, to be supervised by a We Energies manager and run by 30 Domtar employees, is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year, and generate enough power to supply 32,000 homes.

The mill began testing of the new boiler using natural gas as its fuel. It will soon begin test-firing using wood materials.

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Exopack Advanced Coatings, U.K., a global producer of precision coated papers, films, and specialty substrates for imaging, electronic, medical, optical, and security technologies, has purchased InteliCoat Technologies, South Hadley, Mass., USA, a global producer of high performance digital imaging substrates. This acquisition will enable further product development at Exopack, the company noted, and increase its "unique competitiveness of as a global manufacturer."

"With 50 years of designing and engineering coatings and coating processes, Exopack Advanced Coatings is uniquely qualified to grow the ink jet media business further," said David Neal, president at Exopack Advanced Coatings. "InteliCoat's intellectual property, marketing and branding competencies, combined with Exopack Advanced Coatings' precision coating expertise and multitude of coating assets, will definitely give us the opportunity to expand our role in the digital imaging market."

Exopack intends to keep all Magic®, Magiclée®, Museo®, and JetSet® offerings, consisting of the same base papers and coating processes. The InteliCoat brands will continue to be sold through the current distribution channel of Magic brand dealers. Additionally, InteliCoat's sales, marketing, and customer service team will remain in western Massachusetts, USA.

"We see InteliCoat's sale to Exopack Advanced Coatings as the next logical step to ensuring the continued growth of our award-winning Magic®, Magiclée®, Museo® and JetSet® brands," said Ed McCarron, director of sales and marketing at InteliCoat Technologies.

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Ilim Group, St. Petersburg, Russia, this week announced changes to its organizational structure. The company is finalizing its large investment projects worth $1.5 billion and entering a new phase of its development targeted to increase company efficiency by ramping up the new production lines, improving its business processes, and implementing a transparent and efficient organizational structure.

The main changes in Ilim's organizational structure are related to the company moving to an operational model of holding structure and changing from geography-based to end-to-end functional management. As a result, business units Ilim West and Ilim East will be dissolved and new positions in top management of the company—sales and manufacturing—will be introduced.

Brett Mosley becomes VP in charge of manufacturing. Viktor Atamanov, former managing director of strategic planning and marketing, becomes VP in charge of sales.

All first level team members leading the functions such as Finance, Human Resources, Procurement & Supply Chain Management, Legal and Security, and Government and Public Relations will become vice-presidents.

According to Franz Josef Marx, CEO of Ilim Group, these changes are aimed at increasing overall efficiency of the company. "We have invested a lot of our effort and resources to implement our capital projects. Now is the time to get the result we aimed for. I am convinced that changes will allow us to deliver more value for the business by unleashing our full potential and help us join the ranks of the world's most efficient pulp and paper companies." Marx said.

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Imerys, Paris, France, reports that it recently received an offer from Omya, Switzerland, for the acquisition of four industrial sites that beneficiate calcium carbonate for the paper market. These sites are located in Europe (Sainte-Croix de Mareuil in France, Köping in Sweden, Massa in Italy) and in the U.S. (Kimberly, Wis.), and represent a total revenue of approximately EUR 5 million.

Imerys and Omya have entered into exclusive negotiations to examine the feasibility of a mutually beneficial transaction, in particular with a view to ensure long-term supply and high-quality service for the customers. The process for the consultation of the relevant Imerys' works councils on this project is also being initiated at the same time. Pending results of this study, this project could be completed in the first quarter of 2014.

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The Rottneros Group, Sweden, reports that due to the successful development of pulp from both virgin and recycled fibers used to make paperboards, the company has decided to continue the production of groundwood pulp at the mill. Plans announced in the spring of 2012 to shut down the mill's groundwood line will not be implemented, which means that notices of termination will no longer be given to approximately 30 employees. The line will also continue to produce pulp for printing paper and special applications.

With the groundwood line and the CTMP line in full production, the company notes that its Rottneros Mill is one of the most comprehensive suppliers of high-yield pulp throughout the world, with customers in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Rottneros is an independent producer of market pulp. The Group includes the parent company Rottneros and its subsidiaries Rottneros Bruk AB and Vallviks Bruk AB, with operations involving the production and sale of market pulp. The Group, which also includes the wood procurement company Rottneros Baltic SIA in Latvia, has around 300 employees and had a turnover of approximately SEK 1.5 billion in the 2012 financial year.

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Tissue producer Sepac (Serrados e Pasta de Celulose), Mallet, Brazi, has ordered a fifth tissue machine from Voith (Germany). Sepac already is one of the 10 largest toilet paper producers in South America, but the new machine will allow the mill to increase its production by an additional 35,000 metric tpy. Earlier this year, the company started up its new PM 4 at the mill in Mallet.

Expected to begin operating in the first semester of 2014, the Voith VTM2 machine delivered to Sepac will be one of the most modern machines for this paper grade in the Brazilian market. Designed to reach operating speeds of up to 2,000 m/min, VTM2 will be capable of producing 100 metric tpd of single- and double-ply toilet paper with basis weights between 15 and 19 gsm.

One of the project's highlights is the NipcoFlex T shoe press and the 4.8 m (16 ft.) steel plate yankee cylinder, which, together, will not only enable greater operating speed and paper quality, but also allow Sepac's new machine to use up to 20% less thermal energy.

The scope of supply also includes the complete stock preparation process with an IntensaPulper and two TwinFlo refiners with Pluralis discs for lower energy consumption. Furthermore, the Sepac PM 5 will feature a MasterJet Pro T headbox, complete MCS and DCS automation systems, a thermal oil drying hood built to operate at a temperature of 350°C, the complete vacuum system, and a MasterReel winder.

"It is very important for us to be able to develop and supply solutions for yet another project for Sepac – the third one in five years. This proves the company's confidence in our products and the services we have continued to provide," said Rogério Berardi, global VP for tissue machines at Voith Paper.

Sepac began operating in the late 1970s, initially undertaking reforestation efforts and supplying forest tree seedlings in Mallet, a city located in the south of Brazil. The company then went on to produce tissue papers. The company has been widely acknowledged for the investments in technology that it has brought to its region, as well as the quality of its products, which are aimed at the personal care market.

More information is available online.

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Verso Paper Corp., Memphis, Tenn., USA, announced that it has selected Dirigo Timberlands to receive a Verso Forest Certification Grant. Dirigo is a forest management company that provides forest management planning, road construction, and timber harvesting services to a range of forest ownerships throughout the state of Maine. The grant will enable the company to pursue group certification of its client landowners to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Family Forest Standard which, in turn, will allow Dirigo to increase the amount of FSC-certified pulpwood it supplies to Verso's two paper mills in Maine. Dirigo's primary focus is on long-term, sustainable forest management for small and medium sized land ownerships. With five licensed professional foresters and two registered forest technicians, the company has the required expertise to pursue a Resource Manager Group Certification Program to enroll landowners in FSC's group certification program. Dirigo achieved "Well Managed Group Forest Certification" effective August 20 (License Code FSC-C117893).

"Verso has a long history of promoting third-party forest certification within our wood supply chain," said Verso Fiber Supply Manager Jim Contino. "We launched the Verso Forest Certification Grant Program last year to help increase the amount of certified fiber available to our mills. Dirigo's project is well suited to our criteria, and our existing wood supplier relationship with them will be even stronger as a result of this partnership."

"It's refreshing to see a large mill customer like Verso willing to support efforts to increase the number of small landowners enrolled in certification systems," said Dirigo Timberlands President Blaine Miller. "We believe increasing the amount of certified wood products from small landowners is the next step in keeping Maine's mills competitive and keeping our forest products economy healthy, thus benefitting us all."

Anyone interested in learning more about the Verso Forest Certification Grant Program or in obtaining a grant application should contact Greg Barrows.

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Packages Limited, Lahore, Pakistan, has used Voith, Germany, throughout this year to help it achieve a company goal of environmentally friendly and energy efficient tissue production. To further lower energy consumption during production, Packages Limited's TM 9 tissue machine has been continuously improved.

Earlier this year, Voith installed head insulation on the yankee cylinder and additionally improved its internal condensate removal system. That project now saves 210 kg of steam per hour. As a positive secondary effect, this also increased the speed of the TM 9 to 2,000 m/min.

Hyder Ali, CEO of Packages Limited, emphasizes the strong project cooperation. "Voith has been a good partner for us for years. We were very satisfied with the installation of our TM 9 tissue machine. From the beginning, the machine produced the highest quality, which has not only strengthened our position in the Pakistani market, but has also driven demand from abroad. We are working on an ongoing basis with Voith to further improve the machine and to achieve low energy consumption. We have thus succeeded in operating the TM 9 at this new speed level. We are not resting on this success, but rather are constantly working to achieve even higher goals."

The tissue machine (TM 9), delivered by Voith, was started-up in the summer of 2008. It has a MasterJet T headbox, a suction press roll concept, a 16-ft cast yankee cylinder, and a MasterReel reeler.

Packages Limited is a producer of paper and board. The company started in 1958 as a joint venture with Swedish packaging producer Akerlund & Rausing. Recently, Packages Limited founded a joint venture in Kasur, Pakistan, with Stora Enso. The company employs about 3,000 people and in 2012 posted sales of approximately EUR 185 million.

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Hexacomb Corp., Buffalo Grove, Ill., USA, a Boise Inc. company that produces paper-based protective packaging and graphic display boards, has opened a new manufacturing facility in central Mexico. Located in the state of Querétaro, the new facility will produce Hexacomb's full line of paper-based honeycomb protective packaging products, including sheets, runners, and edge and corner protectors.

"Due to the sizeable demand in Mexico for Hexacomb products, we have added a second manufacturing facility there. We have helped many Mexican customers, who range from large multinational corporations to smaller regional companies, to lower their total system costs by switching to Hexacomb honeycomb," said Scott Daniel, president.

Hexacomb had been supplying its many customers in central Mexico from its Monterrey facility, which is located in the northeastern part of the country. With Hexacomb's business growing in central Mexico, the new manufacturing facility is ideally located to support the needs of that region. The additional Hexacomb honeycomb production output will address growing demand from multiple market segments including automotive, glass, spinning mills, appliances, and food/beverage.

"It's important to locate a manufacturing facility in close proximity to our customers. This has a positive impact on both speed-of-delivery and freight costs and is in keeping with the environmentally-responsible nature of our product line," Daniel said.

Hexacomb has 13 manufacturing plants located in North America and Europe. More information is available online.

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Nippon Paper Industries Co., Japan, reports that beginning October 1, it will begin operating a Containerboard Sales Division and a Duplex Board and Industrial Paper Sales Division. Creation of these two new divisions is part of the company's restructuring of its existing Paperboard Division

Nippon Paper Industries, a holding company, is Japan's largest paper and paperboard producer, with some 180 subsidiaries, affiliates, and related companies producing paper and paperboard for packaging, specialty paper, household tissue products, beverage cartons, films, chemicals, and lumber and building materials. Nippon Paper Group has about 20 mills in Japan and extensive overseas operations.

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Stora Enso, Finland, has ordered two Metso (Finland) IQ Moisturizer systems for BM 4 at its Imatra Mills in Finland. Stora Enso previously had installed IQ Moisturizers at its Tainionkoski and Inkeroinen boards mills in Finland. Metso's moisturizer design reportedly will eliminate a current water spotting and streaking problem at the Imatra Mills, resulting in improved board quality and avoiding broke.

The mill plans to improve top side surface quality and precisely control sheet curl for the liquid packaging board, which is the main grade produced on the 355,000 metric tpy machine. BM 4 has a wire width of 6.95 meters and a maximum design speed of 600 m/min.

Metso's IQ CD profiling moisturizer achieves precise control of CD moisture with four rows of micro droplet nozzles, which are controlled steplessly using linear water control valves equipped with electromechanical actuators and position feedback.

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Stora Enso, Finland, and Aalto University, Finland, this week announced the opening of the Recreate Packaging 2014 design competition, aimed at package designers worldwide. The task is to create new solutions for travel packaging based on renewable materials.

The Recreate Packaging 2014 competition is focused on travel. Increasing numbers of consumers today are constantly on the move and travel all around the world. However, this is hardly visible in current packaging solutions, which pay very little attention to sustainability, portability, lightness, and convenience of packaging. Stora Enso believes that fiber-based renewable materials hold a great potential to exhibit these qualities and even to replace plastics, aluminum, and glass to create attractive yet sustainable packaging solutions that serve travelers' needs.

The entry period for Recreate Packaging 2014 started this past Monday, September 2, and will close on Jan. 31, 2014. The detailed competition brief is available at the competition website. Entrants are asked to select three beauty and/or health care products that are important to carry while travelling, and rethink packaging solutions for those. The desired packaging materials are specified in the competition brief.

Organizers of Recreate Packaging 2014 welcome entries from both professional designers and design students. "We expect that the international and diverse perspective of the competition will inspire ambitious designers to seek new avenues for product and packaging development in various product categories," says Prof. Mikko Koria of the International Design Business Management (IDBM) Program at Aalto University School of Business.

Through its design competition, Stora Enso wants to encourage designers to rethink packaging and to familiarize themselves with the renewable, fiber-based packaging materials. The competition offers designers a great opportunity to gain more visibility, attention, and commercial opportunities for their designs. Attractive prizes, including the first prize of EUR 8,000, are another incentive.

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Thai Gorilla Pulp Ltd. (TGP), Rayong, Thailand, reports that it has received an order for several million in-flight boxes from Thai Airways International Public Co. The carton boxes will be made using TGP's palm pulp kraft liner technology.

TGP CEO Ryosuke Tanaka noted that "last year our company received the Environmental Award by the governor of Bangkok, and now we welcome Thai Airways as a new customer. Being recognized by a prestigious company such as Thai Airways is not only a major step forward for our business, but it also shows that highly innovative companies are accepted in Thailand. Being green, environmental, and sustainable does not necessarily mean more expensive. We continue to focus on achieving our goal to protect the rainforests and forests of our earth."

In 2008 (when it was founded), TGP, a 100% subsidiary of Pulp GreenTech Holding AG in Liechtenstein, invented and since has continuously improved pulping technology using palm oil waste—the Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB). Since 2008, TGP has successfully developed methods to convert Palm Oil EFB into paper and paperboard products.

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Munksjö, Helsinki, Finland, reports that at LabelExpo Europe, September 24-27 in Brussels, Belgium, it will introduce Acti-V LEAF 50 gsm, a new lightweight release paper with superior mechanical characteristics, for production of thinner and lighter PSA labelstock laminates. With a tensile strength comparable to that of much heavier standard release papers, Acti-V LEAF enables the use of less material, improves efficiency and sustainability, while providing safety of high strength. It additionally features unique Acti-V benefits that make silicone coating more efficient and reliable.

Acti-V technology, introduced in 2011, was successfully extended to the entire range of supercalendered release papers, for one or two-side silicone coating. It allows a revolutionary silicone anchorage and significant savings on energy and catalyst cost in the silicone formulations. The product was tested with formulations below 20 platinum ppm and coated at speeds of more than 1,200 m/min, according to Munksjö.

For PSA graphics applications, the Silco Flat range offers the widest portfolio of specialized clay-coated release papers to answer the most demanding wide-format printing needs, Munksjö adds. Recent developments have included Silco Flat Premium for the most sensitive vinyl and thin transparent films and Silco Flat HB, specifically developed for plotter cut application, allowing precise cut even with the most complex shapes.

New Silco Office 50 and 55 gsm will enlarge the offering of clay-coated release papers for office applications such as A4 labels for home and office desktop printers. These new grades meet market expectations for lighter and more sustainable solutions with no compromise on performance, the company says.

Munksjö also will introduce a dedicated range of release papers for pre-impregnated composites materials used by industries such as marine, aerospace, wind-energy, leisure, or automotive. This range of process papers includes supercalendered, clay-coated, and SCK grades for silicone coating on both sides.

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Paperchine Quantum Solutions (PQS), an AstenJohnson company (Charleston, S.C., USA) and HTRC Industrial Solutions (Sherbrooke, Que., Canada) this week announced a joint development agreement to offer new technology that will support the day-to-day operations in paper mills. "We are very excited to be able to combine the papermaking strength of PQS with the technological capabilities HTRC has perfected over the past 30 years," said Jean-Pierre Bouchard, VP of PQS.

Benoit Laplante, president of Sales at HTRC, agreed, saying that "the new software will benefit papermakers with all levels of experience. The tool will be especially helpful to mills that have had to reduce their staffing levels over the past decade yet increase their productivity and quality levels."

The product, called WebMaster™, will provide frontline papermakers with a powerful tool to track process changes in real time and take action before production and quality are negatively impacted. The product offers three key benefits. First, it relies on advanced algorithms to pinpoint unusual conditions or trend changes. Second, the software is predictive and will warn the operator with its Predictive Smart Alarms™. This feature will help save valuable time and resources by signaling the location of the problem. Third, the software can be easily customized for each machine.

The HTRC Master™ suite, which includes JumboMaster™ and WindMaster™, already has a proven track record for providing significant productivity improvement on more than 85 machines in North America. The addition of the WebMaster™ product will elevate the package to a completely different level.

Bouchard and Laplante both explained that the integration of a solution to reduce paper loss with the papermaking and training features of the WebMaster™ software is definitely a breakthrough in paper machine technology. "We live in a world where productivity and quality are the norm. This product will make it easier for papermakers to achieve their goals."

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TEXO Consulting & Controls Inc., Baie D'Urfé, Qué, Canada, has introduced its Chip Management System (CMS) that provides online, real-time measurement of many important chip properties on the chip conveyor. TEXO's COOK-X advanced process controls (APC) use the measurements to manage chip filling, alkali to wood charging, and to stabilize digester cooking conditions.

CMS measures chip mass flow, moisture, volume, dry bulk density, and bark content. The measurement system was developed by Centre de Recherche Industrielle du Québec (CRIQ). The patented chip measurements and APC controls have been successfully commissioned at a Canadian kraft pulp mill.

The results are encouraging as impregnation vessel and continuous hydraulic digester levels have been stabilized, liquor to wood ratio is controlled to target, and kappa number variability has been reduced. The measurements allow flash steam use to be optimized in the pre-steaming operation, while reducing venting to the atmosphere, allowing displaced fresh steam to be used in the mill's turbine. This provides an extra 2 MW of electricity to be sold on the grid. The ultimate purpose is to control the digester blow line kappa number and achieve stability in power production.

More information is available by contacting Laurier Morissette at TEXO Consulting & Controls.

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AkzoNobel has appointed David Allen its new head of Integrated Supply Chain. He will officially take up the position on Oct. 1, 2013.

Allen joins AkzoNobel from China National Bluestar Group, where he was COO since 2009. Prior to joining Bluestar he previously worked for General Electric Co. and Sabic in various operations, manufacturing, and logistics roles. Allen will report directly to CEO Ton Büchner.

"We are delighted to have appointed someone of David's caliber and standing," said Büchner. "He brings strong operations, manufacturing, and logistics experience from across Europe, USA, Asia Pacific, and China. His broad experience in our industries combined with his strong track record in improving operational performance will be a valuable addition to our team as we continue to take our strategy forward."

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Double E Co., West Bridgewater, Mass., USA, a global supplier of web handling accessories to the paper, film, and foil web converting, packaging, and printing industries, has appointed Bryan R. Gregory as its new CEO. Gregory has a broad background in industrial products, safety sensors, control systems, and communications.

Prior to joining Double E, Gregory was president of Dynaco USA, a private equity backed manufacturer of high performance industrial doors that was acquired by Assa Abloy in 2012. Earlier in his career he was president of BEA Inc., a safety sensor company, and founder of Corona Optical Systems Inc., an optical communications company that was acquired by Emcore Corp. in 2004. Gregory holds a number of patents related to optical components and communications technologies. He has an MBA in International Business and a BS in Electrical Engineering.

Double E, established in 1972, engineers and manufactures a complete line of advanced web handling accessories, including core chucks, core shafts, rollers, core cutters, and roll stands. The company services customers ranging from corrugated board producers and paper mills to high-speed printers and flexible packaging plants. It has manufacturing and engineering in the U.S. and Italy.

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Twin Rivers Paper Co., Madawaska, Maine, USA, this week reported that Kenneth Winterhalter is its new president, effective August 26. As president, Winterhalter will be instrumental in setting the strategic direction of the company. His attention, the company noted, will be on building a growing, profitable business and creating long-term value.

Winterhalter joins Twin Rivers with an extensive professional background in both private equity and public sectors. His experience includes 20-plus years in senior management, manufacturing, and distribution.

Prior to joining Twin Rivers, Winterhalter held leadership roles as CEO, president, VP of sales and marketing, and SVP, strategic development. His most recent positions as CEO/president of National Envelope and president of Unisource Worldwide demonstrated his strategic direction, team building effectiveness, and sales management.

Twin Rivers Paper produces packaging, label, and publishing products for targeted markets and applications. The company has operations in Maine and New Brunswick.

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Tapio Kolunsarka has been appointed EVP of UPM Raflatac, Finland, and a new member of the UPM Group Executive Team, effective September 1. He transferred to the new position from his current post as SVP of UPM Raflatac EMEA.

Kolunsarka has more than 10 years of experience in business development and general management in Europe and the Americas. He joined UPM Raflatac in 2002, and has since held various key positions within operations, supply chain, and business management.

"I am excited to be taking the helm at UPM Raflatac. Our company has a successful growth track record spanning 40 years, based on excellent customer service and first-class expertise," Kolunsarka said. "Our firm aim for the future is to continue serving customers even better."

Current head Jussi Vanhanen has decided to leave UPM after 18 years, to pursue personal interests in writing and to act as a management advisor at a leading consulting company.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed more than a decade with UPM Raflatac and the global labeling community, and will definitely miss it. At the same time, it is clear to me that it is time to renew myself and look at life and business from a different angle," Vanhanen said. "I plan to complete a book, a novel, which I started writing some years ago. I know I will regret later if I do not take this step. I also feel comfortable leaving now, because I know I am leaving UPM Raflatac in great hands for the future."

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Poole Co., Greenville, S.C., USA, a producer and distributor of textile fibers, and a specialist in nonwoven fibers, virgin polyester fibers, recycled fibers, and heavy denier fibers, this week announced that it has hired Craig Winebarger as part of the company's nonwoven fibers segment. Winebarger will be responsible for developing and growing the company's business in the nonwoven fibers sector.

David Poole, CEO of Poole Company, noted that Winebarger "has worked in the nonwoven fiber industry for more than 30 years." His experience includes sales and marketing, new business development, product development, and manufacturing. Poole added that "his knowledge of the industry expands from engineering and sustainability to science and technology, making him an excellent resource for our nonwoven customers."

Nonwoven fibers by Poole are used in markets such as hygiene for diapers and adult incontinence; wipes including cosmetic and baby wipe products; industrial products for scrubbing pads, substrates, and roofing materials; filtration products for liquids and gas forms; and foam replacement fibers. These nonwoven fibers are available in both virgin and recycled compositions. The recycled version is EcoSure – a staple fiber made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) PET flake.

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"If you mess it up, un-mess it."...Fred von Zueben, retired, CEO, The Newark Group

I was with The Newark Group 10 years prior to coming on board with TAPPI. One of the things I will always remember is the aforementioned comment. The comment was actually a bit more colorful than that, but you get the point.

If you have been around any time at all in our industry, you know that things will get messed up in the areas of finished goods—either in handling roll goods, forklift, or transit damage. Things are going to happen.

What's a papermaker to do? Damaged rolls can equate to big losses, so what are the options? I am always on the lookout for solutions for our members' problems.

I ran into a company, years ago, at a TAPPI event. They were actually part of the exhibit space at SRW—TAPPI's Shipping, Receiving & Warehousing Committee's annual meeting. I went by their booth and met Steve Mills of FiberCore Onsite Paper Services.

These folks have an answer for roll damage. They offer high quality, mobile, paper roll converting as well as a mobile service that can package rolls in a tight, kraft wrapper. Roll converting is done without rewinding, so original mill quality is preserved, which allows them to convert good or damaged inventory. Their list of products and services goes on way beyond what I described.

Steve visited with us at TAPPI World Headquarters on July 12, 2013.

He called his longtime friend Ken Patrick about a visit while he was in the Atlanta area on business. Steve wanted to brainstorm opportunities to advance his understanding of TAPPI's reach to our global industry.

He is planning a trip to China later this year in an effort to expand his business there.

Steve is a straight shooter and his employees are the same way.

                 In the photo above, Steve Mills (left) and Ken Patrick brainstorm about issues in our industry. 

More information on FiberCore is available online.

More information on TAPPI is also available online.

There are two types of people in our industry; TAPPI members, and those who should be.

Until next time...................

Larry

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TAPPI is offering a new free webinar:

Foundations of Leadership Excellence: "Real Leadership: What Every Leader Needs to Know"
With Steve Farmer, Certified John Maxwell Team Instructor

September 10
 1:00 p.m. EST

If you're in a position to lead others and want greater confidence, this webinar will be of interest to you. You will gain an overview of team building, accountability, performance optimization, and identification of other factors of organizational success. Emerging leaders, high-potentials, and area operating managers and other technical professionals would benefit from this webinar as well as the full course being offered October 22-24.

The webinar is hosted by Steve Farmer, an engineering graduate of Auburn University (BSIE), and a 35-year paper industry professional. He has held key leadership roles in the manufacturing, customer service, and logistics areas. Steve is a certified instructor for the John Maxwell Team, teaching the leadership principals of Maxwell to leaders across the industry.

Course instructors for TAPPI's Foundations of Leadership Excellence Course have earned approximately 100 years of combined experience in leadership, management, and human resource roles within the pulp & paper industry.

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You can still get involved, build contacts and learn at the 25th Pulp and Paper Reliability and Maintenance Conference – a popular "how-to" event held expressly for operations and maintenance professionals in the industry. This event will take place September 9-12 in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

Sponsored by IDCON and Metso, this conference offers:

• Leading industry keynote speakersInsightful presentations
• Technical information
• Solutions to improve reliability
• Techniques to impact the bottom line.

Find out more and register online.

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As a long-time executive with Stora Enso, and now the proprietor of Strategy First Ltd Oy, Asko Hyttinen has used nearly 20 years of TAPPI membership to fine tune his understanding of global behaviors specific to the pulp, paper, and packaging industry. He accomplished this over the years by attending numerous conferences and classes, networking with other members across North America and Europe, and through active participation on a number of TAPPI committees.

Having lived extensively on two continents, including four moves back and forth "across the pond," Asko is familiar with the need to educate oneself on new environments. He applies that understanding to the P&P world, noting he has a pertinent desire to develop the paper and forest products industry inside and outside of industrial companies. "Developing a unique global knowledge and understanding of industry behavior and success factors is key to that," he says.

Find out more by reading this month's Member Spotlight. Spotlight participants are recommended by fellow members and staff. If you would like to nominate a member just send their name (or names) to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org. We will forward a Spotlight Questionnaire for you to fill out and return.

We look forward to seeing you in the Spotlight!

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There are some great ideas waiting for you at the TAPPI PEERS Conference.

You still have time to register online for PEERS, a conference that can help you maximize efficiency and mill operations.

Projects that will improve your energy consumption and compliance:

• Precipitator dust purification – mill case study
• Latest electrostatic precipitator technology 
• Improvements in emission controls and MACT compliance.
  

Improvements to your pulping operation:

• Kraft pulping innovations
• CIO2 bleaching strategies
• Bagasse and bamboo pulping.  
  

Latest in recycling technology:

• Deinking technologies
• Microstickies measurement and control
• Water loop management.
  

You will also not want to miss:

• Networking with global experts in pulping, recycling, engineering, and bioenergy
• New Technology Showcase – hear about the latest supplier innovations
• Trade fair with more than 30 leading suppliers and consultants
• Tour of Historic Lambeau Field.
  

Special Mill Registration Offer:
For one flat fee, pulp, paper, and tissue mills can bring an unlimited number of employees to PEERS. Corporate offices and multiple sites within a single company can register multiple employees for discounted rates as well. You can attend for one hour, one day, or the entire conference and take advantage of the topics related to your job.  

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The Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA), a public-private partnership working to develop jet fuel and co-products from forest-based feedstocks, is a new, promising approach to successful commercial development and the establishment of sustainable production of bioenergy and bioproducts. Linda A. Beltz, Ph.D., NPDP, director, Technology Partnerships for Weyerhaeuser, will present "NARA: Public Private Partnerships to Advance the Forest Products Industry" during TAPPI's International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference, September 18-20 in Green Bay, Wis., USA.  

Weyerhaeuser announced its engagement with NARA as a subcontractor to support investigations into feedstock development, including sustainable production, cost-effective use of under-utilized harvest material, and conversion of lignin into value-added products. Weyerhaeuser also contributes to NARA in team leadership and development of Phase and Gate processes. 

Learn more about NARA and the latest in advancing biorefineries in the forest products industry at the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference. IBBC, the only industry event of its kind, is held in conjunction with the PEERS Conference (September 15-18), TAPPI's leading event for those involved in mill pulping operations, engineering projects, and environmental processes. Also included is the 10th Research Forum on Recycling.

IBBC includes three full days of technical sessions through which you will also be able to learn the latest developments in the forest-based biorefineries. Build your relationships with key decision makers at the ample networking opportunities both on the exhibit floor and the conference dinner and receptions.

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Gulf Coast TAPPI Local Section will host its Fall Meeting in partnership with the Alabama Pulp and Paper Council and Auburn Pulp & Paper Foundation, September 11-13. The meeting will be held at the Auburn University Hotel & Conference Center.

More information is available at the meeting website.

 

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Registration is now open for the 2013 TAPPI Corrugated Press Hands-On Maintenance Workshop, September 17-18 at the Global Equipment USA Warehouse in Skokie, Ill., USA.

This unique course gives you an unprecedented opportunity to get hands-on training on how to audit converting machines. With only 18 seats available, you will have ample opportunity to get your questions answered by instructors Tom Pearce (Pearce Corrugated Consulting), John Bingham (Pamarco), Jim Wegemer (INXinc), Chuck Bobeldyk (Mark-Maker Co.), Randy Kesselring (MarquipWardUnited), as well as representatives from Global Equipment. The schedule for this course is packed into just two efficiently planned days so that participants get loads of skill and experience without much time away from their own operations.

Who should attend?
This Intermediate-level course offers indispensable hands-on maintenance training for corrugated industry plant managers and supervisors, engineers, maintenance teams, and machine operators.

You could pour over all of  the how-to manuals available and still not retain this level and quality of working knowledge.  Completing this workshop will enable you to:

• Use the basic tools to mechanically audit and troubleshoot a press
• Understand press audit procedures for process centering, better quality products, and increased productivity 
• Discuss anilox roll selection, press "fingerprinting," inks and substrates, quality defects amd cause(s), and scoring. 

Register and join TAPPI or renew your membership to receive the best rates.

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The 2013 Building Science Committee Technical Program will include papers on: Process Variation Reduction, Glass Sizing Basics; Burner Safety and Efficiency; Biological Treatment Case Study; Operator and Mechanical Training to Enhance Operational Effectiveness; and IT Systems to Manage Roll Goods and Reduce Waste.

This year's program will focus on aiding production managers and engineers in the fiberglass mat industry. Attendees will get the first-hand knowledge needed to improve their mat processes with production-targeted papers.

These topics and more will be covered in the comprehensive technical program. Tim Worms, of 3M's Industrial Mineral Products Division, is returning by popular demand to present his outlook for housing starts and the roofing forecast for this year. Kirby Erickson, of GAF, will discuss critical safety issues to be aware of as you seek to implement new efficiency and pollution requirements in curing ovens. In addition he will provide an example of how mistakes led to a massive oven explosion and what was implemented to address burner safety going forward. Charles Black, of Charles Black & Associates, will ask if your training dollars are being spent wisely and provide case studies showing how strong training programs can have a positive impact on your company's bottom line. Blaine Krause, of Nalco, will offer case studies on microbial control including its impact on operations, monitoring, control, and examples of newer technology.

The meeting will be held September 18-20 at The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Florida, USA. Meeting registration includes the full conference program, the Building Sciences Committee Meeting, and ample opportunities for networking with other manufacturing personnel and suppliers. Thursday afternoon's activity is a choice of golf, backwater fishing, or a relaxing spa treatment. Group dinners are included in the cost of registration for Wednesday and Thursday evenings at some of the area's finest restaurants. Non-registered spouses and guests are welcome to participate in the activities and dinners for the following costs: $60 per dinner and $95 for golf, fishing, or the spa treatment. They do not have to pay the conference registration fee.

Companies participating as sponsors include ESP, GAF, Georgia-Pacific Chemical, Malarkey Roofing, Momentive Specialty Chemicals, Nalco, PPG, Albany International, Xerium, Ineos, Mallard Creek Polymers, and Majiq. Opportunities to sponsor with this select group of companies are still available and your company will receive special recognition throughout the meeting.
You do not want to miss out on this opportunity to stay abreast of current market trends, new and emerging product/process technical developments, and regulatory issues that are or will be impacting our industries.

For full meeting information including the conference agenda and program summaries, please visit the meeting website today.

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Don't miss out on your chance to attend the Process Control of Stickies Workshop, taking place just before the TAPPI PEERS Conference.

Organized by Dr. Mahendra Doshi, current TAPPI JOURNAL Editorial Board Member and Founding Editor of Progress in Paper Recycling, the workshop will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 15.

The international workshop is designed for engineers, scientists, and technicians who want to get a handle on one of the difficult contaminants in paper recycling - stickies. The workshop will benefit anyone using recycled pulps, working in recycling mills, or affiliated with companies supplying equipment, chemicals, and recovered papers to the recycling industry.

Problems caused by stickies cost millions of dollars to the industry. As indicated above, experts from around the world together with highly experienced speakers from mills offer an excellent overview for managing and controlling stickies. If you could just save one hour of paper machine downtime it would pay for the workshop many times over.

Learn more about this important workshop.

Don't miss this golden opportunity to learn about stickies related issues at this one-day international workshop.

Registration Cost:
$295/member; $345/non-member (on or before August 16); or $345 (if registered after August 16).

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TAPPI will be organizing another tissue program to be held at the PaperCon 2014 Conference, scheduled for April 27-30, 2014 in Nashville, Tenn., USA. The program will focus on technical advances in tissue making, converting, and on tissue education.

"We received fantastic feedback from our first Tissue360° Forum in Atlanta," says Larry Montague, president and CEO of TAPPI, "so we wanted to provide more of what tissue makers need. Several of our outstanding members have stepped up to organize another program this year."

The tissue market is growing globally, with private label growing faster than national brands. This is especially true in North America, where more than half of the new capacity has been structured sheet technology for private label customers. In Europe, dramatic new converting technologies have developed to improve tissue quality and performance. These trends are creating an increasing need for credible technical information and training.  
 
TAPPI responded by organizing the first Tissue360° Forum in April 2013. The forum attracted a large crowd with its three-day program of peer-reviewed non-commercial technical papers. The 2014 Tissue360° Forum will feature more of the same, with an emphasis on converting technologies and TAPPI courses for those who want to grow their knowledge of this dynamic segment. The editorial team from Tissue360° will assist TAPPI tissue experts in the development of the program content.   

Tissue360° is TAPPI's semi-annual print and online publication for the tissue and converting industry. PaperCon is TAPPI's annual pulp and papermaking conference that attracts nearly 1,800 executives and technical professionals from around the world. It is the largest technical program in the world and the largest industry trade fair in North America.
 

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The Bleaching of Pulp
By: Peter W. Hart and Alan W. Rudie

Previous editions of The Bleaching of Pulp have provided comprehensive information on the technology used to bleach wood pulps. The 5th edition will continue this tradition as the premiere industry text on bleaching technologies but will be more focused on the modern industrial processes with less emphasis on fundamental science. New or more comprehensive sections are included on elemental chlorine free bleaching, enzymes, acid treatments for hexeneuronic acids, control of mineral scale, and multi-stage modeling as used to optimize bleaching among multiple stages.

Preview table of contents and sample pages.

Product code: 0101R331

Member Price: $155.00
Non-Member Price: $232.00

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As part of a partnership agreement with PMMI, the Association for Processing and Packaging Technologies, TAPPI will exhibit at the 2013 PACK EXPO. PACK EXPO, Sept. 23-25, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nev., USA, is North America's largest packaging and processing trade show.

"TAPPI is excited about our partnership with PMMI and our participation in PACK EXPO," notes Larry N. Montague, TAPPI president and CEO. "Packaging is a major part of our industry and as an exhibitor at an industry leading trade show we will have the opportunity to interact with professionals from many aspects of the business and showcase TAPPI's member services and industry information products related to both our PLACE Division and Corrugated Division"

Sponsored by PMMI, PACK EXPO provides a comprehensive showcase of packaging and processing technology for more than 26,000 packaging and processing professionals and 1,700-plus exhibitors. The three-day event includes the latest developments in new materials, containers, package design, food safety, and sustainability. The exhibit covers a full range of vertical markets of consumer packaged goods companies.

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Piping System Training is a course anyone in the piping system industry can use. This course provides real-world practical knowledge for junior engineers, is a good refresher course for senior engineers, and helps operations and maintenance supervisors, design and process engineers, and operators and maintenance personnel better understand how piping systems operate.

Attend Piping System Training courses planned for two locations coming this fall:

• October 2-3 in Chicago, IL
• October 23-24 in Houston, TX

This course provides the foundation of piping terminology, mathematics, and the underlying concepts and principles that determine the performance of individual piping system elements and the system as a whole. Piping System Training places an emphasis on understanding the relationship between components that make up the piping system.

Visit the course website to find more information and register.

 Earn 1.6 CEUs and carry back with you two indispensable manuals as well as greater confidence in your work.

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TAPPI's problem-solving course designed for those working in industrial settings returns this fall.

Root Cause Problem Elimination Training
October 8-10 in Raleigh, N.C., USA.

This maintenance course is designed to show you how to cut to the core of problems - and eliminate them - by tying cause and effect together with logical thought processes and easy-to-grasp diagrams. You'll learn from case studies and predictive maintenance tools to better analyze root cause and repeat failures.

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This seminar will reveal how your organization can build and sustain successful reliability and maintenance improvements. 

Results Oriented Reliability and Maintenance Management Course
October 22 in Seattle, Wash., USA.

Reliability isn't accomplished with a focus on one fix or another as you know.  It's an ever-changing system of many different practices.  Improve overall maintenance reliability by learning more about the tools, processes, indicators, and obstacles from a one-day training course that's consistently rated among the best.

This is the final time this course will be offered in 2013.

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Calls for Papers have been issued for PaperCon 2014.

After a record attendance in 2013, PaperCon will again bring together CEOs, mill managers, superintendents, scientists, process engineers, and suppliers for the largest pulp and paper technical program in the world. The event will take place April 27-30, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn., USA. Learn more about PaperCon 2014.

For 2014, PaperCon is once again co-located with the Tissue360° Forum, NETInc (Innovative Nonwovens Conference), RPTA (Recycled Paperboard Technical Association) P-T Seminar, and the OpEx Reliability Workshop.  Each of these events is open to full PaperCon registrants and papers in these areas are welcome.
 
Calls for Papers and Posters have been issued.  The conference theme is In Tune for Stability, Agility, and Profitability, and authors are encouraged to include this within their papers.  

Papermakers Program:
The Papermakers Program encourages topics on paper machine upgrades, product development, stability, agility, and fluid fundamentals, and recycled paperboard. The deadline for submission of abstracts is Nov. 10, 2013.  Abstracts for panel discussions and roundtables are welcome.  See Papermakers Program Call for Papers.

Coating and Graphic Arts Program:
The Coating and Graphic Arts Program will focus on The Future of Print and its Demands on Paper and Coatings. The deadline for extended abstracts for this program is October 16, 2013.  See the Coating and Graphic Arts Program Call for Papers.

All abstracts must be submitted using TAPPI's Speaker Management System for consideration by the TAPPI and RPTA program committees.

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The Foundations of  Leadership Excellence Course is the only leadership course specifically focused on the paper and packaging industry.

Foundations of Leadership Excellence explains the fundamentals of leadership and management skills for emerging leaders, high-potentials, area operating managers, and other technical professionals. This three-day session takes place Oct. 22 - 24, 2013, at the TAPPI Training Facility in Metro Atlanta, Ga., USA.

This course will sell out at 25 participants.

The instructors for this course have approximately 100 years of combined experience in leadership, management, and human resource roles within the pulp and paper industry.

Course curriculum covers industry specific, real-world scenarios. Participants will develop personal leadership skills through the use of influence. They will learn to impact organizations from a 360 degree perspective and how to address the challenges of team building, accountability, performance management, and other critical factors of organizational success.

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As TAPPI is getting ready to celebrate its 100th Year Anniversary in 2015, we were wondering how much industry expertise we have in this great group of professionals.

So, we decided to post a discussion question on our TAPPI Social Media outlets. We asked, "How many years of paper and/or packaging experience do you have?"
 
Who knew such a simple question would have such an impressive response.

With more than 7,000 TAPPI members, all over the world, we have counted 650-plus years of industry experience! And that's just counting the first 30 people who have responded. Now you probably can't find that anywhere else . So why don't you join us?

From those "born" into the industry to third generation professionals. From paper to packaging, to sustainability, environment, tissue, converters, and consulting. This TAPPI network has something for everyone.
 
Become a part of this unique community of paper and packaging professionals, and add your expertise to our group, and network with others to learn something new.

Visit our website to learn more today!

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The TAPPI Centennial Celebration will be a multi-year long series of outreach events and educational offerings showcasing the proud history and promising future of the global pulp, paper, packaging, and related industries. This once-in-a-lifetime event will expand public awareness, foster further connection, and provide outstanding opportunities for collaboration, growth, and investment in our future for all of those involved. Goals for the TAPPI Centennial Celebration are:

• To honor TAPPI's 100 years of connection, education, and advancement as a foundation for the sustainable success of our members, our industries, and the world we share
• To recognize the achievements of those who built our industry and to inspire those who seek to build its future
• To celebrate the contributions and innovations of the global pulp, paper, and packaging industries to human culture, commerce, health, and social advancement
• To sustain the industry and support its growth, vitality, and future through the TAPPI Foundation.

We invite you to be a part of this momentous event. The sooner you join us the more opportunities there are for recognition of your company, its products, and key innovations. Keep in mind that an early commitment allows you to spread your investment over multiple years' budgets.

For more information on sponsorship and volunteer opportunities please contact dbell@tappi.org.

The sponsorship prospectus can be downloaded online.

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Do you have a history book gathering dust on your shelf? TAPPI's 100th year is coming soon and we are looking for donations to the TAPPI Library. Specifically, we are interested in histories of companies and mills in the paper and packaging industry (both producers and suppliers). Each donated book will have a bookplate in the front cover recognizing the donor. For more information please contact David Bell.

Please send books to:
c\o David Bell
TAPPI
15 Technology Parkway, South
Suite 115
Peachtree Corners, Georgia 30092

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