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Travels with Larry Archive
Thursday, August 19, 2010
members edition
Weekly Spotlight
TD Bank, Cherry Hill, N.J., USA, is participating in Boise Inc.'s Closed Loop System, a paper recycling program that guarantees at least 1,500 metric tons of paper from TD's operations in Canada and the U.S. are diverted from landfills and used in the production of recycled office paper.
Learn More...
 
The TAPPI 2010 PEERS Conference, October 17 – 20 in Norfolk, Va., USA, features five special training workshops that support and expand the event’s engineering, pulping, and environmental program pillars.
Learn More...
 
High school students of the West Philly Hybrid X Team (Philadelphia, Pa., USA) and Scott Robey, of sponsor company SCA Tissue North America, Philadelphia, use SCA’s Tork wipers to clean their hybrid car, a cunning runner-up in a $10 million hybrid design competition.
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Market Roundup
Total U.S. kraft paper shipments in July were 126,700 tons, an increase of 7.9% compared with July 2009.
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China accounted for 54% of global trade in recovered fiber in 2009, a substantial increase from its 34% share in 2004.
Learn More...
 
As expected, market pulp prices fell $30 - $50/metric ton across the globe in August.
Learn More...
 
Preliminary North American printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments for July show slightly weaker-than-expected comparisons on both a month/month basis and yr/yr basis.
Learn More...
 
Gains in North American coated paper shipments were more muted than in recent months.
Learn More...
 
Uncoated freesheet shipments in North America were down 1.9% from June to July, and down 6.0% y/y.
Learn More...
 
Pulp & Paper
BASF, Germany, this week reported that it will build a dispersions plant in Daya Bay Petrochemical Industrial Park in Huizhou, China.
Learn More...
 
Cascades Tissue Group, Candiac,Que., Canada, the fourth largest producer of tissue paper in North America, reports that it s new Intelligent Paper, which contributes to optimizing hand hygiene by combining effective hand drying with persistent antibacterial protection, was runner up for the most innovative product a the 2010 CRFA (Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association) Show in Toronto, Ont., Canada.
Learn More...
 
Enviva Pellets, Richmond, Va., USA, a manufacturer of wood pellets and processed biomass fuel in the U.S. and Europe, has acquired CKS Energy Inc, Amory, Miss., a privately held company that manufactures wood pellets for industrial, commercial and residential uses.
Learn More...
 
FPInnovations, Pointe-Claire, Que., Canada, this week announced a new license agreement with Technidyne Corp., New Albany, Ind., USA, to bring FPInnovations' new macrostickies measurement technology, FPAutoSpeck, to the worldwide pulp and paper industry.
Learn More...
 
Fibria, São Paulo, Brazil, reportedly is continuing efforts to secure forestlands that will support a second pulp line at its Tres Lagoas mill in the Mato Grfosso do Sul State, Brazil.
Learn More...
 
Mohawk Fine Papers, Cohoes, N.Y., USA, reported this week that it remains one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Top 50 Green Power Partners, currently ranking as number 32 on the list, as well as ranking number nine on the list of 100% Green Power Purchasers.
Learn More...
 
P.T. Aspex Kumbong, Indonesia, has ordered a stock preparation rebuild for its Cileungsi mill in Indonesia.
Learn More...
 
Sappi Fine Paper North America, Boston, Mass., USA, reports that a public auction will be held September 29 by LiquiTec Industries, in association with Can-Am Machinery, to sell the assets from Sappi’s permanently closed coated paper mill in Muskegon, Mich.
Learn More...
 
This past week, power was first applied to the new low-consistency (LC) refiner system donated to the Pulp and Paper Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, B.C., Canada, by Advanced Fiber Technologies (AFT), Montreal, Que., Canada.
Learn More...
 
Containerboard/Packaging
For the ninth straight month, U.S. containerboard production rose over last year and posted the highest production amount since August 2008.
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U.S. domestic box shipments took a small step backward in July, and inventories rose by more than the seasonally typical amount.
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The Newark Group, Cranford, N.J., USA, this week emerged from chapter 11 bankruptcy and reports that it has completed a successful reorganization.
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Mayr-Melnhof, Germany, has successfully restarted its board machine (BM 3) in Frohnleiten, Austria, following a rebuild by Voith Paper, Germany.
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New Products
SCA Tissue, Philadelphia, Pa., USA, this week introduced Tork Xpressnap Café, a new addition to its Tork Xpressnap line of napkin dispensers.
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Published Pricing
M-real, Finland, this week announced that it is raising the price of all of its Kemiart white-top kraftliner grades, beginning September 20. The increase is EUR 50 per metric ton in continental Europe and £45 per ton in the U.K. The company says it also will start negotiations with customers regarding shorter payment terms. The company notes that the increases are driven by strong demand and increased input and transportation costs.
 
Also driven by strong demand and increased input and transportation costs, M-real, Finland, reported this week that it will raise the price for all of its cartonboard grades, effective October 4.
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People
Stora Enso, Helsinki, Finland, has appointed Lars Haeggstrom head of Group Human Resources and a member of the Group Executive Team.
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Glatfelter, York, Pa., USA, this week announced the appointment of Chris Astley as VP-Corporate Strategy.
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TAPPI News
Conference attendee registration for BioPro Expo & Marketplace 2011, the largest conference and exposition in the Southeast covering ‘ready for market’ technologies and processes for the biomass production and consumption process, has officially opened.
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TAPPI PRESS’ Back to School Sale ends August 22. TAPPI PRESS is offering special pricing ...
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TAPPI is proud to be a co-sponsor of Paper Middle East 2010 to be held at the Cairo International Convention Centre, Egypt, September 18-20, 2010.
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Complete Agenda Announced for Specialty Papers 2010 --
Register today!
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The technical program is now available for the TAPPI 11th Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium. The symposium will be held October 11-13, 2010 at one of the world's leading paper research centers, PTS (Papiertechnische Stiftung) in Munich, Germany.
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TAPPI is proud to once again be a co-sponsor of 65th Appita Annual Conference and Exhibition to be held at the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua, New Zealand, April 10 - 13, 2011.
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TAPPI PEERS Conference and Research Forum on Recycling include workshop pre-conference events on Sunday, October 17.
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The 2010 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry is scheduled for 27-29 September 2010 at the Dipoli Congress Centre in Espoo Finland. The comprehensive Technical Program includes more than 80 papers and three keynote addresses.
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Professionals from industry, universities and research institutes are cordially invited to present at the 13th TAPPI European PLACE Conference, which will be held 30 May to 1 June 2011 at the Festspiel- und Kongresshaus in Bregenz, Austria.
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TAPPI is now offering Pira International’s new report, Ten-Year Forecasts of Disruptive Technologies in Paper and Board to 2020. The report is at the printers and has attractive pre-publication pricing before 31 August 2010.
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"Do not follow where the path may lead..."
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Weekly Spotlight

TD Bank, Cherry Hill, N.J., USA, is participating in Boise Inc.'s Closed Loop System, a paper recycling program that guarantees at least 1,500 metric tons of paper from TD's operations in Canada and the U.S. are diverted from landfills and used in the production of recycled office paper. TD then purchases the recycled paper for use in its operations—hence the closed loop system. TD is the first Canadian company to participate in a closed loop recycling system and the first to have one that is North American-wide.

"There is a reason why 'green' is our color of choice. TD is taking significant steps to green our operations. We keep looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and elimination of waste is key to this," says Gerry Guidice, head, U.S. Real Estate, TD Bank. "This program means we will generate less waste - diverting it from landfills - and recycle more, which is great for the environment and business."

Each year, TD purchases approximately 3,500 metric tons of Forest Stewardship Council certified office paper for its North American operations. Approximately 1,050 metric tons of recycled material is required to manufacture the 3,500 metric tons of paper used by TD - the bank delivers to its partners 1,500 metric tons to ensure adequate supply.

"TD's participation in the closed loop system is both a win for their business and for the environment," says Marty L. Parker, Customer Focus/Governmental Affairs manager, Boise Inc. "The system has a direct and quantifiable impact on the environment by interrupting the solid waste stream and diverting waste from landfills."

TD's closed loop recycling system will save nearly 43,000 trees each year, the equivalent of 300 million sheets of paper. Earlier this year, the company became the first North American-based bank to ensure its global operations are carbon neutral. It also announced earlier this year that it is the largest U.S.-based bank to achieve carbon neutrality, an accomplishment that was recently touted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the bank was named the nation's 15th greenest organization.

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The TAPPI 2010 PEERS Conference, October 17 – 20 in Norfolk, Va., USA, features five special training workshops that support and expand the event’s engineering, pulping, and environmental program pillars. Three of these workshops are free with conference registration, but attendees are encouraged to sign up in advance because space is limited. The other two workshops require an additional registration fee. Registration information for the conference and the workshops is available online.

At the Advances in Paper Recycling Workshop, to be held Sunday, October 17, 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm, experts from around the world will present recent advances in the most important paper recycling topics. The course is for engineers, scientists, and technicians who want to keep up with current paper recycling technologies. The course will benefit those working in recycling mills, using recycled pulps, or affiliated with companies supplying equipment, chemicals, and recovered paper to the recycling industry. The additional registration fee for this workshop is $175 if registered on or before September 20 and $225 if registered after September 20.

The Bleach Plant Operations Workshop on Sunday, October 17, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, is designed for bleach plant operators or engineers, paper company environmental engineers, research, technical sales, and service personnel from paper companies, chemical suppliers, or equipment suppliers. Led by Tom McDonough, IPST Professor Emeritus and TAPPI Fellow with an extensive record of research and publications in the field of pulp bleaching, this workshop will deliver a comprehensive understanding of modern pulp bleaching technology. Updates to last year's highly regarded workshop will include a newly developed section on bleaching of recycled fiber that will be of special interest to tissue producers. The additional registration fee for this workshop is $125 if registered on or before September 20 and $175 if registered after September 20.

The free-with-registration BioSat Workshop on Monday, October 18, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm, will further familiarize participants with features of BioSAT (the Biomass Site Assessment Tool), a web-based system for optimal cellulose feedstock sourcing. BioSat integrates contemporary web-based information technology (e.g., Virtual Earth and Microsoft SQL) with existing U.S. Forest Service FIA data, and agricultural residue USDA NASS data, and estimates harvesting and transportation costs for these residue and merchantable feedstocks. BioSAT generates total costs, average total costs, and marginal cost curves for user-selected zip code tabulation areas (ZCTAs). Cost estimates can also be generated for all ZCTAs within a state. BioSAT estimates are available for the 33 Eastern United States. A detailed overview of the features and models of BioSAT will be presented at the workshop. Also, hands on demonstrations and interaction with the BioSAT website tool will be available to workshop participants.

The Piping System Simulation Workshop on Tuesday, October 19, 8:30 am - 10:30 pm, also free-with-registration, focuses on how commercially available piping simulation software is being used to design, analyze, and troubleshoot new or existing fluid piping systems. The workshop will demonstrate how this application can be used to draw a flow diagram showing the equipment in the system along with the interconnecting pipelines. It will also explain how the piping system model can then be used in construction and commissioning, and finally, turned over to the owner-operator of the piping system where it can be used by operations to determine how a change to a system will affect the operation and by maintenance to help troubleshoot plant operations and identify faulty equipment .

The Pumping System Assessment Workshop (free with registration) on Tuesday, October 19, 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm, will provide an overview of the recently-released ASME EA-2-2009 Energy Assessment for Pumping Systems standard and present a methodology for collecting data needed to perform a pumping system assessment using this standard. This four-hour workshop will also examine evaluation of the assessment data, based on a variety of case studies of pumped systems typically found in pulp and paper mills. It will further focus on conducting necessary calculations needed to determine how the system is operating, and finally look at how to present the information in such a way that all stakeholders know the true cost of operating and maintaining the pumped system.

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High school students of the West Philly Hybrid X Team (Philadelphia, Pa., USA) and Scott Robey, of sponsor company SCA Tissue North America, Philadelphia, use SCA’s Tork wipers to clean their hybrid car, a cunning runner-up in a $10 million hybrid design competition (see photo below). The only high school team to compete, The West Philly Hybrid X Team has out-performed the likes of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell University to stay in the running for a shot at the grand prize of the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize (PIAXP) competition.

Until the second-to-last round, the team was one of 21 teams still alive in the competition, which originally started with 111 teams from around the world. With the support of corporate sponsors such as SCA’s Tork brand—which donated $10,000 and Tork wipers—the team had aimed to outlast the competition by designing, building, and selling a super-efficient car that produces ultra-low carbon emissions and has ultra-high fuel economy—as much as 100 miles per gal or its energy equivalent.

 

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Market Roundup

Total U.S. kraft paper shipments in July were 126,700 tons, an increase of 7.9% compared with July 2009, according to AF&PA’s July 2010 Kraft Paper Sector Report issued this week. Shipments, however, dropped 5.8% from June 2010. Total inventory was 74,100 tons, 7,000 tons higher than last month.

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China accounted for 54% of global trade in recovered fiber in 2009, a substantial increase from its 34% share in 2004, according to data released this week by RISI. The U.S. exported more than two-thirds of its recovered paper to China in 2009, just over 13 of its 19 million metric tons. Chinese paper and board mills imported another 17 million metric tons of recovered paper from the rest of the world.The data show exports from the major producing countries to 62 destination countries for key graphic paper, packaging, and pulp and recovered paper grades. More information is available online.

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As expected, market pulp prices fell $30 - $50/metric ton across the globe in August, Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank, reports. In the U.S., softwood grades (down $30/metric ton m/m) are holding up better than hardwood grades (down $40 - $50/metric ton m/m), Wilde notes.

"On balance, the price declines appear to be more measured than we expected, and the downturn may not be as deep as once feared," he adds.. Global inventories are in fairly good shape, and there are signs that the market may already be starting to turn in China. International prices into Asia fell $50/metric ton at the end of July, and they are poised to fall another $20/metric ton in August. However, local prices in China rose last week, raising hopes that the "buyers' strike" among Chinese buyers is ending, Wilde explains.

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Preliminary North American printing and writing (P&W) paper shipments for July show slightly weaker-than-expected comparisons on both a month/month basis and yr/yr basis, Wilde reports. The most obvious weak spot, he notes, was in uncoated free sheet.

"Coated paper volumes remain positive, but the y/y gains were smaller than we have seen in recent months," Wilde’s comments were based on data recently released by AF&PA, Washington, D.C., USA.

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Gains in North American coated paper shipments were more muted than in recent months. Lightweight coated paper (LWC) shipments increased +11% y/y (+21% ytd) and coated freesheet increased +7% y/y (+24% ytd), Wilde says. Last July, he adds, these two categories posted declines of -17.6% and -16.6%, respectively.

Thus a good portion of the improvement in coated papers owes to a "lapping" of extremely weak numbers from 2009, Wilde explains. With early July price increases in coated paper, it is possible that July volumes were dampened by some "prebuying". In North America, Verso, Sappi, and NewPage have exposure to coated papers, Wilde points out.

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Uncoated freesheet shipments in North America were down 1.9% from June to July, and down 6.0% y/y, according to Wilde. This is much weaker relative to H1/2010 volumes. Uncoated shipments were up 2.6% y/y in Q1 and down 0.8% in Q2. Ytd shipments through July are down 0.4% y/y.

This trajectory is in-line with trade commentary, Wilde says, adding that "among our coverage, Domtar, International Paper, Glatfelter, and Wausau Paper have exposure to uncoated paper. Boise also has significant exposure to uncoated freesheet."

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Pulp & Paper

BASF, Germany, this week reported that it will build a dispersions plant in Daya Bay Petrochemical Industrial Park in Huizhou, China. With an annual capacity of 100,000 tons, the new plant will produce XSB dispersions for the paper industry and acrylic dispersions for industries such as coatings, construction, printing and packaging, and adhesives. The facility will benefit from local availability of raw materials and proximity to key customers who serve Asia’s fastest-growing consumer markets. Production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2012, subject to government approval. The investment is part of BASF’s growth strategy for Asia Pacific, which has the goal of doubling sales by 2020.

"This is an important step for BASF in Asia, following the establishment of our Paper Chemicals division in 2009. The investment strengthens BASF’s commitment to the paper and board industry, with South China offering one of the fastest-growing markets in the region. With this facility, we are well positioned to support our customers’ aspirations for growth and success in the South," said EngSoo Chew, senior VP, Paper Chemicals Asia Pacific.

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Cascades Tissue Group, Candiac,Que., Canada, the fourth largest producer of tissue paper in North America, reports that it s new Intelligent Paper, which contributes to optimizing hand hygiene by combining effective hand drying with persistent antibacterial protection, was runner up for the most innovative product a the 2010 CRFA (Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association) Show in Toronto, Ont., Canada. Cascades was among 16 other businesses to showcase its new release. In all, more than 1,200 ballots were submitted in three categories.

Cascades’ Intelligent Bacterial Hand Towel quickly reduces the number of residual bacteria left on hands after washing and assures an antibacterial protection for 30 min, contrary to alcohol-based hand sanitizers and a variety of antibacterial soaps. The paper is referred to as "intelligent" because it compensates for people's imperfect hygienic habits without changing the way they do things. This product is accepted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. More information about antibacterial products is available on the company’s website.

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Enviva Pellets, Richmond, Va., USA, a manufacturer of wood pellets and processed biomass fuel in the U.S. and Europe, has acquired CKS Energy Inc, Amory, Miss., a privately held company that manufactures wood pellets for industrial, commercial and residential uses. CKS is one of only a few U.S.-based companies with a successful track record of manufacturing and exporting sustainable, high-quality wood pellet biomass fuel for utility customers, many of whom are based in Europe where the use of wood pellets is well integrated into all areas of the energy sector.

In the coming months, Enviva intends to hire additional staff for the facility, which will be known as Enviva Pellets Amory, and expand its production from a current capacity of approximately 50,000 tons to more than 100,000 tons a year. The facility will primarily service Enviva’s long-term European customers, and raw biomass materials will be sourced locally

"As we continue to increase our U.S. manufacturing footprint, we are particularly excited about this acquisition. Strategically, CKS is an excellent fit, providing Enviva with a robust and stable fiber supply chain and easy access both to our key European customers as well as to customers in the upper Midwest," Enviva Chairman and CEO John Keppler said. "Through this acquisition we look forward to increasing our production of sustainably manufactured wood pellets to meet increasing demand from utilities, power companies, businesses, and consumers in Europe and the U.S."

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FPInnovations, Pointe-Claire, Que., Canada, this week announced a new license agreement with Technidyne Corp., New Albany, Ind., USA, to bring FPInnovations' new macrostickies measurement technology, FPAutoSpeck, to the worldwide pulp and paper industry. The FPAutoSpeck is a fully automated analyzer that determines light and heavy macrostickies in recycled pulp using image analysis.

FPInnovations notes that this technology is the first in the world to provide real-time feedback since it automatically counts and categorizes macrocontaminants from up to four different process lines. Whether the unit is operated in the manual mode for the survey of contaminants in a mill or in the automatic mode for control, it saves time and money by providing immediate feedback to operators when evaluating incoming stock, screening, and chemical processes.

Technidyne will provide installation, training, instrument repair, parts sales, preventative maintenance, and 24-hour customer support. FPInnovations will be presenting research and application information on the FPAutoSpeck technology at the upcoming TAPPI PEERS Conference in Norfolk, Va., October 17-20. Technidyne will be exhibiting the FPAutoSpeck in Booth No. 5.

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Fibria, São Paulo, Brazil, reportedly is continuing efforts to secure forestlands that will support a second pulp line at its Tres Lagoas mill in the Mato Grfosso do Sul State, Brazil. The company is planning the Tres Lagoas II production line for startup in 2014 – 2016. It will have an initial, expandable production capacity of 1.5 million metric tpy and will cost an estimated BRL 5.8 billion (approximately $3.3 billion). The mill’s existing Tres Lagoas I line has a 1.3 million metric tpy capacity.

Some 150,000 hectares of forest timberlands will be needed to support the expansion, half which would come from Fibria’s forests and half from outside, privately owned forests. The company plans to invest some BRL1.8 billion (approximately $737 million) to expand its forest base.

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Mohawk Fine Papers, Cohoes, N.Y., USA, reported this week that it remains one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Top 50 Green Power Partners, currently ranking as number 32 on the list, as well as ranking number nine on the list of 100% Green Power Purchasers. EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,200 partner organizations to voluntarily purchase green power, reducing the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Overall, the agency’s Green Power Partners are using more than 17 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the CO2 emissions from electricity use of more than 1.5 million average American homes.

Mohawk was named Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007 and again in 2009, and received the EPA's Green Power Leadership Award in 2005. The company’s current annual purchase of 116 million kWh of wind RECs (renewable energy certificates) is enough green power to meet 117% of its 2009 electricity use. Mohawk purchases renewable energy certificates (RECs) from 3Degrees, Sterling Planet, NextEra Energy Resources, and Community Energy. In addition to the RECs, Mohawk also offsets the thermal energy associated with the production of its entire Beckett Concept, Beckett Expression, Strathmore Script, and Strathmore Writing product lines, effectively making these papers carbon neutral.

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P.T. Aspex Kumbong, Indonesia, has ordered a stock preparation rebuild for its Cileungsi mill in Indonesia. The project, to be supplied and handled by Andritz, Austria, will boost the quality of stock for the paper machines at Cileungsi, allowing the mill to shift production to more value-added paper products, in addition to newsprint. Startup is scheduled for the second quarter of 2011.

Andritz will supply loop No. 1 equipment for the mill’s deinked pulp (DIP) No1 line. The new equipment, which can handle a total capacity of 300 metric tpd, consists of a FibreFlow drum pulper, AhlCleaner, retrofits of existing screens with Bar TecW screen baskets and RoTec Dolphin rotors, SelectaFlot flotation cells, a disc filter, CompaDis dispersing system, and a bleaching tower discharge system. The order also includes advanced basic engineering, site installation supervision, startup, and training services.

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Sappi Fine Paper North America, Boston, Mass., USA, reports that a public auction will be held September 29 by LiquiTec Industries, in association with Can-Am Machinery, to sell the assets from Sappi’s permanently closed coated paper mill in Muskegon, Mich. Equipment from the Muskegon pulp mill, paper mill, and converting facility, will be for sale.

Primary assets up for bid include a 174-in. wire width paper machine wet end, 2004 Bielomatik folio ream wrapper, Jagenberg Synchro 86" folio sheeter, Jagenberg converting complex sheeter and ream carton packaging line, Voith pulper, and a MSK/Covertech automatic shrink wrap skid carton line. A full list of the Muskegon Mill assets up for bid is available online. For additional information regarding the auction, contact Cate Giltner with LiquiTec Industries at 800-852-9252, or cgiltner@liquitech.net.

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This past week, power was first applied to the new low-consistency (LC) refiner system donated to the Pulp and Paper Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, B.C., Canada, by Advanced Fiber Technologies (AFT), Montreal, Que., Canada. The startup marked another milestone in the University’s research program to enhance paper quality and reduce energy consumption. It also marked a milestone in what has been described as one of the longest industry/academic partnerships at the university (more than 25 years), according to James Olson, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at UBC and a member of the Advanced Papermaking Initiative.

AFT contributed the key process equipment to enable UBC to expand its capabilities in LC refining—a technology that is now being exploited by the world’s leading papermakers to "significantly improve the energy efficiency of mechanical pulp production" according to Olson. "We are now starting up the most state-of-the-art, university-based LC Refining Facility in the world," Olson continues. "We are grateful to AFT for helping us move into this important research area." Prior to the donation by AFT, the University had no industrial LC refining equipment. "We attempted to retrofit a high-consistency refiner to operate at LC, but this was unsuccessful," Olson says.

A member of the Aikawa Group, AFT designs and manufactures screening components and FINEBAR refiner plates for the worldwide pulp and paper industry. The donation to UBC included a state-of-the-art 16-in. Aikawa AWW single-disc LC refiner plus FINEBAR refiner plates to process a full range of hardwood, softwood, and recycled fibers. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) provided funding to purchase ancillary equipment, and West Fraser Mills in British Columbia donated a 150 hp motor to drive the refiner.

"AFT has consistently contributed to R&D to fully understand the science of screening," says Dr. Robert Gooding, VP of Technology at AFT. "This most recent contribution underscores our commitment to LC refining research." Gooding explains that while LC refining remains essential to a wide range of papermaking applications, it has taken on a new level of importance for mechanical pulping due to its reduced energy requirements. "AFT FINEBAR has been at the forefront of low-consistency refiner plate technology so we wanted to be a part of this important project."

After a short "learning curve" to understand the complexities and nuances of the new facility, fundamental research and development will begin in earnest. The LC Refining Facility will allow UBC to test new ideas and concepts for pre-treatment, power reduction strategies, advanced controls, and the impact on paper surface qualities.

"Of course, we will be eager to perform sponsored research for pulp product development to help the industry further improve its paper products," Olson says. Gooding added that AFT will also utilize the facility for fundamental research on plate geometries and power-gap relationships, as well as supporting customer trials.

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Containerboard/Packaging

For the ninth straight month, U.S. containerboard production rose over last year and posted the highest production amount since August 2008, according to the AF&PA’s July 2010 U.S. Containerboard Statistics Report released this week. Total production saw an increase of 152,200 tons or 5.5% over July 2009 and grew 4.5% compared with June 2010. The month-over-month average daily production also saw an increase of 1.2%. Year-to-date 2010 production has increased 9.8% over 2009. The containerboard operating rate for July 2010 rose 9.7 points over July 2009 to 98.0%.

Additional key findings from the report include:

  • Linerboard production was highest since August 2008
  • Corrugating medium production shows strong growth
  • Containerboard operating rates continue to grow.
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U.S. domestic box shipments took a small step backward in July, and inventories rose by more than the seasonally typical amount, according to Mark Wilde, senior analyst, Deutsche Bank. "However, we don’t think that the current numbers will do much to change the outlook for the August price hike initiative. With pricing still on the rise in Europe and most other offshore markets, the industry appears to still have enough tailwind to push the board increase through the market. We think the critical issue over the next couple of months will be the resolve of the industry to boost downstream corrugated packaging prices," Wilde added.

July containerboard and box numbers show that industry volumes took a small step backward in July, Wilde continues. Box shipment volumes fell 2.2% y/y. There was one fewer shipping day this year, and on an "average week" basis, shipments rose 2.4% y/y. "We think the ‘real’ number is a blend of the two, or roughly flat y/y. This is slightly better than we were expecting, as some of our contacts had been suggesting sluggish sales volumes in July. However, we note that this was the weakest y/y ‘blended’ comp since January and may indicate a downshifting in trajectory."

Combined mill and box plant inventories increased 161,000 tons m/m to 2.16million tons. Looking over the past 10 years, inventories have risen an average of 75,000 tons m/m in July, suggesting that 2010 had a negative variance of 86,000 tons. This follows a negative variance of 102,000 tons (and a m/m rise of 68,000 tons) in June. However, inventories at the start of June were at their lowest level in decades, and even after the inventory build of the last two months, the current level remains the lowest July level in over 20 yrs, Wilde explains.

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The Newark Group, Cranford, N.J., USA, this week emerged from chapter 11 bankruptcy and reports that it has completed a successful reorganization. The plan of reorganization was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy court in Newark, N.J., just 51 days after commencement of the case.

As the final step in its reorganization, the company earlier this week closed on its two exit loans. The first exit loan is a $70 million revolver arranged by Wells Fargo Capital Finance; the second is a $110 million term loan led by ORIX Finance. Together these facilities provide the company with approximately $25 million of undrawn liquidity.

"We are pleased to have the continued support of our lenders and stakeholders as we have completed the steps necessary to strengthen our balance sheet so we are poised for sustainable growth," said Robert Mullen, president and CEO. "Throughout this process, we have maintained our focus on our customers and we remain the same company with no change in facilities or capacities. We emerge from chapter 11 a well capitalized private company with a much improved operating profile."

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Mayr-Melnhof, Germany, has successfully restarted its board machine (BM 3) in Frohnleiten, Austria, following a rebuild by Voith Paper, Germany. At startup, production was changed from air knife operation to curtain coating and, since then, the DF Coat-S has been in operation. The goal for the rebuild was to remove the speed limitation caused by the air knife.

With this rebuild, Mayr-Melnhof is now operating the world's first board machine using curtain coating for online graphic coat application on a continuous basis. BM 3 started at 550 m/min and a basis weight of 250 g/m2. The board produced was of superior, salable quality right from the first parent roll, the mill reports.

All project targets were met from startup, resulting in a higher quality board due to improved and homogeneous coverage, while the amount of energy used for drying is reduced considerably due to the much higher solids content. In addition, enhanced flatness is improving runnability and boosting productivity of the machine, thus allowing the previous speed limit to be overcome.

Martin Mühlhauser, technical director of Mayr-Melnhof's Board Division, reports that "we are very pleased with the quality. The project was realized without any troubles and absolutely on time, and cooperation with Voith Paper was professional and fair. The curtain coater has fulfilled our expectations. For us, it was the right decision."

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New Products

SCA Tissue, Philadelphia, Pa., USA, this week introduced Tork Xpressnap Café, a new addition to its Tork Xpressnap line of napkin dispensers. The Xpressnap Café is a high-capacity, "environmentally responsible" dispenser for small tables and counters where space is limited. It offers one-napkin-at-a-time dispensing to reduce costs and waste.

SCA says that food service eateries such as breakfast cafés, pizzerias, donut shops, and ice cream parlors will benefit from the reduction in labor costs. The new product’s one-at-a-time dispensing system cuts consumption by 25%, a number which SCA guarantees.

"We are thrilled to introduce the Xpressnap Café, which offers the same great features and value the original Xpressnap dispenser line provides, just in a smaller package," said John Drengler, VP of Product and Marketing, SCA Tissue North America. "This is another SCA product that meets our customers’ hygiene and efficiency needs and is perfect for the neighborhood coffee shop."

As an added feature, the Xpressnap Café comes with customizable advertising space so each food service location can create an image or message specific to its restaurant. AD-a-Glance templates can be dowloaded from SCA's website. The new dispenser is currently available in black, red, green, and granite.

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Published Pricing
M-real, Finland, this week announced that it is raising the price of all of its Kemiart white-top kraftliner grades, beginning September 20. The increase is EUR 50 per metric ton in continental Europe and £45 per ton in the U.K. The company says it also will start negotiations with customers regarding shorter payment terms. The company notes that the increases are driven by strong demand and increased input and transportation costs. Back To Top
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Also driven by strong demand and increased input and transportation costs, M-real, Finland, reported this week that it will raise the price for all of its cartonboard grades, effective October 4. The increase is EUR 100 per ton in continental Europe and £100 per ton in the U.K. As with its white-top kraft linerboard, the company says it will also start negotiations with customers regarding shorter payment terms.

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People

Stora Enso, Helsinki, Finland, has appointed Lars Haeggstrom head of Group Human Resources and a member of the Group Executive Team. Haeggstrom is currently Head of Group HR at Nordea Bank AB. He will join Stora Enso on October 1, reporting to CEO Jouko Karvinen.

Prior to his appointment at Nordea in 2008, Haeggstrom worked in several managerial HR positions in Gambro AB, AstraZeneca, and Telia. From 1995 to 2002 he worked for Eli Lilly & Co., in several HR positions including director of Human Resources in Latin America.

"I am very happy to see Lars Haeggstrom joining our team and taking over the Group HR function. His international background, strategic orientation and hands-on experience in leading change processes is a perfect fit for Stora Enso in its current phase," says CEO Jouko Karvinen.

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Glatfelter, York, Pa., USA, this week announced the appointment of Chris Astley as VP-Corporate Strategy. Astley will replace Jack Leland, VP of Strategic Business Development, who has announced his intention to retire early in 2011. In this role, he will facilitate the development and execution of Glatfelter’s global corporate strategy as well as lead initiatives for business development and continuous improvement.

Astley has served in various consulting roles with Glatfelter for more than 10 years. In this capacity, he was most recently charged with helping Glatfelter integrate its newly acquired Advanced Airlaid Materials Business Unit. He brings considerable experience in leading mission-critical corporate initiatives, working extensively in the pulp, paper, and packaging industries over the past 15 years. He previously held positions with Accenture in its strategic services practice and with Coca-Cola, supporting long-term strategy development in its North American business unit. He also successfully led a privately held firm serving the commercial construction industry. His expertise includes corporate strategy, strategic business development, and profit improvement.

In making this announcement, Dante C. Parrini, executive VP and COO, said that "we welcome Chris to Glatfelter and look forward to his leadership as we refine our strategies to strengthen our business by focusing on global growth opportunities, further specialization, and continuous improvement to position ourselves for further growth and improvement."

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TAPPI News
Conference attendee registration for BioPro Expo & Marketplace 2011, the largest conference and exposition in the Southeast covering ‘ready for market’ technologies and processes for the biomass production and consumption process, has officially opened.

This event registration also includes the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference (IBBC), which is co-located with the BioPro Expo event.

BioPro Expo & Marketplace 2011 and IBBC will be held on March 14-16, 2011, at the Atlanta Hilton in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This event will provide suppliers of agricultural, municipal and wood wastes, as well as producers of dedicated energy crops and food processing facilities, with in-depth educational sessions and a comprehensive trade show and marketplace focused on practical ways to transition products, residues and waste streams to energy along with critical biofuel/bioproduct resources.

Visit BioPro Expo & Marketplace or IBBC to learn more about these events and to register to attend.
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TAPPI PRESS’ Back to School Sale ends August 22. TAPPI PRESS is offering special pricing on a number of titles related to the industry with discounts up to 60 percent on some titles. Here’s a sampling:

  •     Fundamentals of the Kraft Recovery Process
  •     Cost Savings Strategies In Papermaking Chemistry
  •     Pulp Mill Overview and Protecting the Environment
  •     Handbook for Pulp and Paper Terminology
  •     Chemical Recovery and Energy Production
And many more suited for the classroom, reference libraries and company managers.

Save through August 22 when you order any title on the Back to School Sale list.
Discount applies to members and non-members.

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TAPPI is proud to be a co-sponsor of Paper Middle East 2010 to be held at the Cairo International Convention Centre, Egypt, September 18-20, 2010.

The paper industry has a long history in the region and is been as one of the major strategic industrial sectors that have great impact on the national economy of many Arab states. That is why PaperME Exhibition was born to meet the strong growth and the market demand in all the Middle East and Africa.

Paper Middle East Exhibition (PaperME 2010) is now well on the way to be the largest and most specialized international exhibition held in the Middle East and Africa for the paper, board, tissue industry. It is viewed as one of the must-attend and most authoritative exhibitions for highly qualified business dealings and a place where all companies can sign important commercial partnerships.

More information about this program is available at www.papermideast.com/
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This November 10-11, join your colleagues in Chicago, Ill. USA for Specialty Papers 2010 -- the only conference devoted exclusively to the latest developments in the specialty papers sector.

The technical program includes 18 presentations from a cross-section of industry experts from organizations like Suntech Resources LLC, Hewlett Packard, Kimberly Clark, FPInnovations and Western Michigan University. You will find two days of in-depth coverage of global market trends; insights into how to improve the manufacturing process, reduce costs and increase competitiveness; the latest technology developments and the forecast for sustainability and LCA. The conference includes two round-table lunches covering the industry's hot-button topics (as determined by attendees!) where attendees can share and learn from successes and setbacks.

Register before August 27, 2010 to take advantage of the 'Super Early Bird' savings! Back To Top
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The technical program is now available for the TAPPI 11th Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium. The symposium will be held October 11-13, 2010 at one of the world's leading paper research centers, PTS (Papiertechnische Stiftung) in Munich, Germany.

Held every two years, this highly regarded  symposium provides a forum for research and development professionals, chemists and technical service managers involved in paper coatings to discuss the latest technical developments. 

The technical program at this year’s symposium includes 30 peer-reviewed papers covering a wide range of topics like advanced printing fundamentals, sustainable barrier coatings, liquid interactions, optical control and advanced understanding of curtain coater application. 

The Symposium will also include a peer-reviewed poster session. Abstracts for the poster session are being accepted through August 27, 2010. View the details. Back To Top
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Call for papers now open!  Exhibition & Sponsorship opportunities now open!

TAPPI is proud to once again be a co-sponsor of 65th Appita Annual Conference and Exhibition to be held at the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua, New Zealand, April 10 - 13, 2011.

Papers are now being invited for presentation at the 65th Appita Annual Conference & Exhibition. The 65th Appita Annual Conference & Exhibition showcasing the latest innovations, technologies and techniques is to be held on April 10 - 13 in Rotorua, New Zealand.  The 2011 event, themed "Innovate for the Future" – Resources-Pulp-Paper-Print-Packaging, will cover all aspects of the industry through the supply chain, from resources through to print and packaging. The Conference will explore new opportunities and techniques to drive innovation in manufacturing and converting processes.

Closing Date for Offers: 5 November 2010.

More information is available at www.appita.com.au/conference65.
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TAPPI PEERS Conference and Research Forum on Recycling include workshop pre-conference events on Sunday, October 17.

Experts from all over the world will present recent advances in the most important paper recycling topics. The one-day workshop is designed for engineers, scientists and technicians who what to keep up with current paper recycling technologies and will best benefit those working in recycling mills, using recycled pulps or affiliated with companies supplying equipment, chemicals and recovered Paper to the recycling industry.  
Speakers include:

Introduction, Mahendra Doshi, Progress in Paper Recycling, USA
Pulping and Dispersion - Garnet Bremner, Nalco, USA
Screening and Cleaning - Samuel Schabel, Darmstadt Univ. of Tech, Germany
Deinking - Gilles Dorris, FPInnovations, Canada
Stickies - Thierry Delagoutte, Centre Technique du Papier (CTP), France

Cost to attend is  $125 (if registered on or before September 20, 2010) or $175 (if registered after September 20, 2010).  To register or learn more about this workshop and more, go to www.tappipeers.org. Back To Top
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The 2010 TAPPI International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry is scheduled for 27-29 September 2010 at the Dipoli Congress Centre in Espoo Finland. The comprehensive Technical Program includes more than 80 papers and three keynote addresses. 

The event’s Poster Session will feature more than 40 posters from the leading researchers from around the world.

Join your fellow delegates for a cruise to Suomenlinna and dinner at the famous Walhalla Restaurant on 28 September. Suomenlinna, one of islands off Helsinki, was built as a maritime fortress in the mid-18th century during the Swedish era. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Finland’s most popular tourist attractions. Restaurant Walhalla was built into the fortress as Helsinki prepared itself for the 1952 Olympic Games. The name of the restaurant is inspired by the Walhalla secret society that in the 1780s conspired against the Swedish king Gustav III. The name of the secret society, Walhalla, is from Scandinavian mythology, and is the place in the after world where heroes and warriors enjoyed an eternal feast. A separate registration is required for this event. Registration includes round trip ground transportation, the round trip cruise and your meal.

Find all the details about the event in the conference brochure or visit the event’s web site, www.tappi.org/10nano. Back To Top
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Professionals from industry, universities and research institutes are cordially invited to present at the 13th TAPPI European PLACE Conference, which will be held 30 May to 1 June 2011 at the Festspiel- und Kongresshaus in Bregenz, Austria.

The conference program, with a special emphasis on the latest trends, technologies relating to extrusion, coating or lamination of web based materials and applications, will focus on the following:

* Developments in web materials, polymers and adhesives - their behavior and processing
* What's new in converting technology - extrusion, lamination and process control
* Final product design- a society commitment considering sustainability
* Characterization - inspection, methods and standards for materials
   
View the Invitation to Present. Back To Top
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TAPPI is now offering Pira International’s new report, Ten-Year Forecasts of Disruptive Technologies in Paper and Board to 2020. The report is at the printers and has attractive pre-publication pricing before 31 August 2010.

Author Dr. Martin Hubbe, a long time TAPPI member, used 34 years of research experience and a panel of leading paper and technology experts to create a ranked listing of the top 25 technologies in our business today. Report readers gain useful insights from 75 tables and figures as well as a technology forecast according to pulp and paper grades. For more information on this Pira market report from TAPPI, visit online.

If you aren’t now a TAPPI member, join now and become instantly qualified to receive the member benefit of the discount on Pira publications! Pira offerings apply 80 years of experience in the paper, packaging and printing industries. Also note that this report is just one of many market reports that TAPPI offers. Back To Top
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"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher, essayist, poet (1803-1882) Back To Top
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Ken Patrick Ramesh Gupta Larry N. Montague
Editorial Director International Editor President and CEO
770-209-7340 bsc_rcg@hotmail.com lmontague@tappi.org
kpatrick@tappi.org    
30 years' experience writing for the pulp,    
paper, packaging, and allied industries    
     
Karen Roman
Maria Luisa Valencia Eric Fletty
Production/Distribution Editor International Editor Vice President, Operations
770-209-7416 mlvalencia@une.net.co efletty@tappi.org
kroman@tappi.org    
     
  Shane Holt  
  Integrated Media Director, Naylor, LLC  
  352-333-3345  
  sholt@naylor.com  

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