For the first time as a finished product, the paper lamp w101 by Claesson Koivisto Rune, Stockholm, Sweden, was on display this week at the Northern Light Fair 2011 in Stockholm. The lamp, co-developed with Sweden-based Södra and Wästberg Lamps, has already been honored with multiple awards, including a Swedish Design Award and a Good Design Award.

Södra, Sweden, developed the DuraPulp grade used in the manufacture of the lamp. DuraPulp is made from selected pulp combined with PLA (polyactic acid), a renewable biopolymer produced from starch. The two components in combination provide special properties that can be reinforced through hot pressing. DuraPulp has high wet strength, high water resistance, and high dimension stability, as well as high tensile strength and bending stiffness. It is made from 100% renewable fibers and is fully biodegradable. It took seven years to research the Durapulp material and more time still was spent on the production process.

The entire structure of the high-tech LED task light is made of paper, constructed using sandwiched paper sheets of DuraPulp, For a paper, it is very strong and durable. But the folded geometry of the lamp also makes for rigidity, and is not just for sculptural effect, Södra explains.

The lamp structure is compostable and uses an absolute minimum of material. The custom-designed, state-of-the-art LED solution provides the most electricity-conserving, dimmable, quality light possible. The directed light itself puts the light where it is needed, without spill.

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The new Tissue Forum at TAPPI's 2011 PaperCon will run all day Tuesday, May 3, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., with two sessions in the morning and two sessions in the afternoon. In addition to in-depth analyses of market trends in the tissue sector, papers presented in the Tissue Forum will provide updates on the latest technical innovations, as well as safety and reliability best practices for operating yankee dryers.

In the Tissue Market Overview session on Tuesday morning, Soile Kilpi, Principal, Poyry Management Consulting USA, presents a situation assessment that covers the market outlook, demand, and supply and capacity development in North America with a glimpse into global developments. Insights will be provided into at-home and away-from-home segment opportunities and challenges, and, moreover, there will be a discussion about brands and private labels and quality tier developments. Outlook for fiber – virgin and recycled will be commented upon as well as sources for raw materials and future outlook. Producer moves and new product launches will be highlighted. In addition, China will be briefly explored in terms of raw materials and tissue market outlook.

The state of the industry session is followed by a close-up look at brand building in tough times. Jacques D. Hagopian, Brand Manager – Charmin, Procter & Gamble, provides an overview of P&G, and highlights the fundamentals of brand management. These brand building fundamentals are brought to life using the Charmin bath tissue brand as a case study. Examples of recent Charmin marketing executions will cover a wide variety of consumer touch points ranging from traditional TV, digital media, and experiential marketing all rooted in a single consumer inspired idea.

Chris Luettgen, senior research and engineering manager, Global Manufacturing Support, Kimberly-Clark Professional Business, explores the role of sustainability in brand building. As Luettgen explains, delivering products designed to enhance peoples' lives in a manner that is socially, environmentall, and economically responsible has been integral to Kimberly-Clark's organizational values for decades. These values have provided a strong foundation for the company's journey towards leadership in sustainability. This presentation will explore the strategic initiatives, challenges, key learning, and overall progress made as Kimberly-Clark has worked to integrate principles of sustainable development throughout its global organization.

The second morning session looks at recent developments in tissue functional properties, with three being explored in some detail. First, a fracture mechanics description of the creping process will be presented. The model provides guidance in understanding and optimizing the creping process to produce high quality products. Second, various technical approaches to measuring intrinsic absorptive properties of both variable density (structured) and unstructured (conventional) towel products are discussed. These approaches are discussed in view of consumer input regarding "absorp-ability." Third, new technologies are presented based on advanced polymer chemistry and biotechnology research that suggest future directions for wet strength resin developments. Examples include engineered proteins, boronic acid chemistry, polymer multilayers and nanogels. Presentations include:

• Modeling and Simulation of the Creping Process by Melur K. Ramasubramanian, North Carolina State University
• Paper Towel Absorptive Properties: Analytical Measurement and Consumer Preference by Dave W. Loebker, PhD, Procter & Gamble
• New Polymers for Wet Strength – An Academic Perspective by Robert H. Pelton, McMaster University

The two afternoon sessions are both panel discussions, beginning with a detailed look at projects by the TAPPI Yankee Dryer Safety and Reliability Committee to deal with missing, inadequate, or lack of adherence to standard practices that lead to Yankee dryer delay. causing low productivity and negatively affecting safety. Committee Projects include creating a Reliability Standard Practice Knowledge book, developing a Visual Yankee Dryer Safety Standard, and improving service provider and owner-user capability using Standard Practices. To do this a number of subcommittees were formed to address various delay issues. These actions will be discussed by:

• Yankee Dryer Steam and Condensate Systems, Pekka Kormano, Deublin Steam Systems
• High Temperature Air Systems (Hoods), John Holton, Metso
• Cast Iron Yankee Dryer Maintenance and Inspections, Clive Butler, PMT Industries
• Yankee Dryer Surface Reliability, Sam Archer, Nalco.

In the final panel session on tissue forming systems, two industry experts discuss practical aspects and/or new developments in tissue forming. Each panelist will give a brief introductory presentation, and then will take questions nad comments form the audience. Micheal J. Hendricks, BTG Americas, will discuss "Consistency Measurement and Control in a Tissue Mill – The Often Neglected Parameter." Jay A. Shands, Johnson Foils, will follow with a discussion of Tissue Forming.

More information about the Tissue Forum is available online.

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The College Foundation of Trois-Rivières, (Québec, Canada) this week announced a new scholarship program for students at Cégep de Trois-Rivières who have registered for the first time in its Pulp and Paper Technology program. The Empire State Chapter of TAPPI provided entry funding for the scholarship with a $15,000 donation.

Establishment of the scholarship fund, to be known as the TAPPI Fund, will ensure ongoing support to help generations of students to come, the Foundation notes. To allow immediate implementation, the Foundation has set aside an amount of the TAPPI donation for scholarship distribution in its first year. Beginning this year, the TAPPI Fund will award two annual scholarships of $500 each.

Award criteria and application procedures for the TAPPI Fund will be announced in the coming weeks.

In the photo below are, left-to right (seated), Claude Huard, president of the Foundation, Lucy Sicard, director general of the Foundation, Louis Morimanno, treasurer of the Empire State Chapter of TAPPI, and (standing) Patrice Mangin, executive director of the CIPP, Mario Parenteau, director of the CDPF, Jean-Patrice Lamothe, coordinator of the Department of Technology of Pulp and Paper, and Christian Muckle, executive director of the Cégep de Trois-Rivières.

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Patrice J. Mangin has been elected chairman of PAPTAC for 2011. Mangin is general director of CIPP (Integrated Pulp and Paper Centre) in Canada, professor in chemical engineering at the University of Québec in Trois-Rivières (UQTR), and a member of the PAPTAC Executive Council since 2008. He holds a PhD in process engineering from the Institute National Polytechnique of Grenoble and a pulp and paper engineering degree from PAGORA (Grenoble, France).

Mangin's 38-year career with the pulp and paper industry includes CEO of Centre Technique du Papier (CTP, Grenoble), Quebecor chair holder at UQTR and Stora-Enso chair holder at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH, Stockholm), scientific Director of the Swedish Print Research network, and various positions at PAPRICAN (FP Innovations).

He has been chair and a member of numerous professional and technical association boards in Canada, USA, and Europe, including president of the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA), chairman of the TAPPI International Research Management Committee, and chairman of the Research Group of the Confederation of European Paper Industry (CEPI, Brussels). He is the out-going chair of PAPIER, the Canadian Pulp and Paper network for Innovation in Education and Research. He is the sole Canadian member of Agenda 2020 (Washington) CTO Committee.

Patrice is a TAPPI Fellow (2010), an Institute of Printing Fellow (1992), and received the Michael H. Bruno Award (2009), the highest TAGA distinction.

Two new PAPTAC Council members were also elected for 2011: Robert Dufresne, GM at Canfor Pulp's NorthWood Pulp Mill, and Carlo Dal Monte, Catalyst Paper's corporate energy director. Dufresne holds a Bachelor and a Master's degree in chemical engineering from Laval University and has a Doctorate in pulp and paper engineering from the University of Trois-Rivières. He has published several articles and served as a university lecturer. He is a member of the OIQ, PAPTAC, and TAPPI.

Dal Monte graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in mechanical engineering and a M. Eng in pulp and paper (1993). He has been corporate energy director at Catalyst since 2008. He served as co-chair for the 2009 PACWEST Conference and currently serves as chairman of the Association of Major Power Customers of British Columbia.

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We all have an interest in promoting safety in our industry, and in helping to develop practices which ensure safety. With that interest in mind, TAPPI has produced a brief 12-question survey to help us learn more about current safety practices, and to identify safety concerns for the future.

Please take a moment to participate in this survey. You don't have to provide any personal information, and should you choose to give us any contact information, that information will be held in confidence, and not associated with your survey answers.

Thank you for your help.

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Timberland owners in the U.S. South struggled in 2010, as low demand for sawtimber and prices below historical norms forced them to delay sawtimber sales beyond the dates set in their timberland management plans. However, landowners with smaller timber took advantage of pulpwood markets, thinning timber tracts or cutting pulpwood to meet increased demand from pulp and paper mills, according to Forest2Market, Charlotte, N.C. USA.

Demand for pulpwood was noticeably higher in 2010. Forest2Market's data on delivered pulpwood prices show that pulp and paper mills purchased an additional 5 million tons of pine pulpwood and chips. This is 4.3% higher than the 2009 volume. Hardwood pulpwood and chip purchases increased 2 million tons, an increase of 5.4% year-over-year.

Pulpwood prices rose across the board as well. According to Daniel Stuber, Forest2Market's director of operations, "emergency shortages at mills in the first quarter of 2010 drove prices higher. The wet weather restricted supply to the point that hardwood pulpwood prices increased by more than $10/ton on average. Pine prices rose by $5/ton. Even though markets retreated in the second quarter and then leveled off in the last half of the year, prices for both products settled above 2009 levels."

The price of pine fiber increased by $2.00/ton, or 6%, in 2010, just $0.10/ton below the historic high. Hardwood fiber prices exceeded 2009 levels by $4.62/ton and were $3.48/ton above the historic high set in 2008.

Volume and prices for pulpwood are likely to remain near second half levels through much of 2011, although, according to Stuber, "greater risk will creep into the market at the end of the year, as our economic outlook indicates that a slowdown in the economy in the fourth quarter is a distinct possibility. If this occurs, a decline in pulp and paper demand could put downward pressure on the volume of pulpwood harvested and record high prices, and timberland owners will need to revisit their harvest schedules once again."

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Production at U.S. southern solid wood mills increased 4.8% in 2010, Forest2Market further reports, adding that compared with steep drops in 2009, this modest growth marks the beginning of a rebound. Forest2Market expects 2011 will bring modest improvement for sawmills and plywood mills as well, a result of stronger residential construction.

Lumber mills increased production by 8.8% in 2010, despite seven mill closings. Four plywood mills closed, reducing production volume by 3.2%.

Delivered sawlog and plylog prices increased $1.53/ton over 2009 levels, according to Forest2Market's delivered timber price service. Increased log size contributed nearly half of that increase. A rise in standing timber prices accounted for $0.44/ton. Most of the remaining increase reflects higher diesel prices. Haul distances were flat.

"We expect 2011 to bring modest growth for the industry as well," said Daniel Stuber, Forest2Market's director of operations, a result of a gradually improving housing market. "Our economic outlook shows housing starts at an annualized rate of 625,000 in 2011, compared with 2010's 587,600. Though that may not seem like a large increase, it does mean the worst is behind us. In 2012, we expect starts to top 760,000."

Residential construction will improve for two reasons, according to Stuber. "First, we think the foreclosure fraud that came to light in the last half of 2010 will push homebuyers into the new home market. Because buyers are concerned about encumbered titles, the hassle of buying an existing home just won't be worth it, regardless of the price. Second, the recession proved that base demand for new homes is roughly 500,000. Having passed this threshold in 2010, we expect continued growth."

Despite improvements in residential construction, Forest2Market's forecast does show a brief recession between the last quarter of 2011 and mid-2012. This recession will take a toll on home prices, however, not new construction, which will see only modest retrenchment. "Overall," said Stuber, "solid wood mills should expect to see slow growth in 2011."

More information is available online.

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Zepol Corp., Minneapolis, Minn., USA, this week reported that the U.S. containerized import shipment volume for January, measured in TEUs, increased 8.86% from December and 17.64% over January 2010. The total number of shipments also increased 7.69% from December and 17.62% over last January. Key Statistics from this Month's Update include:

• After a four month slide, January showed a significant increase from December, but volumes are in line with November of 2010. Much of this increase was driven by Asian origin shipments as they rose 11.3% in preparation for the lunar New Year.
• Ports on the Atlantic Coast show the greatest increases in volumes for January 2011 over January 2010 with an increase of 19.15% compared with the Pacific Coast of 16.80% and the Gulf Coast of 10.68%. This could be an expanding trend as shipments return to 2007/2008 totals and the same capacity issues affect Southern California.
• Maersk Line ranks as the top Carrier in Zepol's data, but MSC and APL both show better growth over January 2010 with a change of 4.13% compared with 31.13% and 22.55% respectively.

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Burrows Paper Corp., Little Falls, N.Y., USA, reports that it has received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certification, recognizing that the company procures all wood pulp for papermaking from responsible, legal, and traceable sources. Burrows notes that it also recently received Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

Burrows received the certifications for its paper mills in Mississippi and New York following a rigorous, several-months-long process, including a three-day audit by Bureau Veritas, an independent and accredited certifier. The standards for certification address issues such as old growth forests, endangered species, water quality, chemical use, forest conversion, rights of indigenous peoples, genetic modification, and clear cutting.

Mike Lengvarsky, president and COO, said that "we have a deep sense of responsibility to our customers and the environment. We understand that customers have high standards for their paper and packaging needs and appreciate that our company's processes have a meaningful and positive impact while fulfilling those needs. It is our duty to ensure that the superior quality and integrity of our products begins with the very pulp it is made from."

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Fraser Papers Inc., Toronto, Ont., Canada, and its subsidiaries announced this week that creditors of the company approved an amended consolidated plan of compromise and arrangement at a meeting of creditors held in Toronto. The amended plan was filed with the Ontario court overseeing Fraser Papers' restructuring proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) of Canada on January 28, and was supported by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the court-appointed monitor and other significant stakeholders.

The amended plan was supported by 94.7% of the votes (in number) represented at the meeting and 75.3% of the value of claims who voted. Under criteria set out in the CCAA, the amended plan required approval of the majority of creditors in number and 66 2/3% of the dollar value of claims voting at the meeting.

The amended plan contemplates the distribution of all proceeds of the sale of the company's assets to unsecured creditors, once all secured claims are paid in full.

As a result of the approval, the company intends to appear before the Ontario court on February 10 and the U.S.court on February 11 to seek necessary approvals to implement the amended plan.

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Fulida Group Holdings, China, has acquired Neucel Specialty Cellulose, Richmond, B.C., Canada, from a consortium of investors led by Wellspring Capital Management and GSC Group. Fulida, together with Zhejiang Fulida Ltd, which had established a minority equity position along with a strategic supply agreement with Neucel in 2010, has assumed full ownership of the company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased to become fully integrated into the Fulida organization given their leadership in the rayon market and their strong support of our Port Alice, B.C., mill. The new ownership enables Neucel to explore new growth opportunities while continuing our aggressive cost and capacity initiatives. Wellspring has been a visionary and dedicated owner of our business and we are very pleased to have helped make this a successful investment for them," said Bob Taylor, president and CEO of Neucel who will continue to lead the business.

"Viscose rayon fiber competition in China has become intense. With the purchase of Neucel, Fulida gains a stable supply of dissolving pulp along with cost advantages and quality assurance that extend the value chain of our business. I strongly believe that this purchase will ensure a stable, sustainable, and rapid development for Neucel, and thus help it to further achieve its unique enterprise value," said Jianer Qi, chairman of Fulida Group Holdings.

Fulida is a global producer of rayon, with several awards to its credit within the Chinese textile industry. Founded in 1988, it is situated by Hangzhou Bay, adjacent to the City of China Light & Textile Industry.

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Hayat Kimya A.S., Turkey, has started up its new Metso Advantage DCT 200 TS tissue line at its mill in Yeniköy, located near the city of Izmit in Turkey. The Hayat Kimya TM 2 reportedly started up smoothly and on schedule, producing a saleable product from the outset.

"We reached a successful startup thanks to good cooperation and efforts by the Metso personnel in a record short time of 13 months from the contract signing. In the light of such a short time, the startup was a big success for all of us. This cooperation will continue and I am convinced we will continue production with a very good paper quality," says Lütfi Aydin, paper mill director at the Hayat Kimya mill.

Metso's supplied a complete tissue production line, including a stock preparation system and an Advantage DCT 200 TS tissue machine. The tissue machine is equipped with an OptiFlo headbox, a Metso yankee cylinder, an Advantage AirCap hood adapted for co-generation, an Advantage WetDust dust system, an Advantage Run sheet transfer system, and an Advantage SoftReel L reel. The stock preparation line contains OptiSlush pulpers, OptiFiner conical refiners, and OptiScreen machine screens. The delivery also included an automation package with metsoDNA machine and process controls, a PaperIQ Plus scanner, and quality controls.

With a width of 5.6 m and a design speed of 2,200 m/min, the new line has a design capacity of 70,000 metric tpy of facial, toilet, and towel grades. Raw material for the new line is virgin fiber. The production line is optimized to save energy and to enhance final product quality.

Hayat Kimya A.S. is part of the Hayat Group, which operates primarily in the chemicals, hygienic products, paper, and wood-based industries. The Hayat tissue facilities have a paper production capacity of 135,000 metric tpy and a converting capacity of 60,000 metric tpy.

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Metso Paper Ltd, St-Laurent, Que., Canada, has named Usinage Bertrem Inc., an authorized Canadian service center for roll repairs. The agreement between the two companies will complement Metso's current services to the pulp industry in North America, and is in line with its strategy to increase the level of business in the services sector.

The 22,000 sq ft workshop located in Sorel, Que., is currently owned by Pierre Cardin, an ex-Beloit employee with more than 30 years of experience in paper machine and roll manufacturing. Cardin was a key player in establishing Beloit Manhattan's roll service shop in Renfrew, Ont., Canada.

Metso' notes that its partnership with Cardin and Usinage Bertrem will give its Eastern Canada customers access to high quality repairs and upgrades from a knowledgeable provider of repair services. Services offered at the Sorel location will mainly focus on mechanical roll repairs, but because of existing links to other Metso roll repair and covering facilities in the U.S., this location will act as a true one-stop roll service center.

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Verso Paper Corp., Memphis Tenn., USA, reports that it exceeded the company's safety goals for 2010 with a lost workday incidence rate (LWIR) of 0.07, which is world class performance, and a total incidence rate (TIR) of 1.36.

These outstanding results place Verso at the top of the first quartile for safety performance among paper industry peers, according to the American Forest and Paper Association's most recent benchmarking survey.

"Verso is proud of our industry-leading safety performance and that our 2010 TIR and LWIR performance was the best in Verso's history," says David Sams, Verso's director of Environment, Health and Safety. "More importantly, we are proud that our people are working more safely. We are moving closer to an environment where no one gets hurt at work. Verso's ultimate goal is zero injuries."

Verso has been recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for its participation in the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Three of Verso's four manufacturing facilities have achieved Star status in VPP, and the fourth facility continues to work on opportunities that will prepare it for VPP recognition. Less than 1% of the nation's facilities have achieved OSHA Star status.

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Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wash., USA, this week completed the sale of some 82,000 acres of timberlands in southwestern Washington to the Hancock Timber Resource Group, Boston, Mass., for approximately $200 million. This will contribute approximately $150 million to Weyerhaeuser's earnings in the first quarter. The sale is part of an ongoing process to optimize the company's timberlands portfolio to ensure its ownership fits the long-term strategic needs of the company.

"Today's sale represents the continued efforts to strategically rebalance our timberlands," said Dan Fulton, Weyerhaeuser president and CEO. "We have a competitive advantage in growing and processing Douglas fir, and the sale focuses our Western operations on managing that species. While the land sold is high-quality, productive timberlands, it no longer fits our long-term strategic plan."

Following the sale, Weyerhaeuser will own or manage more than one million acres of timberland in Washington and will operate in more than 20 locations, including its corporate headquarters in Federal Way. Weyerhaeuser employs nearly 3,800 people in the region. Nationwide, the company will continue to own and manage more than six million acres of timberland.

"Trees and land are the core of the company," Fulton said. "We are the largest private landowner in the Pacific Northwest, and we remain committed to this region for the long term."

The Hancock Timber Resource Group, a division of Hancock Natural Resource Group, an operating company of Manulife Asset Management, manages approximately 5.3 million acres of timberland across the U.S. and in Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

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M-real, Espoo, Finland, has contracted Tieto, Finland, to modernize the mill systems at its board mills in Finland, which will be completed by the end of 2012. The mills are implementing the latest versions of the Tieto Integrated Paper Solution (TIPS). Tieto is also responsible for the maintenance service of the systems.

The TIPS manufacturing execution solution will allow further standardization of production management business processes as well as the seamless integration of production with M-real's SAP Enterprise Resource Planning. The benefits include improved visibility of information that is critical to the business.

"Tieto's solution meets our expectations very well, and the special features required by our mill operations are easy to integrate with it. The strength of the solution is its user-friendliness. We have used TIPS for ten years, and during this time Tieto has developed the solution in such a way that we have now at our disposal new features that are beneficial to our operational environment," says Jukka Kettunen, responsible for production at M-real.

"I believe that our strengthened co-operation will further improve both the maximization of the availability of M-real's mills and the standardization of their business processes. The standardized toolset of the new TIPS solution supports more efficiently the optimization of the production capacity of the mills," says Ari Järvelä, responsible for Finnish and Baltic businesses.

M-real's Consumer Packaging business produces folding boxboard, coated white top liners, and wallpaper base. The products are used for packaging of cosmetics, food products, and confectionaries, etc.

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MeadWestvaco, Richmond, Va., USA, has donated $100,000 to the Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC), Phenix City, Ala. The company's Mart Mill (packaging grades) is located at nearby Cottonton, Ala.

CVCC plans to use part of the donation to fund its Workforce Development programs. At CVCC, Workforce Development offers workforce training for emerging workers, transitional workers, and incumbent workers. Workforce Development also provides basic skills and job readiness training; short-term, non-credit training; continuing education; and customized training for business and industry.

"We are impressed with the innovative technologies that the College has implemented to engage the students." said Roz Durden, communications manager at MeadWestvaco. "We feel this is a great investment and we are confident of the value it will add for the community, as well as current and potential MeadWestvaco employees. Truly, CVCC is training a world-class workforce and we are proud to be a part."

VCC is planning a new industry training center which will house two large classrooms and open space for both didactic and experimental learning in automotive manufacturing technology, industrial maintenance technology, sustainable construction, and air conditioning technology.

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RockTenn, Norcross, Ga., USA, and Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., Chicago, Ill., announced at the beginning of this week that the Federal Trade Commission has granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in connection with RockTenn's previously announced acquisition of Smurfit-Stone. The transaction remains subject to other customary closing conditions, including approval by the stockholders of both companies.

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SAICA, Spain, and Metso, Finland, have completed a multi-year agreement whereby Metso will assume full responsibility for establishment of the maintenance operations, mill maintenance, and management of improvement projects for the power stations, stock and paper production facilities, and water treatment equipment at the Saica Containerboard UK paper mill in Partington, U.K. The value of the agreement, which became effective January 11, was not disclosed.

The containerboard production line of the Partington mill will also be supplied by Metso. The order for the production line was received from SAICA in March 2010. The line is scheduled to startup in the first quarter of 2012.

SAICA and Metso have a history of maintenance cooperation. Since 2005, the companies have operated a joint venture for the maintenance of the SAICA mills in Zaragoza, Spain. Since 2007, Metso also has a mill maintenance unit serving the SAICA Venizel mill in France. Based on this cooperation and Metso's other maintenance references, SAICA and Metso have together developed a maintenance outsourcing model for SAICA's Partington mill. The model optimizes the use of proactive, condition based, predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance and is based on Metso's streamlined reliability centered maintenance (RCM). The model ensures the highest possible equipment efficiency and cost optimization.

SAICA, a family owned company, is a global producer of high performance lightweight corrugated papers from recovered paper and cardboard. The company currently employs more than 8,000 people in Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, and the UK. The company has an annual turnover of EUR 1.9 billion.

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Smurfit Kappa, Townsend Hook, U.K., has used Voith's SkyLine doctor blades to help solve quality and runnability problems when producing fluting and testliner grades on its PM 8. The problems were related to increased reeler breaks due to starch accumulation in the after dryer section.

Due to the runnability issues, and too many joins at the reeler, the spools piled up, and sometimes the PM had unplanned downtime, up to 10 hours per month, because there were no more spools available.

"Since installing Voith SkyLine doctor blades we have seen a measurable step change in performance. In the past four months, we have eliminated the backlogs of jumbo reels before the winder that caused unplanned stops of the paper machine. This clearly saves us hard cash and has improved our operating performance. This solution has also improved the paper quality as there are less joins in the reels leaving the mill. This reduction in waste has improved customer satisfaction," stated Peter Kitto, mill production manager at Townsend Hook.

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Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, has launched Aqua Tube in Europe, which the company says is the first ever fully flushable, biodegradable bathroom tissue center tube, replacing the traditional cardboard core "and offering consumers enhanced comfort and convenience." Recent research, commissioned by G-P, has shown that more than 80% of consumers are interested in using the flushable tube as it will make their lives more convenient.

With Aqua Tube, G-P notes, there is "no more fuss or annoyance once the toilet roll has been finished. Just throw the tube in the toilet, flush, and it will vanish." The product will be launched in Europe during the course of 2011 starting with Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal, under the brands Lotus and Colhogar.

As G-P explains, more than half of consumers don't recycle their core. They either leave it for the next person or put it in the normal dustbin. Research also showed that of the many different paper products, the core is the least likely to be recycled (55%). Aqua Tube, however, gives consumers a choice of either flushing or recycling it.

Aqua Tube is constructed of paper made so strong that it can replace the traditional core and yet rapidly dissolve when it touches water. Because it is made of biodegradable material, it will start to disintegrate when flushed.

Research in conjunction with the launch of this new product was done by Ipsos in Belgium, France, and Spain with more than 3,000 consumers. Some 82% of respondents said they were interested in buying bathroom tissue with the new tube. The main reasons for interest were convenience (38%) and environment (30%). Other interesting survey results were:

• Only 55% of consumers recycle the core (one in five simply throws the core in the regular trash and almost one in three just leaves the core in the bathroom for the next person to clean it up)
• Women replace the toilet paper roll more often than men (83% vs 62%)
• 65% of respondents believe that having a flushable tube would make other household members clean up the "core" more.

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Toshiba's Industrial Division, Houston, Texas, USA, has unveiled a new adjustable speed drive for the pump industry—the P9. The new ARRRA-compliant drive reduces pressure buildup and energy consumption in pumps, thereby maximizing efficiency, energy savings, and the life of pumping equipment, the company notes.

Incorporating Toshiba's Virtual Linear Pump (VLP) Technology, the P9 directly, precisely, and linearly controls pressure or flow. It does the following:

• Linearizes traditional non-linear pumps curve, providing user's system with stable and precise variable pumping control
• Solves problem of load-balancing over multiple pumps, eliminating PID tuning
• Allows user to configure system in five simple steps (VLP provides user with complete control in only minutes)
• Self-calibrates and eliminates common pump anomalies
• Protects against dead head, loss of suction pressure, cavitation, thrust bearing, etc.
• Maximizes energy savings on variable torque loads.

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Korsnäs AB, Sweden, this week announced a price increase in the U.K. and Ireland of £65 per metric ton on all of its white top kraftliner grades (Korsnäs Classic, Korsnäs Decor, Korsnäs Design, and Korsnäs Supreme). The company notes that the price increase is the result of negative differences in U.K. price levels compared with continental Europe. It will take effect on all deliveries and invoices beginning March 1.

Korsnäs operates three production facilities in Sweden: Gävle, Frövi and Rockhammar, with a total production capacity of 1.1 million metric tpy of cartonboard and paper annually, with integrated pulp production. Korsnäs also produces biofuel pellets at two plants in Latvia. The company exports approximately 90% of its products.

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M-real Corp., Espoo, Finland, reports that it will increase prices across its uncoated fine paper portfolio by 6% - 8%, effective March 1. The company attributes the price hikes to further cost increases within the paper industry.

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Graphic Packaging International has ordered from Andritz, Graz, Austria, a 350,000 lb/hr (160 ton/hr) steam boiler using woody biomass and primary clarifier sludge as fuels for the company's mill in Macon, Ga., USA. Startup of the boiler is scheduled for the summer of 2013.

Andritz will supply a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) steam boiler, fuel and bottom ash handling systems, and the boiler safety system. The biomass boiler is expected to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 200,000 tpy (180,000 metric tpy).

The new biomass boiler is expected to make the Macon mill energy self-sufficient (electrical power and steam generation), which will reduce Graphic Packaging's energy costs and dependency on fossil-fuel based alternatives. The mill expects to become a net producer of electricity.

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Holmen, Stockholm, Sweden, this week agreed to jointly develop wind power in the municipality of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, with Sweden-based wind turbine partner E.ON, The plan is to erect wind turbines in three different areas, primarily located on Holmen's land and all identified as suitable by the Köldsvik Municipality. Annual production will be an estimated 330 GWh from around 70 wind turbines. The plan is to also sign agreements with private landowners in these areas. The goal is to have all of the turbines in place by 2015.

"This agreement marks an important step towards greater production of renewable energy in Sweden," Magnus Hall, Holmen's president and CEO, noted.

Jonas Abrahamsson, CEO of E.ON Sweden, added that "this partnership is fully in line with E.ON's strategy of helping to drive the switch to renewables in Sweden, with success very much dependent on joining forces with major industrial partners."

The partnership is based on joint project development and an intention to invest together, to realize the companies' shared ambition to build more renewable energy capacity. Holmen has a unique position in this respect as one of Sweden's largest landowners, while E.ON leads the field in establishing industrial-scale wind farms.

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KiOR Inc., Pasadena, Texas, USA, this past week announced that it has received a term sheet for a loan guarantee supporting a more than $1 billion biofuels project from the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee Program. The project would convert wood biomass into drop-in biofuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel.

KiOR's project under the DOE loan guarantee program will consist of four biorefineries that will contribute approximately 250 million gal of cellulosic biofuel to the Renewable Fuel Standard. The first two plants are expected to be in Mississippi, with additional sites planned in Georgia and Texas.

"We are pleased to work with the DOE on reaching this milestone and are excited about the scale and impact of the project. The project's first facility, planned in Newton, Miss., is expected to be the largest cellulosic biofuels facility in the U.S. Additionally, the project will have a significant impact on rural communities through the creation of direct, indirect, and induced jobs, with more than 14,000 jobs created during construction and more than 4,000 jobs created during operations.

The project also expects to reduce greenhouse gas lifecycle emissions by more than 70% compared with fossil-derived gasoline and diesel fuels, said Fred Cannon, president and CEO of KiOR. "While the term sheet is an important step in the process, we recognize that more work lies ahead to finalize the loan guarantee and there is no assurance it will be issued until the loan is closed," he added.

Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures noted that "I hope over time we can resurrect many of the thousands of jobs lost at the hundreds of paper mills that have been shutdown in America. Each mill shutdown devastated a community and now we hope to resurrect many of these rural communities while reducing our dependence on foreign oil."

"Last year Mississippi realized the tremendous potential of the KiOR technology and made a decision to bring it to our state," said Gov. Haley Barbour. "We're excited the U.S. Department of Energy has come to the same conclusion to support this one-billion-plus dollar project to speed up the construction of two additional KiOR facilities here."

This project accelerates KiOR's commercialization strategy. In August 2010, the company announced the start of engineering and construction on the first commercial facility in Columbus, Miss. which is expected to produce more than 11 million gal of fuel per year. KiOR also has additional projects in various stages of development in Arkansas, Alabama, and other southern states.

KiOR's technology combines a proprietary catalyst system with a biomass-to-renewable crude conversion technology to produce a high-quality oil called Re-Crude, using a process similar to Fluid Catalytic Cracking used in the oil industry. Re-Crude is refined into gasoline and diesel blendstocks that are compatible with our country's existing fuel infrastructure and are a viable near-term solution to help ease our dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create high-quality jobs and economic benefit across rural America. Khosla Ventures incubated the company in 2007 and is the lead investor.

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Dr. Joseph Marton passed away on June 1, 2010. Joe was a TAPPI Fellow in 1978 and was a recipient of the Harris O. Ware Prize in 1997. Dr. Marton had authored three papers and had been a member on many division committees through the years. Back To Top

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Get some relief at the Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop and learn ways to improve your bottom line.

Be a part of this dedicated group of mills, carriers, warehouses and printers as they establish standards to reduce in-transit damage to rolls of paper. You can't learn by sitting in your office! Attend the Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop in Nashville, April 11-13, 2011, and learn new ways to improve your bottom line.

Program highlights include an update on the VoIPcare "qMetrix for Transportation" trial providing real-time roll inspection reports; success stories on reducing roll damage; and networking between the entire paper supply chain (mills, warehousing, shippers, rail, truck and end users.

Registration for this information-packed event is only $265. And for an additional $65 (total of $330) you can become a member of TAPPI - normally $174. TAPPI Membership entitles you to news, publications, conference discounts and a directory of members - the most influential people in the pulp, paper, converting and allied industries.

Learn more about TAPPI's Shipping, Receiving and Warehousing Workshop. 

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The Seventh Annual National Sustainable Design Expo, featuring EPS's P3 Award, will be held April 16-17, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

AIChE is co-sponsoring this event and has a limited number of exhibit spaces available to companies to promote and display their leadership in sustainability and environmental protection.

Sponsors are given a unique opportunity to showcase their contributions to advancing sustainability while discovering innovative, cutting-edge technologies and meeting more than 400 university students in engineering, sciences, law, economics, architecture and other fields.

The Expo brings together a diverse group of scientists, engineers, and business leaders to discuss innovations designed to advance economic growth while reducing environmental impact and to showcase their approaches to sustainability to the interested public.

Read more about how to participate as a sponsor.

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The NET (Nonwovens Engineers & Technologists) Division of TAPPI is pleased to announce that it will be an industry partner for Techtextil North America, the ONLY trade show in the Americas dedicated to Technical Textiles and Nonwovens. It will take place March 15-17, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Who Should Attend?

Professionals and decision makers directly involved with technical textiles and nonwovens such as but not limited to:

• Consultants
• Corporate Executives
• Government Executives
• Manufacturing Directors
• Military
• New Business Development
• Plant Management
• Product Development Managers
• Purchasing Executives
• R&D Engineers
• R&D Scientists
• Technical Directors
• Academia

Discover new products, exciting technology, ground-breaking materials and advancements in the industry.
Make your plans now to join the industry for three days of education, networking and business development.

Key highlights of the event will include:

• Exhibitors from around the world showcasing the latest developments in technical textiles and nonwovens.
• The Innovation Showcase featuring end-use products that demonstrate the latest textile developments from exhibitors.
• Techtextil North America Symposium 2011 which will contain ten sessions with over 40 presentations and topics in a variety of formats that will cover a wide range of topics including research, military developments, sustainability, technology, intelligent fabrics and biotechnology.

Register now.

For more information, call 770.984.8016 ext.411 or email mailto:www.techtextilNA.com/LM9

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Join your colleagues in Orlando on April 5, 2011—one day before the ICE Show begins— at the 2011 TAPPI PLACE Flexible Packaging Symposium for a comprehensive, state-of-the-art overview of the latest biopolymer materials, additives, processing technology, applications, environmental aspects and market trends.

Presentations will be made by industry leaders including:

• Andy Sweetman, Chairman of the Board, European Bioplastics
• Islem Yezza, Technical Director, Cascades
• Dr. Jim Nangeroni, Lead Applications Development Engineer, NatureWorks LLC
• Beth Foederer, Optex Process Solutions
• Kelvin Okamoto, VP of Technology of Cereplast Inc.
• Andy Sweetman, Mgr of Sustainable Technologies, Innova Films
• Malcolm Cohn, President, Accredo Packaging
• Charles Murray, President, Sun Chemical NA
• Dr. Christian Bauer, Director Sustainability, Flexible Packaging Europe
• Ken Fontaine, President & CEO, Amgraph 
• Marla Donahue, Executive Director, Flexible Packaging Association

Learn more about the symposium.

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From his first meeting 23 years ago until now, TAPPI member Kerry Figiel says his active involvement in TAPPI activities – including Division, Committee and Common Interest Group Meetings – has enabled him to stay ahead of rapidly changing curves in the paper industry. And he credits his very first manager for giving him the sage advice to join.

Currently a Senior Staff Engineer with International Paper, he serves as Corporate Champion for Quality Control Systems. Now he too highly recommends membership to his fellow industry scientists and engineers. Find out the many reasons why by reading this month's Member Spotlight. 

Spotlight participants are recommended by fellow members and staff. If you would like to nominate a member (or even yourself!) just send their name (or names) to MemberSpotlight@tappi.org. We will forward a Spotlight Questionnaire to fill out and return.

We look forward to seeing you in the Spotlight!

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Brian Duff, chief engineer and acting deployment team leader for the Office of the Biomass Program at the U.S. Department of Energy in Golden, Colo., will deliver a keynote address at the combined BioPro Expo & Marketplace™ and the International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference (IBBC). The event will take place in Atlanta on March 14-16, 2011, at the Atlanta Hilton.

Duff is Chief Engineer and Acting Deployment Team Leader for the Office of the Biomass Program at the U.S. Department of Energy. A biochemical process engineer with 30 years of experience in biotechnology and renewable energy from biomass, he holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from Lehigh University and a master of science degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University. His primary expertise is in microbial bioconversion processes and the production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass.

During his career, he has worked for two Fortune 500 companies, Procter & Gamble and Pfizer, as well as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. At NREL, he was the Senior Pilot Plant Engineer responsible for the design, installation and startup of the lignocellulosic process development unit (PDU), as well as a 2-ton-per-day anaerobic digestion demonstration plant designed to recycle organic biomass into renewable energy. He is dedicated to improving the quality of life through biotechnology.

BioPro Expo is the largest conference and exhibition in the Southeastern United States, backed by 22 industry partners covering the full biomass processing spectrum for multiple industries, from supply through demand and utilization. In-depth educational sessions are coupled with a trade show focused on cutting-edge technology, products and services available today. This event examines practical methodologies for quickly transitioning products, residues and waste streams into energy and biofuels.

For information, visit www.bioproexpo.org.

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Connect directly with your prospects and customers in the polymers, laminations, adhesives, coating and extrusions industries by sponsoring or exhibiting at the 13th TAPPI European PLACE Conference,  30 May-1 June 2011 at the Festspielhaus on beautiful Lake Constance in Bregenz, Austria.

Get direct access to your prospects. Reach the top minds in these industries as they seek the latest introductions of technology and applications. European PLACE Conference attendees are decision makers or influencers who are directly involved with flexible packaging and converting, product development, research, package engineering and consulting.

Make sure your prospects see what your company has to offer! View the prospectus. Back To Top

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The preparations for the 15th edition of the SPCI World Pulp & Paper Week, held on May 17-19 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden, are now in full swing. The exhibition is almost fully booked and the conference programme will be announced shortly.

New for 2011 is that the conference is free to all visitors and is situated on three activity squares within the exhibition hall. The Magic Future Square in the middle highlights topics such as the World Market, Management and Innovations. The East and West squares will host more of a technical based type of presentations and seminars divided into five different subject areas; Pulp & Paper, Innovations, Energy, R&D and Raw Materials/Bioenergy.

SPCI 2011 provides you with first class business opportunities in an international environment and is a great source of inspiration for exhibitors and visitors alike. The online visitor registration is now open. To access the visitor registration form, please visit http://www.spcievent.com/en click on the Visitor Info Link and choose entrance card. To see the most up-to-date list of exhibitors, please click here. 

There is still some space available should you wish to sign up as an exhibitor or Event Partner. Event Partners are placed around the activity squares and have presentation slots already reserved. Please click here to see the latest exhibition floor plan.

For more information about this year's event, visit the website to find updated news and contact details.

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