Register before September 9 to attend the TAPPI PEERS Conference (October 2-5, 2011 in Portland, Oregon) and benefit from the integration of both management and technical topics. At PEERS, you'll gain a better understanding how of the entire mill process works together – helping you Optimize the Lean Green Machine. Learn more about the program.

At PEERS, you'll discover and explore mill-proven routes to higher efficiency in the Practical Mill Engineering sessions, attend training workshops, network and share solutions, and see the latest products and services available to the marketplace. Program highlights include: Keynote Speaker Miles P. Drake from Weyerhaeuser; Dissolving Pulp Forum; Pumped Systems Assessment Workshop; Sustainability Sessions and more.

Learn more about the TAPPI PEERS Conference

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For the last several years, TAPPI member Hannu Melarti has been leading the charge to instill what he calls a Silicon Valley-type focus in the Paper & Pulp industry. He advocates unleashing employee creativity and then stepping back to see what new heights they can take your company, and the industry to. A guest speaker at PaperCon08, he also sings the praises of social media, saying it holds the power to engage the new, younger workforce now entering the market in ways the industry could not do before.

In 2010, he initiated and participated in a TAPPI taskforce with the objective to analyze and recommend how social media could be used to reinvigorate the industry and to bring back the excitement that characterized it in the early days. "I strongly believe that social media will be a very important tool in bringing sexy back," he says. Find out how 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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No matter where you work in the paper industry, you are likely to have been asked about sustainability issues and how they relate to your area of expertise. If not, you are probably still aware of the importance of sustainability. Sustainability covers a wide range of topics, many with significant economic impacts. Are you aware of your customer's concerns around sustainability? Do you have all of the information that you need around these issues?

In an effort to provide TAPPI members and the broader community with pertinent and timely information about sustainability issues, TAPPI invites you to complete this short survey (< 20 questions).

This survey asks you to rank the importance of several sustainability topics – from forest certification, LCAs, global reporting, and the best use of recycled fiber. This survey was created by the Technical Program Committee for TAPPI's 2012 Sustainability Forum, taking place during PaperCon 2012. Committee members Craig Liska (Verso Paper), Laura Thompson (Sappi Fine Paper North America) and Lela Gerald (Buckman International), all experts in sustainability, want to develop topics that bring you the information on sustainability that you and your customers want. Results from this survey will also be used to guide the development of webinars and other information sharing activities on sustainability topics.

Pass this along! Ask your colleagues, your customers, and your suppliers to complete the survey – sustainability impacts the entire supply chain.

Results from this survey will be shared with TAPPI members. If you aren't a member, join so that you can see what our industry wants to know about sustainability. Learn more about joining TAPPI.

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The PTS Pulp Symposium will be held November 22-23, 2011 in Dresden. A highlight of the symposium will be discussions focusing on pulp applications in end products including specialty papers, and high-quality graphic papers and packaging papers.

Besides paper, the symposium will also focus on wood fibre composites and entirely new fibre-based products with specific properties. Other topics to be covered include nanotechnology and software-supported methods and models that will become key technologies in efficiently fine-tuning the supply of pulp to meet required product properties.

The conference will appeal to a wide range of companies and industry sectors including:

• pulp and paper mill production
• pulp trade
• chemical suppliers
• plant and equipment manufacturing and related industrial sectors
• suppliers of alternative fibres and fibre-based raw materials;
• engineers and developers involved with the production of composite materials
• converters and suppliers of fibre-based products
• market research and procurement of fibrous raw materials staff
• universities and research institutes

More information

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Save thousands with the TAPPI PEERS Conference Mill Discount Program

TAPPI is offering a special discount for pulp and paper mills and their corporate offices to attend the 2011 PEERS Conference - allowing an unlimited number from your mill or office to attend for one day, one hour, or just drop in to see the exhibit area for one flat fee.

Why is attending important? With the role and scope of mill-based engineering changing and spending for infrastructure modernization and expansion decreasing, today's mills are focused on maintenance to extend the operational life and safety of existing systems.

Attend TAPPI PEERS and you and your team can learn, discover and explore mill-proven routes to higher efficiency in the Practical Mill Engineering sessions, attend training workshops, network and share solutions, and see the latest products and services available to the marketplace. Program highlights include: Keynote Speaker Miles P. Drake from Weyerhaeuser; Dissolving Pulp Forum; Pumped Systems Assessment Workshop; Sustainability Sessions and more. Learn more about the TAPPI PEERS Conference.

To learn more about the Mill Discount Program, contact Craig McKinney cmckinney@tappi.org at +1.770.446.7294.

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On November 8-11, the 2011 PTS Environment Symposium will be held in Munich, Germany. The event will provide a  comprehensive three-day program providing discussing new developments in the area of water, waste water and energy.

The PTS Environment Symposium, with simultaneous translation into German/English, is a meeting point for the pulp and paper industry and its suppliers to discuss issues of water, energy, air, waste and environmental law. Speakers will provide insight into current trends, convey comprehensive information and report on the latest findings and developments in science and the industry. Make contact with potential partners, get informed and form your own opinion by discussing the topics with renowned experts.

Topics covered during the first day include ecological relevance and sustainability, safety of paper products and related topics. The second day of the symposium is devoted to wastewater as a resource, mill experiences, safe plant operation, new aspects in biology and use of additives. Presentations on day three focus on political and legal framework conditions and on technical options for reducing energy costs.

The conference is targeted at managers, specialists and executive staff of the pulp and paper sector and its related industries whose central task is to reduce environmental impacts and minimize the outlays required for these areas. The program is designed to be of intertest to staff  responsible for energy issues and environmental experts focusing on water protection and emission control, waste management officers, technical specialists and executives (plant, operations and production managers). In addition, engineering and consultancy firms, plant engineering and construction companies and chemical suppliers will find the program and networking opportunities to be of great interest and value..

For More Information

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Having the chance to learn from a true expert and discuss best practices in mill and plant safety on a casual Wednesday afternoon doesn't happen too often, unless you're a TAPPI Young Professional member. On August 17th , the TAPPI Young Professionals (YP) Committee held its usual monthly call only this time with an extra bonus. The committee was joined by Chris Redfearn, past president of the Pulp and Paper Safety Association (PPSA) and current Director of Health & Safety Technical Services with Weyerhaeuser Company, who helped discuss Best Practices in Safety, a hot topic voted on previously by the YP Committee.

To start the discussion, each member took turns describing what they do and what role safety plays in their work environment. A couple of issues shared by the majority were improving safety culture and sustaining safe work practices. Other discussion topics included:

• Tips for YP's entering the work environment to build a good safety foundation
• Safety investigations and audits
• Demonstrating safety leadership in positive and effective ways
• Tips to help mills and plants become accident free
• Transitioning from compliance based safety management to a caring approach.

All together the call was very informative and beneficial to YP Committee members, who are looking forward to next month's call. Ideas for hot topics are gladly welcome as are newcomers! To join our next call (Wednesday, September 14th 3:00pm EST), please contact Libby Settle (lsettle@tappi.org). The YP Committee has many exciting projects underway such as YP networking events, putting together YP sessions to be presented at TAPPI conferences, forming a mentoring group, and implementing more of these great YP hot topic experiences! Find out more about the TAPPI Young Professionals and the Pulp and Paper Safety Association.

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