Weekly Spotlight
Engineered Softwood Could Transform Pulp, Paper, Biofuel Industries

Over the Wire

TAPPI

April 30, 2015
Nalco, an Ecolab Company
Altering what once was the hard and fast distinction between softwoods and hardwoods—which process into largely separate product streams—could create opportunities for the multi-billion dollar industries that process biomass for profit. Research is funded partially by GLBRC, one of three Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Centers created to make transformational breakthroughs that will form the foundation of new cellulosic biofuels technology.
 
NPT, G-P Foundation Add M. Agnes Jones Elementary to Buddy Bison School Program
The Buddy Bison School Program is in support of Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative and grew out of a need to encourage young people to discover and explore America's parks and public lands and water. "We look forward to our new partnership with the Georgia-Pacific Foundation... Parks are wonderful outdoor classrooms... The 3rd-grade students will learn not only about the fascinating science and history that exists right in their backyard, but they will also experience the health and wellness benefits of playing outdoors in parks."
 
Valmet Makes Donation to Help Earthquake Victims in Nepal
Company's donation is to support catastrophe victims in Nepal, which was hit by a severe earthquake on Saturday, April 25.
 
TAPPI Webinar Series: Filling your Wet End Chemistry Toolbox—Part 2-Retention Programs
"Fill your Wet End Chemistry Toolbox to Improve Your Productivity, Stability and Efficiency" is designed to dive deeper into the science & technology of Wet End Chemistry. The four part series will be hosted by Dr. Przemyslaw Pruszynski of Nalco, and will expand on certain topics covered in the committee’s annual Wet End Chemistry Course.
 
Webinar Today: Upgrading Cleaning Method Offers Major Budget, Productivity Benefits
Gamajet points out in today's webinar at 2pm that every processing and manufacturing company understands the importance of tank and tote cleaning between batches to prevent cross-contamination and preserve product quality. However, he notes, this process can be extremely time-consuming, costly, and in some cases, hazardous.
 
Free VTT Webinar on Nanocelluloses Set for May 27
This Webinar is focused on how to utilize the full potential of the most abundant biopolymer that Mother Nature has to offer, how to combine the unique properties of cellulose with one of the "hottest" key enabling technologies—nanotechnology, and how science can help to overcome the hurdles. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland will present on nanocelluloses May 27 at 3:00 p.m. London, U.K. (10 a.m. New York, N.Y., USA).
 
GapCon
Market Roundup
U.S. P&W Paper Shipments Decline
Uncoated free sheet (UFS) paper shipments in March decreased 1% compared with March 2014. Imports of UFS increased 6% year-over-year in February but are down 2% year-to-date. The total decrease of P&W papers was around 4%. Learn more about this market sector's performance.
 
China’s Production of Paper, Board Falls
The country's output in March was down 6.3% y/y, while its production of these grades was down 2.3% through Q1/15.
 
Stage Set for Possible Reduction in Southern U.S. Pulp Mill Fiber Cost
Prices for softwood residual chips in the Southern states were more than 30% lower than in the Northeast, Lake States, and Northwest regions of the U.S.
 
Boxboard Output in U.S. a Mixed Bag
Output by U.S. producers decreased 2.6% compared with March 2014, but increased 8.3% from last month.
 
NSK Corp
Pulp & Paper
Fortissue Starts up Toscotec AHEAD-2.0 Tissue Machine in Portugal
Due to the excellent cooperation between Fortissue and Toscotec, the line started up smoothly on schedule, 18 months after the order signature of the turnkey contract. The new Toscotec line, based on the best available technology, includes an AHEAD-2.0 crescent former tissue machine with TT Headbox-MLT double-layer, a steel yankee dryer (TT SYD-16FT), Milltech hood, and steam and condensate and dust removal systems.
 
Two Valmet Tissue Lines Start up at Hayat Kimya in Turkey, Russia
This was the second startup for the same team in three months, as Hayat Kimya's PM 4 at the new Alabuga mill in Tartarstan, Russia, was started up in December 2014. The time schedule was very tight but the paper was on reel as expected with good paper properties.
 
Premier Paper Acquires PaperLinx Reel Paper, Savory Paper Division
The managing director of the Premier Paper Group, said that "the recent unfortunate events at Paperlinx have resulted in redundancy for many people. We are delighted to be able offer more than 30 jobs to a team of people with many years of experience and a great track record in the business forms, direct mail and digital inkjet markets.
 
PaperNuts Completes Long-Term Paper Supply Agreement
Subject to the terms and conditions of the supply agreement, the supply partner will be the primary supplier to PaperNuts of lightweight continuous-roll kraft paper for its on-demand high speed PaperNuts packaging solutions. These products have met the highest environmental standards earning FSC, SFI, and PEFC certifications, PaperNuts notes.
 
Solenis Celebrates Grand Opening of New World Headquarters
Following the opening of its European headquarters last fall in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, the company's opening of its world headquarters in Wilmington, Del., USA, is one more step in a series of actions taken since it was acquired by a fund managed by private investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) this past August 1.
 
Suzano Contracts Andritz to Upgrade PM to Fluff Pulp Production
The rebuilt machine will produce some 100,000 tons of fluff pulp per year, making Suzano the first fluff pulp producer in Brazil and the first producer worldwide to supply fluff pulp based on short-fiber eucalyptus. The company is one of the largest integrated pulp and paper producers in Latin America. Its main products are eucalyptus pulp, printing and writing paper, as well as paperboard.
 
Containerboard/Packaging
U.S. Containerboard Production Edges up
Month-over-month average daily production compared with February 2015 was 0.8% lower. However, containerboard production rose 1.1% compared with March of last year.
 
New FBA Report Provides In-Depth U.S. Corrugated Industry Data
FBA, Elk Grove Village, Ill., USA, this week released its 2014 Industry Annual Report, the 74th in the series published by the association. The report provides data on U.S. corrugated industry statistics and trend data.
 
Sonoco's Tulsa, Okla. Facility Achieves Landfill Free Status
"In addition to recovering this coated tube scrap, which is difficult to manage, this program also reduced overall facility costs," said Lynn Ratliff, plant manager. "It was truly a win-win."
 
New Products
K-C Introduces GreenHarvest Products
Products represent a cutting edge offering that incorporates rapidly renewable plant-based fiber, such as wheat straw and bamboo, into Kleenex and Scott brand towel and tissue products.
 
Tetra Pak Launches New Hot Melt Adhesives, Lubricants
The new hot-melt adhesives and lubricants are specifically formulated for use with Tetra Pak's own filling machines.
 
Thwing-Albert Announces New Look for Handle-O-Meter
Originally developed to test the durability and flexibility of toilet paper and paper towels, the testing machine is now featuring a touch-screen control panel and the ability to interface with MAP-4 Advanced Materials Testing Software.
 
Valmet Introduces Online Tool for Choosing Optimal Roll Covers
Interactive application enables users to locate and select the correct roll cover for any paper, board, or tissue production line roll positions, as well as for pulp drying machines.
 
Voith’s New SplitScreen Simplifies Screw Press Maintenance
SplitScreen is the first screen element consisting of a supporting structure and a screen plate, enabling maintenance and inspection time to be significantly reduced compared with conventional cylindrical screen baskets. In addition, investment costs over the lifetime of the screw press are much lower than for conventional screen elements.
 
People
Kotkamills Appoints Lippo HR Director, Uusitalo Executive Assistant
Lippo has previously worked for Nokia Paper Mill of SCA Hygiene Products Oy and also has experience from similar tasks in Tervakoski Oy, Finland. Anne Uusitalo has been appointed executive assistant. She has previously worked for KSS Energia.
 
SCA Chairman Nyrén Resigns Post, Effective Today
The announcement of resignation is effective as of April 30.
 
Wausau Hires Powers, Formon, Hetland to Lead Sales, Marketing, Converting
"Wausau Paper Mosinee, Wis.,USA, has long been committed to the away-from-home towel and tissue industry," said Wausau president, Matthew L. Urmanski. "The addition of these talented individuals to our organization strengthens our ability to differentiate Wausau Paper in the away-from-home marketplace and expand the growth potential of our business."
 
Web Industries Appoints Pihl Company President
Ensuring Web Industries continues to meet and exceed customer and market expectations, the owners will be focusing on sustaining key leadership development and organizational growth initiatives. Always passionate about helping people fully develop their talents, he has identified these initiatives as crucial to building Web's future as a company that operates "without walls," in which every employee-owner is supported by and accountable to each other and all company stakeholders work together towards a shared vision of future success.
 
Avery Dennison Names Gravanis President, Materials Group
Based in Hong Kong, Gravanis will be responsible for the global pressure-sensitive materials businesses now comprised of Label and Packaging Materials, Graphics Solutions, and Reflective Solutions.
 
TAPPI News
Paper Machine Operations Course – May 19-21, 2015
TAPPI's popular, highly regarded Paper Machine Operations Course, to be held May 19-21, 2015, in Appleton, Wis., USA, helps attendees build confidence and knowledge of overall paper machine operations.
 
Best Process Control Paper Presented at PaperCon 2014
Kevin Dale Starr of ABB has been presented the Best Process Control Paper at PaperCon 2014 award fro his paper titled "QCS Automation Service Solutions for the 21st Century."
 
PPSA Announces Keynote Speaker for 2015 Conference
The conference "Engaging the Heart and Mind" will be held June 7-10 in Savannah, Ga., and will focus on bringing together safety and industry professionals, as well as lawyers and OSHA experts to navigate the ever-changing field of pulp and paper industry safety. Learn who PPSA has announced as their Keynote speaker...
 
Knowledge That Pulp Mills Need – Sharing Expertise at PEERS 2015
In today’s competitive environment, pulp mills are continuously searching for cost effective solutions to improve profitability. TAPPI members and affiliates within our PEERS network offer great opportunities for serious innovation work in pulp, paper, paper packaging/board, tissue, new energy and efficiency options, and more... Check out some upcoming highlights of this year's conference.
 
TAPPI Press: New Edition of Starch and Starch Products in Surface Sizing & Paper Coating
The New Edition of "Starch and Starch Products in Surface Sizing & Paper Coating is a must have
for your professional reference library. Available to TAPPI members for $60 off list price.
 
PPSA Announces Introduction to Industrial Hygiene Course
"This course is ideal for health and safety personnel who are looking for primary information on industrial hygiene," said Sue Cooper, M.S, CSP, Manager of Safety/Ergonomics at Weyerhaeuser. "It will provide an introduction to IH principles along with practical information on hazard identification and methods of measurement and control that is sure to be of great value to all attendees."
 
TAPPI Press: Papermaking Science and Technology Book Series (Now Available Online)
This popular book series has been updated; second editions are out. The most comprehensive books ever written on pulp and papermaking are now available in electronic versions! TAPPI members save an additional 10% off list price.
 
TAPPI Press: The Ultimate Roll and Web Defect Troubleshooting Guide E-Book
The Ultimate Roll and Web Defect Troubleshooting Guide E-Book is an updated and expanded electronic version of The Roll and Web Defect Terminology – 2nd Edition. This new electronic edition has allowed updating and expanding on defects commonly found in paper and paperboard products and in the production and converting of nonwovens, films, and laminations.