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May/June 2015 Vol. 116, No. 3 An Annex Business Media Publication PRINT EDITION ISSN 0316-4004 ON-LINE EDITION ISSN 1923-3515
OVER 100 YEARS OF SERVING THE INDUSTRY
COVER STORY
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11 Opportunity Knocked, Catalyst Answered
CEO Joe Nemeth talks about how the addition of two U.S. mills will give Canada’s West Coast paper producer a stronger product line and broader reach across North America.
SPECIAL REPORT
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13 Strategies for Energy Management A varied group of industry representatives discussed effective strategies and common challenges for energy conservation in the pulp and paper sector at a roundtable event sponsored by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator. Read the highlights of that discussion.
FEATURES 21 Paper Fights Back They can’t stop the digital revolution, but some companies in the paper and printing sectors are pushing back against the “go paperless” movement.
25 What’s New in the 2015 SFI Standards? Recent changes to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards emphasize the diversity of forest types and gives the fibre sourcing its own standard.
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IN EVERY ISSUE 4 5 9 10 26 29 30
Editorial Industry News
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Opinion: FPInnovations Opinion: FPAC Technology News Classified Ads Bio-Economy
MISSION STATEMENT: To promote the pulp and paper industry in Canada by publishing news of its people and their innovations in research, technology, management and financing, as well as forecasts of future trends.
Serving the industry since 1903.
For breaking news, visit www.pulpandpapercanada.com Cover photo: Joe Nemeth, courtesy of Catalyst Paper.
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EDITORIAL
Temporary tree loss is not deforestation
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eforestation and “tree cover loss.” A recent press release by World Resources Institute demonstrated that some members of the media don’t know the difference between these two terms. One refers to land that is no longer a forest, whereas the other refers to land that no longer has large trees. Permanent loss of forest, i.e. deforestation, is an environmental concern, whereas in Canada temporary loss of forest cover is generally either part of a natural forest renewal cycle (caused by pests or fire) or due to harvesting as part of a sustainable forest management cycle. If you read it carefully, the WRI’s April 2 press release actually comments on forest loss due to forest fires. The global director of forest programs for WRI uses the news of forest cover loss in Canada and Russia to further an agenda, saying: “As we head toward the pivotal 2015 climate summit in Paris, more attention is needed to the management and monitoring of boreal forests.” Cindy Macdonald But if you don’t read the full text carefully (and Editor really, who does?), you’re left with only the information in the headline: New Satellite Data Reveal Massive Tree Cover Loss in Russia and Canada. Massive, tree, loss, Canada. I’m sure that’s all most readers will remember. And that gives a totally incorrect impression. As David Lindsay of FPAC clarifies later in this issue (page 10), Canada experiences virtually no deforestation. But incorrect or negative public perceptions seem to be a constant for the forest industry. Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder and former member of Greenpeace, spoke at PaperWeek Canada earlier this year. While showing images to the audience, he narrated a very non-traditional interpretation of what was on-screen. He described a highway image as “a ribbon of death.” When he showed a picturesque pastoral scene of farms fields and cows, he described it as a former forest. When he showed wheat fields, he described a cultivated monoculture. “We tend to judge landscapes by how they look to our eyes,” he commented. “A clear cut can be beautiful. Think of it as a temporary meadow.” His point is that landscapes that are not aesthetically appealing can still be healthy, bio-diverse ecosystems. A clear cut can be beautiful. And tree cover loss is not necessarily bad news. To battle negative perceptions about forest management in Canada, I suggest you direct friends and family to the State of the Forests report and other information on the Natural Resources Canada web site: www.nrcan.gc.ca/forests/report/16496.
Editor CINDY MACDONALD 416-510-6755 cindy@pulpandpapercanada.com
Director of Soul/COO ANNEX PUBLISHING & PRINTING INC. SUE FREDERICKS
Publisher JIM BUSSIERE 416-442-5600 ext. 3606 jim@pulpandpapercanada.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Industry
Invests Cascades invests in cellulosic sugar technology for Cabano Cascades Inc. will replace the pulping process at its Norampac Cabano facility with a hot water pulping process that will allow the plant to extract hemicellulose, a cellulosic sugar with high value-added potential, from hardwood chips. It will be the first time this innovative process is used in Canada. This $26-million project is backed by a $10-million investment from Natural Resources Canada’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and an additional $4.4 million from the Québec Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs. The Cabano plant, located in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac in Eastern Quebec, manufactures corrugated medium from virgin and recycled fibres. Cascades will replace the plant’s current sodium carbonate-based chemical pulp with what it describes as a more environmentally friendly and economical process that was developed in conjunction with a U.S. partner. Hemicellulose is a natural polymer found in plant cell walls. The pre-extraction process chosen by Cascades will result in a concentrated hemicellulose stream that can be sold as a concentrated form of wood-extracted sugars. This new product has various commercial applications, including bioenergy and a sweetening agent in food and beverages “This project represents a unique advance in biorefinery technological development. This new process will enable improvements in the efficiency and competitiveness of our Cabano plant’s current corrugated paper production process, thus making existing jobs more secure,” said Mario Plourde, president and CEO. Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products that are composed mainly of recycled fibres.
West Fraser lignin project gets $6 million from SDTC West Fraser Mills Ltd. will receive $6.1 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada to construct Canada’s first LignoForce™ commercial lignin recovery plant at the company’s pulp mill in Hinton, Alta. “Working with FPInnovations and NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd., the project will use Canadian-developed proprietary technology and will also explore opportunities for the use of extracted lignin in new, marketable higher-value products,” said Ted Seraphim, president and CEO, West Fraser. Initially, West Fraser will pursue the use of lignin as a renewable, natural replacement for certain glue components used in the manufacture of plywood and engineered wood products, such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and oriented strand board (OSB). A consortium of companies is involved in the lignin recovwww.pulpandpapercanada.com
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ery project: West Fraser Mills, AB Plywood, Ecosynthetix, FPInnovations, Hinton Pulp, and Quesnel Plywood. The Hinton pulp mill will be the first in Canada to extract lignin from its black liquor recovery stream at commercial scale. Announced last June, the LignoForce installation has also received a contribution of $10 million from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), under the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program. This project is the evolution of a similar LignoForce pilot-scale demonstration facility in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Further investment for CelluForce’s oil and gas research A supplier of oil and gas extraction technology has made an investment in CelluForce to explore the use of nanocellulose to enhance the productivity of oil and gas wells. Details of the investment by Schlumberger will remain confidential. This infusion of funds follows a $4-million grant announced in February 2015 from the federal organization Sustainable Development Technology Canada for similar R&D work. CelluForce, a joint venture between Domtar and FPInnovations, manufactures nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC, also called cellulose nanocrystals) at Domtar’s pulp mill in Windsor, Quebec. “Innovation is one of our core values at Domtar, so we are pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with Schlumberger, a recognized technology innovator in hydrocarbon recovery and production,” said Patrick Loulou, a senior vice-president with Domtar and a member of CelluForce’s board of directors. “The Schlumberger investment, coupled with the recent grant from SDTC, creates positive momentum in realizing the benefits of using NCC to improve the efficiency of oil and gas production,” said Richard Berry, chief technology officer at CelluForce.
Briefly…
• Two of the country’s largest unions in the pulp and paper sector have agreed to work jointly in the next round of pulp and paper bargaining in Western Canada. Unifor and the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) have re-established the Joint Pulp and Paper Caucus for the upcoming negotiations in 2017. PPWC and Unifor have been successful with pattern bargaining in maintaining common pension, wage, and benefit language in the collective agreements of both organizations. • A Kruger recycling facility in southwestern Quebec burned to the ground following a March 12 fire. Nobody was injured in the fire. The forest products company says the loss of the facility will have very little impact on its recycling services because the Beauharnois site was a secondary operation. The company’s main sorting and recycling facility is in Montreal, as are administrative offices. Kruger estimated that there were 3,000 tonnes of paper and wood inside the structure at the time of the late-night blaze.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
The permanent closure of a paper machine at Resolute Forest Products’ mill in Alma, Que., has been postponed. The company had planned the shutdown for April, but has kept the mill open to re-evaluate the situation following the closure of a competing paper mill in Michigan. When announcing the closure, Resolute Forest Products said the move was in response to “market weakness, exacerbated by fibre cost issues in Quebec, as well as ongoing misinformation campaigns by Greenpeace and other environmental activist groups,” the company said. The Alma paper mill employs approximately 340 people and has an annual production capacity of 350,000 tonnes of specialty papers across three machines. If PM9 closes as planned, it will result in the elimination of about 85 jobs and the permanent reduction of some 75,000 tonnes of production capacity. Richard Garneau, Resolute’s president and CEO, struck out at Greenpeace specifically, saying the organization’s “ill-founded attacks misrepresent the company’s forest management practices and cast unwarranted doubt on Resolute’s compliance with Quebec’s Loi sur l’aménagement durable du territoire forestier and our sustainability leadership.” “These misinformation campaigns impact Resolute and people’s lives, as they further destabilize the industry, triggering socioeconomic consequences for the communities that depend on the boreal forest for their livelihood,” added Garneau. The company said as many employees as possible will be transferred to other Resolute facilities. Resolute Forest Products produces newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products at about 40 facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea.
U.S. begins trade investigation of supercalendered paper from Canada The U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of imports of supercalendered paper from Canada, at the request of The Coalition for Fair Paper Imports, an ad hoc association of two U.S. manufacturers of supercalendered paper – Madison 6
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Photo: University of Sherbrooke.
Resolute Alma granted repreive on closure of PM9
Kruger scholarship presented to Quebec chemistry students Two chemistry students from the University of Sherbrooke have been granted a Gene H. Kruger Scholarship courtesy of Kruger Inc. Romain Darnajoux and Martin Déry received the scholarship in recognition of their academic achievement and student engagement. Each year, Kruger, through the Gene H. Kruger Fund, awards scholarships to students at several Canadian educational institutions in administration, science and engineering, and pulp and paper studies. Shown above are, left to right: Armand Soldera, professor and director of the chemistry department, University of Sherbrooke; Romain Darnajoux and Martin Déry, chemistry students; and Vincent Nadeau, human resources manager, Kruger, Brompton mill. Paper Industries and Verso Corp. Canadian producers named in the coalition’s petition are: Resolute Forest Products Inc., Port Hawkesbury Paper, Irving Paper Ltd. and Catalyst Paper Corp. Media reports from the past few months indicate that the main target of the coalition is Port Hawkesbury Paper in Nova Scotia. The investigation has progressed through its first stage: the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has decided that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is “materially injured” by imports of supercalendered paper from Canada that the petitioning group alleges are subsidized by the government of Canada. Next, the Department of Commerce will make a preliminary countervailing duty determination, which is due on or about May 22, 2015.
In a statement to media, Port Hawkesbury Paper commented: “Although Port Hawkesbury Paper and others presented clear evidence that importation of supercalendered paper from Canada did not cause injury to the U.S. market, the statutory threshold for petitioners at this preliminary stage is very low, and it would be highly unusual for any countervailing duty petition to be dismissed at this stage.” According to the Department of Commerce, imports of SC paper from Canada were 1.4 million tonnes in 2012, 1.6 million tonnes in 2013 and 1.1 million tonnes in 2014. Imports last year were valued at US$868 million. The leading sources of imports of supercalendered paper to the U.S. during 2014 were Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Belgium (in terms of total value). www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Thurso investment “a disaster” says Fortress CEO
$800 a tonne. China slapped a 13% duty on imports from the Thurso mill.” In a recent Financial Post story about ForAnd the mill conversion to dissolving tress Paper and its CEO Chad Wasilenkoff, pulp was $100 million over budget, Wasithe purchase of the pulp mill at Thurso, lenkoff told the Financial Post. “It has been Que., is singled out as a the most difficult thing I have bad decision. had to manage in my life,” he “We have had a lot of said. “I hired the wrong people successes within Fortress, to do the conversion. My manand one really bad investagement team gave me wrong ment,” Wasilenkoff told financial forecasts. We kept the newspaper. “Thurso running out of money.” has been a disaster.” Fortress Paper has had some The article notes that success in the paper business. Fortress Paper stock has The Financial Post notes the lost 97% of its value, dropturnaround at Fortress’ Landqaping from a high of $62 rt mill in Switzerland, and the several years ago. purchase and subsequent sale “Five years ago Mr. of a wallpaper mill in Dresden, Wasilenkoff Wasilenkoff, a self-styled Germany. Fortress also bought “contrarian” investor, convinced investors a company from the Bank of Canada that to buy the mill for $1.2 million and pour in makes security threads for paper currency, $240 million to convert it from production for $750,000, and sold it last year for $17.5 of kraft paper to dissolving pulp, the raw million, the article states. material of rayon fibre,” reads the Financial Fortress Specialty Cellulose, the Thurso Post article. business, now has new management and “Then everything went wrong. Other is producing electricity for sale as well as mills converted to dissolving pulp. dissolving pulp. “We are on the verge of The price of dissolving pulp crashed to profitability,” Wasilenkoff says.
The Thurso site recently completed the mandatory 100-hour test for its cogeneration facility. This will allow the cogeneration facility to produce 5.2 MW more of incremental power. The mill can now deliver up to 24 MW of power to Hydro Québec.
New Brunswick’s online map shows details of Crown forests A new online map released by the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources shows, in detail, Crown land conservation areas as well as changes in those areas in relation to the Crown Land Forest Management Strategy released by the province one year ago. “This is a continuation of our commitment to be more transparent and open with the public in relation to Crown forests,” said Natural Resources Minister Denis Landry. “In December we posted all the forestry agreements with forestry companies online.” The map displays national and provincial parks, as well as protected natural areas. By turning on and off the layers in the interactive map, viewers can see how certain zones co-exist.
Brazil approves commercial use of genetically modified eucalyptus
Photo: The Campaign to STOP GE Trees.
Brazil has become the first jurisdiction worldwide to permit the commercial use of FuturaGene’s genetically engineered eucalyptus. According to the company, field experiments conducted since 2006 at various locations in Brazil have demonstrated an approximate 20% increase in yield for the engineered eucalyptus compared to its equivalent conventional variety.
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The company says this approval represents the most significant productivity milestone for the renewable plantation forest industry since the adoption of clonal technology in the early 1990s. An impact study produced last year by Pöyry Silviconsult forecasts the potential gains of applying the genetically engineered eucalyptus technology. It concludes that this variety of eucalyptus will be ready to harvest in 5.5 years compared with the seven-year harvest of conventional eucalyptus on Brazilian forestry plantations. Consequently, it will require 13% fewer hectares to meet the same wood demand as existing crops. The decision of CTNBio is opposed by The Campaign to
STOP GE Trees. That group quotes geneticist Dr. Ricarda Steinbrecher, co-director of EcoNexus and member of the Federation of German Scientists, who explains that GE trees are likely to cross national borders due to their large-scale dispersion of reproductive material. “A review of the scientific literature shows that currently no meaningful and sufficient risk assessment of GE trees is possible. Both scientific literature and in-field experience show that contamination by and dispersal of GE trees will take place,” Steinbrecher added. According to Dr. Stanley Hirsch, FuturaGene CEO, the company has several additional products at different stages of development in its pipeline. FuturaGene is a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Pulp and Paper, one of the largest forestry, pulp and paper producers in Latin America. The two companies will next expand the field testing of the yield-enhanced eucalyptus “in a graded and responsible manner.” May/June 2015
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Kimberly-Clark launches products made with wheat straw and bamboo
exploring non-tree fibers,” said Iris V. Schumacher, North American sustainability leader, Kimberly-Clark Professional. “With Kimberly-Clark Professional has begun to the GreenHarvest line, Kimberly-Clark is incorporate rapidly renewable plant-based pioneering a new approach to sustainable fiber, such as wheat straw and bamboo, fiber sourcing and delivering innovative into Kleenex and Scott brand towel and products with the quality and performance customers expect from our trusted brands.” tissue products. GreenHarvest offerings include Kleenex hard roll towel and Kleenex Cottonelle coreless standard roll bathroom tissue made with 20% bamboo fiber, and Scott multi-fold towels, standard roll bathroom tissue, coreless JRT Jr. bathroom tissue and coreless standard roll bathroom tissue made with 20% wheat straw fiber. Rapidly renewable plant-based fiber, such as Bamboo and wheat straw meet the wheat straw and bamboo, are incorporated U.S. Green Building Council’s definition into a new line of GreenHarvest products of rapidly renewable materials because from Kimberly-Clark Professional. they can regenerate in less than 10 years. The company is the first major towel These fibers have shorter harvesting cycles, and tissue manufacturer in North Ameri- which reduces the amount of land needed ca to introduce products made with 20% to support demand and takes advantage of plant fiber in place of tree fiber or recycled abundant plant sources. Wheat straw is the residue that remains fiber. K-C states that these new products required the development of an entirely after wheat is harvested. According to K-C, new supply chain to directly obtain wheat more than 45 million tons of this agriculstraw from U.S. farmers and the creation tural byproduct is generated in the U.S. of a first-of-its-kind manufacturing process every year, with relatively few beneficial uses. Incorporating these fiber “leftovers” for converting plant fiber into pulp. “In a resource-constrained, digital into towel and tissue products helps reduce world, with fewer sources of recycled farmland waste and provides additional fiber, and the need to put less pressure on income to farmers, by enhancing the value natural forests, it’s important to continue of their crops, the company says.
Canada leads the world in certified forest area
2014 Year-end
Source: www.certificationcanada.org, www.fsc.org, www.pefc.org * Double counting of areas certified to more than one standard has been removed from this figure.
Canadian certification in the global context (CNW Group/Forest Products Association of Canada).
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In 2012, Kimberly-Clark Professional piloted the use of products containing nontree fiber. GreenHarvest products are the next-generation of these products.
Global paper and paperboard growth forecast at 1.1% World demand for paper and paperboard is forecast to grow to 482 million tons in 2030, but North America will experience shrinking demand, according to Pöyry Management Consulting. This equals an overall increase of 1.1% per year, with variations by grade. These are the conclusions of a global paper market study conducted by Pöyry, called “World Paper Markets up to 2030.” The management group also predicts a strong need for structural changes in the paper industry. “Especially in Western Europe we find an urgent need for further capacity reductions. After the markets in the emerging Asian regions have become more mature, the industry needs to take a more disciplined approach as to capacity expansions. Industry consolidation, acquisitions, mergers and alliances start making more sense there, too,” says Timo Suhonen of Pöyry. Demand for paper varies depending on type and region. The graphic paper market is facing huge challenges in particular, while increasing digitalization is shrinking demand for newsprint and other printing papers, as well as uncoated and coated wood-containing and wood-free papers. According to the Pöyry study, the demand for tissue paper, containerboards and cartonboards will, however, grow during the period. This is driven by increasing packaging needs in emerging markets, booming e-commerce and the growing demand for convenience food and consumer goods brands. The annual consumption of packaging material and tissue/hygiene products is expected to rise by up to 2.9%. Focusing on regional growth markets, Pöyry finds that the demand for paper continues to grow in the emerging markets, such as China and India. This is due to the increasing population, urbanization and the development of a new middle class. In Japan, North America and Western Europe, on the other hand, the demand will decrease by around 0.8% per year to 2030. “Since 1950 the production of paper has www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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OPINION
Canadian freeness testing equipment calibration at FPInnovations By Jennifer Ellson, Senior Communications Specialist, FPInnovations
T
he Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) test is used routinely across the world to measure how fast water can be extracted from a dilute pulp suspension during the production of paper products (drainage rate reported as freeness). The freeness of the suspension is a function of the swelling and the surface condition of the fibres, and is often a reflection of the amount of mechanical treatment that was applied to the pulp. This standard test was first introduced by the Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada (PAPTAC) and has since been accepted by various standards organizations such as TAPPI and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). A crucial component of the instrument used to conduct the CSF test is the perforated plate at the base of the drainage chamber, which must be calibrated on a regular basis by an accredited laboratory. FPInnovations’ Product Performance Testing Laboratory is the
only Level 1 ISO-accredited testing laboratory in the world to perform this calibration. Calibration of CSF instrumentation by our laboratory group began over 70 years ago, and was conducted by the Calibration Section of the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (Paprican), located then on the campus of McGill University, in Montreal. The current laboratory is now in the Montreal suburb of Pointe-Claire and serves as the worldwide reference for this test. The laboratory has recently reached a milestone of 45,000 plates calibrated by the group. FPInnovations’ Product Performance Testing Laboratory can also repair, calibrate and certify CSF testers and will even lend its customers a freeness tester that they can use for the duration of the calibration period. For more information on these and other services, please visit FPInnovations’ web page or contact Pierre Simon at pierre.simon@fpinnovations.ca or 514-782-4613. PPC
continually grown. But the last five to six years were extremely challenging for the global paper industry, in particular for companies in Western markets,” says Suhonen. “In the past, exits from the graphic paper industry sometimes turned to entries into the packaging paper and paperboard sector through a conversion of the machines. However, this move would probably be the least painful one for multi-sector companies and always has to be decided on a case-by-case basis,” Suhonen concludes.
another 2% the following year, and signing bonuses of $4500. The new collective agreement is in force until August 2019. PPC
Tough little cookies. As a family-owned company that has been producing core plugs for over 50 years, our high-density, molded wood plugs are engineered specifically for the paper industry.
Cascades invests $25M in towel and tissue plants Cascades Inc. is investing in the converting capacity of two Quebec mills. A new state-of-the-art converting line at Cascades’ Candiac plant for the manufacture of high-quality paper towels will begin operations in July. In addition, Cascades will upgrade two converting lines in Candiac and Kingsey Falls that will also produce high-end tissue products. These improved converting lines are scheduled to begin production in the first quarter of 2016. Jean Jobin, president and COO of Cascades Tissue Group, stated: “This major investment in Quebec is part of our plan to modernize Cascades’ assets to produce higher quality tissue products more efficiently.”
Brief strike at Rock Tenn La Tuque is over Workers at the Rock Tenn containerboard mill in La Tuque, Que., restarted the mill on March 10, after a short strike that began on March 6. The workers, who belong to local 34 of the Unik union, had been without a contract since September 2013, according to local media reports. The La Tuque mill makes containerboard for coffee cups. The web site of L’Echo de La Tuque says Rock Tenn’s offer provides for salary increases of 2.5% in September 2017 and www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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CORSAVER™ PLUG Designed for fine coated papers, the name says it all – this plug can withstand three times more pressure than most other center hole plugs on the market.
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May/June 2015
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OPINION
Canada’s forests – near zero deforestation By David Lindsay, president and CEO, Forest Products Association of Canada
R
ecent discussions about forest destruction and deforestation in Canada may have caused undue confusion and alarm in the public. The fact of the matter is that Canada has virtually zero deforestation – a negligible 0.02% per year. The rate has actually been declining for the past 25 years with 64,000 hectares lost to deforestation in 1990 and just 45,800 hectares in 2012. The misunderstanding about what is actually happening in Canadian forests stems from challenges with terminology and methodology. The word deforestation means a permanent loss of forests because of a change in land use – for example, forests cleared for agriculture, transportation corridors or urban development. However deforestation does not take place in the event of forest fires or wind damage or sustainable harvesting. In Canada, 100% of harvested areas are regrown by law and natural disturbances such as forest fires and infestations are part of a forest’s natural cycle. In fact, some trees species in the boreal forest depend on the heat of fire in order to regenerate.
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When it comes to methodology, satellite mapping has been a valuable tool to monitor the condition of threatened tropical forests. However these images cannot detect trees under five metres in a healthy regenerating forest. To get a true picture requires that aerial imagery be supplemented with on-the-ground field inspections and land-use records to see whether forest cover has been lost, degraded or permanently converted to another type of land use. FPAC is now working with the government and environmental groups to encourage an accurate representation of the true state of forests in Canada and elsewhere in the world. We also welcome the new “Deforestation in Canada: Key myths and facts” page on the web site of Natural Resources Canada. Understanding the data is critical because it allows industry, government, scientists and environmentalists, as well as the Canadian public, to engage in educated conversations about the health of Canada’s forests. Have no doubt – Canada has a stellar world-leading record of sustainable forest management. Canadians can be confident that our healthy renewable forests are going to be there for generations to come. PPC
www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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COMPANY PROFILE
Opportunity knocked, Catalyst answered Canada’s West Coast paper producer has spread its reach across North America, thanks to the addition of two mills in the Midwest and Eastern U.S. By Cindy Macdonald, editor
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oe Nemeth describes the recent acquisition of two U.S. paper mills as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Catalyst Paper. As president and CEO of Catalyst and a veteran executive in the Canadian pulp and paper industry, he would know. The deal that was finalized in the first few days of 2015 almost doubled Catalyst Paper’s paper capacity, gave the company a much wider geographic base and expanded its product line to some higher-value coated paper grades. All without adding too much debt to a company that is already struggling with declining markets. This opportunity for Catalyst was a direct result of Verso Paper Corp.’s acquisition of NewPage Corp. In reviewing their merger, the U.S. Department of Justice insisted the two must divest some assets to maintain healthy competition in the U.S. coated paper sector. As Nemeth tells it, the DOJ wanted a buyer that would continue to operate the mills NewPage and Verso were selling, one who had experience in printing and writing grades but was not already a major player in the coated papers sector. “As this divestiture was required prior to Verso purchasing New Page, we were working with a motivated seller and were fortunate to complete the deal quickly and and at a fair price,” says Nemeth. Catalyst paid about $70 million for a 370,000-tonne/year coated groundwood mill in Biron, Wis., and a 565,000 tonne/year mill in Rumford, Maine, that produces coated one-side, coated freesheet and coated groundwood papers.
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Less than three years after emerging from creditor protection and a reorganization, Catalyst was able to make this purchase with financing obtained through its existing debt holders. “We increased our total debt by 20%, and doubled the size of the company. Not a bad deal,” Nemeth jokes. As well, Nemeth says the purchase is a strategically sound investment because it reduces the company’s exchange rate risk by having operations in both Canada and the U.S. It also makes CataJoe Nemeth lyst a larger, stronger company, which Nemeth feels will put the company in a better position to refinance its debt, which matures in the summer of 2017. “This [acquisition] is transformative,” says industry analyst Kevin Mason. “It’s rare for a purchase to do that.” Mason is managing director of ERA Forest Products Research. He notes that even though the deal added to Catalyst’s debt, it will give the company more financial flexibility. It makes Catalyst the largest player in
Catalyst Biron division May/June 2015
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COMPANY PROFILE the coated mechanical grades and has diversified its product base. “They have more options now,” he concludes.
Moving up the value chain The new, more diversified Catalyst Paper has a full range of mechanical grades, extending from newsprint to coated specialty papers, including coated one-side (C1S), coated freesheet, coated groundwood, supercalendered, machine-finished high brights and telephone directory. The company also has both NBSK and NBHK market pulp available. Markets available to Catalyst are: - retail inserts, magazines, flyers, brochures; - books, corporate communication, manuals; - window signage; - game boards, comics; - gift wrap, stickers; - food and beverage labels; - telephone books, textbooks and catalogues; - printing and writing papers; - containerboard.
freesheet and coated freesheet specialties. The Biron mill has benefitted from hundreds of milllions of dollars of investment in the past decade, says Nemeth. Its paper machines are equipped with state-of-the-art technology including dilution headboxes, shoe presses, on- and off-machine blade coaters and off-machine supercalendering. In addition to all the opportunities presented by the new American cousins, there are direct and immediate benefits for Catalyst’s three original mills in B.C. The debt burden and SG&A
Diverse, dispersed assets Catalyst’s site in the Midwest, the Biron Division, is located in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. The mill dates from 1892, when it was established to produce hydro energy from the Wisconsin River. It has two paper machines capable of producing 370,000 tons/yr of coated groundwood papers, and employs 425 people. Further east, in Maine, is the Rumford Division. This mill was established in 1901, and employs 800 people. It produces coated one- and two-sided paper, some of which is used in food and beverage packaging. The mill can produce 565,000 tons/ yr of paper on three paper machines. It also has two kraft pulp lines, with production capacity of 460,000 tons. Nemeth believes that the Rumford mill has the potential to increase its capacity, as it was often operated as a swing mill in the past, used to fill gaps based on what other mills within the organization were selling. He intends to run the new mills as individual business units within Catalyst, so “we can run [Rumford] to its sweet spot and optimize productivity, and more importantly, profitability.” Nemeth intends to increase Rumford’s production of coated
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(selling, general and administrative) expenses for each Canadian mill decrease because they are spread over five mills instead of three. So, Nemeth explains, if SG&A was previously about $35 million, and it has now risen to $40 million, that higher cost is divided among five mills instead of three, so the total burden per mill is less. Similarly, Catalyst’s previous interest cost was about $36 million, or $12 million per mill. Now the interest burden is $40 million, but divided by five. All the Canadian mills are seeing their costs drop by about $5 million to $7 million, says Nemeth. Despite his optimism about the bigger, stronger Catalyst, Nemeth knows the challenges of declining paper markets and rising costs. “It’s not a cakewalk by any means.” But Mason feels Catalyst has done well at managing in a declining market situation. “To the degree that you can strengthen the company, Joe has done that. “He was dealt a tough hand, but he’s playing it well.” PPC
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POWER DOWN:
Strategies for energy management
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uring a roundtable discussion, this group came up with some strategies and common challenges related to improving energy efficiency at Canada’s pulp and paper mills. These range from the strategic (complete shutdown to avoid peaks of electricity demand) to the mundane (check for air and steam leaks at least once a month, and fix them!), and everything in-between (energy managers, funding programs, measuring and monitoring systems, and employee buy-in). By Cindy Macdonald, editor
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WELCOMING MESSAGE
The Bottom Line on Conservation
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n many respects, Ontario’s businesses have led the way in creating a culture of conservation in the province. Companies, both large and small and across all sectors, are investing in energy saving and seeing the results in their bottom line. In 2014 alone, business conservation efforts through the IESO’s saveONenergy programs resulted in almost 600 GWh of energy savings. The business case for conservation is pretty clear – it cuts costs. But conservation also delivers broader benefits for all Ontarians – reducing the need to build new infrastructure and lowering the wholesale price of electricity. We are helping to make our province more competitive for business while also contributing to a cleaner environment. That’s why the province has moved to a new framework that puts conservation first before all other supply options. This opens up a myriad of opportunities for businesses that are able to shift or reduce their demand for electricity. Through the IESO’s saveONenergy programs, there are numerous opportunities for businesses to reduce their overhead costs through retrofits, energy audits, lighting and equipment upgrades, and participating in demand response. This success, however, is only possible by business, industry, associations and public agencies working together to use their collective strengths to increase our conservation and business competitiveness. We need this collaboration to continue. Over the past four years, we have seen businesses step up their conservation efforts – not only to capture cost savings but also to capture the strategic value that conservation can offer their organizations. Now we need to push further. The province has set new conservation targets – ones that are more ambitious than in previous years. Our research shows that there remain more than enough opportunities for us to work with businesses to achieve these results. We need to develop more comprehensive solutions – including embedding sound energy management practices within the very core of business decisions. This publication aims to further this conversation. There are many dedicated individuals with great ideas about how to enhance our province’s conservation capability – you will learn their stories here. To find out what conservation can do for your business, visit saveonenergy. ca/get-started. Terry Young Vice-President, Conservation and Corporate Relations Independent Electricity System Operator
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anaging power consumption has become a complex game of strategy for pulp and paper mills in Canada, with high stakes. The advent of time-of-day pricing, peak mitigation programs and deregulated electricity markets in various jurisdictions across the country means large energy users have to be constantly aware of their electricity usage, and constantly weighing the costs vs. the benefits. At pulp and paper mills in Alberta, operators in the control room monitor electricity pricing on a continuous basis, and shut down production when the cost becomes prohibitive. Similarly, in Nova Scotia, one integrated mill does its energy-intensive pulping at night, and shuts that process down during the day. In Ontario, a mill can participate in the Industrial Conservation Initiative delivered through the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) or their electric utility to curtail their peak demand during five peak hours through the year in order to reduce the global adjustment paid on their monthly electricity bills. This curtailment is often achieved by anticipating the peak periods and either shutting systems off or shifting production schedules to lower energy used during these times. In concert with these types of strategic decisions, pulp and paper companies are implementing smaller energy conservation measures throughout their plants to bring electrical consumption down. To get a better understanding of how the industry is addressing the challenges of energy conservation, Pulp & Paper Canada hosted a roundtable discussion on Feb. 25, 2015, made possible by the IESO. That discussion forms the basis for this special report. The panelists, listed at right, consisted of operations personnel, energy managers, one machinery supplier and one technical specialist. They brought a wide range of experience and expertise to the table. In his role as president of Kadant Canada, Mike Soucy has visited and evaluated many North American mills. He says the level of awareness and effort directed toward energy efficiency varies from mill to www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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mill. “I find it’s truly hit or miss. Some mills do an excellent job at it; for other mills, it’s almost non-existent.” And yet, electricity is one of the most significant costs for a pulp or paper producer. “It is the highest controllable monthly cost that we have,” says Bahram Shabbazin of Resolute Forest Products. Adam Muree, an energy manager with Atlantic Packaging, calculates that electricity is 36% of the operating costs for the company’s linerboard mill in Toronto.
Cultivate a culture of awareness In the industrial environment of a pulp and paper mill, achieving energy efficiency gains requires the engagement of both people and technology. An energy efficient producer must create a culture that takes action, and employees must understand technology and use it to minimize consumption of resources – electricity, air, water, heat. Tom Browne, as a research leader with the national research and innovation organization FPInnovations, has vast experience with process optimization at mills. “The most efficient mills are not necessarily the newest ones,” he observes. “It has to do with the employees and the management style.” In other words, efficiency is directly influenced by the culture at each mill. One approach to boost employee engagement is to piggyback energy topics onto the safety culture. At Cascades, it is a suggestion from headquarters that energy should be brought up at safety meetings, says Marzieh Baghi, a project manager with the company. “Once you have everybody sitting together and talking about safety, why don’t we talk about what our targets are, why don’t we talk about the project we just did, how much savings we achieved. This has been very successful because it is very hard to steal some time during the week from the operations side. Getting energy tied into the safety meeting has helped us to promote more energy saving opportunities.” Adam Muree of Atlantic Packaging suggests that an energy team should adopt some of the practices of a safety team,
ON THE COVER (from left to right): Marzieh Baghi, Mike Soucy, Cindy Macdonald, Adam Murree, and Tom Browne. Missing: Said Mozaffari, Bahram Shabbazin. All photography by Lemon Sky Images Photography.
ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS MARZIEH BAGHI, project manager (energy), Cascades GIE Inc. TOM BROWNE, research manager in biorefinery and energy, FPInnovations SAID MOZAFFARI, pulping/ETP manager, Resolute Forest Products, Thorold mill ADAM MURREE, energy manager,
Atlantic Packaging
BAHRAM SHABBAZIN,
process engineer, Resolute Forest Products, Thorold mill
MIKE SOUCY, president,
Kadant Canada
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specifically, regular meetings and walks around the plant floor to conduct audits. “We have an energy team for Atlantic Packaging. We have prizes, we have a suggestion box, we’re giving employees ideas for their home, to save energy. We’re hoping that this will generate some interest and add to some other projects that we’re working on.” At Resolute Forest Products’ Thorold mill, the concept of reporting “near misses” has been adapted for energy conservation. Bahram Shabbazin explains: “We try to inform our operators and everybody in the mill that the “near miss” concept is not just for safety, but for any incident that they see in the mill. In terms of air leaks or steam leaks, or other concerns, they have to write down the near miss and inform [the appropriate] managers.” “Actually, one thing that I find Resolute does really well,” adds Mike Soucy, “is that after an energy savings project is complete, the company has a form, like a project summary, which documents the savings and
the mill manager signs off on it. Then it is circulated to all the other mills.” This sharing of information among all mills is also a policy among Resolute’s safety teams.
Audits lead to savings Sometimes, it simply takes a fresh set of eyes to identify energy saving opportunities and initiate changes. The impetus to take action can come from something as simple as questions from a visiting technical service representative, or from a mill-wide audit by an external consultant. Among mills participating in the Pulp & Paper Canada roundtable discussion, energy audits are a common occurrence. But this appears not to be the case for the majority of businesses across Canada. A recent poll conducted among readers of the Annex-Newcom network of business-to-business publications found that only 38% of respondents reported that their company had conducted an energy audit in the past five years. The survey had 510 respondents, representing the manufacturing, transportation and resource sectors, as well as service providers, and wholesale and retail trades. Among those whose companies did conduct an energy audit, nearly half (43%) reported that the audit was conducted by an “energy consultant or certified auditor.” Just over a quarter (28%) reported it being
In what areas of your operations do you track consumption?
Source: Annex-Newcom multi-market survey on energy efficiency, 2015.
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conducted by internal staff. Nearly all respondents (85%) indicated that the energy audit led to savings at their company, and 77% of respondents reported that energy efficiency changes were implemented as a result of the energy audit. In Ontario, the saveONenergy program provides incentives for energy audits and engineering studies. These are often the first step for businesses looking to improve energy efficiency. As well as identifying the energy savings of a potential project, audits can calculate the capital cost, identify non-energy related benefits in areas such as productivity and safety, and summarize the return on investment of each project. “I think most mills know they could be more efficient, but staffing being what it is, they don’t have the time [to act on it],” says FPInnovations’ Tom Browne. “So, having someone come in and actually document the opportunities is always good. It’s even better if they can say, you ought to re-pipe this way, or you ought to replace the siphons, or you ought to adjust your air dampers, or you don’t need to run your headbox so hot.” He believes an audit report should include not just benchmarking, but concrete actions that the company can take that would improve efficiency. And it should be followed up by a phone call in six months to see if it has fallen off the radar or not, he concludes. “I think that Cascades has been a pioneer in
energy management and studies,” says Baghi. The company has a group at the corporate level that is focused on energy management and energy saving opportunities for all of Cascades’ North American facilities. “We have done more than 100 different projects to reduce energy. We constantly monitor our energy consumption, and we do benchmark to make sure that we stay within the industry standards. “We actually have added a mandate for all of our North American facilities to fix all of our air/steam leaks,” she comments. Cascades’ energy experts also do third-party consulting for other companies in the industry. Mike Soucy of Kadant Canada says that quite often, energy savings are the deciding factor in the sale of Kadant’s equipment. “The next question is – how will we do it? That’s where we come in [to a plant] and basically offer suggestions to the customers. We’ll say here’s where you’re losing energy and here are
Powerful help: Incentives to bring ideas to reality T here are many reasons to focus on upgrading or modernizing systems for energy efficiency, ranging from reduced operating costs and increased sales to improved employee comfort and effectiveness. Fortunately, there are also incentives and rebates available to encourage businesses to take advantage of opportunities to improve efficiency and competitiveness, as well as non-financial tools and resources. In Ontario, these incentives and resources can be accessed through the saveONenergy program.
Energy audits and engineering studies
This is often a first step for businesses looking to improve efficiency. They are used to identify opportunities for improvements and provide business cases. They can: • Classify energy savings by potential project • Identify potential non-energy related improvements including productivity, safety, yield, sales, etc. • Identify the capital cost of the projects • Summarize the return on your investment for each project and prioritize the projects based on capital cost, lifecycle cost savings and non-energy related financial benefits. Use this to provide return on investment, savings to investment ratio, payback periods, etc. SaveONenergy can cover up to 50% of the cost of audits. Once opportunities are identified with an audit, more detailed
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engineering studies can define what exactly is required and provide more accuracy on the potential savings and costs. 100% of the cost of engineering studies is covered by saveONenergy.
Retrofits
Once a business is ready to upgrade to high-efficiency systems for lighting, HVAC systems, pumps, motors, fans and other plant equipment, funding is available through saveONenergy. Companies can receive up to 50% of their project costs through the program.
Energy managers
Free energy manager resources may be available through local utilities’ Roving Energy Manager Program. If you prefer to hire a full-time energy manager, incentives worth up to 80% of the salary may also be available.
Energy management training
Businesses can receive a rebate worth up to half the cost of certified Energy Manager, Commissioning Agent and Measurement & Verification training. Find out more at saveONenergy.ca/business or get your local electric utility to contact you at saveONenergy.ca/get-started
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some ideas on how we can improve the energy and from there it’s up to people like Marzieh and Adam (energy managers) to take it to their people and make it happen.”
Monitoring and reporting on the rise At Resolute’s newsprint mill in Thorold, Ont., the company has conducted audits of energy, fibre and water usage, but Said Mozaffari says the day-to-day emphasis is more on monitoring energy consumption. “We have process engineers who follow energy consumption, and “The most efficient mills are not operators who monitor the megawatts they use. What necessarily the newest ones. we have is what you would It has to do with the employees call an EMS, an energy management system. It does and the management style.” help, because basically, you – Tom Browne know exactly how many megawatts you are using. It’s what I call the bread and butter of what you should do.” “One thing that has helped us is doing energy maps,” says Baghi. An energy map helps companies to move from the big picture of how much electricity and gas comes into the mill, to the details of where the mill is consuming these resources, in order to drive understanding of the main energy users in the mill. Once the main energy consuming processes are identified, incentives and rebates from governments and utilities may be available to assist with retrofits. In Ontario, this type of funding is available through saveONenergy. On the equipment sales side of the pulp and paper industry, Soucy says he’s noticed that the energy-related projects Kadant performs for clients are often subsidized by local gas or power companies. “As a result, we’re being requested to add a lot more instrumentation to these projects. So now we’ve got meters that if we were just doing a project on our own, normally we would leave out. Now that we have these subsidies involved, clients want to make sure that [the new equipment] is meeting the targets it is supposed to meet.” An added benefit is the mill has more information available for troubleshooting and equipment monitoring going forward. However, one of the challenges of monitoring resource consumption of existing equipment is that the wiring or piping may not have been set 18
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up in a convenient fashion. “I remember a number of years ago, we did some benchmarking work across a range of mills,” says Browne. “Most of it was on the thermal side, but the problem we had on the power side, which we thought would be easy to measure, was that in a lot of mills you’ll have pumps from all different parts of the process going into one cabinet. So how do you tell how much energy you are using in pulping and how much you’re using in paper making? You can’t because it’s all been wired up differently.” For example, he says, maybe all of the pumps for white water chests are wired to one panel. So when a new paper machine is installed, its energy monitoring system only captures the dryers. In the reports, it looks really efficient, but that’s because all the agitators are allocated to the old machines. Muree agrees it can be challenging in an older mill to measure energy consumption by each process area or piece of equipment. He says Atlantic Packaging has spent more that $100,000 in recent years to address this problem at one mill in Toronto. IESO experts suggest wireless amp meters can be effective for providing feedback from process equipment to a monitoring or data collection system. Monitoring of energy consumption has an indirect benefit in terms of sustainability reporting and making employees feel good about their contributions to conservation. At Resolute’s Thorold mill, says Shabbazin, energy is considered a part of the sustainability program. There is a push right now to include energy performance in the monthly report so that it can be distributed to all staff at the mill. Cascades has targets for energy and water reduction in its sustainability development plan, says Baghi, but that’s not all. “On top of that, we get challenged by our CEO. So every year we have a target to meet, and in terms of the energy reduction, our challenge is to meet and exceed that target. That has motivated our group and energy managers to look deep into our process and find better opportunities.”
Conservation needs an advocate Having an energy manager on-site is another important tool for building energy efficiency. In some parts of the country, there are programs that subsidize the salary of an energy manager. Muree and Baghi, for example, are in that situation. They are employees of Atlantic Packaging and Cascades, respectively, but their salaries are funded in large part by saveONenergy, an Ontario energy conservation program. “Personally, I have been responsible for 7900 megawatt hours of reductions in the last three years, achieved through 45 projects,” Muree says proudly. An energy manager acts as an advocate, keeping energy savings on the front burner when executives in www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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other areas of the company have other priorities. When presenting energy saving ideas, production is king, says Muree. “If I can show an increase in production, or a close second would be keeping production the same but lowering operating costs, that’s the best project. That’s the first one they want to look at. It jumps off the page at them.” Tom Browne agrees. “In my experience, the mill manager wants tonnes out the door, at the minimum acceptable quality, with no one getting hurt. Then energy is priority number four.” Companies that are successful at energy conservation generally are characterized by a strong drive from the upper levels of management. At Cascades, says Baghi, top executives are very supportive of energy savings projects. “We actually have monthly meetings with the CEO of the company, in which we present energy reduction projects and based on the payback, and based on the priority, we get the budget directly from our CEO rather than going to the different groups involved.” Mozaffari says that Resolute has quarterly and monthly conference calls among all its mills to discuss fibre initiatives, water conservation and energy projects.
Industry has made progress The pulp and paper sector has improved its environmental performance in recent years, and has made a commitment to achieve a further 35% reduction in its environmental footprint by 2020. The Forest Products Association of Canada, in its Vision 2020 Report Card:
2010-2012, states that energy use by the forest products sector decreased by 8% during the 20102012 reporting period. According to FPAC, the sector continues to invest in energy reduction projects, including the installation of energy-efficient equipment to improve mills’ competitiveness and increase the production of green energy. This newer equipment has also served to improve the quality of air emissions with a reduction in particulate matter (PM) (11%), sulphur oxide (SOx) (6%) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) (11%). Pulp and paper companies are in a unique position among Canadian manufacturers because some are producers of electricity as well as consumers. Many are facing a complex balancing act to optimize electricity consumption, steam generation, process efficiency, thermal energy and water usage. To succeed, it takes an engaged workforce to implement the small, shop-floor level energy conservation measures, as well as strong leadership from top executives to champion and fund larger-scale capital projects. PPC
What energy efficiency or energy cost reduction projects has your company focused on over the past five years?
Source: Annex-Newcom multi-market survey on energy efficiency, 2015.
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Once he reduced his energy costs by 55% after installing a VFD, savings in other parts of his business went into overdrive.. Once you start seeing the benefits from our incentives for installing premium efficiency motors and VFDs, you’ll want to look into making other parts of your business like lighting, HVAC and compressed air systems more efficient too. When you do, you’ll be joining thousands of organizations across Ontario who are already enjoying the savings that our programs deliver. Take a look at their stories and our incentives at
saveonenergy.ca/business
Subject to additional terms and conditions found at saveonenergy.ca. Subject to change without notice. OM Official Mark of the Independent Electricity System Operator.
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MARKET TRENDS
The paper and printing industries are pushing back against the “go paperless” movement
FIGHTING BACK
By Carroll McCormick
Photo: Thinkstock
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n these days where anything not digital is passé and anti-paper campaigns claim the ethical high ground, paper producers and advocacy groups have joined forces to argue that paper is still necessary, maybe even critical, in our lives, and just plain nice to use. North American demand for printing and writing grades has been trending downward for several years. “The uncoated freesheet market is seeing a decline of approximately 3 to 4% a year,” reports Paige Goff, vice-president sustainability and business communications, Domtar. “Electronics and digital media are having an impact,” agrees Jill Crossley, director of marketing and customer service, Port Hawkesbury Paper. The RISI North American Graphic Paper Forecast (Volume 15, Number 1, 2015) reports that North American printing and writing paper demand has slid an average of 3.3% a year since 2000. “We see continued contraction in the paper business, impacting both North American and world demand, ” says Seth Kursman, vice-president, corporate communications, sustainability and government affairs, Resolute Forest Products.
You can’t stop progress Producers of paper and paper products do not have the power to revive lagging www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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economies or turn back the clock on the move to paperless technologies. They are, however, proving effective at dampening some of the less-than-truthful battle cries to go paperless, also known as the anti-paper movement. This movement, which includes companies running thinly disguised “save us the cost of postage” strategies, insists that paper is bad. A typical campaign will make claims like “go green,” “great for the environment,” and “go paperless, save a tree.” Some companies proclaim that going paperless will help save the planet. “The problem with these [claims] is that they are vague and not verifiable,” points out Phil Riebel, president of Two Sides North America. In the United States, such vague claims go against the Green Guides written by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. “Companies can and have been charged regarding environmental claims on [their] products,” Riebel says. Two Sides, which has a presence in more than 15 countries, including Canada, “explodes the myths and sets out the facts about print media’s sustainability in a clear and concise manner,” writes Riebel. The use of paper is under siege in other quarters, from governments moving to direct deposit instead of printing and mailing cheques, to elementary schools switching holus bolus from paper to laptops.
Multi-pronged campaigns promote paper The pushback from those in the paper business is varied. Of Canada’s paper producers, Domtar runs the most extensive campaigns to promote the use of paper. Its award-winning Paper Because program aims to educate people that print and pixels should complement each other, that it is not an either/or choice. “We wanted to highlight all the ways that, even in a digital age, paper continues to play a vital role in our lives. From the workplace to the classroom to the home, studies show when people use paper instead of a computer, it helps them learn, remember, express ideas and perform better in a variety of ways. “We also want people to know that yes, limit how much you print, use both sides of the page and recycle afterward. But at some point, you will need paper, and at some point, that paper came from a forest. People should be asking themselves, ‘Did this paper come from a well-managed, environmentally responsible forest?’ We wanted to show people how when you make paper the right way, it is environmentally sound,” Goff explains. “We’ve tried a variety of strategies, including news releases, guerilla-marketing stunts, videos, advertisements in trade and national publications and posts on blogs May/June 2015
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MARKET TRENDS
Two Sides, both sides of the border Canadian paper makers support several U.S. initiatives, both financially and with their expertise. These include Two Sides, which combats misleading claims about paperless solutions, Consumers for Paper Options, which seeks to restore critical uses of paper where alternatives cause extreme hardship, and The Paper Check-off, which promotes paper. In return for their support, Canadian paper producers and other members of these organizations and initiatives use their promotional materials and research and otherwise benefit from improved sales on both sides of the border. Take Two Sides North America. Launched in 2012 by companies that 22
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range from forestry to postal operators, under the banner of the Graphics Communication Industries, Two Sides challenges “go paperless” claims. The organization origi-
nated in the UK in 2008, and now has more than 1,000 members globally and more than 142 in North America. Two Sides’ Canadian members include Domtar, Port Hawkesbury Paper, Resolute and Tembec. Other non-corporate members include Ryerson University – School of Graphics Communications Management and the Ontario Forest Industry Association (OFIA). “We certainly benefit from being a member of Two Sides by having access to their information and communication materials,” says Christine Leduc, director of policy and communications, OFIA. “OFIA does not have an initiative to promote the use of print and paper so we are happy to join Two Sides in busting myths about the use of sustainable paper.” Several member companies sit on Two Sides’ board of directors and sustainability committee. “They participate in our annual marketing and communication plan and assist in developing materials which have been very popular within the graphics communications industry,” Riebel says. Port Hawkesbury Paper joined Two Sides in 2014, and exemplifies how members can both assist and benefit from Two Sides. “Two Sides asks us to review material
from a Canadian perspective and see if they have covered all the necessary bases. I access information from their site and share it through social media, Facebook, messages to our customers,” Crossley says. Among its activities to counter myths and misinformation about paper, Two Sides contacts companies that are using misleading environmental messages about paper and asks them to change the message. “We’ve been in touch with 60 companies since we started up, mostly in the banking, utilities and telecommunications sectors. Sixty per cent of our cases have been successful,” Riebel says. This includes over 30 Fortune 500 companies, such as Sprint and Consolidated Edison, that have removed their claims of the “go green,” “go paperless,” or “save trees” variety. Two Sides has also had successes in Canada. “BMO has been a great partner to work with. They recently modified their marketing materials to focus on the convenience and practicality of e-statements, as opposed to their environmental benefits,” Riebel says. Two Sides is now implementing its Canadian campaign to engage with major service providers that are promoting electronic services by using anti-paper claims.
Statistics from Two Sides inforgraphic.
and social media,” Goff adds. Among other honours and recognition, Goff notes, Paper Because “has been written about by The New York Times, featured on the front page of the USA Today, honored by readers of Newsweek and profiled in Communication Arts.” A series of videos done as part of the campaign has been viewed more than half a million times on YouTube. Aggressive promotion of its sustainability leadership and its membership in the Two Sides organization are part of Resolute’s promotional efforts, as is the company’s willingness to tackle misinformation campaigns head-on. One example is the $7-million lawsuit it brought against Greenpeace in 2013 for “defamation, malicious falsehood and intentional interference with economic relations.” Resolute is directly addressing inaccurate and deceptive allegations by Greenpeace against it and its forestry practices in the boreal forest, according to Kursman. To set the record straight, Resolute has adopted an extensive communication effort including active engagement in print, broadcast and social media as well as broad stakeholder engagement. “What is unfortunate is that we are already dealing with contracting markets. When you have people out there spreading misinformation and intimidating customers, it has an impact on the company as well as its workers and communities,” Kursman says.
Internet option doesn’t work for everyone Back in the U.S., Consumers for Paper Options (CPO) focuses on government policies that adversely impact citizens. “We are not just out to promote the value of www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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MARKET TRENDS
paper, but what we are about is finding out government policies that negatively affect citizens,” explains John Runyan, executive director of the organization. Organized by the American Forest & Paper Association and the Envelope Manufacturers Association, and supported by Domtar and Resolute, among others, CPO proclaims on its website: “We work to address the transition to Internet-only resources at the exclusion of millions of citizens who still need paper-based options.” Runyan gives examples of the downside of governments switching to paperless methods, such as when the U.S Internal Revenue Service switched to e-filing and issuing tax refunds as debit cards. Fraud skyrocketed, Runyan says. “The estimated losses due to fraud are over US$5 billion a year. It could rise to as high as US$20 billion a year, all due to this rush to digitize.” The U.S. Treasury’s decision in 2012 to move to an electronic system for buying savings bonds resulted in a 58% decline in savings bonds purchases, Runyan says. “It was estimated to be US$1 billion in bond sales lost because of the move to on-line purchasing. Tens of thousands of families just stopped [buying them]. There is a longestablished tradition in the U.S. [of] buying US Savings Bonds, but this just stopped.” CPO reports that in August 2014 the Government Accountability Office agreed to review the Treasury Department’s policies on savings bonds, specifically, the move to an entirely electronic system. Canadians face a similar erosion of critical paper options, either through direct deposit or charges for paper bills. For example, in 2012, the Government of Canada announced it would eliminate cheques and go to direct deposits by April 2016. Canadian Consumers for Paper Options (CCPO), Canada’s CPO analogue, has had success in removing paper billing fees. “We made a positive and direct impact on the removal of $2 fees from federally regulated companies like banks, cable and telecommunications companies’ billing practices, effective January 1, 2015,” says Laura Artibello, president, CCPO. The group is now focusing on utilities and other companies that either use false messages about the benefits of going paperless or that are charging customers for paper statements. www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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Resolute and Port Hawkesbury paper are among those contributing to a huge marketing campaign in the U.S. that will be funded to the tune of about US$175 million over its currently authorized seven-year life. Called the Paper Check-off, this program is authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the purpose of maintaining and
expanding markets for paper and paperbased packaging. The USDA issued this Check-off in January 2014. Other industries have also run USDA Check-offs. The Paper Check-off is funded by a US$0.35/short ton assessment on paper and paper-based packaging manufacturers and importers (printing and writing grades, kraft packaging paper, containerboard and
May/June 2015
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MARKET TRENDS
paperboard) who sell 100,000 short tons or more a year. Sixty companies, most of them U.S.-based, are currently paying into the program. These efforts to not merely promote paper, but also to show where paper is less expensive than paperless options and where sometimes a paper option is the only one available to millions of people in North America, are showing success. Take Domtar’s Paper Because campaign: Awareness of Domtar among C-suite executives has doubled. The “intent to purchase” doubled among office workers exposed to the campaign in a business setting. Seventy three per cent of readers exposed to the campaign agreed that “Domtar is a sustainable paper company” while just three per cent disagreed, according to Domtar. Domtar’s Powerful Pages initiative, which focuses on education and literacy,
Photo: Thinkstock
Telling their own story
has also recorded some impressive figures. Among them: More than 160,000 new books given to children in need across the United States and Canada; an educational website called Forest Academy (forestacademy.com) that has been visited by nearly 250,000 people since its launch. This February Domtar launched its Paper Made Here campaign, designed to raise awareness about the importance of buying North American paper. “Domtar
alone provides nearly 10,000 jobs here in North America. Customers should understand what a great impact buying North American paper has on the local economy and the lives of real people here at home,” Goff says. Resolute’s Kursman made a comment that neatly expresses the value of all these efforts. “We’ve been telling our own story. If you don’t define yourself, they will define you.” PPC
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FOREST MANAGEMENT
What’s new in the 2015 SFI standards? By Kathy Abusow, president and CEO, Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.
T
he Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI), founded in 1995, is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. SFI works to ensure the health and future of our forests, because forests are a part of our everyday lives. That future depends on credible, transparent and auditable standards to enable a sustainable resource for today and generations to come. The new Sustainable Forestry Initiative 2015-2019 Standards and Rules, released in January, deliver on this promise by further enhancing the vital link that exists between healthy forests, responsible purchasing and sustainable communities. The new SFI Standards build on SFI’s work over the past 20 years through a strengthened commitment to sustainability. In addition to the protection of water resources and attention to sustainable growth, the standards include new requirements supporting the diversity of forest types and the conservation of sites with significant species of concern. It also prohibits the conversion of forest types, except in justified circumstances, and limits the use of chemicals.
Fibre sourcing gets its own standard A major enhancement to the SFI 2015-2019 Standards and Rules is the separation of the Fiber Sourcing requirements into its own auditable standard, which distinguishes SFI from all other forest certification programs in that it governs how SFI program participants procure fiber from non-certified forest land. The SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard is purposefully designed for non-landowning mills and operators, to encourage the spread of responsible forestry practices and responsible procurement and to influence millions of additional landowners through promotion, education, training and outreach. At SFI, we pride ourselves on using scientifically based results to drive our work. We continue to focus on certification as a way to manage and protect environmental values during and after harvest, while also providing social and economic returns to regions and countries. We are proud to include in our SFI community all those who use our standards, including land-owners, land managers, manufacturing facilities, government agencies, First Nations, conservation groups and universities. In fact, the SFI Standard is the most commonly used forest certification standard amongst First Nations in Canada. To date, more than 25 First Nations have more than 3 million hectares of forest certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard. Undeniably the SFI Standards are core to the SFI program and serve as the proof point of responsible forestry. That said, SFI is much more than a standard. SFI and the SFI community are actively engaged in advancing scientific research, training of www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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resource and harvesting professionals, conservation partnerships and community building. SFI’s more than 100 million hectares of responsibly managed forests and the even greater area included in the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard provide a living laboratory that shows how healthy forests can deliver environmental, economic and social benefits. Since 1995, SFI program participants have invested more than $1.4 billion in forest research that includes conservation priorities. Also, SFI has awarded more than Abusow 60 SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships grants totaling more than $1.9 million, since the program began in 2010. When leveraged with project partner contributions, that total investment exceeds $7.1 million. Specifically, recent grants have gone to The Nature Conservancy Canada, Bird Studies Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and many others to better manage habitat such as wetlands, and to improve conservation of forests, birds, bats and other wildlife. Another grant supports University of Saskatchewan researchers, who are studying how grizzly bears and caribou respond to a changing landscape. The results will help land managers conserve and restore habitats for these at-risk species. SFI also works at a grassroots community level to encourage the spread of sustainable forestry. We have partnerships with a diverse group of organizations that share a common interest in sustainability. Our partners include Habitat for Humanity Canada, Girl Guides of Canada, Scouts Canada, and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. Our robust certification standards, insight and pragmatic collaboration are a valuable combination. SFI’s recognition and market acceptance continues to grow. According to a recent global survey by European polling company GfK, SFI is the most recognized forest certification in North America with more than 26% of US consumers surveyed recognizing the SFI label. In addition, almost 20% of Fortune 100 companies used the SFI label in 2014 alone. When purchasing forest products you can make a positive contribution to the future of our forests by sourcing SFI. PPC Follow Kathy Abusow, president and CEO of The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc,. on LinkedIn. May/June 2015
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Metsä Fibre moves ahead with massive bioproducts mill project
Metsä Fibre has decided to proceed with the construction of the Äänekoski bioproduct mill in Finland. The mill is expected to produce 1.3 million tonnes per year of kraft pulp. Valmet has been contracted for engineering, procurement, supply and construction management of a recovery boiler, a pulp drying line, a lime kiln and a gasification plant. The recovery boiler will have a capacity of 7,200 tonnes dry solids/day. It provides steam to a turbine with 260 MW electrical capacity, which makes Metsä Fibre’s recovery boiler plant the largest renewable energy production unit in Europe. The pulp drying line will have a trimmed width of 8.25 meters and a capacity of 2,700 admt/d. The lime kiln will have a capacity of 1,200 t/d and will be operated by renewable fuel provided by an 87-MW product gas capacity biomass gasification plant. Valmet’s automation delivery includes an extensive Valmet DNA automation and process information system covering the entire pulp mill and Valmet IQ quality control system for the pulp drying machine. The construction of the bioproduct mill will start immediately and production at the new mill is scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2017. Valmet, www.valmet.com
Kemira makes GE water technology available to pulp and paper sector
GE and Kemira have signed a formal distribution agreement, which combines GE’s advanced water technology with Kemira’s on-site services. For the first time, GE’s newest and most advanced boiler and utility area cooling product technologies as well as membrane cleaning chemistry and the entire chemistry water portfolio is available to the pulp and paper industry. Also included are the remote monitoring and diagnostics products and Novus polymers for wastewater treatment. Pulp and paper manufacturers also will have access
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to experts at GE’s Service Reliability Center for 24-hour monitoring and support, all backed by both GE and Kemira on-site expertise. “After a successful 18-month pilot program with GE in the Americas, we have increased the scope of our alliance to offer a comprehensive water treatment solution to the global pulp and paper market,” explained Billy Ford, senior vice-president, paper, Kemira. Ford said the agreement with GE positions Kemira with the broadest technical and product portfolio in the industry. Kemira is a global chemicals company serving customers in water-intensive industries. Kemira Canada 514-457-0000, www.kemira.com
Voith BlueLine machines successful in operation
Voith’s BlueLine products have experienced strong sales in the two years following the market launch. The BlueLine product range was developed to meet the industry’s need for innovations that can reduce operating costs and help conserve resources in the production process. More than 40 IntegraGuard headbox screens have been sold. The machine head geometry of this equipment was flow-optimized to keep the flow velocity through the screen consistent and low, which prevents strings and deposits. Thanks to the new improved head piece of the screen,
the energy requirement of IntegraGuard is reduced and pulsation minimized. As a result, energy efficiency and paper quality are improved. The most successful machine in the BlueLine range to date is the IntensaMaXX pulper detrashing machine, which now has more than 50 installations. This rugged machine has an asymmetric housing that prevents tail formation and stringing, so that even stock containing a lot of contamination does not cause problems in operation. In the IntensaMaXX, the reject is discharged in a downwards direction, ensuring reliable removal of all contaminants. IntensaMaXX can be used in all LC and HC pulping systems for recovered paper. Another advantage of the IntensaMaXX is its low energy consumption. Voith Paper, www.voith.com/paper
ABB wins automation order from Fajar Paper
PT Fajar Surya Wisesa Tbk (Fajar Paper), a leading packaging paper manufacturer in Indonesia, has placed an order with ABB for an automation system for paper machine #3, one of the five paper machines at Fajar Paper responsible for a combined production of about 1.2 million tons of packaging paper per year. Fajar Paper produces coated duplex board, kraft liner board and corrugated medium paper. “We are very happy to use ABB equipment on our paper machines and we appreciate how ABB always takes a long-
Proactively manage cyber security risk for industrial sites Honeywell Process Solutions has launched a digital dashboard designed to proactively monitor, measure and manage cyber security risk for control systems at refineries, power plants and other automated production sites that are at increasing risk of cyber attacks. The Honeywell Industrial Cyber Security Risk Manager is designed to simplify the task of identifying areas of cyber security risk, providing real-time visibility, understanding and decision support required for action. “Industrial processors are increasingly challenged to understand their cyber security risks,” says Jeff Zindel, global business leader Cyber Security, Honeywell. “And many times, they don’t know what to do with the data they are provided or what to do if an incident occurs.” Risk Manager uses advanced technologies that translate complex cyber security indicators into clear measurements
and key performance indicators (KPI), and provides essential information. “The easy-to-use interface allows users to prioritize and focus efforts on managing risks that are most important for reliable plant operations, protecting against vulnerabilities and threats such as insecure network and system configurations, rogue devices, intrusion attempts, malware,” Zindel explains. Honeywell Process Solutions, www.honeywellprocess.com
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS term view of their relationship with Fajar, seeing it as something that is more important than one single order,” said Wimba Wibawa, engineering director of PT Fajar Surya Wisesa. The scope of delivery comprises a distributed control system for stock preparation, the chemical area and the paper machine, and a quality control system with two scanners for the paper machine. The existing third-party automation system in PM3 will be replaced with ABB’s System 800xA. With this project, Fajar Paper will be one step closer to its plan of having a sitewide fully integrated automation system. 800xA is ABB’s flagship collaborative process automation platform comprising distributed control system, safety control system, quality control system and electrical control system. ABB, www.abb.com
Fibre quality analyzer resists plugging
The FQA-360 fibre quality analyzer from Optest rapidly and accurately measures fiber length, width, curl, % numeric fines, and kink. The unit also measures coarseness according to ISO 23713. It analyzes hardwood/softwood blends, shives and vessel elements. Optest notes that its patented flow cell resists plugging or fouling and orients fibers for correct image analysis. FQA-360 meets or exceeds the specification of TAPPI Test Method T271, PAPTAC B.4 and ISO 16065. Options include the six beaker carousel and Optiblend software. Optest 613-632-5169, www.optest.com/ products.htm
Newalta becomes Terrapure Environmental
Terrapure Environmental is a new standalone environmental services company consisting of the former Industrial Division of Calgary-based Newalta Corporation. Headquartered in Burlington, Ont., Terrapure employs 900 people and operates an integrated network of 33 facilities. The company’s operations include a used lubricating oil re-refinery in North Vancouver, B.C. Services provided by Terrapure include: recycling and management of industrial waste; wastewater treatment and recycling; water treatment pond dredging and dewatering; tank cleaning; used oil recycling; glycol and solvent recycling; soil treatment and remediation; alternate fuel blending; and emergency response and spill clean-up. Terrapure Enivironmental 800-263-8602, www.terrapureenv.com www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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Drainage analyzer automatically provides retention value
PulpEye is now launching the fifth generation of its Dynamic Drainage Analyzer, DDA 5. This model gives drainage values comparable to real drainage situations on modern paper machines’ wire sections. One of the new features is an automatic retention module which can calculate the retention by analyzing the turbidity of the white water. Optimal drainage and retention are important parameters in papermaking. The right amount of chemicals added in the right position in the stock preparation increases both productivity and product quality. Because the DDA gives drainage values comparable to real drainage situations, it is used by papermakers, chemical manufacturers and R&D companies. “DDA 5 has a compact design and is equipped with new features like the turbidity sensor which automatically gives the retention value,” says Öjvind Sundvall, managing director, PulpEye. “The drainage rate can be presented for chosen time intervals during the analysis. The chemical dosage is done automatically.” The DDA 5 is automatically cleaned after each analysis, allowing more analyses per hour in comparison to previous models. All data input and presentation of results are done with a new user-friendly interface. PulpEye Canada 613-590-0222, www.pulpeye.com
Composite tubes for superheater reduce downtime
Sandvik Materials Technology has supplied its Sandvik Sanicro™ 28 composite tubes to a eucalyptus pulp mill in Uruguay, helping to avoid loss of production time and also reduce costs for the customer. The pulp production process involves the use of superheater panels manufactured from composite steel tubes which
are used with chloride within the pulp bleaching process. Accumulations of the chemical, in conjunction with the high temperatures involved, were having a detrimental effect on the existing carbon steel tubes at the Uruguay mill. Sandvik explains that the amount of tube replacements needed, and the issues of increased production downtime, inspection and maintenance were major areas of concern for this mill. Andritz was brought in to undertake a replacement project of the original superheater equipment. The company carried out a full evaluation of the site and processes and carefully examined the previous carbon steel tube usage. Based upon the findings of the evaluation, the decision was taken to select Sandvik Sanicro 28 composite tubes for the superheaters. Sandvik says the tubes have since proven to be an excellent choice; the amount of downtime has decreased and the tubes enable continuous production. Sandvik Sanicro 28 is a high alloy, multipurpose austenitic stainless steel, developed especially for use in highly corrosive conditions. Offering good weldability, its characteristics include high resistance to strong acids, resistance to stress corrosion cracking and pitting and crevice corrosion, as well as intergranular corrosion in certain environments.
One year after the installation of the Sandvik Sanicro 28, Andritz has reported there are no defects or corrosion damage found in the composite tubes. Timo Peltola, a global product manager for Sandvik Materials Technology, said: “This is an excellent example of how selecting quality composite tubes will provide a reliable solution for customers when compared to some of the cheaper, inferior products on the market.” Sandvik Materials Technology, www.smt.sandvik.com May/June 2015
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TECHNOLOGY NEWS
TECHNOLOGY FROM PAPERCON
High strength binders let mills reduce consumption
Dow introduced at PaperCon new RHOPLEX™ Diamond Styrene Acrylic Binders for paper and paperboard coatings that offer breakthrough binder strength. RHOPLEX Diamond SA binder can allow mills to reduce binder consumption by up to 30% while maintaining strength and performance properties equal to or greater than conventional styrene acrylic and styrene butadiene binders. The new binder can also provide equivalent IGT dry pick resistance at 20 to 30% lower binder levels, along with excellent process stability, high ultraviolet (UV) and heat stability, and higher ink gloss. Dow is also introducing POLYCO™ Diamond Vinyl Acrylic Binders to optimize paperboard coating performance while using fewer synthetic materials. The binder’s dry pick strength, gluability, high optical coverage, and UV and heat stability make it an excellent solution for food packaging. Dow Coating Materials, www.dowcoatingmaterials.com
Nanotechnology for stickies control
The Triple Threat line of stickies control products from Aurora Specialty Chemistries are dual-polymer technology. A unique amphoteric polymer has an affinity for both anionic and cationic ions found in the wet end of the papermaking process. Next, a controlled-molecular weight, charge density cationic polymer is added. This product serves to encapsulate and disperse stickies. It also provides barrier chemistry to keep wires and felts cleaner. Aurora Specialty Chemistries 800-344-3699, www.auroraspecialtychemistries.com
Synthetic microfibers deliver superior uniformity, printability
With the ability to produce high-performing, high-strength synthetic nonwovens on standard papermaking equipment using Eastman Cyphrex™ microfibers, product developers can achieve performance without any of the final product trade-offs that typically come with using a combination of
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synthetic and cellulosic fibers. Due to their unique geometry and composition, these microfibers behave differently than existing synthetic fibers, as they process very much like cellulose fibers. Unlike most synthetic fibers, Eastman Cyphrex™ flat polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microfibers process well on inclined wire, Rotoformer and Fourdrinier machines. These microfibers can be run at standard consistency (1.0 to 3.2%) on the wet end, disperse easily with minimal shear and can blend with cellulose to improve strength and formation of paper products. Another benefit is that Eastman Cyphrex™ microfibers can be easily run as 100% of the fiber furnish on conventional papermaking machinery and can be processed very much like cellulose on flat wire machines, a benefit not typically expected from synthetic fibers. Overall, Eastman Cyphrex™ flat PET microfibers provide benefits previously unseen from synthetic fibres. For example, unlike other non-fibrillated synthetic fibers for wetlaid applications, Cyphrex microfibers improve strength, formation and permeability of high-strength paper products — without requiring significant processing compromises. “Eastman Cyphrex™ microfibers are well-suited for paper, pulp and nonwoven industry technical professionals who want innovations that can help them stay ahead of product commoditization,” said Jon Woods, general manager, nonwovens microfibers, Eastman. “Because technical professionals want synthetic fibers to enable product performance without the processing challenges that often accompany them, Cyphrex microfibers could enable new attributes to allow for more customizable applications in high-strength paper applications.” In addition, these microfibers provide impressive tensile, tear and burst strength within a lightweight nonwoven sheet and produce highly uniform sheets with high green strength. The uniformity of Eastman Cyphrex™ microfibers can allow for printability advantages, which adds value to specialty paper applications such as strong
and lightweight backing for wall coverings and practical alternatives to high-strength polyethylene as a 100% Eastman Cyphrex™ sheet. Eastman Chemical Co., www.EastmanCyphrex.com/ TransformingPaper
More bioavailable phosphorous for wastewater systems
To feed microorganisms in wastewater treatment systems, Probiotic Solutions offers Super Phos, a liquid phosphate complexed with proprietary Micro Carbon Technolgy®. Super Phos is reported to be a more bioavailable phosphorous for the microorganisms, thus requiring less phosphorous to be applied and lower phosphorous discharges to receiving waters. According to Probiotic Solutions, the phosphorous compound is protected from tying up in water by the carbon molecules. The micro carbon technology is a proprietary blend of very small organic molecules, including leonardite and other organic and mineral-rich compounds. It forms the base of a suite of products that provide maximum microbial stimulation in wastewater to reduce sludge, cut down on odor, and lower BOD/COD levels. Probiotic Solutions 800-961-1220, www.probiotic.com
Monitor oil quality online
Kytola Instruments has introduced two new online oil analyzers to help detect changes in oil quality and prevent unexpected equipment down time. The Oilan A4 water in oil analyzer detects water leaks at an early stage. It measures the water content in oil above the saturation point. In mineral oils and some synthetics, it detects and measures water content from 0 to 5,000 ppm. Also available is Kytola’s Oilcol color analyzer that uses visible light absorbance to indicate the ASTM D1500 color value of oil. Oilcol’s fast online measurement detects changes in oil quality without expensive sampling and laboratory analysis. Both units use Modbus RTU (RS-485) communication and have 4-20 mA output. Kytola Instruments 678-701-3569, www.kytola.ca PPC www.pulpandpapercanada.com
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BIO-ECONOMY
Lignin a rising star in bio-chemicals, says Pöyry On the subject of biochemicals, experts at Pöyry Management Consulting believe that the European market will invest effort in supplying lignin. In a new report called Biosight up to 2025, the firm makes this assessment on the basis that lignin is currently underutilized but is a market enabler for lignocellulose sugars and has potential for significant growth. The BioSight report by Pöyry investigates supply and demand across geographical hubs in the global bio-based chemical business. The report confirms that the bio-based chemicals sector is a growing, global market, but also lifts out both brand pull and the lignin platform as rising stars. In the report Pöyry introduces its concept for structuring the bio-chemicals sector. Chemicals are divided into sugar, oil, lignin and gas platforms according to their feedstock. Pöyry has forecast business opportunities over the coming years for each of the four platforms. First, Poyry’s experts found that whilst the oil and fat platform is the most mature one, sensibilities around sustainability arguments mean future supply is uncertain. In the coming years, Pöyry believes that the European market will invest effort in supplying lignin.
Cellulose nanocrystals found to boost strength of concrete Cellulose nanocrystals derived from agriculture, pulp or paper industries have been shown to increase the strength of concrete, representing a potential renewable additive to improve this construction material. Researchers at Purdue University have demonstrated that the cellulose nanocrystals can increase the tensile strength of concrete by 30%. Research findings were published in February in the journal Cement and Concrete Composites. The researchers have discovered that the cellulose nanocrystals increase the hydration of the concrete mixture, allowing more of it to cure and potentially altering the structure of concrete and strengthening it. As a result, less concrete needs to be used. 30
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Spinnova developing wood-based textile yarns A Finnish company is working to bring to industrial scale a process that creates yarn from wood fibre using a wet spinning technique. Spinnova Ltd., a research and product development company, is the latest spin-off of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. F2Y fibre-to-yarn technology uses no dissolution chemicals to dissolve wood fibre to a polymer level and regenerate cellulosic filaments. According to the company, Spinnova’s technique is the only technology which can be used to manufacture yarn directly from wood fibres without chemical processing. Photo courtesy VTT
Canadian supplier to provide gasification for UK power plant Vancouver-based Nexterra will provide the gasification technology for the Welland Waste Wood Power Plant. Nexterra also participated in the development and financing of the £51.6-million project located in Northamptonshire, UK. The Welland project is the second biomass gasification power plant Nexterra has developed in co-operation with Balfour Beatty Investments, Cogen and MWH Treatment. The first project, near Birmingham, is under construction and expected to start up in 2016. Nexterra will design and supply the complete biomass gasification-to-steam generation system from feedstock han-
dling to emission controls, including four gasifiers, a high pressure boiler, and a flue gas treatment system. Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada’s export credit agency, has provided performance support for Nexterra’s scope on this project. Once the project has been completed in 2017, it will convert 60,000 tonnes of dry, locally sourced sustainable waste wood which has been diverted from landfill into 9 MW of net electricity. Laurie Tugman, chairman of Nexterra, said the Welland project is one of several similar opportunities that the company is developing with BBI. PPC
Nova Scotia Power recently reported that the biomass boiler used to generate electricity for the province consumed
393,423 green tonnes of biomass in 2014, its first full year of operation.
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