Pulp & Paper Canada January/February 2014

PULP& PAPER

PACKAGING TRENDS SUCCESS WITH SPECIALTY PAPERS RADICAL IDEAS FOR PAPERMAKING

CANADA

OVER 100 YEARS OF SERVING THE INDUSTRY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

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Selling a lifestyle

Many mills emphasize the benefits of an outdoor lifestyle when trying to attract new workers

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PULP& PAPER

January/February 2014 Vol. 115, No. 1 A Business Information Group Publication PRINT EDITION ISSN 0316-4004 ON-LINE EDITION ISSN 1923-3515

CANADA

OVER 100 YEARS OF SERVING THE INDUSTRY

COVER STORY

13 Selling the Industry by Selling a Lifestyle

Two mills facing different human resource challenges share their retention and recruitment strategies.

FEATURES

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11 Should You Enter the Specialty Papers Market?

Specialty grades have the appeal of higher margins, but they can be a risky proposition.

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12 European Research Team Identifies Breakthrough Technologies

Ever heard of deep eutectic solvents? Flash condensing with steam? The CEPI Two Team research project concludes that these and six other technologies could revolutionize paper and pulp manufacturing.

16 Unfolding the Future of Paper Packaging

Developments in coatings and strong, lightweight materials are driving packaging growth.

PAPTAC TECHNICAL PAPER

18 The Lignoforce System™: A New Process for the Production of High-Quality Lignin from Black Liquor

To improve lignin filterability, FPInnovations developed the LignoForce System, a patent-pending process in which the BL is oxidized under controlled conditions before the acidification step of conventional lignin recovery processes.

No major difference in the chemical composition, molecular weight distribution, or main functional groups was found in the lignins produced using the LignoForce process compared with lignins produced by conventional methods.

By L. Kouisni, P. Holt-Hindle, K. Maki, M. Paleologou, FPInnovations, Pulp, Paper & Bioproducts Division

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IN EVERY ISSUE 4 6 10 10 23 25 26

Editorial News 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 image: Thinkstock

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January/February 2014

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Editorial

Workforce renewal: the problem is clear; the solutions, less so

O

ften when choosing or changing jobs, it’s the intangible aspects that sway the decision.

Research shows, and managers know, that the reason people quit their jobs is not always financial. It’s often due to the hard-to-measure qualities such as their relationship with their boss and co-workers, opportunities for advancement or feeling valued as an employee.

Since the pulp and paper industry can’t compete with the oil and gas or mining sectors on salary alone, and since most mills are in less populated locations, those responsible for attracting new workers have to rely on intangible concepts as their selling points. These include: traditional way of life, family time, flexible work hours, opportunities for advancement, and “green” corporate culture.

Cindy Macdonald Editor While trying to decide on a cover image for this issue, I faced the same dilemma many HR people in the forest products industry must face – how can we visually portray these intangible concepts?

So I chose what, to me, is an iconic image of the Canadian rural lifestyle. In many cases, for more remote mills, the “outdoors lifestyle” is one of the strongest selling points. Working in the forest products industry offers people an alternative to living in a large city.

This sentiment, of living a natural, slower-paced, outdoorsy life, is one aspect of FPAC’s “Greenest Workforce” marketing campaign. The campaign is trying to woo people away from urban jobs, and from the commuting-to-a-work-camp routine.

Similarly, the Work Wild initiative in Alberta (see page 15) is trying to entice more people to pursue outdoor jobs.

While the Canadian industry has pulled out all the stops to attract new blood, the labor situation at the new Suzano mill in Brazil is a stark, vexing contrast. (See the news story at www.pulpandpapercanada.com for details of that start-up.)

Suzano apparently set-up training programs well in advance of the mill’s start-up for both construction workers and mill personnel. Hundreds of people followed the courses and hundreds were hired.

Just as Canadian mill operators can only dream of having the short lifecycle of the trees in the Brazilian fibre basket, they can also only dream of having hundreds of people vying for open positions in their mills.

In the meantime, forest products companies and individuals in the industry are stuck selling the green dream to anyone who will listen, including high school students as early as Grade 10, in order to maintain the trickle of incoming employees that we currently have.

Editor CINDY MACDONALD 416-510-6755 cindy@pulpandpapercanada.com Publisher JIM BUSSIERE 416-442-5600 ext. 3606 jim@pulpandpapercanada.com President, Business Information Group BRUCE CREIGHTON Vice President, Publishing ALEX PAPANOU Executive Publisher, Manufacturing TIM DIMOPOULOS

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Industry News

Courtesy of CNW Group/Domtar Corporation.

Norampac enters packaging joint venture in Atlantic Canada

Historical photo of former E.B. Eddy site, Hull, Quebec, 1867.

Domtar sells former E.B. Eddy mill site in Ottawa and Gatineau After months of due diligence, Ottawa’s Windmill Development Group and Domtar have signed a definitive agreement of sale for Domtar’s property on Ottawa’s Albert and Chaudière Islands and downtown Gatineau, Que. The property is the site of the former E.B. Eddy paper mills.

The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions and may take until the first quarter of 2015 to complete. One remaining condition relates to the rezoning of the property for a mixed-use community-scale development.

Domtar acquired the former E.B. Eddy mills in Ottawa and Gatineau in 1998. Due to declining market demand for paper, Domtar announced the permanent closure of the Ottawa mill in 2005 and then the Gatineau mill in 2007. The site’s last paper machine was dismantled in 2012.

Stewart Marcoux, vice-president asset redeployment for Domtar, explained the history of the site: “Ezra Butler Eddy started manufacturing match sticks on part of this property back in 1851, then later acquired the competing JR Booth paper mill on the Ottawa side of the river and over the years the logging and pulp and papermaking activities at this site grew to the point that it was, by the mid-20th century, one of Canada’s most significant industrial engines.”

Cascades Inc. has announced an agreement between its subsidiary Norampac and Maritime Paper Products Limited (MPPL) to create a joint venture for their corrugated board activities in the Atlantic Provinces.

MPPL will own 60% of the new joint venture, with the remainder being owned

by Norampac. MPPL will oversee management of the joint venture while Norampac will be a key supplier of containerboard.

If the transaction is approved, the Norampac operations located in Newfoundland and Moncton will be integrated with those of MPPL. Marc-André Dépin, president and CEO of Norampac, says the new venture “will advance our objective to modernize our production equipment and continue innovation in terms of our product offering.”

According to Gary Johnson, president of MPPL, the joint venture will ensure the long term supply of competitively priced, quality corrugated packaging for the Atlantic region.

Maritime Paper manufactures corrugated cartons and custom packaging. It is part of the Scotia Investments Limited group of companies.

Resolute planning permanent shutdown of Iroquois Falls’ PM1 A hundred-year-old paper machine that makes specialty and construction grades at Resolute Forest Products’ Iroquois Falls mill will be permanently shut down

Briefly………………………………………………………………………………………

• Kruger Products L.P., a manufacturer of tissue products has earned the Business Strategy of the Year Award from Pulp and Paper International (PPI) at the 2013 PPI Awards.

required for industrial cooling towers, pulp and paper, and drinking water applications.

• Towel and tissue producer Cascades Inc. received the Environmental Strategy of the Year award from Pulp & Paper International at the 2013 PPI Awards in Dubai. In addition, the Cascades® Moka® product line won the company a second award for Innovative Product of the Year.

• The Law Commission of Ontario (LCO) completed its final report in its review of the Forestry Workers Lien for Wages Act project and recommends repeal of the Act. Although many loggers continue to bear financial risk due to industrial conditions, the Report concludes that the Act is commercially and legally obsolete and recommends that it be repealed.

• Ecolab has completed its acquisition of AkzoNobel’s Purate® business. Purate provides patented, proprietary chlorine dioxide (ClO2) chemistry for use in a wide array of water treatment applications. The Purate acquisition allows Ecolab, a Nalco company, to meet the larger volumes of chlorine dioxide

• KSH Solutions has purchased the assets of Dick Engineering Inc. and formed a new company named KSH-DEI Solutions Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of KSH Solutions Inc. Both KSH and Dick Engineering are consulting and engineering firms with expertise in the pulp and paper sector.

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Industry News

Photo courtesy CNW Group/Kruger Inc.

within six months. About 70 employees will be affected by the closure.

The northern Ontario mill will continue to make newsprint on PM8.

A statement from Resolute explains that PM1 was operating at less than 60% of its annual production capacity. The markets for these construction grades are limited.

Demand has been declining over the past few years and is expected to continue to decrease, says Resolute.

As a single-machine operation, according to Resolute, Iroquois Falls will be able to enhance operating efficiency, reduce costs and ensure its competitive position.

Eighteen students win jobs in pulp, paper and forestry A dream is coming true for 18 students from across the country who have won a Green Dream Internship summer job after participating in a social media contest organized by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC).

The contest invited students to apply for a four-month paid position during the summer of 2014 with one of nine forest product companies. FPAC set up the contest through TheGreenestWorkforce.ca, an online resource tool that provides information on the forest products industry and career opportunities.

“Under Vision2020, the forest products industry has a goal of recruiting at least 60,000 new employees by the end of the decade,” says the president and CEO of FPAC, David Lindsay. “It was gratifying to see the passion and dedication many of the students have for the industry, and we are confident about attracting the quality talent needed to join our industry now, and in the future.”

All of the interns will receive an iPad mini and will be required to blog about their experience in the forest sector for the Greenestworkforce.ca website.

the company on March 31, 2014.

Joe Nemeth, president and CEO, praised the commitment and contributions of the three individuals.

In addition, each mill general manager will report directly to the CEO to increase the focus on operational excellence and safety performance.

Nemeth flattens Catalyst Paper management structure

Final sixteen PPGTP projects total $109 million in funding

As part of its plan to improve cost competitiveness, Catalyst Paper reduced the size of its executive team.

Bob Lindstrom retired after a 30-year career with the company. Marketing executive Lyn Brown left the company at the end of 2013. David Adderley, vicepresident and general counsel, will leave

The final projects funded by the $1-billion Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program (PPGTP) were announced mid-November, with Nanaimo Forest Products, Paper Excellence, AV Cell, Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp and Resolute Forest Products named as recipients. The sixteen PPGTP-funded projects

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Kruger receives green innovation award: (from left to right) Jean-Louis Legault, ADRIQ; Luc Michel, Kruger; René Hamel, Kruger; Balázs Tolnai, Kruger; Gérald St-Aubin, Desjardins; and Albert De Luca, Deloitte.

Fly ash from Kruger mill used as cement alternative Kruger Inc. was presented with the 2013 Green Innovation Award by the Association pour le développement de la recherche et de l’innovation du Québec (ADRIQ).

The award was given in recognition of a project that reuses fly ash produced by the cogeneration plant at Kruger’s newsprint mill in Brompton, Que. To date, the Brompton mill is the first and only facility in Canada that has had cogeneration fly ash certified as a cement substitute.

Managers at the Brompton mill’s cogeneration plant worked on a research project for three years in order to find an option for reusing cogeneration fly ash. The research was performed in partnership with the University of Sherbrooke’s Civil Engineering Department.

The researchers showed that up to 20% of cement could be replaced with fly ash for making concrete, without compromising the finished product’s quality or durability.

This discovery opens the way to substantial savings for concrete manufacturers. completed at 11 pulp and paper mills represent a total investment of $109.2 million by the Government of Canada.

Among the projects announced, $12 million in funding went to AV Cell Inc. in Atholville, N.B., for capital upgrades to treat two mill effluent streams using an anaerobic process. This form of effluent treatment will allow the mill to produce more renewable energy through the combustion of biogas, thereby offsetting consumption of fossil fuels and reducing emissions.

In B.C., $21.3 million in funding is helping Nanaimo Forest Products (Nanaimo, B.C.) and Paper Excellence (formerly Tembec, Skookumchuck, B.C.) Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp mill in Meadow Lake, Sask., received $2.6 million

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Industry News funding to improve the energy efficiency of the mill through the installation of two low-consistency refiners that reduce its consumption of electricity while maintaining the same pulp quality.

In Quebec, Resolute Forest Products’ Saint-Félicien mill (formerly Fibrek), received an investment of $10 million to support two projects which are helping improve the mill’s energy efficiency while increasing its generation of renewable electricity. As well, an investment of $800,000 went to the Kruger Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières to improve the mill’s energy efficiency through optimized heat exchange.

The Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program stopped taking submissions in March 2012. It was intended to improve mills’ overall environmental performance through capital upgrades aimed at improved energy efficiency, increased renewable electricity production and diversified product lines.

FPInnovations receives $25 million, IFIT projects $35 million A forest industry gathering in Quebec on Nov. 21-22 provided the venue for the federal government to announce new funding initiatives for the pulp and paper sector.

The government of Canada is committing $35 million to Quebec-based projects under the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program.

An investment of $25.1 million in FPInnovations was also announced, to support forest products research in Canada. Of this, $15.4 million will be allocated to laboratories in Quebec. FPInnovations is a national not-for-profit institute with offices in Montreal, Quebec City and Vancouver.

Canfor Pulp and UPM sign pulp sales agreement Canfor Pulp Products Inc. and UPMKymmene Corporation have agreed on a strategic sales and marketing cooperation.

Canfor Pulp’s sales network will represent and co-market UPM Pulp products in North America and Japan whereas UPM’s pulp sales network will represent and comarket Canfor Pulp products in Europe and China.

In the initial phase, the cooperation agreement will consist of six grades of market pulp and approximately one mil8

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lion tonnes of pulp sales from eight mills on three continents.

“This agreement will bring two significant and reputable market pulp producers together to offer our customers a broader technical approach and an enhanced product offering for a total fibre solution,” said Sean Curran, vice-president, sales and marketing, Canfor Pulp Products.

The product portfolio will consist of premium reinforcing northern bleached softwood kraft (PRP NBSK), northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK), northern bleached birch kraft (NBBK), bleached eucalyptus kraft (BEK), unbleached electrical kraft pulp (UBE), and bleached chemithermomechanical pulps (BCTMP).

Cascades’ Suzanne Blanchet wins international award Suzanne Blanchet, president and CEO of Cascades Tissue Group, has won a Gold Stevie® Award for the “Female Executive of the Year in Canada” category in the 10th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. This international award was given in recognition of her outstanding contribution to her company and industry.

“It is with profound gratitude and great humility that I receive this award,” stated Blanchet. “I would like to share it with my colleagues, who all contributed to Cascades Tissue Group’s success and international recognition.”

Her career began as a finance intern and evolved to her becoming president and CEO of Cascades Tissue Group in 1997.

The launch of innovative products such as Cascades® Antibacterial™ paper towels and the expansion of Cascades’ tissue activities in the United States are two recent examples of initiatives she’s led.

“Since her début at Cascades, Suzanne has always pushed the limits,” said Mario Plourde, Cascades’ president and CEO. “She is energetic, direct and transparent, and she’s always looking for greater and better things for Cascades. Through her leadership, she successfully built a billiondollar business starting from a one-plant operation. She is an example of determina-

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tion and success, and we commend her on this meaningful honor.”

UBC’s $2.7-million grant to focus on mechanical pulping The University of British Columbia’s Pulp and Paper Centre (PPC) has received a $2.7-million grant with the aim of realizing energy savings of more than 1000 GWh/y in the pulp sector.

The centre’s target is to reduce energy and greenhouse gas emissions of one of B.C.’s largest industries by 50% before 2020.

The grant is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and a consortium of 16 mechanical pulp companies.

“We are committed to sustainably producing pulp products and investigating ways to improve our environmental performance while making our pulp and paper business more competitive,” says Peter Rippon, vice-president, pulp and energy at West Fraser, a partner involved in the collaboration.

The award will be used to equip the centre with the latest equipment, as well as to attract and support the best graduate students to work with professors and senior researchers on these projects. More than nine inter-related projects will develop new processes with novel sensors and advanced computer control to significantly reduce the energy consumed in the current mechanical pulping process in B.C. mills.

Kadant enters wood products market with Carmanah acquisition Kadant Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire Carmanah Design and Manufacturing Inc. for $54 million in cash. Carmanah is a global leader in the design and manufacture of stranders and related equipment used in the production of oriented strand board (OSB), an engineered wood panel product used primarily in home construction. Carmanah also supplies debarking and wood chipping equipment used in both the forest products and the pulp and paper industries.

“Industry analysts expect the annual growth rate of OSB production to be just under 10% per year over the next five years in North America,” said Jonathan W. Painter, president and CEO of Kadant Inc. www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Industry News Carmanah is based in Surrey, B.C. The company has 73 employees.

Kadant supplies stock-preparation, fluid-handling, and doctoring, cleaning, and filtration products to the global pulp and paper industry.

Domtar expands personal care business with European buy Domtar is pushing further into the personal care market with the acquisition of Laboratorios Indas, SAU, a leading branded incontinence products manufacturer and marketer in Spain.

“The acquisition of Indas advances our transformation into a leader in personal care, an attractive market segment that is an important growth engine for Domtar,” said John D. Williams, president and CEO of Domtar. “With the addition of the new business, Domtar will become one of the leading adult incontinence products manufacturers in Europe, providing the critical mass upon which to build a pan-European business.”

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Quebec industry calls for concrete actions from government Prior to a provincial forest industry gathering last fall the Quebec Forest Industry Council (QFIC) and the senior executives of six major forest companies urged the provincial government to make a priority of the issues and competitiveness challenges facing the industry in Quebec.

Six senior executives from some of the province’s largest forest companies gathered in Montreal on Nov. 18 to make the government aware of the importance of the industry’s competitiveness-related challenges. They pointed out that Quebec has the highest cost of fibre within North America and that in the last ten years, the annual allowable cut has decreased by nearly 40%, thereby fostering a business environment that has eroded the competitive position of companies.

Quebec government promises support for forest sector The Quebec government reiterated its support for the forest industry at an industry gathering Nov. 21, the Rendez-vous national de la forêt québécoise.

To modernize the industry and boost its competitiveness, the government is making available up to $320 million over three years for modernization projects.

On the subject of green chemistry, the provincial government proposes to invest almost $32 million. The Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec will receive $3.1 million, and FPInnovations $1.75 million. Up to $27 million is available for three other projects in partnership with industry.

The government also announced new and continuing programs that support biomassbased electricity generation, and a pilot project related to winter loading of wood to help reduce fibre costs.

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Opinion

Canada is at Forefront of Race to Develop Next Generation Wood Fibre-based Products

By Jennifer Ellson, senior communications specialist, fpinnovations

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t FPInnovations, we’ve always believed that for the Canadian forest industry to prosper even more, innovation needs to occur on two fronts: through the development of new products and markets, and through novel ways of managing innovation.

With this in mind, FPInnovations has joined forces with Kruger to build a 5-ton/day cellulose filament demonstration plant in Trois-Rivières, Que. – another world first. Cellulose filaments are a new wood-based biomaterial that can have an immediate impact on the forest product industry since they integrate well with paper products offering high strength, light weight and flexibility. Cellulose filaments are set to become a key element in the transformation of the Canadian pulp

and paper industry enabling the industry to gain a foot-hold in non-traditional markets while building on its existing manufacturing capacity in forest-dependent communities across Canada.

Funded by Natural Resources Canada, the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources, Investissement Québec, Kruger and FPInnovations’ industrial members, the new demo plant will use a simple and efficient chemical-free process developed by FPInnovations, and will use only mechanical refining energy. It will be designed for scale-up to the commercial stage.

Canada is indeed at the forefront of a global race to develop the next generation of wood fibre-based materials and to become the world’s bioenergy and bioproduct powerhouse. In 2012, FPInnovations teamed with Domtar to establish

CelluForce, which resulted in the world’s first pilot plant for cellulose nanocrystals, a cellulose-based nanostructure known for being abundant, renewable, recyclable and environmentally harmless. In addition, FPInnovations’ lignin pilot plant in Thunder Bay, Ont., has now been successfully running a 100-kg/day production plant for more than two years. Lignin is a complex wood fibre-derived molecule extracted from black liquor that holds the potential for replacing many chemicals currently derived from petroleum-based sources.

Canada is now well-equipped to compete with rival industries in the U.S., China, Finland, Brazil and Sweden in the development of next generation cellulosebased bio-materials. In addition, FPInnovations’ five patents on the cellulose filament process and product secure the technology for the advantage of the Canadian industry while providing conditions to bring this game-changing technology to commercial reality.

Indeed, this is an incredibly exciting time for Canada’s forest industry.

The Forest Industry and Aboriginal Communities: a Natural Partnership

By Mark Hubert, vice-president environmental leadership, FPAC

W

e live in an era of fast-paced change, exponential population growth, shrinking resources and diversifying job markets. For the Canadian forest products industry, these changing times offer the opportunity to grow and prosper.

Vision2020, a program launched by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), set three ambitious goals for the industry in the areas of people, performance and products. As part of this, the industry hopes to hire more Aboriginal workers.

It is estimated that 80% of Aboriginal peoples live in or near forest land and the industry has increasingly realized the value of working with Aboriginal communities.

The forest products industry now employs about 17,000 Aboriginal workers, making it the largest employer of First Nations individuals in Canada. Partnerships between the industry and Aborigi10

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nal communities are growing, with nearly 1,500 Aboriginal firms doing business in the sector, mostly in silviculture and woodland operations. To recognize the vital entrepreneurial spirit of Aboriginal people and their long history of involvement in the industry, FPAC launched a business leadership award in 2009. This award is now given out in partnership with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. Every year, the caliber of applications received is a testament to the business leadership and longevity of Aboriginal firms serving the forest sector across Canada.

Growing recognition of indigenous skills and constitutionally protected interests in land and natural resources has led to an increase in Aboriginal involvement in forest land management decisions. In 2010, the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) was signed between major forest product companies and environmental organizations to conserve significant areas of Canada’s vast Boreal forest

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and protect threatened woodland caribou while ensuring a stable and prosperous forest sector. As part of this historic deal, the signatories are now engaging Aboriginal leaders where the CBFA is active.

It’s important that future generations of Aboriginal youth realize that one of the country’s longest-existing industries wants to strengthen our outreach to their communities. This year, FPAC presented its second Skills Award for Aboriginal Youth which recognizes and celebrates selected youth for their skills development and career aspirations in the revitalized forest products industry. Canada’s Aboriginal population is amongst the fastest growing, with a median age lower than the national average (27 years old). This emerging Aboriginal youth segment has a unique perspective and intimate knowledge of the land. The forest sector knows that working closely with our Aboriginal communities to strengthen our partnership can only lead to a thriving industry and an improved Canadian economy. www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Management

Should you Enter the

Specialty Papers Market?

Specialty grades have the appeal of higher margins, but they can be a risky proposition

I

n recent decades, the commodity paper segment has been under threat from overcapacity and declining demand in many areas. Subsequent low profitability has encouraged many manufacturers to look instead to the opportunities offered by specialty papers, which are of higher added value and can, in some cases, provide higher margins.

For many paper mills, this improved financial performance is a very tempting prospect. However, there are a number of risks involved when entering the specialty paper market. In this article, Smithers Pira discusses the advantages and disadvantages for paper mills of investing in specialty papers, and the important factors to consider before entering the market.

Offer value and increase revenue Customers are willing to pay a premium if you are offering something of real value to them. Therefore, it is important to find a way to offer new features without increasing the price of raw materials, processing or marketing, and wiping out the margin you stand to gain. Yes, there is added value for the customer, but is it sufficient to justify the costs to your company for bringing specialty paper to market?

In addition, this “added value” can be difficult and expensive to demonstrate. Marketing the product and developing a new image and brand to support it, compounded with lengthy qualification procedures for specialty paper, results in some pretty large upfront costs. There are also regulatory concerns to meet, especially in terms of food contact.

These considerations will need to be weighed carefully in order to avoid making a loss with your new specialty paper product, as well as creating disillusioned management and shareholders.

Some customers will tolerate higher than average prices if they urgently need your product, although there is always the risk that others will opt for the lower-cost product if it is easily available.

Reconsidering your brand position There are a number of technical, manufacturing and branding issues that need to be considered before entering the specialty paper industry. If you are a small or medium-sized mill, specialty paper can allow for ongoing use of older and sometimes obsolete equipment that still has valuable capabilities, but is no longer suited to larger volume runs which are required for mass commodity products.

In a similar vein, there is much less competition from other producers who use larger-output machinery. These producers will be mainly concerned with maximizing their volume output and will not have the ability to produce the shorter runs and www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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By Smithers Pira

flexibility required for specialty paper production.

It isn’t only machinery which may prevent the possibility of expanding into specialty papers. Many mills don’t take into account working culture and the selling mind-set of sales teams, who may have been previously trained on a “tonnes out of the door” approach.

Some value-added work will mean having short runs and creating tailored product performance characteristics to meet the specific needs of one small customer. Tasks involved might include devising novel technical solutions, shipping small quantities of customized stock or processing new, untried or unusual raw materials to satisfy customers’ environmental concerns. Each of these issues is a specialty in itself, and creates added costs for the manufacturer in question. Many mills may also need to rethink their brand’s image or consider creating an Internet presence in order to maximize the potential of specialty papers in a digital age.

Taking into account these technical and marketing concerns, is your paper mill positioned correctly to invest in specialty papers?

The smaller the niche, the smaller the competition?

Specialty grades offer higher profitability compared with commodity products and a means of broadening product lines into niches.

Exploring a low-competition area means potentially improved risk spread and the potential to create a unique and innovative selling proposition. These emerging segments are often small but growing, driven mainly by new technology.

However, development within a less well-known area is a brave move and may prove a barrier to entry for less daring suppliers.

In order to identify and fulfil a productive gap in the specialty paper sector it is essential to fully understand the marketplace.

The market and end-users are far more diverse than in any other sector, usually expecting and welcoming paper suppliers to discuss needs and expectations as well as participate in product development at a deeper level.

These concerns should be balanced with the fact that fulfilling a niche creates a unique selling proposition which is original, too complex to copy, has unique features and can add additional functionality. Is your company positioned to take the risk? PPC For more information on Smithers Pira’s market report, “The Future of Global Specialty Paper Markets to 2018,” please contact Bill Allen at +44 (0)1372 802086, wallen@smithers.com. Smithers Pira is an authority on packaging, paper and print industry supply chains. The company provides strategic and technical consulting, testing, intelligence and events to help clients gain market insights, identify opportunities, evaluate product performance and manage compliance. For more information, visit www.smitherspira.com January/February 2014

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Operations

European industry identifies

breakthrough technologies Research project picks eight solutions that could revolutionize paper and pulp manufacturing

T

he European pulp and paper industry has searched for, and now found, breakthrough Deep eutectic solvents technology concepts which may enhance the com- A ground-breaking discovery: deep eutectic solvents (DES) produced by plants open the way to produce pulp at petitive future of this sector. At this year’s European low temperatures and at atmospheric pressure. Using DES, any type of biomass could be dissolved into lignin, Paper Week gathering in Brussels, the Confedera- cellulose and hemicellulose with minimal energy, emissions and residues. They could also be used to recover tion of European Paper Industries (CEPI), unveiled cellulose from waste and dissolve ink residues in recovered paper. eight concepts for breakthrough technologies that provide solutions for the future of the industry in Europe.

Flash condensing with steam CEPI says each solution offers opportunity to create value, Waterless paper production? Very nearly. Largely dry fibres would be blasted into a forming zone with reduce costs, improve margins, radically change sector agitated steam and condensed into a web using one-thousandth the volume of water used today. operations and allow reductions in CO2 emissions.

During the year-long Two Team Project, two teams comprised of scientists, pulp and paper companies, Steam suppliers and others worked to identify viable concepts Using more energy to use less? You read it right. Using the full power of pure steam for superheated steam that would help the industry achieve its objectives. drying would save energy as most heat could be recovered and recycled. Steam will then be used as fibre The “winning” concept is known as deep eutectic carrier for making and forming paper. solvents. CEPI explains that this new technology, at low temperatures, breaks biomass down into constituent parts which can then be used in the Supercritical CO2 paper and pulp industries. If utilized at scale, Neither gas nor liquid but somewhere in between, supercritical CO2 (sc CO2) is widely used in many applications, the organization believes this technology could to dry vegetables, fruits and flowers, extract essential oils or spices. Suppliers for large consumer items use it to radically change pulp and paper production dye textile. Coffee and tea have been decaffeinated with scCO2 since the early ’80s. We could use it to dry pulp and around the world and replace some of the most paper without the need for heat and steam, and why not dye paper or remove contaminants too, while we’re at it? energy intensive parts of the current process.

Deep eutectic solvents have seen remarkable results 100% electricity at the laboratory scale. In the coming months and Shifting pulp and paper production to energy-efficient technologies using electricity rather than fossil-fuel years, they will need to be further studied and develpower to generate heat will cut all CO2 emissions as the power sector shifts to renewable energy. The sector oped, says CEPI. would also provide a buffer and storage capacity for the grid, storing energy as hydrogen or pulp.

Commenting on the outcome of the competition, Teresa Presas, CEPI director general, said: “The results are beyond expectations. While we have DryPulp for cure-formed paper announced a winner, we are confident that all the shortImagine a papermaking process that uses no water. This is it. Fibres are treated to protect them from listed concepts have an important role to play. We believe shear, and then suspended in a viscous solution at up to 40% concentration. The solution is then the teams have found the key to the largest industrial pressed out and the thin sheet cured with a choice of additives to deliver the end-product required. breakthroughs in decades in our industry.

“Policymakers once thought targets could be met with existing technology and behavioural Functional surfaces change,” she continued. “That is wrong. BreakThe key to unlocking greater added value from fewer resources depends on a shift to producing more lightweight through technologies are needed to meet low products, and selling surface area and functionality rather than weight. Advances in sheet formation and new carbon targets. Investments in innovation need cocktails of raw materials will lead the way to the lightweight future. to focus on breakthroughs, not on incremental growth. CEPI’s Two Team Project perfectly illustrates this.”

A toolbox The eight breakthrough technologies are a combiWhat about the great ideas that never make it? Put together a combination of process, material and nation of new ideas and of ideas that work in other equipment innovations as a toolbox of stepping stones to 2050 and the pathway becomes clearer, boosting sectors but have never been utilized for the paper and sector and investor confidence. pulp sector before. Read the final report of the Two Source: CEPI Team Project at: www.unfoldthefuture.eu.

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ications, use it to pulp and e’re at it?

ossil-fuel he sector

Future Workforce

Photo courtesy of FPAC.

Two mills facing different human resource challenges share their retention and recruitment strategies.

Selling the Lifestyle, Selling the Industry T

he average age of the workers at Domtar’s flagship paper mill in Windsor Quebec is 46. Roughly 25% of them will retire by 2018, but Domtar believes that its brand, community standing, in-house initiatives and partnerships with schools will attract the necessary new talent.

Domtar’s situation is illustrative of what the entire forestry industry must do: be creative, proactive and at its corporate best to retain and attract workers.

A May 2011 report by the Forest Products Sector Council, Renewing Canada’s Greenest Workforce, notes that Canada’s forest industry shed 110,000 workers between 2003 and 2011. Another 50,000 workers – one third of the workforce – will leave the industry by 2020. The forest products sector must find from 40,000 to 120,000 new workers by 2020.

The grim news, paraphrased, is that forestry programs enrolment is shrinking, rural mills are fishing in limited talent pools and the latest round of mill closures made the industry look like a holed ship drifting into a setting sun. Add to that the tar sands giants luring highly skilled tradespeople, with their offers of riches www.pulpandpapercanada.com

PPCJanFeb2014verB.indd 13

By Carroll MCCorMiCk

working the black gold. The good news is that mills and organizations in the pulp and paper industry are showing creativity and determination in responding to these challenges.

Approach young people through the schools Domtar has a 150-year history in Windsor.

“There is very little turnover at the Windsor Mill,” says Eric Ashby, general manager, Domtar Windsor. “Our retention success is driven by the vision for the business, how we treat employees, our community involvement and our culture. The seniority-based benefits of our union help retain more experienced people.”

As for finding new workers, Daniel Langois, human resources manager, Domtar Windsor, notes, “Overall, the leadership at the mill does not feel that it has become difficult to attract workers to the mill. The exception would be some of the more indemand engineering or trades positions.”

Domtar has a current shortage of electrical and controls engineers and anticipates a shortage of steam ticket engineers.

To help address this, Domtar supplements its recruitment of already trained workers

with more anticipatory strategies. It has, for example, established co-op internships through the University of Sherbrooke’s engineering and forestry/pulp and paper programs and at the Centre d’excellence en formation industrielle de Windsor.

The Windsor mill has partnered with two other local mills to do plant tours and have students rotate through the mills in different roles. Domtar also has an entrylevel hiring program.

Younger workers are concerned about the decline of the pulp and paper industry, Domtar acknowledges. “We have been able to overcome some of this with the communication of our vision, business performance, community reputation and longevity. There is a tremendous sense of pride both in the mill and the community,” Ashby notes.

Retain talent by fostering a positive culture The mill leadership has been able to increase the status of jobs, and thus increase their desirability, by tying them to the company growth and vision for the future. “This definitely resonates with individuals,” says Ryan Dull, senior

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Future Workforce director of talent acquisition, Domtar.

Domtar wants an engaged workforce and refers to the critical need to foster a caring, innovative and agile culture. “We work actively to make it a positive place to work and make sure it gets better,” Dull states. In part, having an engaged, as opposed to a departing workforce, means giving employees the chance to acquire new skills and take on new challenges.

To this end, Domtar came to realize that it needed to begin focusing on talent management. Three in-house initiatives illustrate how Domtar is doing this: • Leaders Growing Leaders is a two-year program for Domtar managers.

• Those who want to become managers can take a manager training program.

• Domtar has partnered with the Ireland-based online learning company Skillsoft to offer courses for acquiring project management and communication skills, and to teach soft skills and human resources training.

Make the location attractive Far, far away from southern Quebec, Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd., Peace River Pulp Division (DMI), faces the dual challenge of both its remoteness, and its proximity to the event horizon that is the Alberta oil industry. DMI astutely promotes Peace River as a good place to raise a family and indulge in a rather traditional lifestyle, as opposed to the transient, gold rush

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ambiance of towns like Fort McMurray.

“We sell the province, the community and the industry, generally in that order. People want something comparative in terms of housing prices, standard of living, health care, etc. If we can hit these three targets, people will realize they are moving for a lifestyle, not just a job,” says Amber Armstrong, communications and public relations superintendent, DMI. Armstrong travels the country selling this message, and will even take along a local citizen with no investment in DMI to help build trust in the town. Armstrong is sensitive to the psychological state of prospective recruits from closed mills. On a 2011 recruiting trip to Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, to meet some former NewPage mill workers, Armstrong says, “We were cognizant of the fact that these people were reeling, they were hurt and angry.”

How did Armstrong explain that DMI was sustainable and a safe move for people who had just had the rug pulled out from under them? “We explained our level of capital involvement, our strategic plan, our diversification,” Armstrong says.

DMI passes on resumes it cannot use to local businesses, some of which are desperate for people. This, Armstrong explains, strengthens the community that DMI is selling as part of its jobs and lifestyle package. “We want to be known as an employer that also takes care of a community.”

Cultivate local talent DMI recognizes that the people most prepared to settle down there are those who grew up there – if only they can get good work.

Its business relationship with the Woodland Cree First Nation, located about 85 kilometres northeast of Peace River, is designed to develop career opportunities. “We are bringing educational opportunities to Aboriginal communities through local colleges … People don’t have to leave their homes and families, which we all believe will encourage long-term success,” Armstrong says.

In response to a crying need for steam engineers, DMI participates in a five-year-old and remarkably proactive high school program that, over the course of Grades 10-12, lets participating graduates earn their fourth-class steam engineering tickets as well as getting their Grade 12 diplomas.

“We hired the first two kids [out of the program] at $64,000/ year. We immediately put them into a third-class power engineer program and paid for their training,” Armstrong says. “We will soon be unveiling a forestry program, starting in Grade 10. We hope to show them career opportunities in northern Alberta.”

DMI runs a non-unionized mill, which, according to Armstrong, grants flexibility that can be used to help retain employees.

“We are a big supporter of unions, but not being unionized means we can have diversified training and use [employees’] talents and interests. If someone is bored with their job, we will look for opportunities to retrain them. If someone becomes unable to do one kind of work, we can retrain them.”

DMI employees (DMI calls them team members) have developed programs that, for example, permit more flexible work hours and let them do contract work after they retire or retrain for other mill jobs. “None of these ideas came from high level. They all came from the team members,” Armstrong says. “If you want a workforce to stay with you, you have to realize that lifestyles change. Are we prepared to deal with that? We are.”

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Future Workforce

Work Wild boosts interest in forestry Rather than leaving it to chance that young people might discover career opportunities in the forest products industry, the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) is taking the message to high schools and other venues with its Work Wild program. Its communications specialist Ann Normand visits about 65 schools a year. She made classroom presentations to more than 3,500 students between August 2012 and August 2013, for example, and work fairs and conferences have brought Work Wild’s messages to an additional 35,000 people.

“Alberta has a very competitive

employment market,” says Brock Mulligan, director of communications, AFPA. “We need to speak to sustainability and a good lifestyle in rural communities. In our industry we tend to have jobs where you can do your job and come home every night. We promote this with our youth.

“We get really good feedback, involvement and questions from students. Since we launched Work Wild in January 2011, we have had a significant

increase in enrollment in the four-year forestry program at the University of Alberta and the two-year forestry technology program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.”

PPC

FPInnovations is currently recruItIng technologists, technicians, scientists, engineers and researchers in the fields of:

tion. a v o n e is in m a n r Ou s?

r u o y s ’ What

Visit us at PaperWeek Career Fair on February 4 and 5 to learn more about career opportunities at FPInnovations.

www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Pulp, paper and bioproducts Wood products Forest operations Transportation Business development Markets and economics And other positions in finance and human resources

Contact us to learn more: info@fpinnovations.ca Follow us

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Market Trends

Unfolding the Future of Paper Packaging Developments in coatings and strong but lightweight materials are driving packaging innovations. Ultimately, companies in this sector will need good profitability to keep ahead of changing customer demands.

By Cindy Macdonald, editor

M

any of the issues facing suppliers to the packaging market are an evolution of the same pressures that have been brought to bear on this sector in the recent past. Buyers are still seeking lighter, stronger packages and the “sustainable” label is still important. The new demands in this sector stem from the desire for more functionality.

Changes in consumer lifestyles and demographics, such as a growing demand for convenience, on-the-go meals and smaller packs have led to increased use of functional and barrier coatings for the paper and board sector, according to strategic consulting firm Smithers Pira.

In a new market report, The Future of Functional and Barrier Coatings for Paper and Board to 2018, the organization estimates that the global market for functional and barrier coatings used in paper and board applications was worth $4.2 billion in 2012.

Developments in water-based coatings, nano-materials, biopolymers and antimicrobial compounds are leading the growth for barrier coatings.

Recycling and sustainability concerns are important factors in the market for coatings. Smithers Pira notes that many retailers are insisting on traceability of source materials and environmental awareness in their suppliers, which is creating a need for biodegradable, recyclable or compostable coating materials for these packaging applications.

In line with this trend, NewPage Corp. has developed a family of 100% compostable packaging barrier products. The LittleFoot™ product line was honored last year with the Institute of Packaging Professional’s (IoPP) 2013 AmeriStar Sustainability Award.

The LittleFoot™ laminate is made from renewable resources TOP TEN END USE MARKETS FOR FOLDING CARTONS, 2012 Total: 47.1 million tonnes

Health care 9%

Tobacco 8%

Other 40%

Household care 7% Hardware, etc 7%

Frozen food 6% Confectionery 4% Personal care 4%

Chilled food 4%

Dairy products 5%

Dry foods 6%

Source: Smithers Pira, The Future of Folding Cartons to 2018

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and was developed to offer oxygen and moisture barrier levels that are ideal for shelf stable food applications such as coffee, dry mixes, confections and energy bars. LittleFoot™ is said to have an exceptional surface for printing, and integrates into existing converting equipment. The multi-layer structure is composed of a patent-pending paper, laminated to metalized PLA or metalized cellophane with a sealable layer for easy processing into barrier packaging.

The evolution of “sustainable” Canadian papermakers are well-versed in the concept of sustainable packaging. According to Smithers Pira’s research, the current trends in sustainable packaging are: • Downsizing/lightweighting of packaging • Increased recycling and waste recovery • Increased use of recycled content • Increased use of renewably sourced materials • Improvements in packaging and logistical efficiency (Source: The Future of Sustainable Packaging to 2018, Smithers Pira)

Two Canadian manufacturers have made significant investments to respond to demands for lightweighting and recycled content: Atlantic Packaging repurposed a newsprint mill to make SmartCorr liner and medium, and Cascades’ Norampac group built a greenfield linerboard mill.

SmartCorr is Atlantic Packaging’s new high performance lightweight 100% recycled paper (liner and medium). The company will make SmartCorr available as standard grades and as lightweight grades (below 23 lbs.).

According to the company, the paper will get its strength from the use of high-quality OCC as the feedstock, from the papermaking technology in use at the Whitby, Ont. mill, and from an organic surface agent.

Greenpac is a state-of-the-art linerboard mill built by Norampac and partners in New York state. It began operations in July of 2013. Greenpac produces a lightweight linerboard, made of 100% recycled fiber, on a 328-inch machine (8.33 meters).

Approaching sustainability from the standpoint of logistics efficiency, Graphic Packaging International has won many awards recently for its Tite-Pak concept. Tite-Pak is engineered to reduce glass bottle breakage and eliminate the need for internal partitions in cases.

Tite-Pak is a paperboard alternative for 12- to 24-count glass bottle packs that replaces corrugated packaging. Package analysis indicates that the implementation of Tite-Pak can result in a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions among the 12- and www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Market Trends

18-bottle packs when compared to corrugated beverage boxes.

Tite-Pak uses package design and machinery to reduce the amount of glass bottle breakage. The carton design uses “shark fins” to separate and protect the bottles, without increasing total packaging materials. The machinery solution engages the “shark fins” after the package is closed without impacting efficiency. The result is a package with reduced bottle motion and minimized “clanking” noise which provides increased consumer confidence and enhanced branding.

What’s next for folding cartons?

The global market for folding cartons is growing by 5.1% annually, and will reach $184 billion by 2018, according to a study

by Smithers Pira, The Future of Folding Cartons to 2018. Market growth will be led by increased demand for health care products, cigarettes, dry foods and frozen/chilled foods, especially in the emerging economies.

Smithers Pira predicts three key technologies will result in added value in the folding carton market between 2013 and 2018.

These are: retail-ready packs (mainly in microflute), anti-counterfeit systems and barrier coating technologies.

Retail ready packaging (RRP) refers to packaging delivered to a retailer in a self-contained unit, which is immediately ready for on-shelf product display without the need for assembling or

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unpacking. It comes in the form of corrugated/microflute systems, rigid plastic and some rigid board products.

Retail ready packaging is continuing to gain popularity and traction in North America as a number of retailers consider its implementation and others expand their efforts in the area, according to the Smithers Pira report.

As well, anti-counterfeit technology used in folding carton applications is expected to almost double with high growth expected in the health care sector.

Consumer electronics continue to offer great opportunities for folding cartons and microflute packs with the continued global growth in demand for mobile phones, tablets, and other personal devices.

Although the North American packaging market suffered a dip during the recession in 2009, the paperboard sector has generally recovered to pre-recession levels. PwC’s Global Forest, Paper & Packaging Industry Survey (2013 edition) notes that the packaging industry has performed well and is expected to continue to do so. However, the industry remains fragmented and the authors anticipate further consolidation. In overall terms, the search for new products, new applications and other forms of innovation will need to be financed; those companies with strong profitability and cash flows from their core business will be best placed for the future, concludes PwC. PPC

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Featured J-FOR Paper Published in:

THE LIGNOFORCE SYSTEM™: A NEW PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH-QUALITY LIGNIN FROM BLACK LIQUOR

www.paptac.ca

ABSTRACT

LAMFEDDAL KOUISNI*, PETER HOLT-HINDLE, KIRSTEN MAKI, MICHAEL PALEOLOGOU

Lignin can be precipitated and recovered from Kraft black liquor (BL) through the addition of an acidifying agent such as carbon dioxide, followed by filtration and washing. During this process, many researchers previously reported a high filtration resistance which affects lignin purity, cost, and productivity. To improve lignin filterability, FPInnovations developed the LignoForce System™, a patent-pending process in which the BL is oxidized under controlled conditions before the acidification step of conventional lignin recovery processes. Based on the data obtained, BL oxidation improves the filterability of the acid-precipitated lignin by providing suitable conditions with respect to pH (leads to a lower pH) and temperature (leads to a higher temperature) for lignin colloid agglomeration, leading to the formation of particles of a size and size distribution that are easy to filter and wash. In addition, it minimizes or eliminates total reduced sulphur (TRS) compounds, thereby leading to reduced TRS emissions during all steps associated with lignin precipitation, filtration, and washing. Furthermore, because the oxidation of TRS compounds and sugars consumes residual effective alkali (sodium hydroxide) in BL, the carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid requirements of the process are significantly reduced. An additional feature of the LignoForce process is the use of a filter press instead of a belt filter for lignin cake filtration and washing. No major difference in the chemical composition, molecular weight distribution, or main functional groups was found in the lignins produced using the LignoForce process compared with lignins produced by conventional methods.

Based on the results obtained in laboratory studies, a lignin demonstration plant was designed and built at the Resolute – Thunder Bay mill for the production of 12.5 kg/h of high-quality lignin.

INTRODUCTION

During the kraft pulping process, lignin is removed from wood chips and, following brownstock washing, ends up in the spent pulping liquor (weak black liquor).

This liquor is typically concentrated from approximately 15%–20% to 70%–80% solids using an evaporator train and then fired into a recovery boiler for the production of steam, electricity, and inorganic chemicals (in the form of smelt) for internal mill use. Over the last few years, North American pulp mills have been gradually

LAMFEDDAL KOUISNI

PETER HOLT-HINDLE FPInnovations FPInnovations Pulp, Paper & Pulp, Paper & Bioproducts Division, Bioproducts Division, Pointe-Claire, QC, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada Canada *Contact: Lamfeddal.Kouisni@fpinnovations.ca

6

18

J-FOR

KIRSTEN MAKI

FPInnovations Pulp, Paper & Bioproducts Division, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

MICHAEL PALEOLOGOU

FPInnovations Pulp, Paper & Bioproducts Division, Pointe-Claire, QC, Canada

lignin. Black liquor acidification is predominantly performed by using either carbon dioxide or a mineral acid (e.g., sulphuric acid) or a combination of the two to drop the pH of the black liquor from approximately 13–13.5 to 9–10. After acidification, the lignin is usually filtered using a belt filter or a filter press and washed with acid (e.g., sulphuric acid) and water to produce lignin of high purity (Fig. 1).

In many cases, however, it is difficult to separate the lignin from the acidified black liquor solution. This problem appears to be related to the size of the lignin particles before filtration. As in other types of colloidal dispersions, lignin precipitation from black liquor is assumed to occur in two steps: nucleation and particle growth.

The relative rate of these two steps ultimately determines the size of the precipitated lignin particles and consequently their filtration rate.

In an effort to improve the filtration properties of acid-precipitated lignin slurries, a number of approaches have been considered, including filtration at high

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increasing pulp production to the point that the calorific load on their recovery boilers has, in most cases, reached or exceeded the design limits. Expanding recovery boiler capacity is a very expensive proposition.

A convenient way to expand pulp production without having to invest millions of dollars in extra recovery boiler capacity is to offload the recovery boiler with respect to calorific load. This can easily be done by adding an acid to a portion of the black liquor flow, thereby precipitating out the

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te s E a is lo a a fo tr c li m a b n o s in a a e c p g s a w h

p p n u th o b a

a

e, n n e s e y e d a s. ll

o g d r ). o k o f n n h. y

n n h

Featured J-FOR Paper SPECIAL BIOREFINERY ISSUE temperature (80°C–90°C), increased ionic strength, and reduced precipitation pH. Even though these approaches work to a certain extent, the filtration resistance is still quite high, leading to unreasonably low filtration rates and, in certain cases, to a lignin product of low dry solids content and purity. This, in turn, leads to the need for a large filtration area in the lignin filtration equipment, leading to high capital costs and increased drying costs for the lignin. A second problem associated with most lignin precipitation processes using acid is the large amount of acid (e.g., carbon dioxide and/or sulphuric acid) that is needed to induce the lignin to come out of solution or to be converted from the sodium to the hydrogen form (e.g., during suspension of the lignin cake in an acid solution or washing of the lignin with acid on the filter). A third problem is the emission of totally reduced sulphur (TRS) compounds during most stages of the process. These compounds include hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulphide, and dimethyl disulphide, which are strongly odorous compounds with well-known negative effects on human health and other forms of life.

One approach for addressing the problem of high filtration resistance is a process developed by STFI (now called Innventia) and licensed to Metso [1], which uses a first filter for the filtration of lignin in the sodium form, followed by suspension of the lignin cake in dilute sulphuric acid before filtration in a second filter. Another approach for addressing this problem, as

well as several other problems associated with conventional processes, is a patentpending process developed by FPInnovations and currently being commercialized

by NORAM under the trade name LignoForce SystemsTM [2] (Fig. 2). The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of the BL oxidation step of the LignoForce process on filtration rate, chemical consumption, and lignin properties compared to the case in which the BL is not oxidized before lignin recovery.

EXPERIMENTAL

To improve the lignin filtration properties, the BL was oxidized under controlled conditions. The oxidized BL was then acidified, coagulated, and filtered, and the lignin was washed and dried in ways similar to other processes. Because the LignoForce process improves lignin filterability, only one filter press is required.

Following oxidation, lignin precipitation from black liquors received from different Canadian kraft mills was accomplished by sparging CO2 into the black liquor solution. The precipitation temperature was kept between 70°C and 75°C. The addition of carbon dioxide was stopped when a pH of 9.5 – 10.0 was reached. After precipitation, the lignin slurry suspension was filtered using a commercial filter press from LAROX (Model PF 0.1 H2).

A standard filter cloth from Tamfelt (S2108-L1) was used [3]. The filtration cycle included the following steps: formation of the lignin cake, washing with sulphuric

Fig. 1 - Conventional process for lignin recovery from black liquor.

J-FOR

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acid and water; pressing; and finally, airdrying. The filtration rate in kg/m2.h (kilograms of recovered lignin filtered per unit surface area per hour) was evaluated. The chemical requirements were also evaluated by measuring the consumption of carbon dioxide, sulphuric acid, and water usage.

The recovered lignin samples were analyzed for dry solids, calorific value, carbohydrates, UV-lignin, sodium, sulphur, and ash content. The morphology of the lignin samples was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The molecular weight (Mw) and molecular weight distribution (MWD) of lignin was measured using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) [4].

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Filtration Rate and Lignin Purity

The filtration rate was measured as the number of kilograms of recovered lignin filtered per unit surface area per hour. The recovered lignin samples were analyzed for dry solids, UV-lignin, and ash content.

The results are presented in Table 1.

Particularly notable are the high filtration rates when the BL was oxidized using the LignoForce process compared to those without BL oxidation. As shown in Table 1, the filtration rate of lignin recovered from the oxidized BL was 1.25 to 2.5 times higher than that of lignin obtained from unoxidized BL. Table 1 also shows that lignin obtained from the LignoForce process is sufficiently pure (low ash and high lignin content)

Fig. 2 - LignoForce system for lignin recovery from black liquor.

7

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Featured J-FOR Paper

TABLE 1

Filtration rate and lignin characteristics in the case of oxidized and unoxidized black liquor.

Without BL oxidation

With BL oxidation

0 – 80

100 – 200

Total solids (%)

30 – 58

60 – 62

Ash content (%)

0.2 – 15

0.1 – 0.7

UV lignin (%)

50 – 98

97 – 98

Lignin particle size (µm)

0.2 – 1

5 – 10

Filtration rates (kg lignin/h.m2)

to be used as a fuel in the lime kiln (or in most other combustion processes) or in any one of several possible high-value applications. In the most demanding lignin application, the production of carbon fibre, ash levels below 0.1% are generally required. The lignin recovered from the oxidized BL came very close to meeting this specification, while that recovered from unoxidized BL did not. It is also worth noting here that, even though all liquors were diluted to approximately 30% dissolved solids upstream of the lignin precipitation reactor, the solids content of the lignin cake recovered from the oxidized BL was approximately 60%–62%.

This suggests that the cost of drying the lignin to over 95% solids (if needed) will be relatively low.

Morphology of Lignin Recovered from Oxidized and Unoxidized BL

In an effort to identify the reason for the improved filtration rates, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the size and morphology of the lignin particles in the slurry as well as in the final lignin product recovered from the acidification of oxidized and unoxidized black liquors (Figs. 3 and 4).

Figure 3a shows that after acidifica-

tion of the un-oxidized black liquor to pH 10 using carbon dioxide, the lignin slurry (before coagulation and filtration) is composed of very small lignin particles (approximately 0.2–0.5 µm). However, in the case of oxidized black liquor (Fig. 3b), the slurry appears to be composed of larger lignin particles (approximately 0.5 to 1 µm).

Similarly, the SEM images of the final lignin product from the untreated (unoxidized) black liquor (Figure 4a), show small particles approximately 0.2–1.0 µm in diameter, whereas in the case of lignin derived from oxidized black liquor (Figure 4b), the SEM images show that the lignin is made up of larger particles of approximately 5–10 µm. This could explain the high filtration rate of the slurry recovered from the oxidized black liquor as compared to the un-oxidized one.

At the high pH of typical BLs, the repulsive forces between the ionized hydrophilic groups (mainly phenolic hydroxyl and carboxylate groups) stabilize the colloidal lignin and keep it in solution, thereby preventing lignin agglomeration and precipitation [5]. However, as the pH of the BL declines (e.g. when CO2 is added), the dissociated phenolic hydroxyl groups on the lignin begin to accept protons resulting

in a decline in the repulsive forces and the agglomeration of lignin to larger particles [5].

It is well known that oxidation reactions (e.g. TRS compounds to oxidized sulphur species and sugars to sugar acids) generate heat (exothermic reactions). In addition, the reaction of any acid with a base (e.g. sugar acids with residual sodium hydroxide) also generates heat. With increasing temperature, the degree of dissociation of the lignin charged groups (e.g. phenolic groups) decreases, leading to increased lignin colloid agglomeration and coagulation to form larger lignin particles (and larger particles lead to higher filtration rates). Furthermore, since the heat produced by the oxidation and neutralization reactions is generated in-situ, it is distributed in a homogeneous fashion throughout the solution. As a result, the creation of lignin particle nucleation sites is likely to be uniform throughout the BL solution, ultimately resulting in lignin particles of higher size distribution compared to conventional process in which BL is heated using conventional approaches. In addition, since during the oxidation step, sugars are converted to organic acids and total reduced sulphur (TRS) compounds are oxidized to non-volatile compounds such as sulfuric acid, methane sulphonic acid and dimethyl sulphone, the emission of odorous compounds is mostly eliminated.

The extent of pH reduction was found to be related to the extent of BL oxidation and the rate of pH decline was found to slow down significantly as the carbonatebicarbonate buffering effect became significant[5]. It should be pointed out here that despite the larger particle size, the lignin produced from the oxidized black

a

Fig. 3 - SEM images of lignin in lignin slurry obtained from: a) unoxidized and b) oxidized black liquor solution after acidification to pH 10 using carbon dioxide.

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Fig. 4 - SEM images of lignin product recovered from: a) un-oxidized and b) oxidized black liquor solution after acidification to pH 10 using carbon dioxide, followed by coagulation, filtration, and washing.

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b

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li fr a 0 th li c d

C

T s v li in

li e n F q a a s fi th a o w d a p o g c li

M la

T d M e s

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e s

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Featured J-FOR Paper SPECIAL BIOREFINERY ISSUE liquor was purer than the lignin produced from untreated black liquor (Table 1). The ash content was quite low, approximately 0.1%–0.7%, compared to 0.2%–15% for the lignin produced from untreated black liquor. Its lignin content was 97%–98%, compared to 50%–98% for the lignin produced from untreated black liquor.

Chemical Requirements

Table 2 compares the carbon dioxide and sulphuric acid consumption of the conventional process versus the LignoForce lignin recovery process at the same washing rate.

As shown in Table 2, following black liquor oxidation, the carbon dioxide needed to reach the target pH of 9.5–10 for lignin precipitation was reduced significantly.

Furthermore, it was found that black liquor oxidation led to reduced sulphuric acid requirements during the washing step and reduced TRS emissions during all steps associated with lignin precipitation, filtration, and washing. As discussed in the previous section, these reductions in acid requirements can be explained by the oxidation of TRS compounds, some of which are known to consume sodium hydroxide (e.g. sulphide to sulphate), as well as oxidation of organics to organic acids present in black liquor and, in particular, of carbohydrates which, upon oxidation, generate carboxylic acid groups which consume alkalinity in the residual black liquor.

Molecular Weight (Mw) and Molecular Weight Distribution (MWD)

To evaluate the effect of black liquor oxidation on lignin structure, the Mw and MWD of lignin were measured using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The results are presented in Table 3.

From the results presented in Table 3, it appears that there was no major change in the lignin molecular weight because no large differences were seen in Mw, Mn and by extension, Mw/Mn, when the lignin was produced from un-oxidized or oxidized black liquor, or even when the lignin was converted from the sodium to the hydrogen form in these two cases.

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TABLE 2

Chemical requirements of the two lignin recovery processes (with and without black liquor oxidation).

Without BL oxidation

With BL oxidation

CO2 consumption (kg/kg of lignin)

0.50 – 0.60

0.2 – 0.4

H2SO4 consumption (kg/kg of lignin)

0.30 – 0.40

0.2 – 0.3

10 –15

10 –15

Water usage (L/kg of lignin) TABLE 3

Mw, Mn and MWD of lignin (in sodium and hydrogen form) recovered from oxidized and un-oxidized black liquor solutions.

Without BL oxidation

MALLS detector

UV detector

With BL oxidation

Na-lignin

H-lignin

Na-lignin

H-lignin

Mw

11060

11040

10330

11200

Mn

6547

5139

4881

5698

Mw/Mn

1.69

2.15

2.12

1.97

Mw

4206

4425

4880

5212

Mn Mw/Mn

1143 3.68

1224 3.62

1300 3.75

1416 3.68

TABLE 4

P NMR analysis of hydroxyl groups in lignins recovered from oxidized and unoxidized BL.

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Without BL oxidation

With BL oxidation

Carboxylic, mmol/g

0.26

0.31

Aliphatic, mmol/g

1.75

1.87

Phenolic, mmol/g

2.07

1.98

Condensed units, mmol/g

1.49

1.72

Total OH groups, mmol/g

5.57

5.88

As shown in Table 3, the molecular weight obtained by the MALLS detector is approximately two times higher than that obtained by the UV detector. This is consistent with the literature and seems to occur because, in the latter case, the calculation of Mw and Mn is based on a calibration conducted with polystyrene standards having a linear structure. Because lignin is not a linear polymer, the results obtained are of value only for comparative purposes and do not necessarily reflect the true Mw of lignin. On the other hand, Mw and Mn as measured by the MALLS detector do not require the use of calibration standards, thereby providing a more accurate measurement of these two parameters. The difference in the values obtained by the two techniques can be regarded as a measure of the deviation of lignin

structure from linearity [4].

Functional Groups

P NMR analysis was used to determine the main functional groups of the lignins produced. These results are shown in Table 4.

As shown in Table 4, the number of carboxylic acid groups, aliphatic hydroxyl groups, phenolic hydroxyl groups, and condensed units is almost the same for lignin recovered from oxidized and unoxidized BL. Given the large number of phenolic groups in the lignins produced from both processes, they are expected to be suitable for use in the manufacture of phenolic resins. The same applies to the use of these lignins in the manufacture of polyurethane foams, where a large number of primary hydroxyl (aliphatic) groups is required.

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Featured J-FOR Paper

CONCLUSIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The black liquor oxidation step used by the LignoForce System™ was shown to lead to an increase in lignin slurry filtration rates (under both alkaline and acidic conditions) without compromising lignin purity or affecting lignin structure and chemistry (e.g., lignin MWD and functional groups). In addition, this process was found to reduce acid requirements during the lignin precipitation and washing steps while minimizing or eliminating TRS emissions from all processing steps. Based on the results obtained, a lignin demonstration plant was built by FPInnovations at the Resolute Thunder Bay mill for the production of 12.5 kg/h of high-quality lignin.

The authors wish to acknowledge the technical assistance provided by Pak-Yan Wong of FPInnovations and the financial support provided by Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) and the Centre for Research and Innovation in the BioEconomy (CRIBE).

REFERENCES 1.

2.

Öhman, F., Theliander, H., Tomani, P., and Axegard, P., “Method for Separating Lignin from Black Liquor”, European Patent EP1794363B1 (issued March 2006).

Kouisni, L. and Paleologou, M., “Method for Separating Lignin from Black Liquor”, U.S. Patent Application 2011/0297340A1 (issued

www.paptac.ca

3.

4.

5.

December 2011).

Kouisni, L., Fang, Y., Paleologou, M., Ahvazi, B., Hawari, J., Zhang, Y., and Wang, X.-M., “Kraft Lignin Recovery and its Use in the Preparation of Lignin-Based Phenol Formaldehyde Resins for Plywood, Cellulose Chemistry and Technology”, 45 (7-8):515520 (2011).

Baumberger, S., Abaecherli, A., Fasching, M., Gellerstedt, G., Gosselink, R., Hortling, B., Li, J., Saake, B., and Jong, E.D., “Molar Mass Determination of Lignins by Size-Exclusion Chromatography: Towards Standardisation of the Method”, Holzforschung, 61:459–468 (2007).

Hermans, M. A., High intensity black liquor oxidation, PhD. Thesis, Lawrence University, 1984.

J-FOR CALL FOR PAPERS Traditional Areas: (covering all pulping processes, both wood and non-wood) Pulping, bleaching and papermaking fundamentals, processes and technologies Energy and chemical recovery fundamentals, processes and technologies Recycled fibre and recycling technology Development of sensors, analytical methods and process control logics Mill water and energy usages and optimization Environmental concerns and their mitigation

Emerging Forestry Areas: Emerging forest-based products and their chains of added value Fundamentals of converting forest-based biomass into biofuels and other bioproducts Nanotechnology and other high added-value processes Development of chemical, biochemical and thermochemical processes for the forestry industry Integrating emerging and sustainable processes into the pulp and paper industry Harvesting and procurement of forest and other biomass feedstocks J-FOR publishes peer-reviewed articles of the highest quality, dealing with the science and technology of traditional and emerging areas that are pertinent to the forest industry. PAPTAC’s preeminent and flagship publication, it incorporates a broad scope of target areas and brings together a wide range of scientific, technological and technical papers.

To submit a paper, please visit www.paptac.ca or contact PAPTAC (514-392-0265 / tech@paptac.ca).

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Technology News Laakirchen Papier successfully uses NanoPro calendar cover

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European paper company invests in new kraft paper machine After a record construction period of just over 13 months, Europe’s largest and most modern kraft paper machine has gone into full operation. Operated by Zellstoff Pöls AG, it will be able to produce more than 80,000 tonnes of high quality, white kraft paper per annum.

“The enormous investment in our new paper machine is unique in Europe as the majority of investments made in this business area are done in the Far East,” said Kurt Maier, CEO of Zellstoff Pöls AG. The Heinzel Group, parent company of Zellstoff Pöls, is reacting to the continual international market growth for bleached kraft paper by increasing the paper production at its Poels facility.

“With the investment of over 115 million Euro in our new paper machine we are significantly increasing our market share within Europe, and at the same time are strengthening the site in Poels,” said Alfred Heinzel, CEO of the Heinzel Group.

Andritz successfully started up Europe’s largest new paper machine for specialty papers. The PrimeLine paper machine produces very high-strength paper grades used primarily for carrier bags, high-grade medical packaging, and food packaging.

The Andritz scope of supply comprised the stock preparation plant, the approach system, the complete PrimeLine paper machine (working width 4.5 meters) with hybrid former, shoe press, steel Yankee, calender, and slitter-winder, as well as pumps and the complete plant automation equipment. At a design speed of up to 1,200 meters per minute, the paper machine has an annual capacity of 80,000 tons.

Siegfried Gruber, head of project engineering at Zellstoff Pöls, explains what was decisive in awarding this order to Andritz Pulp & Paper: “Decades of www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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experience in the pulp and paper industry and the ability to deliver a complete plant with maximum efficiency in terms of energy use and drying.”

An Andritz steel Yankee is used in order to enhance energy-efficient drying. With a diameter of 6.7 meters and a shell length of 6.25 meters, the PrimeDry Yankee is the largest in the world. Due to its size, the 150-ton Yankee was delivered to the customer’s mill in two halves and assembled on site.

Andritz, www.andritz.com

The NanoPro calender cover from Voith has had a great start at Laakirchen Papier AG, part of the Heinzel Group, supporting the paper mill’s success. With its two SC paper machines, Laakirchen Papier is regarded as a benchmark for high-quality magazine paper.

The Janus MK 2 offline multi-nip calender at Laakirchen Papier is a key part of the system. “The calender is running close to its design speed. We can thus increase the efficiency and availability of the Janus only by improving the running intervals of its covers,” says Roland Stadlhuber, the production engineer responsible for the calender at Laakirchen Papier.

NanoPro, which was developed in close collaboration with leading calender operators, is designed for just such applications. With its wear resistance and the special vibration dampening base layer, it allows more predictable and more reliable running times in critical positions.

NanoPro at Laakirchen Papier has had its longest run times with the Janus calender.

“Each cover change saved results in higher availability of the calender, but also lower costs for regrinds and transport of the covers,” adds Stadlhuber.

Voith Paper Fabrics and Rolls Systems 613-632-9260, www.voith.com

Conveyor belt safety concept wins award from corrugated board industry A safety innovation from conveyor belt specialists Ammeraal Beltech, focused on the specific needs of corrugated board manufacturing, has been recognized by the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers. Ammeraal Beltech received the Federation’s Health & Safety Award at the biennial FEFCO Technical Seminar.

The innovative design of Ammeraal Beltech’s plastic uni JCB modular conveyor belts contributes significantly to the safety of personnel who walk on the belts. It delivers high-visibility belt edges and a lower slip risk as a result of its special nonslip safety surface, which offers improved grip. Safer movement and smoother running are ensured by a higher tensile stiffness. At the same time, plant efficiency is improved, and there is no detrimental effect through contact pressure on corrugated sheets.

“The uni JCB belt system has obvious synergies with other conveyor systems, both in the specialty paper and board

industries and in a wider context,” says Thomas Heer, Ammeraal Beltech’s segment manager for paper and print.

Ammeraal Beltech, www.ammeraalbeltech.com

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Technology News Coating head can be retrofit to open up new markets Allimand’s R&D department has designed a new technology aimed at making it easier to apply foreign products on the paper sheet in order to alter the surface finish. The SC- SIZER is a refinement of the company’s A-Sizer, designed to meet customer needs for diversifying paper types along with enlarged possibilities for paper surface applications, explains Simon Cena, Allimand’s managing director.

Simplifying the main functions of the SC-Sizer head – locking the applicator rod, adjusting the head position – eases the work for paper machine operators and allows

for an extended range of applications. “This shift in the design of head manufacturing optimizes the machine cleaning thanks to a greater visibility of the access areas. It also increases operators’ safety,” says Cena.

With its compact size the SC-Sizer head can easily be installed to replace existing obsolete heads.

Paper manufacturers will be in a position to offer new innovative products to their customers and save energy due to a reduced drying time for the paper sheet after the coating process.

Allimand, www.allimand.com

CHEMICALS PH-neutral cleaner effective for removing stickies from machine fabrics

Based on a series of developmental trials conducted over a two-year period at Pratt Industries’ containerboard mill in Conyers, Ga., CrystalTek has introduced Blast, an environmentally friendly, non-flammable, neutral-pH cleaning agent for machine clothing as well as rollers and other hard surfaces in a paper machine’s wire, press and dryer sections. According to CrystalTek, in the ongoing trials on Pratt’s No. 12 linerboard machine at Conyers, Blast has proven to be a significantly more effective agent for removing “stickies” and other recycling-based contaminants than the alkaline cleaners the mill had been using for more than 15 years.

As well, Blast is eliminating corrosive damage to carbon steel machine components and caustic white powder residues left on machine structures typically associated with the use of alkaline cleaning agents.

Using BLAST in the Unirun dryer section, the mill has been able to cut the number of monthly cleanings in half. It also has reduced rethreading time by 15-plus minutes per occurrence. Labor for vacuum roller cleaning has been reduced significantly, by an average of 64 hours per month.

Since converting to the waterborne, pH-neutral cleaner in the dryer section, the mill has set two production records on 26-lb. linerboard—48 hours without a paper break and the highest number of tons produced in a day.

The trials on PM 12 were launched in 2011.

Overall, by improving the cleaning of machine clothing and hard surfaces in the targeted PM 12 Unirun dryer section, the use of BLAST has increased monthly mill production revenue, created a safer work

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environment, and eliminated a corrosive caustic cleaning chemical from that portion of the carbon steel paper machine frame.

CrystalTek 404-492-6653, www.crystaltek.us.com

Halogen-free biocide improves PM cleanliness

Kemira’s performic acid (PFA) chemistry is a halogen-free biocide program that is highly effective against primary-biofilm forming bacteria. PFA is a reaction product of formic acid and hydrogen peroxide, and its biocidal activity is based on active oxygen.

PFA is thus halogen-free, corrosion safe and also fully biodegradable.

This highly efficient biocide improves paper machine cleanliness while, at the same time, it does not generate any persistent AOX compounds in waste water that could be harmful for the environment.

PFA also leaves no biocidal residuals in the paper product, making it safe for end users and the environment.

Lucart PM 7 in Borgo a Mozzano, Toscana, Italy, gained several advantages by using PFA, including improved machine efficiency and increased felt lifetime.

Kemira 800-927-3950, www.kemira.com

Environmentally-friendly deposit control program

The Busan 1215 deposit control program from Buckman combines smart chemistry with proprietary feeding equipment to bring papermakers a more stable monochloramine deposit control program.

Busan 1215 is 100% mineral and produces no organic toxins. According to Buckman, its monochloramine system is superior to conventional microbiological deposit control programs. Busan 1215 offers no free chlorine, no strong oxidant, and little or no reaction with organic and chemical demand.

January/February 2014

This system can help reduce consumption of wet end additives, including starch, retention aids, fixatives, dyes, defoamers, wet strength, OBAs and size. In addition, Buckman says Busan 1215 reduces the occurrence of holes and sheet defects due to microbiological activity.

At one mill making recycled board grades, Buckman implemented the Busan 1215 program with Buckman’s proprietary feed equipment to replace a traditional organic biocide program. Since the implementation, the machines are much cleaner and the mill incurs lower biocide costs, fewer breaks and holes, and less off-grade production. Annual savings have been more than US $400,000.

Buckman 450-424-4404, www.buckman.com

Chemical feed system provides flexible control for water treatment

Ashland introduced its new OnGuard™ i controller for superior water and process treatment automation at the International Water Conference last November. This “intelligent” chemical feed and control system provides performance-based and knowledge-based control of specialty chemical applications, making it possible to automate even the most demanding water or process treatment application.

The OnGuard™ i controller has a powerful co-processor that uses proprietary software to perform complex calculations. The controller provides great flexibility since it can be configured to virtually any key performance indicator or key operating indicator for a particular facility.

“It’s a truly intelligent machine, capable of learning about a plant’s unique operational environment and then implementing the most effective corrective actions,” said Glen Bowen of Ashland Water Technologies.

Ashland Water Technologies 302-594-5000, www.ashland.com www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Freeman Staffing, Inc. specializes in the placement of engineers (all disciplines), production type supervisors, managers, mill and/or plant managers and corporate executives in the pulp & paper industry, North America-wide. For specific current job searches call us or contact our web site. All resumes are treated with complete confidentiality.

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Bio-Economy

Kruger TMP mill will add cellulose filament demonstration plant Kruger Inc. and FPInnovations have announced a joint project to develop a five ton/day cellulose filament demonstration plant at Kruger’s Trois-Rivières paper mill. Cellulose filaments are long, thin filaments made from wood fibre. They have high reinforcement potential for use in pulp and paper products, plastics, fabrics and coatings.

The plant will operate on a simple and efficient chemical-free process developed

by FPInnovations that uses only mechanical/refining energy and wood fibres. Total investment for the demonstration plant is expected to be $43.1 million, which includes funding from Natural Resources Canada, through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) Program, as well as a grant from the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources, a loan from Investissement Québec, a contribution from Kruger Inc. and funds from FPInnovations’ pulp, paper and bioproducts industrial members.

According to FPInnovations and Kruger, cellulose filaments (CF) are expected to have an immediate impact on Canada’s forest industry due to their capacity to be integrated into other materials and to their high strength, light weight and flexibility.

CF can be used as a lightweight strengthening additive to produce lower cost commercial pulps, papers, packaging, tissues and towels. Looking to the future, CF may be combined with many materials to create high value products ranging from flexible packaging and films to structural and nonstructural panels in building construction.

“Cellulose filaments are set to become a key element in the transformation of the Canadian pulp and paper industry enabling the industry to gain a foot-hold in nontraditional markets while building on its existing manufacturing capacity in forestdependent communities across Canada,” said Pierre Lapointe, president and CEO of FPInnovations.

“We are very pleased to be part of this groundbreaking project which will make Canada a global leader in CF production,” said Daniel Archambault, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, Industrial Products Division, Kruger Inc. The demonstration plant in Trois26

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Officials from Kruger, FPInnovations, federal and provincial governments are shown with workers from Kruger’s Trois-Rivières mill on Dec. 18, 2013, when the announcement of a demonstration plant was made.

Rivières will be combined with a concurrent national research program involving FPInnovations and industry. The fact that the demonstration plant will use only mechanical/refining energy and wood fibres, and that it can be built with robust and industrially available equipment, will facilitate scale-up to a commercial stage, says the developer. FPInnovations has five patents on the process and product.

The potential initial market for CF as a strength reinforcing agent for traditional pulp and paper products is conservatively estimated at 120,000 tons per year in North America. In addition, a similar-sized, nontraditional market is forecast for thermoplastics, reinforced plastics, thermosets, adhesives, and non-woven fabric and coatings.

FPInnovations is a research and development organization that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector.

Kruger Inc. is a major producer of publication papers, tissue, lumber and other wood products, corrugated cartons from recycled fibres, green and renewable energy, and wines and spirits. The company’s Trois-Rivières mill produces thermomechanical pulp and paper.

Thunder Bay generating station will be converted to advanced biomass The Ontario government has announced plans to convert its last coal-fired electricity generating plant to an advanced biomass fuel. This will put the government on target to achieve its goal of eliminating coal-fired

January/February 2014

generation before the end of 2014.

The Thunder Bay Generating Station (TBGS), which is operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), is said to be the first advanced biomass station in the world that was formerly a coal plant. It will have a five-year contract to generate electricity.

The modifications to the plant will begin in 2014, and it is expected to be operational in 2015.

Advanced biomass is a renewable fuel derived from forest or agricultural sources that has similar characteristics to coal. It has better transportation, storage, and combustion characteristics than traditional biomass.

UK power plant picks Nexterra biomass gasification Vancouver-based Nexterra Systems Corp. has signed a contract with MWH to supply a biomass gasification system for Birmingham Bio Power Ltd. (BBPL), a renewable energy power plant in Tyseley, UK. Developed by Carbonarius, the plant will be capable of producing more than 10 MW of renewable electricity for sale to the grid. The Nexterra gasification system is a cornerstone of the £47.8-million project that will use 67,000 tonnes/year of locally-sourced recovered wood diverted from landfills. The plant will incorporate a steam turbine and generator system. Nexterra will design and supply the complete biomass gasification-to-steam generation system from feedstock handling to emission controls, including four gasifiers, a high pressure boiler, and a flue gas treatment system.

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FROM GENIVAR TO WSP GENIVAR, through its combination with WSP, is one of the world’s leading professional services firms. As of January 1, 2014, we will proudly adopt the WSP brand and display it wherever we operate.

We want all of our clients and potential clients to recognize us as WSP, a company synonymous with expertise and global presence.

ENGINEERING SERVICES

Process Design — Mechanical/Piping — Building & Structures — Equipment Specifications — Automation & Control

DESIGN SPECIALTIES

Steam Power Applications — Wood & Bark Handling — Power Distribution — Control Systems — Co-generation Systems

Thunder Bay 807 625-6700 Montreal 514 340-0046 Vancouver 604 736-5421 www.wspgroup.com

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Make stronger, smarter, greener packaging at a lower total cost.

Reinforce your packaging operation with Reinforce strength management from Buckman. Reinforce is a comprehensive suite of exclusive chemical and enzymatic strength and retention technologies that work together. So you can: • Improve drainage and retention • Reduce starch wet end chemistry use • Reduce water and energy consumption • Achieve greater strength at lower grammage • Depend on higher yields and fewer breaks • And do it all at a lower total cost.

Strength on the machine.

And on the bottom line.

Discover all the ways you can improve your packaging and your packaging operation with Reinforce from Buckman.

Contact your Buckman representative, or visit buckman.com to learn more.

buckman.com ©2014 Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.

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