Pulp & Paper Canada Mar/Apr 2012

March/April 2012

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Nanocrystalline cellulose The small product with big ambitions grows up • PaperWeek Canada highlights • New product, new attitude at Thurso • Which is the safest mill in Canada?

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March/April 2012 Vol. 113, No. 2 PRINT EDITION ISSN 0316-4004

A Business Information Group Publication ON-LINE EDITION ISSN 1923-3515

PAPERWEEK CANADA HIGHLIGHTS

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DISSOLVING PULP SUCCESS

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REFINING UPDATE

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COVER STORY

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Made-in-Canada Nanotech Canadian research and engineering have culminated in the first industrial-scale production of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC).

Read how CelluForce came to be.

CELLUFORCE START-UP

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FEATURES

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Turnaround at Thurso The conversion to dissolving pulp at Thurso is complete. Fortress Specialty Cellulose has new equipment, a new product, and a new attitude.

The Best of Both Worlds at PaperWeek Canada Emerging technologies shared the agenda with traditional pulp and paper topics when the industry gathered at PaperWeek Canada. If you missed the conference, catch up on business trends, biorefining, technical papers and award-winners here.

Safest Mill in Canada: Working Together for the Safety of All Winners of the 2011 Safest Mill in Canada contest share their thoughts on how to implement a culture of safety in the workplace. Also, see the detailed results of the 2011 contest.

Opinion: Silver Lining to Fine Papers’ Decline Glenn Clifford tallies the deterioration of Canada’s fine papers segment, and calls for investment to shift the industry toward growth markets.

For breaking news, visit www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

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EDITORIAL

Mill towns face tough choices T

he major union representing Canadian pulp and paper workers says there are about 300 forestry-dependent towns across Canada. Many of those have been on tenderhooks this fall and winter, wondering about the fate of mills that are either closed, or on very shaky ground.

Much as industry leaders like to put a positive spin on the transformation of the industry (as was in evidence at PaperWeek last month), the restructuring has been brutal on the people in the front lines. People living in and around Brooklyn and Port Hawkesbury, N.S., Quebec City and Matane, Que., Terrace Bay and Sault St. Marie, Ont., Powell River, Port Alberni and Crofton, B.C., for example.

In Brooklyn, N.S., Resolute Forest Products threatened to close the mill unless the union, the province and the power utility granted concessions to reduce its operating costs. The union local had to vote on a new contract that would reduce staffing at the mill by almost half.

The vote swung 51% in favor of the new collective agreement, 104 votes to 97. Seven votes made the difference. I’m sure my imagination can’t do justice to the heated discussions that took place in the bars, kitchens and bedrooms of that community last fall.

In the end, full-time 80 workers will lose their jobs, and about 150 direct jobs were saved, for a few more years.

In Quebec, the opposite occurred. White Birch Paper blames the closure of the Stadacona newsprint mill, and the loss of 600 jobs, on the union’s failure to accommodate its demands.

And when a mill does close, or a company goes bankrupt, as is the case for NewPage Port Hawkesbury, the pain is widespread. In an article in the Halifax Chronicle Herald, on Feb. 3, a local CEP union leader painted a vivid picture of the conditions for those waiting to see if the mill will re-open.

“Many of these people are widows, receiving half of what their husband’s [pension] plan was paying out, and if they take a 30% cut it’ll be hard to keep oil in the furnace,” Archie MacLachlan told the newspaper.

So when Avrim Lazar of FPAC waxes poetic about the triumph of the human spirit in dealing with the transformation of our industry, I get the feeling he’s talking of the “courage” and “imagination” of company executives, not the former employees, wives, widows and service providers in mill towns.

Because those people would have a far less positive view of the industry’s “transformation”.

Cindy Macdonald

EDITORIAL Editor CINDY MACDONALD 416-510-6755 cindy@pulpandpapercanada.com ADVISORY BOARD Richard Foucault Greg Hay Dr. Richard Kerekes Barbara van Lierop Dr. David McDonald Dennis McNinch Dr. Yonghao Ni Bryant Prosser Dr. Paul Stuart Ross Williams

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PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Both union locals at Catalyst Paper’s Crofton, B.C., mill have voted in favor of a new contract. Members of the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada local at Crofton turned down a previous contract proposal in January, and pushed Catalyst Paper into creditor protection.

The current vote in favor of the collective agreement allows the papermaker to proceed with a restructuring plan and work toward exiting creditor protection.

The agreements, which will be effective from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2017, include a 10% reduction in hourly rates along with various adjustments to vacation, health benefits and work rules necessary to provide Catalyst with a competitive labour cost structure. The agreements also maintain hourly retiree health benefits. Annual savings in the range of $18 to $20 million are expected.

According to a local news site, HQcowichanvalley.com, the president of Local 1132 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, Fraser McQuarrie, said a majority of union members consider their contract the lesser of two evils--better than having the mill sold to a new owner with an uncertain future.

Catalyst Paper manufactures diverse specialty mechanical printing papers, newsprint and pulp. It is operating under creditor protection while restructuring.

Photo courtesy Catalyst Paper.

Catalyst Paper clears hurdle: both Crofton unions approve deal

Employee approval of the new collective agreement allows Catalyst Paper to move forward with its restructuring plan.

Cascades closes packaging plant in Toronto

Continuing its consolidation, packaging and tissue manufacturer Cascades Inc. has permanently closed Cascades Enviropac, located in Toronto.

Production at this unit specialized in the manufacturing of Technicomb™ honeycomb packaging, intended primarily for the furniture packaging industry.

The closure will be effective June 1, and affect approximately 36 employees.

Fortress buys Lebel-sur-Quevillon mill for dissolving pulp

Fortress Paper is planning a second pulp mill conversion to dissolving pulp, this time targeting the mothballed Lebel-surQuevillon mill in northern Quebec owned

by Domtar.

A wholly-owned subsidiary, Fortress Global Cellulose Ltd., has signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire the buildings, equipment, and ancillary property for the nominal amount of $1. The mill has been closed since 2005. The company 6

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

intends to spend $222 million to convert the Lebel-sur-Quevillon NBSK mill to a dissolving pulp operation with an associated co-gen facility.

The mill will have an annual production capacity of approximately 236,000 air dried metric tonnes (ADMT) and is expected to be completed in late 2013.

The company’s other dissolving pulp conversion, at Thurso, Que., came on stream in December 2011.

FPInnovations reorganizes to be strategic partner for industry, government

FPInnovations has made a series of changes to better position the organization as a strategic partner to industry members and clients, federal and provincial governments, and the larger research community, especially universities.

FPInnovations will keep a strong hold on R&D through its collaborative research with forest industry members.

To this, it adds a business development component which encompasses strategic

research alliances, products and services; and licensing and ventures.

“I am convinced that this is the right move for FPInnovations. These changes will help us explore new partnerships with energy and chemical industries to name a few,” stated FPInnovations’ president and CEO Pierre Lapointe.

Building the future labor force

Developing effective, local partnerships with Aboriginal peoples will be a critical factor in helping the Canadian forest products sector address future labour force requirements, states a new report from the Forest Products Sector Council (FPSC-CSPF).

Conversation and Collaboration: Building the future Canadian forest products sector with Aboriginal talent highlights the challenges the sector faces and how it can move forward in engaging with Canada’s Aboriginal populations.

Several key strategies are proposed: • develop effective youth education programs and Aboriginal-specific pulpandpapercanada.com

INDUSTRY NEWS Briefly…

• Thanh Trung is joining FITNIR Analyzers as vice-president of technology. Tom Sands, president, says, “His extensive knowledge and experience in mill operations as well as his technical expertise in vibrational spectroscopy are true assets to FITNIR and to our customers.” FITNIR Analyzers Inc. is the global distributor of the near infrared (NIR) liquor analyzers developed by FPInnovations.

• Dr. Cyril Heitner, a long-time FPInnovations scientist, has been named a TAPPI Fellow. Fellow is an honorary title bestowed upon individuals who have made extraordinary technical or service contributions to the industry.

Heitner joined Paprican (now FPInnovations) as an Industrial Post-doctoral Fellow in 1970, became a member of the staff in 1972 and worked there until his retirement in 2006. Dr. Heitner’s scientific achievements are in the area of lignin modification to produce high quality ultra high-yield pulps. He contributed to research on the effects of sulfonation on lignin softening, fiber length distribution and interfiber bonding.

• Prospective buyers have been touring the Terrace Bay mill in Northern Ontario, while in Nova Scotia, the bidder on the NewPage pulp and paper mill is ironing out details with the provincial utility and the employees’ union.

• Buckman has been selected as a Hay Group Insight’s (HGI) High Performing Company for 2011. In its executive report to Buckman, HGI indicated that Buckman is an ethical and socially responsible company, with a clear sense of direction and strong leadership. It also noted that Buckman fosters a culture that supports teamwork and collaboration.

resources to promote careers in the Canadian forest products sector; • produce Aboriginal labour market information; • support and grow successful training programs and partnerships between Aboriginal groups and industry.

To access the report, visit www.fpsc-cspf.ca.

RockTenn closes “highest cost” containerboard mill in Matane, Que.

RockTenn has permanently closed its Matane, Que., containerboard mill, saying it was the highest cost mill in the RockTenn containerboard mill system.

RockTenn acquired the Matane mill in May 2011 as part of the Smurfit-Stone acquisition. The closure will put more than 100 people out of work.

The facility is equipped to produce 176,000 tons per year of recycled corpulpandpapercanada.com

rugated medium. RockTenn ceased production at the mill in late January 2012.

According to the Le Soleil newspaper, the mill is for sale, but because of a noncompetition clause, others in the field have little interest in the assets.

Forest sector CEOs expect to cut costs and change strategy in 2012

Nearly half (48%) of the 1,258 CEOs polled worldwide believe the global economy will decline even further in the next 12 months, according to PwC’s 15th Annual Global CEO Survey. Just 15% said the global economy will improve during 2012.

PwC also released a sector summary of the CEO survey geared to the forest, paper and packaging (FPP) sector. The data is based on interviews with 49 forest, paper and packaging CEOs in 23 countries.

FPP CEOs are markedly more likely to keep a tight rein on costs than their counterparts in other sectors. Eighty-four percent have implemented a cost reduction strategy over the past 12 months, and almost as many (82%) expect to trim any remaining fat in the next 12 months, says the PwC report. Only 66% of CEOs in the total sample plan to make cost cuts.

The survey also notes that 37% of FPP CEOs intend to reduce their company’s staffing over the next 12 months.

CEOs in the forest, paper and packaging sector are also twice as likely as their fellow CEOs to be planning to make major

divestments or exit from significant markets in the coming year. As well, 63% anticipate changing their corporate strategy this year.

Another notable difference is that FPP CEOs are more focused on developing new products and services than the overall sample (37% vs. 28%).

PwC is a global organization with expertise is assurance, tax and advisory services.

Domtar negotiates $3-billion, 15-year deal to supply paper to Appleton Photo courtesy Domtar.

People…

Domtar’s John D. Williams says the Appleton deal provides an opportunity to repurpose some paper capacity.

Appleton and Domtar Corp. have reached an agreement in which Domtar would supply Appleton with most of the uncoated base paper the company needs to produce its thermal, carbonless, and other specialty paper products. The historic 15-year supply deal is valued at more than $3 billion over the life of the agreement. Appleton is one of the world’s leading specialty coaters, and while Domtar is the largest integrated manufacturer of uncoated paper in North America.

Integrated is the key word here.

Explaining the deal, Mark Richards, Appleton’s chairman, president and CEO, said that non-integrated paper mills, those not capable of producing pulp from logs or wood chips, are distinctly disadvantaged and no longer competitive.

John D. Williams, Domtar’s president and chief executive officer, stated, “This proposed agreement provides us with an opportunity to repurpose and replace high volume communication paper capacity to specialty paper grades, while securing a growing business long-term.”

Indeck takes on Ameritek as Quebec representative

Boiler systems provider Indeck is now represented in Quebec by Ameritek.

French Canadian pulp and paper mills, March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

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INDUSTRY NEWS manufacturers, refineries and processors now have a regional contact to expedite their boiler requirements. Indeck’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities include rental and stock boilers to 300,000 PPH or custom boilers to 1,000,000 PPH. Indeck has a well established Canadian presence with its St. Hyacinthe, Que., manufacturing plant, formerly the Volcano Boiler plant.

Ameritek is located near Montreal in Saint-Lambert, Que.

Canadian engineer free after six months in jail

Pulp and paper engineer Rick van Lee was freed from jail in Indonesia following an appeal to the High Court in Pekanbaru.

On Feb. 2, the court changed van Lee’s sentence to six months (which equaled time served) and released him.

According to the web site www.freerickvanlee.com, which was established to rally

support for van Lee during his trial, the engineer and his wife have left Indonesia.

In December 2011, van Lee was sentenced to three years in prison for theft of confidential company data. He had been working for Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) at the time of his arrest. The case involved allegations that van Lee used private storage media for safekeeping company data.

During his 37-year career, van Lee has worked for global consulting engineering companies such as Amec, Ausenco, KSH Solutions, and Poyry, as well as equipment suppliers and pulp and paper producers.

Wood fibre costs declined in Q4, likely to continue dropping

Global demand for pulp has declined and pulp prices fell during the second half of 2011.

As a consequence, prices for wood fibre, the highest cost component when

producing pulp, were down throughout the world, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. The organization’s Global Wood Fiber Indices for softwood and hardwood fiber declined 3.5% from the third quarter of 2011.

There has been a long-term trend in the pulp industry of wood costs increasing as a percentage of the total production costs. In the third quarter of 2011, this share had reached 63.5% on a worldwide basis, up from only 53% in 2005, according to Fisher International.

However, this share can vary substantially, from a current low of 52% in Eastern Canada to as high as 73% in China.

Wood fiber costs are likely to continue downward in a number of markets in the first quarter of 2012, particularly in the Nordic countries, Western Canada and the US as pulp prices continue to be substantially below the record-high levels from last summer.

PacWest Focuses on Sustainability through People and Technology PacWest, the annual industry gathering for Western Canada, moves back to Jasper this year. The four-day event has also changed its time slot, moving up to May 30-June 2.

Organized by the Pacific and Western Branches of the Pulp & Paper Technical Association of Canada (PAPTAC), PacWest will offers pulp and paper personnel a great opportunity for upgrading their knowledge and skills, as well as networking with peers. The annual conference and trade show incorporates technical presentations, short courses and round-table meetings for mill managers, maintenance managers and pulp mill superintendants.

The conference forum on Thursday, May 31, will have the theme “Sustainability Through People & Technology.”

Speakers include: Andrew Casey, Forest Products Association of Canada; Tom Johnstone, Buckman Canada; Jean Hamel, FPInnovations; and Wade Chute, Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures.

Friday’s keynote presentation continues the sustainability theme, with John Wright, senior vice-president of market research firm Ipsos-Reid, addressing technology and people in the pulp and paper industry.

Technical paper presentations will take place Thursday and Friday, on the subjects of kraft pulping; environment, sustainability and energy; process control; mechanical pulping; and human resources development.

A tour of the Hinton Pulp mill is also offered on Thursday.

Concurrent with the technical session are roundtable meetings for maintenance managers (May 30-June 1) and pulp machine superintendants (June1-2).

Course offerings this year are all one-day training sessions, on May 30. Brian Gallagher of GL&V will present a course on 8

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

Mill managers talked about their progress with Green Transformation Program projects at PacWest 2011.

Brown Stock Washing & Screening. Participants will learn how to evaluate and improve system operations and results. Continuous Cooking – Principles and Practices will be taught by Philip Anderson of Metso. The course will enhance the basic knowledge and skills of operating and technical personnel, and provide practical approaches to help address common operating issues.

A third course option is Process Control Optimization – an Introduction, by Doug Nelson of ProNamics Control Inc. Participants will learn to recognize poorly performing control loops and how to improve performance. Mill optimization examples and computer simulation demos are used.

On the social side, there’s a 5 km run planned for Friday, the awards dinner and dance Friday night, and golf plus a barbeque on Saturday.

The trade show runs for three days, Wednesday to Friday.

For more details, visit www.pacwestcon.net.

pulpandpapercanada.com

Cleaner results with inspired insight on site.

No matter what we think up at Eka, you can trust it to enhance not only the quality of your products, but your competitiveness and environmental profile too.

That’s why Tapio Pajari is on a European mission for Eka Purate, our patented concept for generating chlorine dioxide on site.

Effective on microbes and spores, it removes and prevents the formation of biofilm and slime deposits on surfaces and filters.

Always a paper technician at heart, Tapio simply wants mills to experience the immediate benefit of pure water – fewer holes

and spots in their finished product, thanks to cleaner white water and shower spray systems. And of course, increased runnability and lower cost!

The brilliance, Tapio says, is that Eka Purate works with virtually every process he’s come across during his twenty years in the business. It also makes good business sense, since the offsite monitoring allows you to concentrate completely on what you do best.

Inspiring paper all over the world is our inspiration.

Meet us at eka.com.

www.eka.com

MILL PROFILE

Turnaround at Thurso The conversion is complete: the Fortress Specialty Cellulose mill in Thurso, Quebec, has new equipment, a new product, and a new attitude.

By Cindy Macdonald , Editor

“W

e don’t see our self as a traditional pulp and paper company,” says Marco Veilleux, chief operating officer of Fortress Specialty Cellulose. Well, neither does anyone else, Marco.

The revival of the former Fraser Papers kraft mill in Thurso, Que., is anything but typical. In 2010, Fortress Paper, with entrepreneur Chad Wasilenkoff at the helm, bought the idled hardwood kraft mill for a pittance from its insolvent owner, Fraser Papers. Wasilenkoff put the mill into the hands of Peter Vinall, a veteran of the dissolving pulp business, and less than two years later, the site is humming with vitality producing a high-quality, high-value specialty product.

The creation of Fortress Specialty Cellulose, of which Vinall is president and CEO, involved more than just equipment changes at the mill. It involved a change in attitude among employees. Dissolving pulp is really more like a chemical product than a traditional pulp grade, and so a different level of attention to the process is required.

And, between the lean mentality of Fortress Paper, and Vinall’s belief in empowering people, employees are becoming accustomed to presenting ideas and then acting on them.

“We are trying to create an empowered culture,” says Vinall.

“Fortress is a lean and mean company, with no bureaucracy and fast decision-making.”

Veilleux confirms that the paradigm shift has filtered down to all levels of the company.

“The level of pride is going up, people are looking to the future. The restructuring process was very painful, but the

An elevated pipe bridge connects the new cooking plant to the mill. The need to pump the liquid to such a height caused some design headaches.

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PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

majority of people have turned the page. People are getting engaged.

“And we allow people to make mistakes. We’re learning every day,” he notes.

“The biggest change is the sense that we’re building a future, not just buying time [until the mill closes]. It’s a major shift.”

Merry (busy) Christmas

That sense of pulling together was evident in late December when the mill eased into full operation. The actual start-up took place over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season. Veilleux says the timing “forced our people at the mill to jump in and take ownership,” and that’s why the growth in production was so fast.

One month after start-up, the mill was producing about 70% of its targeted production rate.

“It really showed the commitment of our people,” Veilleux says proudly. “We were having technical meetings Christmas Eve, Christmas day. Not one person complained.”

Fortress chose Superbatch technology from GLV for the cooking process. Then, says Vinall, “we used our experience and invested money in the areas we knew would be bottlenecks.”

That included the lime kiln and recovery boilers.

Fortress decided to purchase used equipment from a mill in Finland, in order to speed up the mill conversion. The equipment was dismantled and shipped to Montreal. From there, the larger pieces were barged up the Ottawa River.

The 15-month conversion project was beset by the usual construction issues, and some unique hurdles.

Housing the new cooking plant in a separate building outside of the existing mill helped to overcome some of the headaches involved with maintaining production during the construction phase, but it created other trials. Discharge piping from the digesters has to rise the full height of the building to exit at the top through an enclosed pipe bridge that traverses a set of railway tracks.

As the cooking plant came online, hammering in the discharge pipes emerged as problem.

Then there was the unpleasant discovery that an older section of the chip conveyor had to be redesigned and repaired.

And finally, in October, when a peak of about 900 construction workers were on site and kraft pulp production had already been shut down, the Quebec construction unions staged strikes to protest a piece of provincial legislation, and work came to a sudden halt for almost a week. pulpandpapercanada.com

MILL PROFILE Dissolving pulp vs. kraft

The dissolving pulp process differs from kraft pulping in that a pre-hydrolysis stage breaks down the bond between hemicellulose and cellulose. Then the kraft cooking separates the cellulose and lignin.

“Hemicellulose and lignin are both going to the recovery boiler, so if we had left them as is, it would be a bottleneck,” Vinall explains. Hence the $15-million investment to upgrade both recovery boilers.

Dissolving pulp also needs more recaust capacity to balance the whole mill at the best level.

After cooking, the pulp goes to a blow tank, then gets washed. The cellulose is then bleached. Vinall says this mill has good cleaning and brightening capability. “With dissolving pulp, the chemistry of bleaching changes,” he explains. “You have to control viscosity and eliminate impurities.

“A lot of work remains to be done on quality control and process control. There’s a lot to know. We had to bring in the right people, align with the right suppliers.

“There’s not a lot of expertise out there in dissolving pulp.”

To illustrate the sensitivity of the dissolving pulp process, Vinall recalls a recent incident. “One little gasket in the cooking plant led to six hours of downtime. It took three hours to get the quality back in balance. But on the other hand, it gave staff an opportunity to work on the dryers.”

As part of the conversion, distributed process control for the fibre line was upgraded, and OSIsoft’s PI system was installed to monitor quality control. As well, a new chemical testing lab was set up, and technicians hired.

Modifications were also made in the loading dock. The tolerance for the weight of bales is much tighter with dissolving pulp, so baling equipment had to be upgraded. Fortress also invested in a new unitizer, which wraps six bales into a bundle.

The unitizer saves $7 per tonne compared with having the work outsourced.

All finished bales are kept in the shipping area at least 24 hours until all the product quality tests are completed.

Green energy helps offset costs

The question is, can a small, Eastern Canadian mill be competitive in the global dissolving pulp market? Apparently so. At an industry event last spring, Wasilenkoff said he expects production costs to be about $650 per tonne. At the time, dissolving pulp was selling for about $1800 per tonne. It has since settled to approximately $1200.

Vinall explains that a number of factors will contribute to Fortress’s low production costs.

He notes that the mill’s supply of hardwood is rich and adequate, but while the mill has acceptable wood costs compared with the rest of Canada, in global terms, it’s higher than average.

“So we need an offset,” he comments. “The bioenergy deal with Quebec Hydro provides that. We buy energy at “dirty” power rates, and will sell the energy we produce at “green” rates.

That is about a $100 per tonne benefit.”

Thurso’s co-gen plant is under construction and expected to come online in 2013.

The mill’s labor costs are below the national average, says pulpandpapercanada.com

Peter Vinall, Robert Salt and Luc Timbers on the loading dock where bales are loaded onto railcars. Most of the plant’s output is taken to either Montreal or Trois-Rivières, shipped across the Atlantic and then forwarded to China.

Vinall, and the site has good productivity. There were concessions in the contract negotiated when re-opening the mill, and Fortress has no legacy costs from the previous owner.

“So if you add it all up, we’re in the first quartile, cost-wise.”

Do what you’re good at

Fortress Specialty Cellulose also has the benefit of an experienced and talented management team. Vinall has 30 years of experience, most recently at the head of various dissolving pulp companies.

With Fortress, Vinall says he spends half his time focused on strategy and growth, and the other half on running the Thurso mill. “The cool thing about this job is that here, I get a chance to do the things I’m best at.”

He still monitors mill processes from the dashboard on his computer, and sometimes goes out on the floor to solve problems. While the mill is still ramping up production, he’s sitting in on daily quality meetings.

“There’s not a lot of formal structure here. I believe managers should do what they’re good at. You work on functions where you add the most value.”

In January, one month after start-up, the mill was averaging about 350 tonnes/day. It’s capacity is expected to be 575 tonnes/ day. Pulp coming off the machine measures about 96% alphacellulose content, somewhat higher than necessary for viscosegrade dissolving pulp. In fact, the high quality of the pulp has allowed Fortress to consider targeting some of its output to the more specialized markets for dissolving pulp.

Vinall says there are opportunities to move up the value chain in cellulose, to acetate, MCCs, and ethers eventually. “With the fibres we have here, and the process, we could make some of those other products. But it will probably be a full year before we do so.”

In the meantime, Fortress Paper has plans to re-open and convert another mill to dissolving pulp, at the former Domtar Lebel-sur-Quevillon mill in northern Quebec. After successfully managing one turnaround, Fortress is going to continue doing what it’s good at.

PPC March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

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COVER STORY

Made-in-Canada

Nanotech

Canadian research and Canadian engineering have resulted in the first industrial-scale plant to produce nanocrystalline cellulose. Now, the small but mighty additive is being tested in various end-products.

By Cindy Macdonald, Editor

W

here is the world’s largest stockpile of nanocrystalline cellulose? In Windsor, Que., where CelluForce is the world’s only industrial-scale producer of this tiny powerhouse.

CelluForce, a joint venture between Domtar Corporation and FPInnovations, has launched a new specialty chemical additive onto the world stage.

Production began in December 2011 at the one-of-a-kind, $36-million facility.

It will scale up to a rate of 1000 kg of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) per day by the end of this year. That’s 1000 kg of a material whose average dimensions 12

are 100 nanometres by 5 nanometres. A nanometer is one billionth of a metre.

To put that in perspective, a National Geographic article states that the comparative size of a nanometer to a meter is the same as that of a marble to the size of the earth.

Accelerated development

It took only two years to bring CelluForce from drawing board to reality.

Scientists at FPInnovations provided the technical expertise. Dr. Richard Berry and associates were responsible for the early research into NCC, its production techniques, and its potential end uses.

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

Noram Engineering then translated that knowledge to a marketable process. Domtar recognized the potential of NCC and came on board as a partner.

The production facility, adjacent to Domtar’s Windsor, Que., pulp and paper mill, came together on time and on budget. It was designed and engineered

by Noram, and incorporates some of Noram’s own proprietary equipment.

The technical innovations embodied in the plant have been instrumental in propelling Canada to the forefront of NCC development.

“This is a small product with grand ambitions,” said Domtar’s president pulpandpapercanada.com

Photo courtesy of CelluForce

COVER STORY

Potential uses for NCC • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Iridescent or magnetic films Pigments, inks and cosmetics Manufacturing of improved construction products Interior and structural components for the transportation industry Innovative coatings and new fillers for papermaking Innovative bioplastics Reinforced composites Films for optical switching Biocomposites for bone replacement Paint additives Electrically conductive membranes Electronic paper printers Encapsulated quantum dots for crystalline semiconductors “Intelligent” packaging materials

Alone, in the lead

CelluForce has an in-house lab for process monitoring and product testing.

and CEO, John D. Williams, at the CelluForce opening ceremony in January. “Domtar’s goal is to maximize the value of the fibre in our product.”

Jean Moreau, president of CelluForce, says the company is “on the verge of creating a new, significant market.” Better yet, it will be a high-value market. NCC is expected to compete with products like carbon nanotubes, which can sell for as much as $100/kg. Moreau notes that NCC must avoid becoming a commodity filler, because it could not compete in commodity markets. “It needs to either be used for its strength characteristics or its optical properties.” pulpandpapercanada.com

For now and the foreseeable future, CelluForce is the only producer of NCC. Another research-based organization in Sweden, Innventia, began production last year of a product called microfibrillated nanocellulose, but Moreau says that product is produced by a mechanical process, whereas NCC production involves a chemical reaction.

Closer to home, Alberta Innovates has declared its intention to produce NCC, but has revealed few details about the timeline or the process.

So Moreau concludes that CelluForce has about a three-year headstart on any other producer of NCC, in terms of technology development and markets.

The company’s business development team is exploring opportunities for NCC around the world. Describing their job, Moreau says, “You need to be resilient, adaptive, creative, patient, and resilient again.”

Trials integrating NCC into the manufacturing process of different products are currently taking place with 15 companies in four main sectors: paint and coatings, films and barriers, textiles, and composites.

“NCC fibre is going to transform us.

It will let us break into new industries,”

said FPInnovations’ Pierre Lapointe at the CelluForce ceremony. “We are very proud that this innovation developed by FPInnovations’ research team is now moving from the laboratories to the marketplace. This is a great day for FPInnovations’ staff and all our partners.”

A bio-based chemical in the making

NCC is an advanced material derived from wood fibre. It can improve strength, durability, and toughness of products.

It also has the ability to reduce damage from wear, abrasion, and light. Its optical properties allow it to be incorporated into structures to make light reflective structures, tunable from ultraviolet to infrared.

(See Potential uses for NCC, above.).

Vancouver-based Noram Engineering was responsible for transitioning NCC from the lab to industrial-scale production. “We worked with FPInnovations’ researchers to enhance the process for commercial production, and then we were awarded the contract for detailed process and mechanical engineering of the Windsor plant,” says Jim Wearing, president of Noram.

The $36-million plant was completed in about 14 months. It is almost entirely funded by the federal and provincial March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

13

Photo courtesy of CelluForce

COVER STORY

Jean Moreau, CelluForce CEO, at the NCC conversion unit on opening day.

governments. The Harper Conservatives contributed $23.2 million via the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program ($12 million of Domtar’s credits) and through the Transformative Technologies program administered by FPInnovations ($11.2 million). Quebec’s Natural Resources and Wildlife Department kicked in $10.2 million.

“All of the processes used to produce NCC are quite innovative, and unique in the pulp and paper sector,” says Wearing. Noram drew inspiration from processes used in the chemical sector and in production of sulphuric acid.

This is the acid recovery area at CelluForce.

The NCC production process begins with dry pulp. CelluForce’s Moreau notes that it could be either softwood or hardwood, or potentially any other cellulose (with some process modifications). The pulp preparation process is confidential, but Moreau does reveal that the prepared pulp then undergoes a reaction with acid in two reactors, in batches. From there, the solution goes through a continuous flow of various filtration steps, down to the nano level, with the solution becoming progressively less acidic. By the final stage of filtration, the cellulose product is

ad_layout03_noram 12-02-28 1:51 PM Page 1

suspended in water. The solution is then sprayed into a large heated dryer, where it becomes a dry powder form of microcrystalline cellulose, similar in appearance to talc. The customer will later re-disperse the microcrystalline cellulose in a matrix to achieve nanocrystalline cellulose.

“This is only the beginning of the story,” says Moreau. With production underway and material being shipped for product trials, “we are exactly where we expected to be.” It’s an exhilarating place to be, on the leading edge of the bio-chemicals market.

PPC

Engineers and Equipment Suppliers to CelluForce

Engineering & Constructors Ltd.

Congratulations to CelluForce on an exceptional project www.noram-eng.com

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PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

pulpandpapercanada.com

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3/15/12 12:08 PM

Creating business opportunities for companies who see things differently.

The new colour of colour Security papers

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Iridescent pigments

Switchable optical filters and barriers Cosmetics

Abundant

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The result of many years of research, nanocrystalline cellulose is a nanomaterial extracted from wood fibres.

It can be made into films that are flexible, strong and easy to handle, varnishes, paints, improved plastics, biodegradable food packaging and many more new and innovative products.

Packaging

Renewable

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Discover colour to the power of nano

www.fpinnovations.ca

PAPERWEEK CANADA

Best of Both Worlds at PaperWeek Traditional pulp and paper operations and emerging technologies shared the agenda at PaperWeek Canada, the Canadian industry’s week-long learning and networking event.

By Cindy Macdonald, Editor

T

here was universal agreement among the speakers at PaperWeek Canada that the pulp and paper industry should move forward with a combination of traditional pulp and paper products and forays into the bioeconomy.

Attendees at the week-long event could choose between business or technical topics, and between sessions on biorefining or traditional pulp and paper manufacturing. Organized by the Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada (PAPTAC), PaperWeek Canada also included a seminar on paper machine optimization, and a gathering for mill managers.

The business track was well attended and provided a forum to present and discuss strategies being developed to steer the transformation of the industry.

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, in his keynote speech, said, “We all agree that he way forward is a combination of traditional and innovative technologies.” There was remarkable agreement on that sentiment during PaperWeek Canada, from various representatives of FPInnovations, from Natural Resources Canada personnel, and from the Forest Products Association of Canada.

The pairing of old and new technologies is also the direction of much of the research at École Polytechnique and other universi-

ties involved in the FIBRE research network. A similar message was heard touching on the value chain and economics of adding biorefining to the existing industry, and developing new woodbased products.

The 98th annual gathering of Canada’s pulp and paper industry was a success, with more than 600 in attendance. The event was held at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3.

The Second International Forest Biorefinery Symposium was held concurrently with the technical sessions and received great interest. The biorefinery symposium was again organized

by Mariya Marinova and Jean Paris of Ecole Polytechnique.

In addition, CRIBIQ, a Quebec-based biotechnology research consortium, hosted a symposium on Jan. 30 on the subject of forest-based chemicals.

One of the great successes of the event continues to be the PaperWeek luncheons, which were all filled to capacity.

To stay abreast of plans for PaperWeek Canada 2013, check in at www.paperweekcanada.ca and www.twitter.com/paperweekcanada. Next year’s event will again be held in Montreal, at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, the week of Feb. 4.

Greg Hay and Dennis Castonguay of Verso Paper, Bucksport, ME.

For the hands-on type of people, a paper machine optimization seminar was offered in the later part of the week.

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PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

pulpandpapercanada.com

PAPERWEEK CANADA Strategic partnerships Major Theme in Biorefinery Symposium PaperWeek’s Biorefinery Symposium opened with a keynote address from Lorne Morrow, CEO of CRIBE (Center for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy).

Morrow described CRIBE’s marquee demo project, a kraft pulp mill with a fully integrated lignin extraction process and laboratory on site. The lignin pilot plant is operated in partnership with Resolute Forest Products (Thunder Bay mill) and FPInnovations.

Morrow identified the importance of strategic partnerships, with government, industry players, and academics, in the success of biorefining projects, echoing a consensus at PaperWeek this year. He warned that change is needed, and that resistance to change in the industry remains a considerable challenge.

Morrow also asked, “what, and where, is our four percent?”, a reference to the oil industry’s oft-cited model, where 42% of revenue is derived from chemicals, plastics and rubber, which represents only 4% of the industry’s production.

Morrow concluded that the CRIBE demo project is only “one step down one path,” that many other opportunities in the bioeconomy need to be assessed, and reiterated that the bioeconomy needs to be supported by a healthy forest industry, a point made clear earlier in the day by Andrew Casey of FPAC. The “one step” theme, along with the idea of a bioeconomy needing a healthy forest industry to support it, was echoed, with minor variation, in many of the panels at this year’s conference.

Another major issue raised in Morrow’s keynote, strategic partnerships, was picked up on by Wednesday’s keynote address, given by Michel Chornet, of CRB Innovations, Inc. Entitled “Low grade residual biomass to biofuels and biochemicals: from R&D to commercial realization,” Chornet’s talk drove home the importance of CRB’s partnership with the University of Sherbrooke’s Chair in Cellulosic Ethanol for the company’s R&D phases, which otherwise would be very difficult to handle in-house.

CRB is engaged in a demo scale project in Quebec’s Eastern Townships region, and is working with a “hub and spoke” model, where satellite plants partially treat biomass from smaller, readily available pockets, and final processing is done at a central plant. In part, Chornet claims, this system is designed to serve HR needs in smaller plants.

Again, Chornet noted that there are many pathways to take from biomass through to end products, and that the market for some of those products is vastly different from the local commodities market, requiring international partnerships, including academic, industry and government.

Models for transformation

One biorefining expert says European bioenergy subsidies are “leading completely the wrong direction” and do not promote new products. that the company never loses sight of its eventual goals.

Reino Pulki (Lakehead University) presented a paper on goal programming as a means of modeling biomass procurement, looking at quality and cost goals for four mills in the same area. The model was found to be useful in judging tradeoffs between cost and quality in biomass, and illustrated that the impact of one mill’s choices is felt by the surrounding mills.

Also in the VCO panel, Yan Feng (Université de Laval) presented a model for making investment decisions based on government policy and incentives, and Behreng Mansoornejad discussed the benefits of building flexibility into new biorefinery projects, both at the process design and operational level, including product and volume flexibility. Flexibility, Mansoornejad concluded, has a capital cost, but is justified because it mitigates risk. Paul Stuart noted at the end of the presentation that the industry has tried, and failed, at biorefining in the past, and warned of making the same mistakes.

Paul Stuart (Polytechnique de Montréal), opened Tuesday afternoon’s session of the Value Chain Optimization (VCO) panel jokingly, noting that the attendance was quite good, considering that they were up against a biorefining Even newsprint mills could get panel across the hall. on board Virginie Chambost (Envertis) discussed During Wednesday’s panels, Jawad transformational value chains for forest Jeaidi, of Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique, companies, in the context of diversifying a product portfolio. Chambost noted that A Lesson from Petroleum Refineries the process of product diversification Petroleum End End-Uses Uses Revenues absolutely needs to be guided by a transformational business plan, which 15% 26% 43% works in concert with technology, but is not driven by it.

42% 4% 70% Her take-home message was a phased approach, with three phases: lowering of operating costs, increased revenues, Transportation Fuels and finally, improved margins. Chambost Chemicals, Plastics, Rubber Other Fuels and Products also highlighted the importance of strong partnerships, in this case for securing biomass for long terms. According to Many feel the pulp and paper industry Chambost, the phased approach mitigates needs to find its own high value products, like the oil industry’s 4%. risk, and a strong business plan ensures

Source: T. Werpy, 2009 BioWorld Conference 27

Dr. Allen had the biorefining crowd thinking of possible environmental impacts of their processes.

pulpandpapercanada.com

March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

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PAPERWEEK CANADA

presented a stand-out paper entitled Techno-economic analysis of biorefinery process options for integrated newsprint mills.

Jeaidi noted that this is an understudied area, and that conventional newsprint mills do not have a readily available internal feedstock for biorefinery. Jeaidi therefore turned to the phased approach, suggested

by Chambost, and three main pathways for newsprint mills to adopt biorefining, including extraction and conversion of hemicellulose to xylitol as a value-added product, the production of biocomposite pellets, and the production of PF resins and bioethanol using the Organosolv method.

Jeaidi concluded that using a phased approach to mitigate risk, a newsprint plant could integrate a biorefining element and increase profitability.

Johanna Jönsson (Chalmers University) presented the findings of the absent Karin Petterson (Chalmers University), who studied black liquor gasification (BLG).

Jönsson noted that the technology for large scale BLG is still 10-20 years away, and that BLG is a better fit for market pulp mills.

The choice of product line would need to be driven by consideration of government policy (carbon credit, etc.) and the market value of oil, she concluded.

Other papers presented during the Biorefinery Symposium included a study of biorefinery clusters, by Olumoye Ajao (École Polytechnique), which concluded that a net profit increase when producing furfural was possible for a cluster of satellite mills and a central mill, depending on the distance between mills, and that the cluster works better for dissolving pulp mills compared with kraft mills.

Zoé Pérrin-Levasseur (NRCan) and Pardis Rofouie (École Polytechnique de Montréal) presented papers modeling the potential for integrated biorefineries, focusing on the production of lignin as a co-product and biomass gasification, respectively.

— Shaun L. Turriff

Quebec leads the way in bio-based products Speaking at the CRIBIQ symposium on forest-sourced renewable chemicals, FPInnovations’ Jean Hamel said Quebec leads the way among Canadian provinces. The recent opening of the Domtar/FPInnovations joint venture

18

CelluForce is an example. CelluForce is the world’s first producer of nanocrystalline cellulose.

“We have the resources, and we know how to extract them,” said Hamel. The challenge now is to figure out costs and markets for the multitude of products available through biorefining.

Hamel noted that the Quebec government has been forthcoming with support for biorefining, as has the federal government. Mariya Marinova, of Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, told participants the most likely route to success for a biorefining operation will be integration with a kraft pulp mill to form a multi-product revenue generating centre.

This will diversify the product mix and allow integration of energy and material needs.

The CRIBIQ symposium, attended by about 125 people, also presented research and developments on plantbased renewable chemicals available from Quebec’s forests.

— Cindy Macdonald, Editor

Bleaching takes centre stage “There’s still a lot of need for research and innovation in the so-called “traditional” pulp and paper business,” said Zhi-Hua Jiang at the opening of PaperWeek’s technical session on bleaching.

The speakers then went on to show that there is some fresh thinking being applied to this sector. Jean Bouchard of FPInnovations noted that industry practice is to have no routine assessment of white water quality in kraft pulp mills, which can lead to a problem: brightness loss. While this would usually be solved by adding more chlorine, Bouchard suggests that another solution is to assess and adjust white water quality.

A study of six samples of white water from Canadian mills demonstrated that fines in the white water are the major culprit in brightness loss. The effect of other dissolved solids in the white water is minimal. Bouchard concludes that the color and concentration of the fines can have a direct negative effect on brightness.

James Goldman of Metso Automation discussed bleach plant control methods.

He explained that Kappa-factor based control can keep mills operating in a zone whereby small additions of ClO2 have a

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

In Canada, we can only have cheap biomass for energy if have a healthy primary forest products sector, says Tom Browne. large effect. Most mills, he said, operate at the shallow end of the delignification curve, where the process is most stable, but additional ClO2 has little effect.

Dan Davies of Evonik explained why a final peroxide stage is effective, and two ways to incorporate this brightening stage into a mill’s bleaching process. He noted that the use of peroxide can brighten pulp, and reduce reversion. It is the chemical differences between chlorine and peroxide that make it so effective at tackling reversion, said Davies.

— Cindy Macdonald, Editor

Natural Resources Minister supports industry transformation Canada’s Natural Resources Minister had a message of support for the pulp and paper industry. The Honorable Joe Oliver told PaperWeek attendees the government is committed to maintaining Canada’s leadership position in a sustainable economy.

Oliver acknowledged that our industry has spared no effort to become a “next generation” industry. The minister was proud to note that the forest sector contributes $22.5 billion to the national economy, and he noted that forest products exports, aided by wood products shipments to Asia, are almost fully recovered to pre-recession levels.

The Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program was a tremendous shot in the arm for the industry, and its environmental benefits will be felt for some time. “This is likely the largest initiative for the forest sector in Canadian history,” said Oliver. As a result, pulp and paper mills have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 10%, and more than 200 MW of renewable energy capacity has been installed.

The federal government is now turning its support to technological innovation, pulpandpapercanada.com

PAPERWEEK CANADA PAPTAC Awards: Bates Medal presented to Cascades’ Pelletier

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver praised the industry’s efforts toward renewal.

with the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and support for research projects. “We want to see new, viable economic opportunities in Canada’s forest communities,” said Oliver.

— Cindy Macdonald, Editor

Lazar praises industry for taking charge of its future The transformation was painful, said Avrim Lazar, but our industry is now finding its feet in the new reality of the pulp and paper industry. Lazar has been president of the Forest Products Association of Canada for 10 years now, and as he looked at the audience assembled for PaperWeek Canada’s luncheon on Jan. 31, he commented that the last few years had been painful.

Lazar spoke of the human aspects of the transformation that has gripped our industry. He noted that while people are accustomed to change, change is usually happening within a dynamic equilibrium.

“Those shifts from one equilibrium to another, those are transformations,” he said.

Lazar commended pulp and paper companies for looking forward during this tumultuous time, and for “transforming [themselves] in the face of these challenges, not being transformed.”

He also praised the government for putting its money and influence behind “the new equilibrium”, not the old.

— Cindy Macdonald, Editor

20

PAPTAC presents a number of awards during PaperWeek, honoring those that have served the industry well, and authors of high-quality technical papers that contribute to the industry pool of knowledge.

The association changed the protocol for its awards this year, presenting most of the awards during the welcome reception, to a wider audience than in past years.

The most prestigious honors, the John S. Bates Memorial Gold Medal, a lifetime membership, and the Weldon award for best paper, were presented during a PaperWeek luncheon.

Dr. Martin P. Pelletier, founder of Cascades’ Research Centre, received the John S. Bates Memorial Gold Medal, in recognition of his long-term contribution to science and technology in the pulp and paper industry.

Dr. Pelletier has spent his career with Cascades. He founded, and continues to lead, the company’s in-house research lab.

“I put my heart into it,” he said.

In presenting the award, PAPTAC chairman Patrice Mangin said, “as an innovative man, Pelletier could do no other than find an innovative company.”

Pelletier is the first francophone to receive PAPTAC’s highest honor. “I was stunned,” said Pelletier. “It is an honor not just for me, but for my family, and for Cascades.”

Pelletier said the research centre he founded in 1985 is “a nursery for young talent, and provides our mills with young people who have a Cascades mentality.”

The research centre is self-financing, because of that, said Pelletier, the researchers had to be thinking about earning money, so projects had to be scientifically sound and oriented to the needs of the mills.

“It took five or six years before we made some money, and Laurent [Lemaire] had to keep telling me not to change my mind.”

Pulp mills should consider measuring white water quality to minimize brightness loss, says Jean Bouchard, FPInnovations Pelletier is particularly proud of the chlorine-free process for de-inking and the anti-bacterial hand towels developed by his lab.

A PAPTAC Honorary Life Membership was bestowed upon Ms. Marie Dumontier, Deputy Director, Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, Natural Resources Canada, in recognition of her

Dr. Martin Pelletier and his supporters from Cascades.

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

pulpandpapercanada.com

CONNECTING PEOPLE

PAPTAC’s Technical Communities play an essential role in exchanging information on a variety of issues related to operation optimization, energy, environment, process and much more. E-mail discussion groups, on-line forums, conferences: a wealth of information accessible to all PAPTAC members.

www.paptac.ca

Join your Canadian technical community and experience new ideas

WHY JOIN? • • • • •

Sharing information on specific topics & challenges facing the Canadian pulp and paper industry.

Accessing an exclusive Canadian technical pulp and paper network.

Continuing to learn from your peers, identifying and developping new problem-solving solutions.

Being aware of the latest technological advancements and innovations.

Greater value derived from participating in PAPTAC events (PaperWeek, PACWEST, conferences, webinars, etc.)

To learn more about the Technical Communities, visit the Technical Communities Section on www.paptac.ca or contact Thomas Perichaud at 514.392.6956 or tperichaud@paptac.ca

PAPERWEEK CANADA

90 degree peel tests. In practical terms, Pelton suggests that strength enhancing polymers, such as PVAm, are more effective when coated on soft nanoparticles, such as the microgels in his study.

Qiaozhi An, of the University of New Brunswick, presented a paper on the potential of thermal-sensitive hydrogels for use in drug delivery systems, wastewater management, and high value papers, including anti-bacterial and anti-viral papers, thermosensitive paper, and as a retention aid in papermaking.

— Shaun L. Turriff

PaperWeek trade show Attendees at PaperWeek Canada were generally upbeat this year, and attendance at the event grew by almost 200, to a total of 609 for 2012.

extraordinary work and leadership as a past chairman of PAPTAC (2007-2008).

Enrique Mateos-Espejel, Maryam Moshkelani, Mohammad Keshtkar and Jean Paris, École Polytechnique de Montréal, received the I.H. Weldon Award for the best paper presented at a PAPTAC event. Their paper is entitled Sustainability of the green integrated forest biorefinery: A question of energy.

Holton Quinn, Alberta Newsprint Company, received the Douglas Atack Award for the best mechanical pulping paper for Mill experience in newsprint quality prediction at the TMP refiners.

Rob Stephenson of Paradigm Environmental Technologies, Talat Mahmood, Allan Elliott, and Brian O’Connor of FPInnovations, Cigdem Eskicioglu and Mithun Saha of UBC, and Bob Ericksen of Catalyst Paper shared the Douglas Jones Environmental Award for their paper How MicroSludge and anaerobic digestion or aerobic stabilization of waste activated sludge can save costs to manage sludge.

The Energy Conservation Opportunity

Tom Browne says in 10 years, Canada will have a brownfield biorefinery producing cheap-to-ship intermediates.

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Award, presented by Pulp & Paper Canada, went to Mike Vallee, of Alberta Newsprint Company, for his paper Energy savings in broke handling systems at ANC. The F.G. Robinson Award for exceptional service by a technical community chairman was presented to Aqeel Zaidi, Enbridge Gas Distribution, chairman of the Energy Community.

Marcius de Oliveira, Alberta Pacific Forest Industries, received the Howard Rapson Award for his paper entitled Bleach Plant Scale and Control - Mill Case Study. At the time that he developed and presented the paper, de Oliveira was an employee of Daishowa Marubeni, Peace River Pulp Division.

A Certificate of Appreciation was awarded to Jon LeRoy, Irving Pulp & Paper for his exceptional service as chairman of the PAPTAC Atlantic Branch.

Heads up: emerging research In Wednesday’s Emerging Research panel, Robert Pelton of McMaster University presented information about microgels. In his paper, Microgels, a new route for getting more glue into paper, Pelton concludes that using polyvinylamine (PVAm) microgels, rather than simple PVAm polymers, increases the amount of adhesive in the paper, resulting in a stronger wet tear strength.

Pelton demonstrated that the theoretical model developed at McMaster to test microgel adhesion compared well to actual

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

The PaperWeek trade show had about 30 exhibitors.

•

Maxcess offers the Tidland blade sharpening system, which allows blades to be sharpened without removal from the cartridge, and without being sent out to be reground.

The unit sharpens blades from Tidland’s Performance Series, Series C swing cartridge, and e-knifeholder blade cartridges, in 90 seconds.

• At the Glenco booth, the iTable adjustable fourdinier sheet forming zone was presented. With the iTable from IBS, the papermaker can control the drainage and stock activity from the headbox all the way to the end of the sheet forming zone. The foil blade spacing and design achieves extremely high pulse frequencies – above 150 Hz. This results in very fine microturbulence for high levels of shear and fibre mobility during the sheet forming process. Glenco reports that 10 paper machines have been rebuilt with iTable technology in North America, and three more rebuilds are in the works for the first half of 2012. pulpandpapercanada.com

SAFETY

Working Together for the Safety of All The safest mills in Canada share a mindset that goes beyond safety management.

Employees take personal responsibility for ensuring their safety, and that of their team.

C

anada’s safest mills put a strong focus on employees working together to identify and eliminate potential hazards in the workplace.

The methods vary, but the top performers all emphasize individual responsibility for health and safety.

At the Weyerhaeuser pulp mill in Grande Prairie, Alta., the emphasis is on personal risk assessment. “We’ve always had safe job plans and work orders that describe the safe way to complete the job, but now we have every employee and contractor thinking about their personal safety, both at the job site and before beginning work,” health and safety manager Linda Perkins Perkins says “Personal risk assessment] includes focusing on your mindset as well, recognizing that we often bring distractions from home into the work place.”

The Grande Prairie mill had zero recordable safety incidents last year, and was one of the winners of Pulp & Paper Canada’s Safest Mill in Canada contest for 2011.

Bryan Lundale, a regional vice-president of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers, says an organization’s corporate culture is an important determinant of the incidence of workplace accidents.

“The corporate culture must promote health and safety in a proactive manner that identifies potential hazards and risks, and then takes the necessary actions to prevent any incidents that could arise,” Lundale said. “The culture needs to be one where everyone understands that safety is their responsibility. The culture cannot be one that [reacts to] incidents that have already taken place.”

Terry Lee, health, safety and training coordinator Lake Utopia Paper Ltd., says his company’s corporate culture puts safety first. pulpandpapercanada.com

By Peter Caulfield “This culture is driven from the top down and this, I believe, is why we are doing so well,” he says. Lake Utopia, a corrugated medium mill in southwestern New Brunswick that sells paper to cardboard box manufacturers, had a recordable incident frequency of 1.36 in Pulp & Paper Canada’s 2011 Safest Mill in Canada contest.

Lee says Lake Utopia Paper holds daily safety tool box meetings, safety audits, and job hazard analysis. In addition, all incidents are addressed and dealt with quickly.

“One of the measures on our safety

score card is getting action taken and completed within the allotted time frame,” Lee said.

Scaled-down safety program

Northern Pulp Nova Scotia, located 150 kilometres northeast of Halifax, had only one reportable injury in 2011, and was the winner of Category C in the 2011 Safest Mill in Canada contest.

The company’s safety record is worthy of note, because it has had three different owners in the last six years and the mill is at least 40 years old.

Safest mills: Al-Pac, Weyerhaeuser and Northern Pulp Alberta Pacific Forest Industries, Weyerhaeuser’s Grande Prairie site, and Northern Pulp Nova Scotia were the safest operations in Canada last year, according to Pulp & Paper Canada’s Safest Mill in Canada contest. Weyerhaeuser was the only participating mill to have zero incidents in 2011.

Alberta Pacific Forest Industries placed first among large mills, with six incidents and a frequency rate of 1.11. Howe Sound Pulp & Paper placed second at 1.13.

There was a change to the rules this year, to reflect the fact that fewer mills are reaching the 100,000 man hours per month threshold for Category A. The threshold value was lowered to 80,000 man hours per month for 2011. Domtar’s Windsor mill, which had dominated the small group of Category A mills for several years, fell to third place with a frequency rate of 1.22.

Category B was won by Weyerhaeuser’s Grande Prairie mill, whose employees are to be congratulated for achieving a zeroincident year. Hinton Pulp (0.94) and Resolute Forest Products’ Alma mill (0.99) came in second and third in this category.

Sonoco Canada’s Brantford site, which had an unblemished record for seven years, allowed one incident in 2011, and cedes the top spot in Category C to Northern Pulp Nova Scotia.

Northern Pulp had one incident in 2011, for a frequency rate of 0.35. Slave Lake Pulp placed second with a frequency rate of 0.92, and J.D. Irving’s Lake Utopia Paper was third with 1.36.

March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

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SAFETY Safety leader Mike Pittoello says Northern Pulp’s corporate culture dates from when it was owned by large multinationals Scott Paper and Kimberley Clark.

“We have a good solid foundation from our early days, but scaled back for a standalone business,” Pittoello said.

Northern Pulp’s safety management system has two main elements.

“The first is to identify hazards and evaluate the risk of exposure and take action,” Pittoello said. “The second is to get employees to recognize and control hazards at the workplace and beyond, especially at home and on the road while driving.”

Alberta-Pacific gets SMART about safety

Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc., located in north-central Alberta, is the largest single-line bleached kraft pulp mill in North America. The operation achieved an incident frequency of 1.1 for 2011, taking top spot among the large mills in the Safest Mill contest.

Barry Greenfield, health and safety business unit leader, says Alberta-Pacific implemented the SMART process (Safely Managing Accident Risks Together), the company’s behavior-based safety program, in 2000.

Team members are trained as observers to watch co-workers on the job and to identify behaviors that could pose a safety risk. Then they work together to reduce accidents by eliminating the unsafe behaviors.

A focus on safety is built into the company’s non-traditional management system, which is based on a self-directed team model.

“The founders believed that the best way to achieve a satisfying and high-performing workplace where safety, open communication, productivity and quality are always at the forefront was through self-managed work teams,” Greenfield said.

Every employee at Alberta-Pacific is a member of a team. Each team is small – between six and 15 people – and members are trained to manage their own activities.

Weyerhaeuser Grande Prairie on a safety roll

The Weyerhaeuser Grande Prairie operations, in northwestern Alberta, had no reported incidents in 2011. In fact, says health and safety manager Linda Perkins, the site has had a recordable incident rate of less than 1.0 for the past five years.

24

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

Safest Mill in Canada, 2011 Results Total Recordable incidents

Total hours worked

Frequency

CATEGORY A OVER 80,000 MANHOURS PER MONTH -- Changed for 2011 Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc., Boyle, AB Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Corp., Port Mellon, BC Domtar Inc., Windsor, QC Resolute Forest Products, Fort Frances, ON Resolute Forest Products, Baie-Comeau, QC Catalyst Paper, Crofton, BC

6 6 9 8 11 33

1078823 1064843 1471981 991768 998251 1090047

1.11 1.13 1.22 1.61 2.20 6.05

CATEGORY B 50,000 to 80,000 MANHOURS PER MONTH - Changed for 2011 Weyerhaeuser Canada, Grande Prairie, AB Hinton Pulp (Div. Of West Fraser Mills), Hinton, AB Resolute Forest Products, Alma, QC Resolute Forest Products, Kenogami, QC Kruger Inc., Bromptonville, QC Kruger Wayagamack Inc., Trois-Rivières, QC Canfor, Northwood Pulp Mill, Prince George, BC Canfor, Prince George Pulp & Paper, Prince George, BC Irving Pulp & Paper Ltd., Saint John, NB Resolute Forest Products, Thunder Bay, ON Twin Rivers Paper Co., Edmundston, NB Resolute Forest Products, Laurentide, QC Zellstoff Celgar Limited, Castlegar, BC Catalyst Paper, Powell River, BC Kruger Inc., Trois-Rivieres, QC

0 3 4 5 6 6 9 7 9 10 9 10 12 12 11

608430 640817 811174 632325 667555 654460 945382 689148 791880 862870 756586 776494 824313 727128 635189

0.00 0.94 0.99 1.58 1.80 1.83 1.90 2.03 2.27 2.32 2.38 2.58 2.91 3.30 3.46

CATEGORY C LESS THAN 50,000 MANHOURS PER MONTH Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corp., New Glasgow, NS Slave Lake Pulp Corporation, Slave Lake, AB JD Irving Ltd., Lake Utopia Paper Ltd., St. George, NB Strathcona Paper LP, Napanee, ON Resolute Forest Products, Amos, QC Sonoco Canada Corporation, Brantford, ON Resolute Forest Products, Iroquois Falls, ON Resolute Forest Products, Clermont, QC Bowater Mersey Paper, Liverpool, NS Cariboo Pulp and Paper Co., Quesnel, BC Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Inc., Meadow Lake, SK Quesnel River Pulp, Quesnel, BC Millar Western Forest Products, Whitecourt Pulp, Whitecourt, AB Alberta Newsprint Company, Whitecourt, AB Resolute Forest Products, Thorold, ON Catalyst Paper, Port Alberni, BC Minas Basin Pulp & Power, Hantsport, N.S. Daishowa Marubeni International, Peace River, AB Canfor, Intercontinental Pulp, Prince George, BC Tembec – Kapuskasing Operations, Kapuskasing ON. JD Irving Ltd., Irving Tissue, Saint John, NB Cascades Groupe Carton Plat East Angus, East Angus, QC Tolko Manitoba Kraft Papers, The Pas, MB Kruger Inc., Montreal, QC Norampac Inc., Trenton, ON

1 1 2 2 3 1 5 5 5 6 4 3 3 6 5 11 6 11 10 13 5 4 15 9 9

576993 218329 294508 278364 408855 133379 568701 547304 482938 577341 375398 270280 241120 460947 378516 559911 303703 549614 488342 597379 228532 177227 554796 280700 243408

0.35 0.92 1.36 1.44 1.47 1.50 1.76 1.83 2.07 2.08 2.13 2.22 2.49 2.60 2.64 3.93 3.95 4.00 4.10 4.35 4.38 4.51 5.41 6.41 7.39

pulpandpapercanada.com

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SAFETY “Safe production is the only acceptable production,” Perkins comments.

“Safety is not owned by the healthy and safety department. It’s owned by every person who works on the site. Leaders are expected to manage the safety of themselves, their employees and the work they perform. The health and safety department provides technical support and expertise.”

Perkins says that for the past few years the company has focused on personal risk assessment before starting a task. In 2012, the operation’s safety focus is on helping employees perceive risk.

“Each of us has a different perspective and tolerance based on personal experience,” she said. “We are using concepts from some hazard recognition training we recently received to help us perceive all risks that are present. If we see it, we can solve it.”

seeing more muscular-skeletal disorders in the pulp and paper industry lately.

“There are more older workers in the industry today, because of mill closures and cut-backs,” Traer said. “When the industry was booming, there were more 25-yearolds employed. When they injured themselves, they were out for a day or two and then they were back on the job. But these days the average age of pulp and paper workers is 52-53. When they get injured, they’re off the job for longer.”

On the positive side, the consolidation taking place in the industry means that many small operations are being taken over by bigger companies which have the money and expertise to place a greater emphasis on health and safety.

“Big companies take more of a longterm approach, including how they handle work place safety,” Traer says.

Older workers have different needs

Safety management is not enough

Jerry Traer, a program training specialist with Workplace Safety North, which provides occupational health and safety resources, training and consulting to companies in Ontario, says he has been

Jeffery Lyth, a Vancouver-based safety expert who is principal of QSP Leadership, says most businesses have sought to achieve safety as an outcome by applying and administering safety management systems.

“While this approach is necessary in order to show due diligence, and while it is somewhat effective, many businesses are realizing it has limited return on investment on its own,” states Lyth.

“They find themselves engaged in many activities which are necessary but insufficient for attaining their goals.”

Most businesses have sought to solve their safety problem by creating a safety culture.

“Culture plays a critical role in an effective and integrated operational system, but many [company executives] are at a loss when tasked with going out and creating it in their organization,” Lyth notes.

In order to create an effective safety culture, Lyth says businesses must be prepared to question long held beliefs and challenge their existing mental models.

“They must be prepared to inspire and engage the hearts and minds of the work force in order to achieve [an effective safety] culture,” he explains. “Most importantly, companies must help their supervisors and foremen to understand their roles, and to learn to use new [communication] tools with which to practice their new trade, which is leadership.”

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BCTMP art paper line consumes minimal energy Kadant recently issued its latest technical white paper, Ministickies Removal and 4th Generation Screen Cylinders. The paper presents the screening capabilities of fourth generation cylinders offered by major equipment suppliers and evaluated their performance, including the FibreWall™ screen cylinder from Kadant. Initial field results of the FibreWall cylinders are promising and suggest that the generally accepted screening limits can now be extended to smaller stickies in Classes 1 to 4.

The technical white paper is available free for download at http://www.kadant.com/

26

Metso delivered last year a complete, state-of-the-art pulp manufacturing line for high-quality coated paper at Shouguang Meilun Paper Co., Ltd., of China.

The pulp line, with a production capacity of 500 tons/day, uses mainly poplar and eucalyptus from the mill’s own plantation and from nearby suppliers.

The new Metso BCTMP line (bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp) consists of the RGP 82 CD refiner followed by a twostage bleaching and final refining carried out in conical OptiFiner refiners. According to Metso, the Meilun BCTMP line produces the most energy effective pulp in the

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

world. Bleaching in two stages also reduces chemical consumption when targeting high pulp brightness.

“We are very pleased with the new pulp line. It’s energy-efficient, easy to run, effective, and very flexible. We can maneuver the line to switch from one quality to another in a few minutes, for instance, from art paper to newsprint quality. It makes our mill very cost-effective and enhances our productivity significantly,” says the production manager at the mill.

Metso’s RGP 82 CD refiner is a single disc cantilever design with hydraulic positioning of the rotor disc and the front cover supporting the non-rotating stator disc.

A flat inner refining zone and a conical shaped outer zone make the CD concept unique. The hydraulic system, operated by a guide valve, controls the disc clearance on the conical zone and an electric motor with a worm gear operates eight transroll screws for control of the disc clearance on the flat zone.

Metso Paper Ltd. 514-335-5426, www.metso.com pulpandpapercanada.com

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Shaft ensures maximum up-time

The new Tidland G890 External Element Shaft from Maxcess combines ease of maintenance with full global support for parts and service.

The shaft features a proven air system design that insures maximum up-time while being easy to maintain. The expanding elements ensure superior torque for consistent and predictable wound roll tension.

“The G890 External Element Shaft represents the combined innovation of our European and North American design teams with a rigorous focus on standardization,” said Sean Craig, global product manager for Tidland Winding.

“Our customers serve a global market and we are pleased to release an entire suite of winding products with innovative and standardized features and components that are supported literally around the world.”

Maxcess International 405-755-1600, www.maxcessintl.com

KapStone chooses MAJIQ manufacturing execution systems KapStone Paper and Packaging has selected MAJIQ to deliver a number of projects during 2012. MAJIQ is extending the footprint of its Elixir® product at the Roanoke Rapids Mill, installing a manufacturing execution system (MES) into the Cowpens mill, and moving sales order processing (SOP) functions to a centralized “HQ” Elixir system.

“This series of projects furthers our objective of operating our production business on standard software that fits the way we go about delivering product to our customers,” says Christophe Deslandes, vice-president and CIO of KapStone. “The outcome of this initiative will help ensure that KapStone is well positioned for the future and will deliver even better service and value to our customers.” pulpandpapercanada.com

Steve Latham, president of MAJIQ, adds, “KapStone will have a state-ofthe-art order to cash backbone which will allow them to be agile and provide their customers with timely and accurate information.”

Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, KapStone Paper and Packaging produces unbleached kraft paper products, linerboard and shipping containers.

MAJIQ’s Elixir product provides integrated sales order processing (SOP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES).

MAJIQ Inc. 604-886-2538, www.majiq.com

Foam forming has potential to reduce raw material and production costs VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, together with industry, is setting up a new pilot scale technology platform for foam forming applications.

According to VTT, foam forming technology makes it possible to improve paper properties and manufacture high porosity, smooth and light weight products (e.g. hygiene products, insulation materials, and filters). It may be a solution for various printed intelligent, nano- or microcellulose applications.

“The foam forming technology requires significantly less water than conventional paper and board manufacturing. In foam forming, large amounts of air are mixed into the fibre furnish which makes it possible to achieve unique product properties,” states VTT’s technology manager Janne Poranen. “This technology reduces water and energy consumption while saving raw material. Laboratory results from the Forestcluster programmes have shown potential for remarkable fibre savings.”

Other partners of the project are UPM, Stora-Enso, M-real, Metso, Kemira, Omya, Wetend Technologies and Vision Systems, and the cities of Jyväskylä, Äänekoski and Jämsä.

VTT Technical Resarch Centre of Finland 358 20 722 111, www.vtt.fi

Stora Enso orders a compact approach flow system POM Technology Oy Ab has received an order for the supply of a compact approach flow system for Stora Enso’s

new testliner machine in Ostroleka Mill in Poland. The start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2013.

At a wire width of 8,600 mm and a design speed of 1,800 m/min, the new Narew PM5 project will produce 455,000 metric tons of testliner per year.

The POM compact approach system delivery includes: two POMix Stock Processors for efficient stock mixing, three POMp Degassers for white water dearation, two POMlock suction leg sealing units as well as compact process solutions and engineering for the whole approach flow system.

Stora Enso’s focus of this investment was on operational savings from improved drainage, cleanliness and quality as well as on space and especially energy cost savings, which all are met by POM System applications and principles.

POM Technology became part of Aikawa Fiber Technologies (AFT) at beginning of 2012.

Aikawa Fiber Technologies 514-4816111, www.aikawagroup.com

Wastewater measurement technology reduces chemical costs

Metso has developed an online measurement technology with which municipal and industrial wastewater plants are able to improve their performance and reduce the amount of chemicals used in the sludge drying process by even up to one-third.

The new Metso Low Solids Measurement is the first online measurement technology for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants that enables measurement of a media with very low solids contents in difficult applications, like centrifuge centrate. The technology also offers significant savings per centrifuge in polymer and centrifuge usage.

According to Metso, one large North American wastewater treatment plant March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

27

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

has calculated savings of up to 30% of its chemical costs. “In addition, a municipal plant in Finland using Metso LS™ estimates that they will achieve annually EUR 15,000 savings in polymer and centrifuge usage only by keeping reject water total suspended solids lower that 1000mg/l,” says Timo Rantala, product manager, Metso’s Automation business line.

The Metso Low Solids Measurement system is based on LED and laser technology. It dearates, filters, and measures the process solids. It also has self-cleaning capabilities to keep the measurement optics clean for continued accurate measurement.

With Metso LS measurement it is possible to control polymer usage and thus improve throughput and function of the centrifuge. A higher solids content of concentrated sludge results in higher thermal energy in the subsequent incineration process, or alternatively reduces transportation costs when shipping to a landfill. Furthermore, Metso LS reduces conventional sampling and laboratory work due to its reliable and accurate operation.

Metso Automation 514-908-7045, www.metso.com

Automation upgrade will diversify paper grades

ABB recently won an extensive order to upgrade automation at DS Smith Paper Ltd.’s Kemsley Mill in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. The new systems will help the

28

mill produce a greater diversity of high quality paper products.

The order includes an upgrade of the mill’s PM3 automation and drive systems.

The mill’s Advant QCS will be upgraded to an 800xA with two new network platforms and an air water spray. The drives upgrade includes new ACS800 drives and AC800M controllers. One of the existing DCS Advant controllers will be upgraded to an AC800M and integrated into the system.

The upgraded ABB drives will deliver fast start ups and benefits over the equipment lifecycle that include increased productivity, improved quality and energy savings, while the new web imaging solution will give the mill a state-of-theart tool for identifying web defects and managing visual uniformity.

The Kemsley Mill is rebuilding PM3 to produce high quality linerboard and whitetop liner grades. The new systems will be ready for start-up in June 2012.

ABB, www.abb.com

Honeywell system selected for quality control of recycled newsprint Honeywell has been selected by Kahramanmaraş Kağıt Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., (KMKPAPER) to deploy its Experion® MX Quality Control System (QCS) and Experion® Process Knowledge Control System (PKS) at a new paper mill based in Kütahya, Turkey.

The facility, which is due to be completed in May 2012, will produce de-inked newsprint, as well as printing and writing paper. The Experion MX QCS will be used to monitor consistent paper quality using constant measurement of all critical variables to meet the high standards demanded by the customers.

Honeywell’s Experion systems help Kahramanmaraş Paper produce high quality paper grades using only recycled stock without the need to add virgin pulp.

The integrated control system also allows the pulping and papermaking processes to operate at maximum efficiency, optimizing energy and raw material usage.

“This will allow them to produce high value-added paper grades with recycled pulp using less energy and raw materials and positioning this new facility to be more efficient and profitable,” said Orhan

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

Genis, vice-president sales, EMEA, for Honeywell Process Solutions.

Honeywell Process Solutions, www.honeywellprocess.com

Lower torque gear drives

SEW-Eurodrive has rounded off the lower power range of the robust X-Series helical and bevel-helical gear units by offering gear units for the torque range of 6.8 to 45 kNm (5000 to 33,000 ft-lb).

The X Series’ finely graduated size and high power density results in savings in terms of both weight and cost. The large amount of pre-defined accessory equipment creates flexibility in terms of adjusting the unit to each respective application.

SEW-Eurodrive Co. of Canada Ltd. 905-791-1553, www.sew-eurodrive.com

Yankee cylinder drive unit reduces life-cycle costs Moventas Santasalo has developed a new gear series of Yankee cylinder drive units with enhanced layout designed to meet the needs of today’s high-speed tissue machines. Its cost-effective and maintenance-friendly structure is said to reduce the life-cycle costs of Yankee cylinder drive units.

The unique pre-load arrangement of the main bearing is a completely new design that Moventas Santasalo has developed to optimize load distribution. This stabilizes the running of the Yankee cylinder drive unit and consequently extends bearing life.

Additionally, the pre-load arrangement of the main bearings is adjustable, for instance, in situations when a unit is used as a spare reducer for opposite-handed tissue machines.

Moventas Santasalo Oy, 358 20 184 7100, www.moventas.com pulpandpapercanada.com

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March/April 2012 PULP & PAPER CANADA

29

OPINION

Silver Lining to Fine Papers’ Decline

By Glenn Clifford, APP Canada

S

tatistics on the paper industry in Canada are startling enough to give anyone pause. Stories abound of closed mills, company exits and layoffs. In just the last year alone, the paper industry has shrunk dramatically. This year is likely to be more of the same, with 82% of forest sector CEOs planning to cut costs in 2012, according to PwC’s 15th Annual Global CEO Survey.

It can be argued that the paper industry of today is in worse shape than the automobile industry of the 1980s, with operating mills, paper prices and production volumes all in decline.

A Snapshot of Canada’s Fine Paper Industry

Invest and evolve

The paper industry is in a state of evolution, and Canada needs to be a part of 30

Canada 2012

13 paper merchants

Four paper merchants

30 to 40 fine paper mills

A handful of fine paper mills left

Paper selling for $1.50 a pound

Paper selling for between $0.50 and $0.55 a pound

30% foreign distributorship Globally competitive labour market Print-driven economy

Paper cuts

We have all heard these anecdotes of our industry’s cuts. We hear about cuts to inventory, costs, jobs and plants. It is a natural reaction to the digital revolution that is shrinking our industry.

But don’t write off our industry yet.

It’s not vanishing; it’s just evolving. New realities don’t mark the end of an industry, but rather a harsh message that it is time to reinvent ourselves.

The key to Canada’s future success in the paper industry can be boiled down to one word: investment. Right now, there are mills in Asia and Europe that are so advanced that that they look more like science fiction movies than paper facilities. One week of output from some overseas mills can equal a full year of production capacity for a Canadian fine paper mill. These high-technology operations make better paper products, more quickly, at a lower cost. Canada won’t be able to compete with these world-class, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities by working with the same old equipment in the same old way.

Canada 1980s

Canadian dollar at an all-time low in 2002, Canadian products become cheaper to buy it. But the fact is, Canadian investment in our industry is severely lacking. As an example, our country has not had a new fine paper manufacturing machine in 25 years! Today’s lower demand for traditional paper products makes it the opportune time to reinvest in converting mills to produce pulp and paper products that are on the cusp of their demand. Now is our chance to switch gears and become the new pulp and paper industry. It is the oldest adage in the world – the Canadian paper industry must evolve to survive.

How do we know where industry demand will be in the future? We don’t have a crystal ball, but an agile company can, in a general way, see which way the paper industry is pointing. We know that shorter digital press runs will continue to be the norm, wide format runs will be more popular, hybrid packaging that combines product and shipping packaging will be in high demand, innovations in food packaging will always garner attention, and people won’t suddenly stop using napkins and tissue paper.

PULP & PAPER CANADA March/April 2012

More than 50% foreign distributorship

Less globally competitive work environment with rising hydro rates, labour costs, and a stronger dollar

Move to digital platforms decreasing demand for printed products Canadian dollar climbs in value for a decade, limiting cross-border advantage

We are also just starting to realize that pulp manufacturers have other options besides creating paper, like Fortress Paper, who has repurposed its specialty pulp for use in the textile industries.

APP Canada is another example of a company that has realized the need to reinvent its business model to capitalize on changing times. APP isn’t raising any white flags. Instead, we are expanding our paper merchant product offerings, doubling our staff, increasing our national presence and getting ready for the next wave of growth that will turn our old industry into a new one.

Canada has what it takes to reinvent our industry. I am hopeful that our ability to adapt to the digital age will lead to the birth of an entirely new pulp and paper industry in Canada.

Glenn Clifford is a paper industry veteran, with 25 years of experience in the paper industry.

He currently leads sales for APP’s Canadian operations. pulpandpapercanada.com

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