Pulp & Paper Canada March/April 2014

PULP& PAPER

SAFETY TIPS FROM DOMTAR CHEMICALS AND TMP NEW STEAM LAB IN ALBERTA

CANADA

OVER 100 YEARS OF SERVING THE INDUSTRY

MARCH/APRIL 2014

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Canada’s SAFEST MILLS

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PAPTAC

Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Association technique des pâtes et papie

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March/April 2014 Vol. 115, No. 2 A Business Information Group Publication PRINT EDITION ISSN 0316-4004 ON-LINE EDITION ISSN 1923-3515

CANADA

OVER 100 YEARS OF SERVING THE INDUSTRY

COVER STORY

21 Safest Mill in Canada Contest Domtar hangs on to top spot among large mills, Weyerhaeuser and Resolute Forest Products lead in other categories.

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FEATURES

12 PaperWeek Canada Review

The Canadian industry’s annual gathering covered all the bases, from technical developments to market trends, from research breakthroughs to social events.

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IN EVERY ISSUE

22 Chemical Treatments Creep into

4 6 8 23 25 26

Are chemicals the answer to more energy-efficient mechanical pulping? Several groups are exploring that possibility.

MISSION STATEMENT: To promote the pulp and paper industry in Canada by publishing news of its people and their innovations in research, technology, management and financing, as well as forecasts of future trends.

19 Climbing the Safety Ladder

Domtar’s safety record is built on many small improvements.

Learn what tools this safety leader uses every day.

Mechanical Pulping

Editorial

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News Opinion: FPInnovations Technology News Classified Ads Bio-Economy

Serving the industry since 1903.

For breaking news, visit www.pulpandpapercanada.com Cover image: Thinkstock

www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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March/April 2014

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Editorial

Tidbits from PaperWeek

T

hese are bits and pieces of information from PaperWeek Canada that caught my attention but didn’t fit within the PaperWeek coverage which begins on page 12.

• The career fair area and booths were very visually appealing this year. There was good information available, plus lots of items to see, touch, and take home. I particularly liked the cost of living comparison between urban and rural locations.

However, there was a conspicuous lack of students attending the career fair.

• While FPAC, FPInnovations and government agencies are quick to celebrate any investment in R&D and innovation, other speakers noted Cindy Macdonald a lack of policy support in Canada for the forest Editor products industry and biofuels. Shaun Leslie Turriff, a business writer covering the Forest Biorefinery Symposium on behalf of Pulp & Paper Canada, comments: “The dearth and unevenness of Canadian policy and political attitude towards a sustainable, robust bioeconomy has been an important topic of discussion in the forest products industry for some time. Examples like Germany’s Fraunhofer Center prove that political will, coupled with private industry, can produce substantial results.”

• Domtar’s John D. Williams had a few memorable comments.

He noted that part of caring for your business is removing people who underperform. He also explained that Domtar empowers its people to take action but places a high value on deliberation. “You probably have more time to think it through than you think,” said Williams.

• Having recently gone through the start-up of a greenfield mill, Murray Hewitt of Greenpac had plenty of details to offer.

Construction of the building and installation of the pulping line and paper machine required 5.2 million lb. of rebar, and 4500 tons of steel, said Hewitt. More than 700 motors were installed, and miles of piping. When it came to commissioning the new equipment, 217 subsystems were involved, and 3000 instruments, plus the aforementioned 700 motors. The complexity boggles my mind, and prompts me to tip my hat to operations and maintenance personnel in all pulp and paper mills.

As always, I enjoyed PaperWeek for both the learning opportunities and the social events. Now I’m looking forward to PacWest in May.

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

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Handling a World of Materials

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Industry News China decision rocks Canada’s dissolving pulp producers China’s decision to impose duties on dissolving pulp imports sent waves through the Canadian industry. Fortress Paper quickly announced it would swing production at its Thurso, Que., dissolving pulp mill to NBHK, and then later took market downtime saying neither product was viable at that time. Paper Excellence, which had plans to convert the Prince Albert mill in Saskatchewan to produce dissolving pulp, is now looking to fluff pulp.

The Fortress Specialty Cellulose mill in Thurso took about 10 weeks of market downtime and restarted in early March.

According to Fortress, the recent imposition of an interim duty by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on the import of Canadian dissolving pulp into China has made it uneconomical for its specialty cellulose mill to continue producing dissolving pulp at this time.

Chadwick Wasilenkoff, CEO of Fortress Paper, said the downtime would reduce the “cash burn based on current market prices and the current preliminary duty that has been imposed.”

For Paper Excellence, the countervailing duties derailed plans to restart a shuttered mill. “That totally destroys the work that we’ve been doing,” Dale Paterson told the Prince Albert Daily Herald (Dec. 16).

“There is no 50% margin in making pulp.”

The Chinese government’s anti-dumping import duty applies to imports of viscose market pulp from Brazil, Canada and the U.S. The investigation of potential “dumping” has been going on since 2012.

According to media reports, a 13% levy is being applied to Fortress, Tembec Inc. and “two Canadian producers on the East Coast.” AV Cell and AV Nackawic are the only two East Coast producers of dissolving pulp. New producers (like Paper Excellence) would face 50% levy.

American exporters to China are reportedly facing a 20% duty.

These duties are considered preliminary; the MOFCOM investigation is expected to be concluded in the first half of 2014.

Resolute announces indefinite shutdown of Fort Frances mill The last operating paper machine at Resolute Forest Products’ pulp and paper mill in Fort Frances, Ont., shut down at the end of January. Kraft pulp production and one other paper machine had been shut down in late 2012, so this latest closure leaves the mill in a state of indefinite shutdown.

CBC News reports that company president Richard Garneau said the paper machine will be kept ready for future operation.

The company also said it is looking for alternative products for the Fort Frances operation.

Georgia Pacific idles Thorold paper plant The Georgia Pacific plant in Thorold, Ont., will be idled by the end of the first quarter of 2014, a local newspaper reports. According to the St. Catharines Standard, the plant will halt production and 109 employees will be out of work.

Georgia Pacific spokesman Eric Abercrombie told the newspaper the plant will be maintained and a restart is possible if market conditions improve.

The Thorold plant makes paper used to in the production of drywall panels.

Abercrombie said market conditions and “lower costs associated with alternative paper sourcing” were factors in the decision to idle the facility.

The Standard reports that production at the Thorold plant had been reduced to one week per month in recent months.

Thorold Mayor Ted Luciani commented that the Georgia Pacific shutdown leaves only Resolute Forest Products operating in a city that once had five paper mills.

Unifor wins Eurocan arbitration case Canada’s largest union in the private sector has won a key arbitration award that will see nine retiring workers from Local 298 and Local 1127 receive the compensation they were promised when West Fraser closed its Eurocan pulp mill.

New steam lab will ease access for Alberta’s power engineering students

By Carroll McCormick

R

esponding to the tremendous demand for steam lab time for power engineering students, the Peace River campus of Northern Lakes College (NLC) in Alberta is installing a steam lab that will provide hands-on training for about 80 fourth-class power engineering students a year. It is scheduled to open in September 2014.

The steam lab is being built by Calgary-based Darby Tech Training Equipment Inc. It will include a three- to four-litre engine, an alternator with a power rating up to 30 kW, switchgear and safety controls, load bank, heat recovery system and operator controls.

The demand on Alberta’s four active steam labs is extremely high. NLC, which runs 200 students a year through its power engineering program, sends most of its students to Lakeland College in Lloydminster, Alta., for steam lab training. It can only place eight students a year at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

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Steam lab access is critical for power engineering students.

“They need 200 hours of steam lab time, over five weeks, before they can write their exam. Otherwise, they need 800 hours of equipment time in the field. The new steam lab will be an awesome opportunity for any power engineering student,” says Nelson Lutz, director of trades and technology programs, NLC. Fundraising is still ongoing for the $2-million steam lab, for which NLC has so far raised more then $1.5 million. This includes $500,000 from Shell and $100,000 from Penn West Petroleum.

A key rationale for building the steam lab in Peace River is to ensure that local people can receive training, so they can work locally. “Companies have realized that the best way to hire [and retain] loyal employees is to first start with local training,” Lutz says.

“This is a huge win,” says Amber Armstrong, communications and public relations superintendent for Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd., Peace River Pulp Division. “The waiting list for steam time is crazy.”

www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Industry News “We were fighting for retirees who were short-changed,” said Unifor western director Scott Doherty. “This ruling confirms that workers have the right to rescind notice of retirement.”

In 2009, nine workers at the Eurocan mill in Kitimat, B.C. were scheduled to retire when they learned that the site was going to close permanently in February 2010. As a result of the closure, the company was offering a generous severance to workers exclusive of retirement benefits.

In response, the retiring workers rescinded their retirement notice to opt instead for the severance package. The company refused to accept the change.

The former Communications, Energy and Paperworkers’ Union (now Unifor) filed a grievance on behalf of the retiring workers. After a series of appeals, the case was re-arbitrated, upholding the original judgement in the workers’ favour.

PacWest set for Jasper in May Improving mill results is the theme of this year’s PacWest Conference, which will take place in Jasper, Alta., from May 28 to 31. The annual conference and trade show incorporates technical presentations, short courses and round table discussions for maintenance, pulp and paper mill staff.

The opening forum on Thursday, May 29, will follow the conference theme: Improving Mill Results – Keys to Success.

Speakers include Brian Baarda, CFO, Catalyst Paper; Martin Pudlas, vice-president operations, Canfor Pulp; Darby Kreitz, CEO, Allnorth Consultants; Ted Bell, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers; Rick Heyland, executive vice-president, RLG International; Larry Stefan, president, Stefan, Fraser & Associates.

Friday’s keynote speaker is management consultant Jim Bottomley.

PacWest is organized by the Pacific Coast and Western branches of PAPTAC, and IBMP, a group of industry suppliers.

For more details, visit www.pacwestcon. net.

Cascades plans months-long celebration of 50th anniversary Anniversary celebrations for Quebec-based tissue and packaging company Cascades will extend to all of the company’s units and their respective regions, and continue from March 26 to the end of the summer. www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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“In 1964, we brought the old Dominion Paper Co. mill back to life with help from the community. At the time, we had little idea that our bold gamble would transform into a grand adventure that would stand the test of time and take us around the world,” explains Bernard Lemaire, one of the three brothers who founded Cascades.

Industry members are invited to share photos or anecdotes at the anniversary web site: www.cascades.com/50.

Explosion at Fort Frances mill injures one worker

An employee was critically injured in an explosion at the biomass boiler of Resolute Forest Products’ Fort Frances mill.

The incident occurred on Feb. 27. The employee has not been identified, and was transferred to a hospital in Toronto with burn injuries, according to a report in the Fort Frances Times.

A spokesperson for Resolute said the boiler was back in operation later the same day, and expressed the company’s concern for the injured worker.

Global Forest Watch program employs new satellite technology The World Resources Institute (WRI), Google, and a group of more than 40 partners have launched Global Forest Watch (GFW), a dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests.

Global Forest Watch unites the latest satellite technology, open data, and crowdsourcing to provide access to timely and reliable information about forests.

“Businesses, governments and communities desperately want better information about forests. Now, they have it,” said Dr. Andrew Steer, president and CEO, WRI. “Global Forest Watch is a near-real time monitoring platform that will fundamentally change the way people and businesses manage forests. From now on, the bad guys cannot hide and the good guys will be recognized for their stewardship.”

According to data from the University of Maryland and Google, the world lost 2.3 million sq km (230 million hectares) of tree cover from 2000 to 2012 − equivalent to 50 soccer fields of forest lost every minute of every day for 12 years.

For more information visit http://www. globalforestwatch.org.

Briefly • Kemira has acquired 3F Chimica S.p.A, an Italian producer of dry and emulsion polyacrylamide polymers and related process chemicals. 3F products are used in retention and drainage in paper production, in the oil and gas industry, in mining, as well as in wastewater treatment and sludge dewatering. The acquisition includes two manufacturing sites in Italy and one site in Aberdeen, Miss.

• HiTech Communications will serve as the sales agent and technical support for FPInnovations’ FPDat™ and FPTrak™ product line in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as in Nova Scotia. These products collect and analyze data directly from wood harvesting equipment.

• The sale of the site of Tembec Inc.’s idled joint venture pulp mill in Marathon, Ont., has been delayed because potential buyer Illinois-based Green Investment Group Inc. (GIGI) missed the final deadline of Jan. 22, Northern Ontario Business reported Jan. 31. For the sale to proceed, Tembec and GIGI would have to bring a new sale agreement to Ontario’s Ministry of Environment (MOE) that meets its requirements.

• Kathy Buckman Gibson has stepped away from her role as chairman of the board of Buckman to take the position of president and chief operating officer for Buckman International. Assuming the chairman’s role will be Buckman board member Otto Heissenberger, Jr. In her new role, Buckman Gibson’s focus will be on growing operational results, customer relationships and Buckman’s reputation in the specialty chemical industry.

• Imerys has sold four industrial sites producing calcium carbonate for the paper market to Omya. They are located in France, Sweden, Italy and the United States.

• Two North American paper and packaging distribution businesses have announced a merger. International Paper’s xpedx and Unisource Worldwide, Inc. will merge to form a new publicly traded company.

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Industry News BC mill teaches educators about paper mill jobs

Courtesy Catalyst Paper

Catalyst Paper’s Port Alberni, B.C., division recently held a professional development day for teachers, where it hosted about 50 educators to inform them of the career opportunities at the mill for their students.

According to a report in the Alberni Valley Times, the mill is “constantly hiring,” says general manager Fred Chinn.

Staff turnover has been common at Catalyst for the past 24 months. In that period, 28% of the mill’s workforce has been changed due to retirements, Chinn told the paper. “There’s lots of opportunities for young people,” Chinn said. “We’ve hired over 100 people in the last two years.”

To continue to be able to hire local people, Chinn developed the “Educate the Educator” day. “I said, let’s invite the teachers in for an open house,” Chinn said. “I thought we’d have them learn about us, the mill, the process, so that when they are talking with their students, and answering questions from their students, that they could have more insight about what we’re all about.”

Federal budget is welcome boost for industry transformation The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) has said that it appreciates the additional support for innovation and sector transformation in the latest federal budget. The budget includes an additional $90.4 million over four years for the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program that has already helped Canadian forest product companies develop world-first innovations, according to FPAC. FPAC also welcomed the budget measure that allocates $18 million over four years for early intervention to prevent the spread of spruce budworm in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

FSC strengthening Aboriginal Peoples’ rights in forest management standard

An aging workforce is creating job openings at Catalyst Paper.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) intends to help strengthen Aboriginal Peoples’ rights in Canada by rigorously applying free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) to FSC’s forest management standards.

“Free, prior and informed consent is seen as one of the key

Investing in professional development via FPInnovations’ pulp & paper course

By Jennifer Ellson, senior communications specialist, fpinnovations

O

ur industry is experiencing a renewal of its labour force as baby boomers begin to retire. The new engineers recently hired by Canadian pulp and paper mills come either fresh out of university or from other industries. This creates a need for training in the pulp and paper area. In addition, the pulp and industry is in the process of transformation towards growth markets and new applications such as tissue and towel, hygiene products, specialty products, biomaterials and bioenergy.

Nowadays, conversations about pulp and paper are interspersed with discussions about nanotechnology, intelligent papers and cellulose filaments. Undeniably, there’s been a lot of technical advancement in our industry and there is a need for stakeholders to adapt to the 8

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continuing changes and technological breakthroughs as the industry moves to specialized products.

To address this necessity, FPInnovations introduced a four-day pulp and paper training course late last year, which attracted 44 people. The audience comprised engineers newly hired by pulp and paper mills, government staff and new FPInnovations scientists and technical personnel.

Participants benefitted from the depth and breadth of knowledge of FPInnovations’ scientists and researchers. They had direct interaction with close to 30 FPInnovations experts. Attendees had the opportunity to learn through 31 lectures covering topics from fibre supply to end products, in addition to 11 interactive demonstrations provided at FPIn-

novations’ laboratories and pilot plants in Montreal, Que. Not only did the specialists cover the basic concepts and equipment related to wood chemistry, pulping, papermaking and paper properties, they also presented the latest in technological developments and trends.

Comments received from participants confirm the growing demand for shorter courses with flexible schedules for a busy workforce wanting to upgrade skills and for newly hired staff wanting to learn the fundamentals of pulping and papermaking. Feedback has been positive. Attendees describe FPInnovations’ pulp and paper course as an effective way to help mills improve their performance through the professional development and training of their employees.

Several pulp and paper mills have already expressed their strong interest for this year’s edition, which is planned for September.

For more information on the pulp and paper course, contact Xuejun Zou at xuejun.zou@fpinnovations.ca or at 514-630-4132. www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Industry News

Photo: Darryl Dyck, Canadian Press

principles of international human rights law to protect our people from destruction of our lives, culture and livelihood.

FSC is the only forest certification system to implement and rigorously apply free, prior and informed consent to their forest management standards,” says Brad Young, executive director, National Aboriginal Forestry Association.

PPI recognizes Kruger Products for its sustainable business growth Kruger Products L.P., a Canada’s manufacturer of tissue products, has earned the Business Strategy of the Year Award from Pulp and Paper International (PPI).

“Being recognized for our sustainable growth among such notable peers is truly an honour,” said Mario Gosselin, CEO, Kruger Products. “This award is shared by the 2,300 Kruger Products employees because together we have defined our corporate strategies, enhanced our customer relationships and expanded our market reach to ensure a future of sustainable growth.”

Gathered for a recent funding announcement are James Olson; John Hepburn, UBC vice-president research & international; Greg Rickford, Minister of State for Science and Technology; Wai Young, Vancouver South MP; Mark Martinez.

Martinez takes over from Olson at UBC Pulp and Paper Centre Dr. James Olson has stepped down as Director of the Pulp and Paper Centre at the University of British Columbia and accepted a new position with the Faculty of Applied Science as Associate Dean for Research and Industrial Partnerships.

Dr. Mark Martinez, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UBC, as well as PPC faculty associate and director of the Advanced Papermaking Initiative, is the new director of the Pulp and Paper Centre.

“During my term I tried to develop a strategy for UBC in the bio-economy, helped to lead the BERIE network and worked to develop new initiatives including the UBC bio-refinery which I still strongly believe in,” Olson wrote in the announcement of Martinez’s succession as director. “I strongly believe that the Centre has tremendous potential to really impact the industry and the province.”

Olson noted that Martinez has had some success bringing in new research programs related to advanced bio-materials, including micro fibrillated cellulose (MFC).

Forestry student announced as winner of Skills Award for Aboriginal Youth The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) has awarded the second annual Skills Award for Aboriginal Youth to Shayna Mason, a student in the Forestry Program at the University of Alberta.

“Shayna’s love of forestry and strong sense of responsibility to the Aboriginal community is testimony to the positive direction our industry is taking,” says David Lindsay, president and CEO of FPAC. “The forest products industry currently employs about 17,000 Aboriginal workers, making it the largest employer of First Nations individuals.”

Mason, who is a member of the Gitxaala Nation in Kitkatla, B.C., also sits on the Executive of the UofA Forest Society and is a student member of the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF).

Mason’s interest for the forest sector started early in her youth. While pursuing a finance degree at the University of Northern British Columbia, she spent her summers planting trees. “I soon realized that I had a passion for forestry,” says Mason. After working three years in finance, she decided 10

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to change careers and pursue her dream of becoming a forester. “I want to honour the spirit of past forestry leaders while trying to adapt to a changing industry and environment.”

DMI is one of 50 best workplaces for employee engagement Daishowa-Marubeni International’s Peace River Pulp Division has earned a spot on the list of 50 Most Engaged Workplaces compiled by Achievers. This annual award recognizes top employers that display leadership and innovation in engaging employees.

“We are honored to have been selected as a workplace that recognizes the value of our team members. As a company, we understand that diversity in culture, skills, attitudes, and lifestyles contribute

March/April 2014

to a strong and motivated environment,” stated Bill Downing, mill manager of the Peace River Pulp Division.

Achievers is a supplier of software that helps global companies increase employee engagement, retention, and performance to drive overall business success. The panel of 14 judges for the Achievers Award included various academics and thought leaders on employee engagement, as well as representatives of organizations such as the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA), and Human Capital Institute (HCI).

Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. operates a 400,000 tonne/year hardwood/ softwood kraft pulp mill in Peace River, Alta. It is one of the top pulp producers in North America. www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Photo: Darryl Dyck, Canadian Press

50 years and still green Since 1964, Cascades has been committed to recycling for a better world.

Every day, over 12,000 men and women transform your surroundings by changing the very nature of things.

This represents hundreds of innovative products, ranging from simple paper to complex packaging, each produced with respect for the environment and community.

This is why we are proud to be one of the world’s largest processors of recyclable materials.

It’s in our nature.

Alain Lemaire Cofounder

Laurent Lemaire Cofounder

Mario Plourde President and Chief Executive Officer

Bernard Lemaire Cofounder

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Bleed

Trim

PaperWeek Review

Live

PaperWeek Canada: Insights & Innovation The Canadian industry’s annual gathering covered all the bases, from technical developments to market trends, from research breakthroughs to social events.

By Shaun LeSLie Turriff

T

his year’s PaperWeek Canada event in Montreal marked the 100th edition of PAPTAC’s annual meeting. The centennial lent an air of celebration to the event, only slightly marred by the continued challenges facing the Canadian industry.

Concerning these, Sten Nilsson offered a sobering keynote address. Nilsson, a specialist in forest sector policy, noted that anniversaries are times for celebration, but also for critical reflection. He then proceeded to give the audience much to reflect upon, offering a grim view of the Canadian industry.

Current challenges include the uncertain state of the global economy and decreasing global consumption of most industry products. The age of Canada’s machines and infrastructure, along with low re-investment, was cited as another major problem.

More importantly, however, Nilsson also pointed to structural problems within the industry. Foremost was a lack of strong government policy to support the industry. Also noted was the short-term culture of the industry leaders, coupled with the large investment of foreign capital, which may also focus on short-term returns.

These structural issues, according to Nilsson, form barriers to the transformation that the industry clearly needs. The situation has “shredded” research and development capacity in the Canadian industry. “Innovation is broken,” claimed Nilsson.

Solutions, for Nilsson, require drastic changes at the highest levels of the industry. Policy and boardroom culture have to change for the industry to truly transform. Nilsson urged the federal government to adopt an integrated policy, to reform forest

tenureship, and to think globally. At the industry level, he urged long-term thinking by industry leaders, and a push towards radical transformation, not incremental change. Partnering with chemical, oil and gas, and medical industries are an important part of the solution, according to Nilsson.

Nilsson closed by admitting that Canada’s strengths in the industry, under the right policy and leadership, could usher in the transformation required to “get with the times.”

Looking back, looking ahead Pulp and paper executives were more upbeat about the state of the industry. Commenting on the centennial of the annual industry gathering, John D. Williams, CEO of Domtar, noted: “This industry has a fine legacy. There’s no point in us apologizing for it.”

He outlined how Domtar is transitioning from a papermaking business to a fibre-based consumer products business. The company’s core paper business is experiencing demand decline of 3-5% per year. To combat this, part of the company’s strategy has been to diversify to the personal care market. In recent years, Domtar has spent $1.5 billion on key acquisitions.

Resolute Forest Products, under the leadership of Richard Garneau, has followed a different strategy. The company has trimmed its asset base, focused on reducing production costs, and embraced sustainability as a cornerstone of the business.

In his keynote address, Garneau said, “There’s little doubt the companies that survive will be the most cost-efficient.” However, he explained that Resolute’s sustainable focus does improve the

PAPERWEEK ATTENDANCE CLIMBING

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More than 1100 people attended the 100th edition of PaperWeek Canada, the annual conference and trade show for the Canadian pulp and paper industry. Organized by PAPTAC, PaperWeek Canada was held in Montreal on Feb. 3-6, 2014. The 2014 edition marked the 100th anniversary of the event, making it, PAPTAC says, the longest running annual meeting of the industry globally.

L s

The number represents peak attendance over the past six years. More than 250 participants were from pulp and paper mills. The PaperWeek trade show was sold out, with close to 50 exhibitors present to showcase their services and technology.

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PaperWeek Review

Sandra Beder-Miller of BTG Americas (in red) explores the career fair.

company’s competitiveness, and that the safety of employees is the company’s first priority.

Although Garneau said the industry needs to envision entirely new possibilities for the forest sector, he is confident the industry will endure. “This industry will continue to be significant to the economy of Canadian communities and families for generations to come.”

A keynote presentation from Marco Marcheggiani, Valmet, reminded everyone that not all market trends are down. Tissue markets are projected to continue to grow.

However, the industry needs to ensure it can meet customer demand for increased softness, bulk, strength and absorbency while driving down use of raw materials,

The team from Enzymatic Deinking Technologies at PaperWeek.

EDT recently received a Sustainable Supplier Award from Cascades.

energy and water. Marcheggiani presented Valmet’s contributions in this field, including new machines and technology, better preemptive maintenance, and flexible processes aimed at tissue makers’ needs.

Support for innovation is getting results The need for strong industry leadership was echoed several times by Virginie Chambost, Envertis, who noted that decision making culture in the industry, especially in regards to biorefining projects, needs to change.

Several speakers that focused on Canadian successes challenged Nilsson’s position regarding government policy. JeanFrançois Levasseur, Natural Resource Canada, presented results from NRCan’s

Research takes the stage on PaperWeek’s first day Opening day for PaperWeek Canada 2014 was intensely focused on research and inno-

vation. Called FIBRE Day, Monday, Feb. 3, featured presentations by all the research networks of FIBRE. During the FIBRE sessions, Makhlouf Laleg of ArboraNano discussed how fibrils combined with polymers could contribute to improving the strength and performance of packaging grades of paper and board. He noted that functionalization of the fibrils could reduce the drainage problems during formation that are typically associated with the addition of fibrils.

Cedric Briens, the leader of the Lignoworks network, noted that some of the researchers in this group have had early success creating carbon aerogels and “green” composites of lignin and PLA, which may be an alternative to thermoplastic elastomers. The group has also developed an energy-neutral pyrolysis process for kraft lignin, and is working on oxidation of bio-oil using air and base metal catalysts.

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March/April 2014

Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT). The IFIT program funded 14 projects in Canada, 9 of which are the first of their kind worldwide. IFIT itself is the first program of its nature worldwide, and is seen in the global industry as a best practice.

As a program, IFIT aims to help new technologies cross the so-called “valley of death” between demonstration and commercial scale, thus encouraging broader adoption and further investment. In the cadre of IFIT funding, projects between $5 and $15 million seem to be the most successful. Levasseur noted that biorefinery projects work well in the program, as they tended to be manageable in both size and risk. The program was also very successful in forming funding partnerships with provinces and utilities. IFIT was renewed in the most recent federal budget.

One of IFIT’s success stories is the construction of a demonstration plant by Kruger, in partnership with FPInnovations, producing cellulose filaments (CF). Cellulose filaments, mechanically produced from kraft fibres, are hundreds of times thinner, but retain the length of the original fibre. These long, thin filaments offer high surface area with exceptional bonding power. The production of these filaments uses commercially available equipment and is simple, robust, and reliable. The process uses no chemicals or enzymes, produces zero effluent, offers 100% yield and has competitive fabrication and capital costs. www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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PaperWeek Review

Kruger and FPInnovations see CF as having real potential as reinforcement in paper, board, towel and tissue products, rendering those products more competitive. The demand within the industry is estimated at 100,000 t/y in North America. The product could also open doors to new markets with higher value. These markets could include thermoplastics, thermosets, adhesives, non-wovens, and coatings.

The Kruger plant will produce enough CF to supply FPInnovations’ R&D requirements, Kruger’s internal use of CF, and sales to FPInnovation members. The plant has a production goal of 5 t/d. It is being constructed at Kruger’s Trois-Rivières location, and is scheduled to begin operation in Q2, 2014.

IFIT was one of the major investors in this project. Jean Hamel, FPInnovations, noted that the CF plant is the “result of major R&D investments and strong partnerships”, and represents “an accelerated innovation process”, having reached demonstration scale in only 4 years.

Bioproducts need help to overcome challenges In addition to the IFIT program, speakers like Maria Wellisch, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, and Donald Smith, BioFuelNet Canada, spoke about Canada’s commitment to research and development. Wellisch highlighted Canada’s involvement with the International Energy Agency (IEA), and task 42, focusing on the development of biorefineries as part of a global bioeconomy.

BioFuelNet Canada, according to Smith, focuses on the “need to develop sustainable and renewable energy sources that do not compete with food production and do not harm the environment.”

Comprised of more than 100 partners in research and industry, the network seeks to increase the Canadian biofuels sector, help overcome challenges to commercialization and ensure that the biofuels industry in Canada remains sustainable, in social, economic and environmental terms.

The importance of strong policy became clear in a keynote presentation by Gerd Unkelbach, of the Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processeses CBP in Germany. Unkelbach introduced the Fraunhofer Center, a fully modular demonstration scale plant. Located in the old Chemical Triangle south of Berlin, Fraunhofer is now a corner of a new bioeconomy triangle, focused on Germany’s abundance of beechwood. The Fraunhofer Center houses modules based around fermentation plants, lignocellulosic fractioning equipment, olefins production, downstream processing and enzyme digestion. It is a collaboration between both the private and public sectors, and aims to help push biorefining processes past the pilot and development phase into industrial scale production (crossing through the so called “valley of death”). Researchers have low cost access to the demonstration-scale modules at very low cost, lowering risk. No similar plant or project exists in Canada.

Warren Mabee, Queen’s University, also weighed in on policy.

Mabee offered an overview of the state of biofuels, both worldwide and domestic. In short, lower future demand, competition with traditional products and energy, and cheaper global alternatives all point to the need for strong policy in supporting biofuels in Canada. Straight-forward economics simply do not support a Canadian biofuels industry at this time. In addition to biofuels, www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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other higher value bioproducts would benefit from policy changes to drive them forward.

Bruno Marcoccia, Domtar, presented an update on the integrated biorefinery project at Domtar’s Plymouth, NC, pulp mill.

Using the LignoBoost™ system from Valmet, Domtar has successfully been removing lignin from black liquor in commercial quantities. The Plymouth mill project is multi-faceted involving many themes, platforms and partners, but the largest component is the world’s first commercial demonstration of LignoBoost™ for lignin removal. The Plymouth mill fit the program well because of a shift in production, leading to a bottlenecked recovery boiler, with feedstock boilers large enough to burn extra lignin removed from the black liquor. This particular situation is a solid example of the need to integrate biorefineries on a case-by-case basis, supported by the core business, and at low to medium risk and investment.

Roger Gaudreault, Cascades Canada, highlighted the global drivers that make the biorefinery concept increasingly relevant.

Biorefining can address issues like global population growth, climate change, and the increased production of solid waste in urban areas. Gaudreault urged partnership with petroleum and chemical industries, whose expertise and infrastructure will be crucial to a successful biorefinery sector. He further urged industry leaders to adopt an innovative mindset, and to look at some of the successes already being seen in this emerging field for inspiration.

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PaperWeek Review

Awards and Honors The John S. Bates Memorial Gold Medal is one of PAPTAC’s highest individual honors, presented to a member of the association in recognition of their long-term contribution to the science and technology of the pulp and paper industry.

This year’s recipient is Dr. Honghi Tran, director of the Pulp and Paper Centre at the University of Toronto, a professor in the university’s department of chemical engineering, and holder of the Frank Dottori Chair in Pulp and Paper Engineering.

Dr. Tran is also chief editor of the Journal of Science and Technology for Forest Products & Processes (J-FOR), published by PAPTAC. PAPTAC’s National Business Awards, selected by a panel of industry experts, recognize excellence in three management fields. Resolute Forest Products received the Safety Leadership Award. Domtar’s Windsor mill was recognized by the Environmental Strategy of the Year Award. Mill Manager of the Year

Award was presented to Blair Rydberg, mill manager at Tolko’s kraft paper mill in the The Pas, Manitoba.

PAPTAC also presents awards of recognition to industry professionals for their contribution to the industry and for technical papers presented at association events. The Howard Rapson Memorial Award for the best chemical pulp bleaching paper was bestowed upon James Goldman and Michael Summerford of Metso. The F.G. Robinson Award for exceptional service by the chair of a PAPTAC technical community was awarded to Paul Earl of Paul Earl Consulting for his work as the chair of the Bleaching Community. Dr. Adriaan van Heiningen of the University of Maine was awarded the Distinction Award for his leadership in the advancement of biorefining. Dr. Derek Gray of McGill University received the I.H. Weldon Award for the best overall paper for his presentation on crystalline nanocellulose.

Patrice Mangin presented Derek Gray with the I.H. Weldon Award.

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IT’S IN OUR FIBER TO BE INNOVATIVE

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At Domtar, we always look to the future beyond the horizon. We always want to make things better and we work together to do it. We bring our resourcefulness and creativity to bear for long-term success.

It’s in our fiber. domtar.com

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PaperWeek Review

Aiming for Lightweight Packaging

By Cindy Macdonald and Shaun Leslie Turriff

T

here’s no shame in being a lightweight in the packaging industry. In fact, that seems to be a coveted title.

PaperWeek Canada had several packaging sessions, ranging from business trends to technical innovation.

Brett Kendall of Norampac discussed box-plant needs and trends. Kendall noted that boxes are getting increasingly lighter, with lots of gains on the heavy- to mediumweight grades, but more challenges when working with lighter weights. While significant work has been done to reduce packaging, there is still a lot of room for improvement. Kendall called for more communication between the mills providing the liners and mediums, and the plants.

Murray Hewitt, speaking about the start-up of Norampac’s Greenpac mill in New York, said a key aspect of the technology installed at the mill is its ability to produce light weight containerboard, yet still achieve the desired strength properties. Norampac chose a Voith stock prep line coupled with a Valmet paper machine.

John Mullinder introduced his organization, the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC), and discussed some of the challenges facing the packaging industry in Canada. Among these challenges are reusable plastic crates as a threat to corrugated boxes, the gen-

Blair Rydberg, mill manager at Tolko Kraft Paper, was named PAPTAC’s Mill Manager of the Year.

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eral bad mouthing of paper products, and the risk of being sideswiped by government policy, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The PPEC takes action on all these issues. Many of its members are non-packaging paper producers, as its initiatives can impact all paper fibres collected from both industry and residential sources.

The North American containerboard industry is now highly concentrated – the

top 5 producers hold 74% of the market – and consolidation is largely complete, said Daniel Rouleau of KSH. The industry’s capacity per machine is the highest in the world, often because of the integrated pulp and paper mills, but North American tends to have the oldest machine age. Converting capacity is modernizing at a faster rate, meaning North American machines are not well adapted to new converter/corrugator sizes, he noted.

Regarding linerboard, Rouleau pointed out that linerboard capacity tends to be regional, and Canada has a net deficit for corrugated box capacity.

Sustainability Faces New Challenges

S

ustainability discussions came up in alternatives, and we’re casting a very wide both the tissue and packaging sessions net at this time.” at PaperWeek.

A panel on life cycle analysis offered an Francois Dufresne, president of FSC overview of the growing importance of LCA, Canada, explained that FSC’s vision of the especially when dealing with large retail three pillars of sustainability is expanding. customers, such as Walmart, who have The forest standards organization wants certain sustainability demands. Jamie Meil to ensure all communities are heard, so it of the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute is emphasizing a fourth pillar: aboriginal argued the benefits of voluntarily performrights. There has been a permanent indigenous people committee formed at FSC International, and the concept of “free, prior and informed consent” will be an important requirement in the next FSC standard.

The new standard is currently in development. The first draft of a new national standard is expected mid2014. Dufresne says the aim is to unify all the current regional Representatives of Kimberly-Clark, Greenpeace and FSC standards. shared the podium during the Sustainability Panel.

Lisa Morden, senior director of global sustainability with Kimberly- ing LCA for forest products. She commented Clark, commented that fibre sourcing com- that LCAs can offer an environmental diamitments in the company’s 2015 sustain- logue with customers, environmental perability goals have become challenging. A formance data for product improvements, manufacturer of tissue and personal care as well as improved communication with products, Kimberly-Clark aims to use 90% buyers and the public. “environmentally preferred fibre,” which Lal Mahalle, FPInnovations, presented comprises FSC virgin fibre, recycled fibre, on a project that will offer LCA and Envior sustainable alternative fibres. ronmental Product Declarations (ECD) to “We understand that there is increasing pulp producers. pressure on the existing fibre base,” says In his turn at the podium, Richard Brooks Morden, so K-C is considering alternative of Greenpeace Canada advised companies to natural fibres, such as bamboo and wheat “staff up”, and devote people and resources straw. “There is a lot of uncertainty about to the issue of sustainability.

PPC

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Safety

CLIMBING

THE SAFETY

LADDER Domtar’s safety record is built of many small improvements

I

Story and photos by Carroll McCormick

n a machinery-lined corridor, I stumbled on an asphalt ramp between the floor and a five-inch high doorsill in the wall. Once painted cautionary yellow, little colour remained. I turned to Michel Cloutier, my host and maintenance superintendent at Domtar’s pulp and paper mill in Windsor, Que., and said, “I think that was a near miss.” He whipped out a notebook and scribbled.

I was at the mill to learn about the techniques Domtar uses to improve worker safety in its maintenance practices.

Reporting and analyzing near misses, that is, close calls or near accidents, is one way Domtar improves safety. I had just treated myself to an example.

“With a near miss we do the same report as with an accident, including corrective measures,” Cloutier explains. “We have had near miss reporting for a while, but put additional focus on it in 2012. We’ve tripled the number of reports compared to three years ago.”

Near misses help management and employees recognize, report and communicate potential hazards to all employees. “Reporting near misses is a good thing. You know your culture is going in the right direction,” says Eric Ashby, the Windsor mill manager.

Domtar’s Windsor site won the 2013 PAPTAC Safety Leadership Award, with five recordable incidents in the course of 1,483,056 hours worked. Achieving such a record and creating a positive safety culture is a continual effort. “There are a multitude of items we are working on, on a daily basis, to move from a reactive to a proactive culture. People that tell themselves that [safety] is one thing will miss the boat,” Ashby explains.

Maintaining a safety sphere is a habit In 2009 Domtar introduced the concept of the sphere de sécurité, or safety sphere. Think of it as an imaginary, three-meter diameter bubble that travels around with you, the interior of which you constantly analyze for danger. “It’s quite basic, but when you are reminded of it every day it becomes second nature. Look up, look down, look for traffic, etc. The safety sphere is part of our basic safety analysis,” Cloutier explains.

Domtar produced another aid in late 2011 that helps workers www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Many small considerations, such as this ladder tie-off, contribute to Domtar’s award-winning safety program.

remember to analyze the safety sphere and perform other safety checks as they prepare for a job. It is a pocket-sized booklet, called “J’analyse la tâche” (I am analyzing the task). Everyone carries one.

On the front of each page is a yes/no checklist of 11 items; e.g., are there any risks associated with my safety sphere; is there a risk of being distracted or losing my balance; am I working with a new colleague; do I need to coordinate with another team; do I need to control any sources of energy? On the back of the page workers can note dangers they spot and the controls they put in place.

“We specify that the pages be filled out when going on a job that is not common or done every day. Although not mandatory, we want to get people into the habit of doing it.” Cloutier says.

Domtar’s management promotes these habits. For example, the maintenance supervisor discusses the safety sphere at safety meetings. Before going out on a job, a supervisor reviews the safety checklist and protocols. “We have it set up from the top down.

The supervisor has a big role in this. Our safety coordinator and our safety guy from the union, their roles have been refined to focus just on safety,” Cloutier explains.

New employees are taught to think about safety during a fourday introduction to the mill. They spend two of those days on health and safety and lockout procedures. “Let’s say a millwright comes into my area. There is a specific introduction into that area.

We started doing that last year. We discuss things like lift trucks, March/April 2014

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Safety specific machines, heat and pinch points. We discuss winders, overhead cranes (you can’t walk under a loaded crane), chemicals and heights (you need three points of support or to be attached with a harness).”

Use the proper tool for the job Risk assessment is a big deal at Domtar. Noting that workers were cutting themselves with utility knives, for example, the mill banned them and purchased safer cutting tools. Three years ago Domtar banned safety shoes and mandated six-inch safety boots. There is more emphasis on wearing gloves. For instance, Cloutier says, “You must wear gloves when you use knives or doctor blades [blades used to scrape rollers].”

Work orders may specify special clothing or equipment. Certain electrical tasks, for example, may require specialized safety equipment, such as Level 2 arc flash clothing for electrical hot spots and hearing protectors, glasses and shields for protection against arc flash. “A company-wide program promotes electrical safety according to Canadian and US norms. There is a lot of auditing,” Cloutier says.

Using the proper tools is another focus. Maintenance workers are discouraged from using adjustable wrenches for big bolts and a more comprehensive tool inspection is under development. “We have had some in the past but they weren’t formal.

Formal is ‘if you do a tool inspection, what do you look for?’

This new process came from a corporate health and safety audit,” Cloutier explains.

Three years ago Windsor introduced a formal, documented sling inspection program. A corporate health and safety audit led to a simple, effective aid – a blue inspection tag – Domtar adopted to identify slings that have passed inspection and independent testing.

Lockouts and paper machine shutdowns generate plenty of conversation, Cloutier says. “We are always refining our procedures and have done a lot of work in the past few months on lockouts and shutdowns.” On the last paper machine shutdown, for example, the lockout team spent about 40% more time preparing for and executing the lockout – about 24 hours in all. One change is to restrict access to the paper machine when installing a press felt, because the rolls can turn. “We are installing additional mechanical stoppers to prevent dryer rolls from turning when we install dryer felts. Another important lockout procedure that Windsor has improved is the verification of the drainage of pipes. We have had a few near misses with that,” Cloutier says.

With the help of the Quebec’s forest industry and pulp and paper safety associations, the mill is improving the ways motor test starts are done.

Other outside sources Windsor has tapped for assistance include the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) (Quebec’s workplace health and safety commission) and a company that makes safety videos.

Based on a province-wide CSST pinch points program, about five years ago the mill began replacing the guards on drive couplings. This was not because of accidents or complaints, but because couplings are one of the biggest pinch point areas. The mill has already installed hundreds of bright red guards, with more to come, in this ongoing program.

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Talking about safety changes attitudes Getting workers talking about safety helps change a safety culture.

At Domtar, safety videos have been a great catalyst for discussion.

Sam Lussier, a union safety representative, produces safety videos for Domtar, using union members as actors. His company, Sam Sécure, has produced videos on topics such as hearing protectors, hand tools, burn out, distractions and forklift forks.

The maintenance workers have seen them all, Cloutier says.

“They are done from the point of view of worker safety, not management or unions. I think these videos are very well perceived.

There is normally a lot of interaction during them.” They also speak to corporate initiatives such as the courage to intervene if a worker sees a potentially dangerous situation or recognizes that a colleague might be in the wrong frame of mind to do a job safely.

“Rushing, frustration, fatigue and complacency are related to safety performance. The likelihood of incidents is higher if employees are not on task. We have people acknowledge that these four states of mind can affect performance,” Ashby explains.

Cloutier comments, “We have said that when a supervisor is www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Safety

Safest Mill in Canada, Total 2013 Results recordable incidents

Total hours worked Frequency

CATEGORY A – Over 80,000 manhours per month Domtar Inc., Windsor, QC Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc., Boyle, AB Catalyst Paper, Crofton, BC

7 14 27

1,497,485 1,030,573 1,200,040

0.93 2.72 4.50

2 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 9 9 14 12 15 12 14 16 20

611,166 850,544 708,946 738,027 621,044 606,745 619,269 614,299 600,101 677,559 664,668 894,023 625,126 778,413 613,247 674,709 764,624 847,565

0.65 0.94 1.13 1.35 1.61 1.65 1.94 1.95 2.33 2.66 2.71 3.13 3.84 3.85 3.91 4.15 4.19 4.72

0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 4 6 7 4 4 2 12 5 8 11

334,791 236,354 136,713 457,121 347,492 272,462 268,816 267,489 463,932 505,195 489,614 409,502 520,114 547,748 492,301 392,332 539,730 552,652 287,912 240,598 107,924 564,857 228,417 292,514 283,325

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.44 0.58 0.73 0.74 0.75 0.86 1.19 1.23 1.47 1.54 1.83 2.03 2.04 2.22 2.53 2.78 3.33 3.71 4.25 4.38 5.47 7.76

CATEGORY B – 50,000 to 80,000 manhours per month Weyerhaeuser Canada, Grande Prairie, AB Resolute Forest Products, Thunder Bay, ON Resolute Forest Products, Alma, QC Resolute Forest Products, Baie-Comeau, QC Hinton Pulp (Div. Of West Fraser Mills), Hinton, AB Kruger, Corner Brook Pulp & Paper, Corner Brook, NF Tembec – Kapuskasing Operations, Kapuskasing, ON Kruger Inc., Bromptonville, QC Kruger Wayagamack Inc., Trois-Rivières, QC Irving Paper, Saint-John, NB Canfor, Prince George Pulp & Paper, Prince George, BC Canfor, Northwood Pulp Mill, Prince George, BC Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corp., New Glasgow, NS Irving Pulp & Paper Ltd., Saint John, NB Catalyst Paper, Port Alberni, BC Twin Rivers Paper Co., Edmundston, NB Zellstoff Celgar Limited, Castlegar, BC Catalyst Paper, Powell River, BC

CATEGORY C – Less than 50,000 manhours per month

A formal sling inspection program is reassuring, especially when lifting equipment such as this 57,500-pound roller.

assigning someone a task, make sure he is up to it. If the person says he is not, our response will not be, ‘go out and do the job anyway.’”

Macho work environments often reward bravado, but this attitude is changing, according to Cloutier. Take the sharing of accident stories, a proven way to prevent the same mistakes from recurring in different mills. “I shared a story a couple of weeks ago about a death in St-Jérôme. People listened. Years ago they might have walked out of that talk, but not now. The culture is changing.”

By the way, Cloutier wrote up a work order and the ramp I stumbled on is once again yellow.

PPC www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Resolute Forest Products, Amos, QC Resolute Forest Products, Thorold, ON Sonoco Canada Corporation, Brantford, ON Resolute Forest Products, St-Felicien, QC Resolute Forest Products, Kenogami, QC Quesnel River Pulp, Quesnel, BC Resolute Forest Products, Dolbeau, QC Tembec Inc., Matane, QC Resolute Forest Products, Iroquois Falls, ON Resolute Forest Products, Laurentide, QC Alberta Newsprint Company, Whitecourt, AB Resolute Forest Products, Clermont, QC Resolute Forest Products, Fort Frances Mill, Fort Frances, ON Daishowa Marubeni International, Peace River, AB Canfor, Intercontinental Pulp, Prince George, BC Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Inc., Meadow Lake, SK Kruger Inc., Trois-Rivieres, QC Tolko Manitoba Kraft Papers, The Pas, MB Strathcona Paper LP, Napanee, ON JD Irving Ltd., Irving Tissue, Saint John, NB Norampac Inc., Kingsey Falls, Que. Cariboo Pulp and Paper Co., Quesnel, BC Slave Lake Pulp Corporation, Slave Lake, AB JD Irving Ltd., Lake Utopia Paper Ltd., St. George, NB Kruger Inc., Montreal, QC

March/April 2014

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Technology News

Chemical treatments creep into mechanical pulping

By Cindy Macdonald

M

echanical pulp has many benefits, but the energy required to achieve those beneficial properties is a hurdle for producers. Are chemicals the answer to more energy-efficient mechanical pulping? Several research groups are exploring that possibility.

Ozone treatment contributes to energy savings An inter-stage treatment of ozone and oxygen was discussed at PaperWeek Canada 2014 by a group of researchers from TroisRivières. Yu Sun and Robert Lanouette of the Lignocellulosic Materials Research Centre at UQTR, Eric Pelletier of Kruger, JeanNoel Cloutier of Hydro-Quebec and Michel Epiney of Air Liquide Canada Inc. are the authors of “Impact of Ozone and Oxygen Inter-stage Treatment on TMP Qualities and Fibre Development.”

The authors state that significant energy savings can be realized with ozone and/or oxygen treatment, especially when 2% ozone is applied with a 1.35% sodium hydroxide charge. Under those conditions, a savings of about 40% of secondary refining energy could be achieved.

Ozone and oxygen treatments of primary pulp followed by secondary refining show both an energy savings and an increase in tensile strength.

Other pulp properties are also affected by the ozone and oxygen treatments. The authors conclude that “Ozone and oxygen react with with fibre surface and more carboxylic acid groups are formed, contributing to improve the inter-fibre bonding ability.”

As well, “Tear index of ozone and oxygen treated pulps is increased compared with the TMP reference, which means that when these two oxidative agents are applied under suitable conditions, they react mainly with the fibre surface components without affecting too much the fibre physical strength.”

Fine-tuning peroxide treatment A trio of B.C. researchers continued their exploration of alkaline peroxide treatment for mechanical pulp, presenting their findings at PaperWeek Canada 2014. Earlier work by Chang et al., demonstrated that alkaline peroxide treatments on high consistency refined TMP resulted in a higher resistance to fibre cutting during subsequent low consistency refining. The increased resistance to fibre cutting permits the increased use of energy-efficient low consistency refining by mills. “The extended application of LC refining combined with the tensile strength improvement by alka22

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line peroxide treatments would reduce the electrical consumption per tonne of produced TMP,” the authors conclude in “Optimization of Alkaline Peroxide Treatment on Primary Refined TMP Prior and Subsequent to Low Consistency Refining.” In this paper, Xue Feng Chang and James A. Olson of the Pulp and Paper Centre, UBC, and Rodger P. Beatson of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, note that pulp tensile strength enhancement by alkaline peroxide treatment requires high alkalinity and the presence of peroxide. With these two factors in place, the increase in tensile strength was not significantly affected by peroxide charge, treatment time or pulp consistency prior to LC refining, they report.

“On subsequent LC refining, the peroxide charge had a significant positive impact on tensile strength,” the authors state. “This is thought to be due to a high amount of acid groups being generated on the fibre surface during alkaline peroxide treatments with high dosage of peroxide.”

Putting research into action Andritz’s Advanced Thermo Mechanical Pulping (ATMP) technology takes the concept of chemically-assisted refining from the laboratory to industrial scale. ATMP combines RTFibration, high-intensity RTS refining, and an appropriate chemical treatment. After many years of development, in March 2011, UPM Kymmene Austria completed the first commercial installation of an ATMP system.

As Andritz explains it, a traditional TMP system attempts to accomplish defibration (breaking the wood chips into fibre bundles) and fibrillation (creating the bonding surfaces) in the same primary refiner. The ATMP methodology is based on the premise that it is better to separate these two steps. In the ATMP process, the first stage (RTFibration) is performed in a pressurized Impressafiner and a fiberizer (a low specific energy refiner) to delaminate the wood chips. The resulting fibre bundles have a large surface area and are ripe for a chemical treatment to attack the secondary fibre walls and improve the bonding characteristics in the next stage, high-intensity RTS refining.

Andritz reports that a 300-800 kwh/t energy saving for a given www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Technology News On-board data gathering for forest equipment

FPDat is a rugged, on-board computer developed by FPInnovations at the request of the forest industry.

FPDat collects and analyzes data directly from forest equipment such as feller-bunchers, harvesters, skidders, and forwarders, as well as other mobile heavy machinery in the energy and construction sector. FPDat informs operators and managers in real-time on various parameters such as utilization, treated areas, GPS track logs, productivity and the causes of downtime.

More than 300 FPDat units are already in use across Canada with additional specialized features continuously being developed, such as the Transport and the Grader modules. The FPTrak web-based service provides data hosting and a reporting interface for information generated by the FPDat. “Competition in the forest products industry is driven, in part, by fibre costs. By creating opportunities to reduce fibre costs through optimized operations, FPDat holds the potential to increase the competitiveness of traditional industries,” explained Peter Lister, vice-president, forest operations and wood products, FPInnovations.

Research projects related to FPDat were supported financially by the Transformative Technologies Program (TTP) of National Resources Canada (NRCan). FPInnovations is a not-for-profit organization that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector.

HiTech Communications 709 634 3000, www.hitechcom.ca

AccuFlow™ II press fabrics generate record reorders

Andritz says this is the world’s largest LC refiner, located at the Braviken pulp mill, Sweden.

pulp tensile strength has been confirmed at mills running the combination of chemicals and mechanical treatment.

The speed and intensity of the RTS primary refining, combined with moderated chemical addition (sodium bisulphate for example), produce energy savings and a pulp with excellent optical and strength properties, Andritz explains. This pulp exiting the primary refining stage requires less refining energy in the second stage, creating the opportunity for the use of energy-efficient lowconsistency refining.

The ATMP process is modular in nature, and can be retrofit to an existing line.

How do these processes differ from CTMP? In chemi-thermomechanical pulping, the chips are treated with chemicals prior to or during a pre-steaming treatment, followed by refining. In the methods discussed above, the chemical treatment occurs during primary refining or between primary and secondary refining. PPC www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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Staff at AstenJohnson were amazed at the reception that their new AccuFlow II press fabric has garnered from printing and writing paper producers. To date, 95% of the trials have resulted in new orders for the fabric. And remarkably, 65% of these orders have been received while the trial fabric is still on the machine.

“We knew that we had something good,” says Daniel Hédou, AstenJohnson’s global innovation leader for press fabrics, “but this is virtually unheard of. Usually, papermakers will not reorder a product until the trial fabric has come off the machine and has been fully evaluated.”

AccuFlow II is the newest addition to AstenJohnson’s press fabric portfolio. It shares some of the unique features of the original AccuFlow (like a patent-pending base design which gives it superior water handling abilities) and has the added ability to resist wear from abrasive fillers.

“Of all the seamed structure fabrics in the marketplace, we are the only ones laminating a two-layer with another two-layer product,” Hédou explains. “The fabric stays open on the machine, giving it exceptional water handling capacity.”

According to Hédou, mills running the AccuFlow II fabric have documented savings due to longer run times, reduced sheet breaks, and greater dewatering with less vacuum, which saves energy. To date, the fabric has been run on 17 different positions on paper machines.

The base for AccuFlow II, which is primarily designed for highspeed printing and writing machines, is manufactured using March/April 2014

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Technology News single monofilament and cabled monofilament yarns. This provides resistance to compaction, low flow resistance, high water handling capacity, and increased resistance to wear.

AstenJohnson, www.astenjohnson.com/ pmc-overview-2/press-fabrics/

Documenting loads at departure

Wrapmation Inc. has launched a product designed to photographically document how rolls are loaded and secured on vehicles at the point of departure. The objective is to provide proof that the rolls were properly loaded and secured before leaving the mill or warehouse.

Pictures of the loading process are managed with the assistance of an Android™ app running on tablets, smartphones or cameras.

The clamp truck operator uses the app to identify the load. He can manually enter the load number or use the device camera to scan a roll number or a load barcode before starting to load. The operator can then take pictures to document the loading process to show the loading pattern and how the roll is secured and as well as view what and how dunnage is used.

Once the load is complete, the operator closes the load, and images are uploaded to a database.

Receiving warehouses, press rooms, and box plants can subscribe to a web-based service on an annual basis that allows them to view and download the pictures of the load.

This new product enhances the capability of the whole supply chain.

Wrapmation 514-846-9727, www.wrapmation.com

Light, more durable pulpwood grapple

Northshore Manufacturing, home of Builtrite branded products, has made changes to its line of pulpwood grapples. Most of these improvements revolve around making the product easier to maintain, enhancing durability and reducing weight.

These grapples are designed for bulk handling of short wood at wood processing facilities. Key features include 360° continuous rotation on a heavy duty, 20” bearing with an advanced, high torque motor and a high pressure hydraulic swivel. Optimum arm curvature permits gathering and handling the maximum number of logs.

Jaws are synchronized for precise picking and placement.

The grapples use high tensile steel throughout, with hardened, abrasion resistant material at the arm tips.

Oversized, hardened cylinder and arm pivot pins have replaceable bushings.

Northshore Manufacturing 218-8345555, www.builtritehandlers.com

Easier, safer installation for stainless steel piping

The Vic Press system is a flame-free press system for stainless steel pipe, suitable for compressed air systems in pulp and paper operations. Vic Press is now available for Schedule 10S stainless steel pipe, providing quick, easy and safe installation and maintenance.

Once pressed, Vic Press couplings, valves and fittings create a positive mechanical interlock, engaging the pipe to create a permanent joint rated for 500 psi/3450 kPa. Marco notes that the Vic Press system can allow a shorter installation schedule, and creates a leak-free seal so no compressed air is wasted due to leaks.

The system can be used with pipe from 15 to 50 mm. Press detection technology provides easy identification of unpressed joints as a system is being pressurized.

Victaulic, www.victaulic.com/vicpress

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FEATURED AT PAPERWEEK CANADA 2014

Crill measurement unit helps Waggeryd Cell be on target

The first mill installation of CrillEye is successfully running at Waggeryd Cell in Sweden.

Important pulp strength properties can now be predicted online, which contributes to stable pulp quality and reduces the time spent on lab tests.

CrillEye is a system for measuring crill, developed by PulpEye and the Innventia research institute.

In a technical paper titled “On-line Crill Measurements for Improved Control of Refining,” Thorulf Pettersson of Innventia explains that when wood fibres are refined, very thin particles called crill are loosened from the fibres. Crill significantly improves bonding among the fibres in paper, so being able to measure crill is crucial when trying to model and monitor the potential strength of refined pulps, says Pettersson.

CrillEye’s crill measurement is based on comparison of two optically-measured surface areas. The “crill variable” is obtained when the total area of fibres and crill (measured with UV) is divided by the fibre-only area (measured by IR). No image analysis is required, making the measurements very fast.

“We measure crill on all our pulp types and by combining crill data with fibre data, PulpEye provides us with the necessary strength properties online,” says Mickael Nylander, mill manager at Waggeryd Cell. “Thanks to CrillEye, we are able to run closer to the specifications and the disc filter CSF standard deviation has decreased.”

CrillEye can provide new online measurements every five to fifteen minutes.

Waggeryd Cell produces bleached softwood CTMP. The mill has an annual capacity of 175,000 tonnes. The production line has three-stage refining, peroxide bleaching and a flash dryer.

PulpEye Canada Inc. 613-590-0222, www.pulpeye.com

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Bio-Economy

GHG emissions: pellets to electricity better than fossil fuels European power plants that burn wood pellets imported from the Southern United States to generate electricity are emitting less than half the greenhouse gases than if they used traditional fossil fuels, a new University of Georgia study has found.

European power utilities are using imported wood pellets to generate electricity and reduce greenhouse gases in order to meet a legal mandate that by 2020 at least 20% of all energy should come from renewable sources.

A new study by a researcher with the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources has found that the wood pellets are living up to their promise of releasing fewer greenhouse gases. Environmental Research Letters recently published these findings.

Puneet Dwivedi, an assistant professor of sustainability sciences in the Warnell School, focused on greenhouse gases emitted at a power plant in Selby, home of the largest coalfired power plant in the United Kingdom. This power plant recently announced plans to generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity using imported wood pellets from the Southern United States.

Dwivedi found that the intensity of greenhouse gases emitted for every unit of electricity generated from imported wood pellets is at least 50% lower than when using traditional fossil fuels. Even more, Dwivedi said, his study found that as the

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Pulp by-product controls dust on oilsands roads Suncor Energy is reportedly using a by-product of the pulp and paper industry as a “glue of sorts” to control dust on access roads to its MacKay River oilsands site. A story by the Canadian Press, published in the Calgary Herald on Feb. 3, relates how GE contributed the dust control product that is working much better than the traditional technique of spraying water on dusty roads.

According to the Herald story, Suncor tested out the technology in 2012. It “uses a byproduct of pulp and paper manufacturing to make the dirt stay put.”

The organic and biodegradable compound was used throughout the entire site in 2013 and maintenance co-ordinator Gwen Morgen says staff on site are pleased with the results.

“They love it. It makes the roads so much smoother,” she said.

CP reports that, in the past, Suncor would send an average of five water trucks a day along its roads to keep the dust down.

Now, only one truck is needed.

The result has been an 85% reduction in water use for this purpose, saving 136 million litres of water annually. It’s also cut diesel use by 70,000 litres.

GE has a business unit dedicated to dust control at industrial sites, including mines and power plants.

Lignol signs letter of intent to explore China biorefinery market

OUR NAME IS INNOVATION

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power plant’s capacity rose, so did the greenhouse gas savings, which means the higher capacity plants would greatly benefit from using wood pellets.

As the United Kingdom and other European countries implement mandates to increase the use of renewable energy, exports of wood pellets from the Southern United States are predicted to increase from 1.5 to 5.2 million tonnes between 2012 and 2015.

This study can be found at http://iopscience.iop.org/17489326/9/2/024007/article.

March/April 2014

An agreement between Lignol Innovations Ltd. and Sichuan Xilin IM/EX Co. Ltd. of Chengdu, China, provides for the two companies to explore options for cooperation in pursuing opportunities to commercialize Lignol Innovations’ proprietary biorefining technology in China, and contemplates possible formation of a joint venture company as well as various investment options.

Lignol Innovations’ modified solvent-based pre-treatment technology facilitates the rapid, high-yield conversion of cellulose to ethanol and the production of value-added biochemical co-products, including high purity HP-L lignin.

PPC www.pulpandpapercanada.com

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PACWEST CONFERENCE MAY 28 - 31, 2014

“Improving Mill Results – Keys for Success”

2014 EXECUTIVE

Join us again at:

JASPER, AB

PROGRAM Committee:

IBMP ORGANIZING Committee:

-

Che-Man Lee - Kemira Eric Bérubé - Buckman North America Scott Curry - CQ Strategy Ajay Vashisht - Quadra Chemicals Tim Jarvis - ERCO Worldwide

* BEST SUPPLIER PAPER * BEST NOVICE PAPER for first presentation by author (excluding presentation at Branch Meetings)

THURSDAY, MAY 29

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge to network with peers, industry leaders and technical experts. Enhance professional development learning about new technologies, process improvements and what’s being showcased for the latest industry challenges.

We are also pleased to present a full Spousal Program

2014 CALL FOR PAPERS For inclusion in the Program, abstracts must be received by March 31st 2014 with paper completion by MAY 1st Selection of papers is based on several criteria, including originality, technical merit and mill relevance Time limit for presentations is 20 minutes with 5 minutes for Questions & Answers

2013 H.R. MacMillan Trophy winner, Tim Harshenin with co-author Bill Adams

www.pacwestcon.net

Fundamentals of Reliable Pump Operation Process Control Optimization Safe & Efficient Turbo Generator Operation

* Trade Fair

AWARDS

* RUNNER-UP for full length paper (open to consultants and researchers)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28

* Industry Meetings: - PAPTAC Councillors (TBC) - Mill Managers & Sr. Executives - Maintenance Managers RT - Energy Reduction - Mechanical Pulping (TBC) * Short Courses: - Brownstock Washing & Screening

Brian Grantham-West Fraser-Hinton Pulp Stew Gibson-Catalyst Paper Kelly Parfitt-Canfor Pulp Gord Start-West Fraser-Hinton Pulp

* H.R. MacMillan Trophy for BEST MILL PAPER

PROGRAM OUTLINE

ABSTRACTS

should be submitted to PACWEST 2014 Program Chair: Stew Gibson – Catalyst Paper at Stew.Gibson@Catalystpaper.com

* Conference Forum featuring leading Industry Managers & Analysts: - BRIAN BAARDA, CFO, Catalyst Paper - MARTN PUDLAS, VP Operations, Canfor Pulp - DARBY KREITZ, CEO, Allnorth Consultants - TED BELL, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers - RICK HEYLAND, Executive VP, RLG International - LARRY STEFAN, President, Stefan & Associates * Technical Sessions: 2A Mechanical Pulping/Papermaking 2B Kraft Pulping & Energy 2C Exhibitor Presentations * Pulp Machine Superintendents RT * Maintenance Managers RT * Trade Fair

FRIDAY, MAY 30

* 5K Fun Run * Trade Fair * Technical Sessions: 3A Process Control 3B Transfer of Knowledge (Panel) * Feature Luncheon - Guest Speaker: JIM BOTTOMLEY, Management Consultant * Technical Sessions: 4A New Technologies 4B BioEnergy BioProducts (Panel) * Pulp Machine Superintendents RT * Maintenance Managers RT * Awards Dinner

SATURDAY, MAY 31

Annual Golf Tournament

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