Paper Mart Emagazine Dec-Jan Issue 2022

Vol.22 No. 05

Dec-Jan, 2022

TRENDS TRANSFORMING THE PAPER INDUSTRY ....12

ITC-PSPD: Expanded One of the Paperboard Machines by 50000 MT in 2021-22 ....14

Nikita Papers: Starts 300 TPD Machine; Targets to Cross Revenue of INR 500 Crores in the Coming FY ....20

Edicon: Started 400 TPD Paper Mill in Gujarat amid Pandemic ....16

N R Agarwal Industries: Planning to Install 200000 TPA Coated Duplex Board ....22

Sukraft Group: ‘Goa Unit enables us to Become One of India's Largest Kraft Paper-Producing Groups with 1000 MTPD Capacity’ ....18

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CONTENTS

TRENDS TRANSFORMING THE

December - January 2022, PAPER MART

PAPER INDUSTRY Page No. 12

ITC-PSPD: Expanded One of the Paperboard Machines by 50000 MT in 2021-22

14

Edicon: Started 400 TPD Paper Mill in Gujarat amid Pandemic

16

Sukraft Group: ‘Goa Unit enables us to Become One of India's Largest Kraft Paper-Producing Groups with 1000 MTPD Capacity’

18

Nikita Papers: Starts 300 TPD Machine; Targets to Cross Revenue of INR 500 Crores in the Coming FY

20

N R Agarwal Industries: Planning to Install 200000 TPA Coated Duplex Board

22

BillerudKorsnäs: Ramped Up KM7, the World's Most Modern Board Machine with Capacity of 500000 TPA

24

IPMA: Industry Needs to Move Up on the Sustainability Curve and Reduce Environmental Footprint

26

INMA: With Increasing Production of Lower GSM, Domestic Industry Gearing Up to Become Self-Reliant

28

FPTA: ‘China Plus One Strategy’ to Benefit India due to its Demographics, Low Cost, and a Strong Domestic Market

30

Zalani Paper Mart: Goal is to Expand in Food & Industrial Packaging Segment

34

Raj Dealers & Distributors: Single-Use Plastic Ban a Driving Trend for Paper Packaging in Years Ahead

36

Badruka Exim to Increase Focus on Packaging and Recycled Board Segments

38

Valmet: Establishing Sourcing from India to be an Integral Part of Global Sustainable Supply Chain

42

Parason: Developing Best-in-Class Products and a Robust Customer Relationship Management System

44

Servall Engineering Works: Aiming to Increase Global Reach with an Aggressive Approach in 2022

46

Krofta Engineering: Empowering Industry with Technology to Treat, Reuse and Recycle Wastewaters

48

Bellmer India: Tapping into Every Opportunity for Capacity & Quality Enhancements

50

Forbes Marshall: New Steam Factory set up in Singapore

52

Maintech: Targeting Double of Current Equipment Numbers in Indian Market

54

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Positive Signals to Manufacturing Sector Augur Well for Paper Industry: IPMA

62

60

Satia Industries, Greycon join hands to Deliver Automation and Digitisation

Kadant Auto Lab Pulper – Test your new raw material before you process it

66

70

The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Making Sustainable, Innovative Chemistry to Make Good Business for All Valmet Kickstarts Supplier Innovation Workshop 2021 in India

P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H

87

Aspire Engineering adds Poly Disc Filter, Cylinder Mould to its Product Line ....87

Vertex Chem: Striving for Innovation in Product Development to Achieve Economic & Eco-Friendly Solutions

72

ABB Launches Fastest Paper Machine Moisture Sensor on the Market ....88

74

DS Smith and IBM Develop AI Solution to Improve Recycled Paper Quality ....88 Team of Scientists Develop Biodegradable and Antimicrobial Food Packaging ....89 Hansol Paper Introduces Hansol EB (Eco Barrier) – an Eco-Friendly Paper Packaging Brand ....90 Amcor Launches New Platform for Recyclable Paper Based Packaging ....90 Bambrew, a Green Tech Sustainable Packaging Startup, Bags USD 2.35 mn in Pre-Series A Round ....91 ABB Releases Second Edition of ABB Fiber Guide ....92

Bansal Dye Chem: Prerequisite Expertise on Chemicals used in Paper and Board Manufacturing

Manipal Technologies: Always On the Quest for Innovations to Provide Added Value

78

I•N•D•U•S•T•R•Y W•A•T•C•H

83

93

Smart Updates, Big Changes: ANDRITZ PrimeRotor Makes the Difference in Stock Preparation....83 Pulp Dryers: Rebuilding for Added Value....85

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

TRENDS TRANSFORMING THE

PAPER INDUSTRY

I

t's that time of year when everyone, including business leaders in every industry, sets goals and resolutions for the months ahead. Be it new product launches or expansion projects, the companies take note of the things that worked and things that didn't from the previous year to make subsequent plans and strategies. Although the year began with an Omicron-led third wave in India, the paper industry seems to be better prepared now. After the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, proactive measures in ensuring availability of trucks, loading/unloading crew, etc. were put in place, which ensured the smoother flow of materials across the country.

ances was launched in 2018. It has been instrumental in reducing the time required for approvals significantly. The scope of this portal will now be expanded, to provide information to the applicants. Based on the location of units, information about specific approvals will be provided. It will enable application for all four approvals through a single form, and tracking of the process through Centralised Processing Centre-Green (CPC-Green). The policies and required legislative changes to promote agroforestry and private forestry will be brought in,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the budget.

As per a report by IPMA, India’s Exports of paper & paperboard in the first nine months of FY2021-22 have already overtaken record exports achieved in entire FY2020-21.

Mr. A.S. Mehta, President, Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) and President & Executive Director, JK Paper Ltd. is optimistic about this development.

“Policies and legislative changes to promote agroforestry will certainly provide a fillip to the efforts of the paper industry,” he said.

Meanwhile, the industry has wholeheartedly welcomed the recent announcement of the government in Union Budget 2022-23 on the need for faster environmental clearance as part of its larger goal of 'ease of doing business', and legislative changes to promote agroforestry and private forestry to increase green cover in the country.

“A single window portal, PARIVESH, for all green clear-

12 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

New innovations and trends are constantly emerging in the paper industry. The novel coronavirus has brought a focus on cleanliness creating new opportunities for tissue and toilet papers. Within the past year, the e-commerce boom has created a structural change in consumer habits.

With the increase in online shopping, there has been a

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E significant surge in corrugated and containerboard demand. According to a recent report by rating agency CRISIL, a strong revival in consumer spending amid the waning impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will help the paper packaging industry bounce back with revenue growth of 15 percent this fiscal.

Talking about the key trends driving the growth, Mr. Rohit Pandit, Secretary-General, IPMA said “As the economy picks up after two difficult years, we expect demand for better quality packaging of FMCG products, booming ecommerce, rising healthcare spending, growth in pharma, packaged foods and textile sectors, etc. to lead to increased demand for paperboard/packaging paper. The reopening of educational institutions across the country should revive the demand for the writing & printing segment. Implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the coming months should also significantly contribute to the demand for writing & printing paper. Hopefully, with the pandemic situation improving, demand for all paper grades will show a positive trend and surpass the pre-COVID levels during this year.”

Mr. Vadiraj Kulkarni, Chief Executive, ITC Ltd. -

Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division feels that the demand for paper will be based on the impact of current/new virus variants. “Companies will focus a lot on cost management, given the highest inflation increase seen in commodities and fuels. Shift from single-use plastics to sustainable materials like fiber will accelerate, given the increasing regulations on plastic waste and commitment by brand owners,” he added.

Meanwhile, the paper machinery manufacturers and suppliers see an opportunity and are gearing themselves to meet the rising demands of paper mills in the near future.

“Our main focus is to seep into all corners of the Indian packaging industry starting from 60 TPD machines, bringing close to them, knowledge and technology, thereby tap every opportunity that the market presents itself - be it capacity or quality enhancement,” said Mr. Ranajoy Chowdhury, Managing Director, Bellmer India Pvt. Ltd. As we step into 2022, Team Paper Mart initiates a detailed feature to gain insights on the strategies adopted by the paper industry for the year ahead, by interacting with paper mills, traders, associations and other stakeholders.

www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022 | 13

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

ITC-PSPD: Expanded One of the Paperboard Machines by 50000 MT in 2021-22 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Vadiraj Kulkarni, Chief Executive, ITC Ltd. - Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division

It has been a mixed year. While the demand for virgin paperboards and specialty papers was robust, the demand for writing and printing paper was muted given the uncertainty around off line classes at schools. The global shipping crisis created significant supply chain disturbances causing unusual delays in the arrival of pulps and chemicals. The year also witnessed a steep jump in commodity and pulp prices, thus affecting the cost for the industry. As we entered the last quarter, the coal availability crisis affected us badly in terms of timely availability and prices.

We have expanded one of our paperboard machines by around 50000 MT in the year 2021-22. Our project on expansion of pulp mill and setting up a High-Pressure Recovery Boiler is progressing well.

2022: The year that will be The performance has been good in terms of volumes and growth over the previous year. While we expect the coming year to be a good year for paper and board companies,

14 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

commodity and fuel inflation are likely to play a dampener.

With the economic recovery expected to be robust in India and the end-user segments for paperboards expected to grow in line with GDP growth, we expect to maintain our leadership in the virgin board, specialty papers segments. While our focus is mostly on strengthening our position in the domestic market, we have been steadily increasing our exports business and we will continue to grow in select geographies.

Key trends driving the growth The demand for paperboards and specialty papers is expected to grow, while demand for paper will be based on the impact of current/new virus variants.

Companies will focus a lot on cost management, given the highest inflation increase seen in commodities and fuels. The shift from single-use plastics to sustainable materials like fiber will accelerate, given the increasing regulations on plastic waste and commitment by brand owners. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Edicon: Started 400 TPD Paper Mill in Gujarat amid Pandemic 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Dinesh Kavar, CMD, Edicon Paper Products Pvt. Ltd.

The year 2020-2021 was not good for industries around the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to disturbance in the supply chain of materials, the production and cost were affected. As a result, the industries were running under capacity due to manpower issues, short supply of material, and various uncertainties in the market.

We started our mill amid pandemic with great team support of e m p l oye e s a n d wo r ke r s a n d launched our products named Iconic ERA and Iconic Crema in the market fulfilling the market demand for quality products.

With production capacity of 400 tonnes per day, Edicon Paper Products is Gujarat's second largest paper mill. At Edicon, letting nature thrive is our motto.

We have allocated 30 percent of the factory land to trees and recycle around 18 lakh litres of water daily. There is no survival for

16 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

any industry without expansion.

Hence, we have expansion plans in the future for the betterment of board quality and requirements.

2022: The year that will be As per the forecast, there is a growth of 15-20 percent in the paper industry due to the reduction in the use of plastic. Nowadays, under the 'GO GREEN' concept, preference has been given to recycled products, which can boost the recycled paper industry.

Our aim is to capture a versatile market which includes the domestic and international market by giving quality products to our valuable customers with better service and price.

Key trends driving the growth The thumb rule of any industry including the paper and packaging industry is quality of product and service, which is our main motto. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Sukraft Group: ‘Goa Unit enables us to Become One of India's Largest Kraft Paper-Producing Groups with 1000 MTPD Capacity’ 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Shankar Patel, Managing Director, Sukraft Group

2021 was a year of interrupted supply chain globally and all the businesses got affected by little or large. Since the Indian kraft paper industry is one of the largest importers of recovered fiber, even we had some challenging situations during the year 2021.

Sukraft Group is known for its re g u l a r e x p a n s i o n a n d n e w product developments. Living in this spirit, we have come up with our new project in Goa where we are planning to produce carry bag grade lighter GSM kraft which will also be complete food grade. Goa unit has enabled us to become one of India's largest kraft paperproducing groups with a capacity of 1000 MT per day.

2022: The year that will be The future of the kraft paper industry is promising. We are

18 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

looking to achieve exponential growth in the demand for kraft paper in the years to come. I will also add that even during the year 2022, there would be a few challenges due to supply chain disturbance and shortage of raw materials from the western world. The Indian kraft paper industry has to be ready to handle this unusual situation even in 2022. The requirement of working capital can be increased by 200 percent from the year 2020.

Key trends driving the growth 2022 is the year to be global-ready with advanced technologies and complaint-free products. Now, the time has come for industry owners to have a beyond-border approach and to not depend only on the domestic market. Sukraft Group is going to work on the same strategy in the year 2022 and beyond. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Nikita Papers: Starts 300 TPD Machine; Targets to Cross Revenue of INR 500 Crores in the Coming FY 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Ayush Bansal, Executive Director, Nikita Papers Ltd.

2021 was a rather aggressive year, wherein we witnessed lots of dramatic changes. Be it the market shifts or the consumer choices and product shifts to the supply chain riddles, the year poised threats as well as presented opportunities to the paper industry. The impact of COVID and its results kept the industry constantly on its toes to keep up with the changes.

Nikita Papers commenced production of its much-awaited PM2 in January 2021. This machine, with a finish deckle of 4.4 metres and a production capability of 300 TPD, aims to present the market with a variety of products in the kraft paper segment. The machine to date has rolled out a GSM range of 75 to 200 GSM with BF ranging from 18 to 32 BF. The paper has been widely successful in the packaging box as well as the paper bag segment.

2022: The year that will be The company, with an earlier production of 50,000 TPA and turnover of approx. INR 100 crores, is set to cross an annual total production of 1,20,000 TPA and a combined turnover of approximately INR 350 crores. Not just this, the company set up a one-of-itskind plastic waste processing plant that is capable of converting waste

20 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

plastic from paper mills into reusable industrial grade pyrolysis oil. This plant is approved and operates strictly under the pollution board guidelines.

Nikita Papers, in the coming financial year, targets to cross revenue of INR 500 crores with an approximately USD 20 million export target at hand. We also aim to work towards the central government initiative of a zero carbon footprint company soon. The management has taken up a target of completely converting their thermal generation from coal-based to agricultural biomass. This will not only reduce the carbon footprint but also encourage farmers to encash their farm waste into realisable value.

Key trends driving the growth Kraft paper has seen a rise in demand majorly due to the shift of the packaging market from plastic bags to biodegradable packaging.

Secondly, the pandemic shifted the shopping spree from off line to online shopping thereby stepping up requirements for packaging boxes. The market has seen many changes and is yet to see more to come. The paper industry is wellequipped to convert chances to opportunities and lead itself to a growing future. n

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S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

2021 – 2022

N R Agarwal Industries: Planning to Install 200000 TPA Coated Duplex Board Inputs by Mr. Raunak Agarwal, Managing Director, N R Agarwal Industries Ltd. 2021: The year that was Established in 1993, N R Agarwal Industries Ltd. is engaged in the business of manufacturing quality finished paper products. The company serves both domestic and international markets with its high-quality paper products. In the year 2021, N R Agarwal Industries Ltd. witnessed negative g r ow t h i n s a l e s d u e t o t h e COVID-19 pandemic.

2022: The year that will be We are planning to install a new coated duplex board unit of 2 lakh tonne per annum capacity and expect to commission it by the end of 2023. This financial year is better in comparison to the last financial

22 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

year in sales growth; however, acute pressure on waste paper and coal prices had an impact on profitability. In comparison to the last financial year, there is good growth in both domestic and export markets in FY 2021-22 but pressure on waste paper, coal price, and shipping cost is affecting the performance.

Key trends driving the growth After vaccination of approximately 80-90 percent of the Indian population, there has been no major effect of the third wave of COVID in India. We are expecting good growth in the next financial year and hoping that all the educational institutions will also open in the next financial year. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

BillerudKorsnäs: Ramped Up KM7, the World's Most Modern Board Machine with Capacity of 500000 TPA 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Jens Bauer, Global Sales Director – Specialties & Healthcare, Business Area Sack & Kraft Papers, BillerudKorsnäs AB

2021 was a very successful year for BillerudKorsnäs as a whole but also for business area sack & kraft papers. We have had a ver y successful year in terms of new b u s i n e s s d e ve l o p m e n t s a n d getting entry into newer packaging applications while at the same time strengthening our key & strategic businesses across the globe.

Several former plastic applications have been served with paper-based solutions which were driven by us as a pro-active initiative to connect with brand owners, engage them on the advantages of paper-based packaging solutions across the value chain leading to the launch of these products in our paperbased packaging solutions.

Talking about the expansion, we have ramped up KM7, the world's most modern board machine with

24 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

an annual capacity of half a million tonnes of paper production.

BillerudKorsnäs has also entered into a merger agreement with Verso Corporation, a leading producer of coated papers in North America. BillerudKorsnäs aims to build one of the most cost-efficient and sustainable paperboard platforms in North America by converting several of Verso's assets into paperboard machines while maintaining its position as quality and cost leader in speciality and coated wood-free paper.

We also launched a special paper for e-commerce packaging which has not only gained global acceptance but also has been one of the most successful launches in recent times in the packaging paper industry.

We have a new product for paper straws which has a very high

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E demand for functionality especially when it comes to aerated drinks and sodas. This market is set to experience exponential growth in the months and years to come as a result of the governments globally making legislation to replace single-use plastics, which is the case in India as well, when plastic straws will not be allowed to us from July 2022. We also have a new launch lined up for Quarter 3 of 2022, which is a grease-resistant paper that is free from fluorochemicals.

2022: The year that will be We expect a strong market for packaging papers, with a more or less similar year in 2022 as 2021, with fully booked machines. There will be no policy changes. Our home market is Europe where we intend to consolidate and strengthen. Our overseas markets, including India, are gaining importance as developing markets with a lot of opportunities in traditional but also newer packaging

applications, with high profitable growth potential.

Key trends driving the growth Initiatives for replacement of plastic by paper will continue strongly with the world returning to normal operation mid-2022, e-commerce further increasing, building industry booming and consumer-driven changes for need and demand of sustainable packaging solutions. n

JK Paper Starts Commercial Production at New Packaging Board Plant

N•E•W•S

With the expansion, the company's production capacity has been up scaled from 455,000 TPA to 625,000 TPA. February 1, 2022

J

K Paper has started the commercial production of packaging board at its new facility at Unit CPM, Gujarat. The paper and paper packaging producer has informed that its packaging board plant began production on 14 January.

The new 600 TPD coated board machine with complete millwide distributed control system (DCS) has been successfully started up at JK Paper Limited's Fort Songadh Mill in India. The start-up was very smooth and successful, it took only 2.5 hours to get paper from stock on the wire to the reel, which will increase the company's production capacity and enhance its market share in the growing Indian market.

“It is great pleasure to announce that board produced on Valmet board machine at JK Paper in Fort Songadh has been successfully reeled on August 26, 2021. It could not have been possible without the support of the Valmet team in Finland and India, along with the JK team. Despite the COVID challenges and travelling restrictions, we received good support from India and Finland,”says Mr. S.K. Jain, Head, Board Project, JK Paper Ltd. Valmet delivery included a new coated board machine from the headboxes to reel with air dryers, chemical systems, heat recovery and other board making systems. The coating is applied in multiple coating stations including a technologically advanced Opti Coat Layer coating station, which applies two coating layers simultaneously. It also includes a mill wide Valmet DNA Distributed Control System with all the controls in one platform for ease access of data.

JK Paper had begun developing the production plant at its Gujarat unit after getting the required approval from its directors' board in May 2018. Built with an investment of INR 14.5 billion (~USD 195.3 million), the plant will provide 200,000

JK Paper CPM Unit. Image source: World Orgs

TPA of additional production capacity a year, upscaling the company's total annual capacity from 455,000 TPA to 625,000 TPA. JK Paper is intending to export about 15-20 percent of its total production in the first year while the remaining production is earmarked for the domestic market.

“The start-up target for this board machine was very demanding due to the pandemic. However, the Valmet and JK Paper teams responded very well to achieve the challenging goal.

The machine start-up was completed partially remotely.

Thanks to the great teamwork between the JK and Valmet teams, the first reel of board was produced very fast. Having a complete automation package was clearly an advantage to establish good startup curve, and it eased the overall commissioning process,” says Varun Jain, Director, India Region, Valmet.

Furthermore, with the current expansion, JK Paper's market share in the packaging board segment is also going to increase substantially. Also, the combined capacity in both paper and board manufacturing will reach 7,61,000 TPA (including the capacity of its subsidiary Sirpur Paper Mills). n

www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022 | 25

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

IPMA: Industry Needs to Move Up on the Sustainability Curve and Reduce Environmental Footprint Mr. Rohit Pandit, Secretary-General, Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA)

2021 – 2022

2021: The year that was The year 2021 was pretty topsyturvy for the paper industry. The industry was recovering from a severe economic downturn due to the first wave of the pandemic, till the second wave hit the country in April 2021. The dip in the performance of the paper industry on account of the second wave though was not as severe as during the first wave in April/May 2020 due to the l o c kd ow n s a n d re s t r i c t i o n s imposed at that time. After some recovery, the industry was again adversely impacted by the Omicron wave from November 2021 onwards due to a fall in the sentiment.

Although the performance of the

26 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

paper industry has been significantly impacted by the pandemic, there were also some positive developments. Notwithstanding domestic and global headwinds, India's exports of paper, paperboard, and newsprint outstripped imports, in volume terms, for the first time ever in FY 2020-21.

The tree cover in the country has i n c re a s e d ove r t h e ye a r s a s brought out by the India State of Forest Report 2021 and the paper industry has been playing an important role in the Greening of India. After the investigation and recommendation of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), anti-dumping duty was imposed by the govern-

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E ment on the import of décor paper from China for five years.

2022: The year that will be Raw material, energy, and input costs, including chemicals, for the paper industry jumped significantly during the year impacting the commercial viability of many paper mills. Coal shortages that plagued the industry during most of the year are still continuing. Shortage of containers and high ocean freight rates are expected to continue for some more months at the very least.

Continued closure of educational institutions, and also of offices and commercial establishments with emphasis on work-from-home, has adversely impacted several segments of the paper industry, especially the writing & printing segment, during FY 2021-22. The performance of the

paper industry as a whole should be better in FY 2021-22 as compared to FY 2020-21, although the industry is still not at the pre-COVID levels.

With the massive vaccination drive in the country, and the pandemic hopefully abating to a significant extent in the coming months, we are expecting a much better performance of the industry in FY 2022-23.

The goal for the paper industry should be to enhance its cost competitiveness and product quality. The paper industry also needs to move up on the sustainability curve and reduce its environmental footprint over time by focussing more on energy efficiency, resource conversation, adoption of clean and green technologies, etc. It also needs to work towards securing assured supplies of raw material.

Key trends driving the growth As the economy picks up after two difficult years, we expect demand for better quality packaging of FMCG products, booming e-commerce, rising healthcare spending, growth in pharma, packaged foods, and textile sectors, etc. to lead to i n c re a s e d d e m a n d f o r p a p e rboard/packaging paper. The reopening of educational institutions across the countr y should revive the demand for the writing & printing segment. Implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the coming months should also significantly contribute to the demand for writing & printing paper.

Hopefully, with the pandemic situation improving, demand for all paper grades will show a positive trend and surpass the pre-COVID levels during this year. n

Manufacturer of : Complete Paper Machine from conveyor to Rewinder • Duplex • Multi Layer Kraft • Kraft • Newsprint

D.S. Pulp & Paper Machinery Pvt. Ltd. D.S. Engineers Mfg.: Paper, Pulp & Cement Plant Works & office: Plot No. 5314, Phase IV, Ramol Cross Road, G.I.D.C. Vatva, Vatva, Ahmedabad - 382445.

(Rajesh Desai) +91 9825042710, 9227225579 E-mail: dsengineers_raj@yahoo.com / dspl@ymail.com

www.papermillmachineryindia.com | www.papermillindia.com

www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022 | 27

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

INMA: With Increasing Production of Lower GSM, Domestic Industry Gearing Up to Become Self-Reliant

2021 – 2022

Mr. Vijay Kumar, Secretary-General, Indian Newsprint Manufacturers Association

2021: The year that was The year 2021 was similar to the year 2020. COVID-19 and the continuing pandemic disruption r e s u l t e d i n s u p p l y- d e m a n d mismatch, from raw material to finished goods consumption. The demand is still down by 50 percent and continuity of low-cost imports did not allow the industry to use its full capacity.

Unstinted support to consumers during this pandemic period resulted in the survival of domestic industry produce and its acceptance. Further, the establishment of anti-dumping investigation agenc y for serious dumping resulted in industry and consumers creating a win-win situation.

The industry paid attention to further improvement of quality as per customers' needs. An increase in production of lower GSM and acceptance by the consumers resulted in an increase in consumption of domestic production as compared to the past few years.

2022: The year that will be The domestic paper industry is fully geared up to meet the domestic demand. We have the

28 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

capacity to meet the entire demand. However, an increase in import duty on recovered paper comes as a dampener and double whammy for the industry. It will have an adverse impact on the cost of production to the industry whereas consumption patterns shall remain a cause of concern.

W i t h t h e e x i s t i n g t re n d , i f policymakers provide a level playing field opportunity for a couple of years for the domestic industry with imports, we have the potential to meet the entire demand of the industry. The domestic industry is fully geared up to become self-reliant for the success of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.'

Key trends driving the growth The predicted scenario of the pandemic to endemic will make the virus manageable. Hence, it will pave the way for the increase in consumption leading to good days ahead for the domestic newsprint industry as well as for the consumers. These positive developments in the coming years will accelerate the growth of consumption despite the digital age. n

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S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

FPTA: ‘China Plus One Strategy’ to Benefit India due to its Demographics, Low Cost, and a Strong Domestic Market 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Deepak Mittal, President, Federation of Paper Traders' Associations of India

The year 2021 brought mixed results for the domestic players.

Last year saw prices moving northwards in spurts and therefore, increasing the top-line and making the bottom line healthier.

In spite of the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 felt by the domestic players, the overall demand picked up except for the writing and printing grades. It is noteworthy to mention that for the first time in the history of Indian paper manufacturing, exports from India overtook the imports in both quantum and monetary terms.

The domestic paper industry is firing on two engines, the conventional and the new economy. The coming years will see an upsurge in capital expenditure across various grades. A generation of new entrepreneurs has firmed up plans in bringing in record new and additional capacities.

2022: The year that will be India's current demand is estimated at approximately 20 million tonnes per annum and the expected growth rates are likely to be 6 – 8 percent per annum.

Hence, the industry will need to add approximately 1.5 million tonnes per annum to meet the growing needs of paper & paperboards.

30 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

The industry is likely to witness a demand boom in months ahead as and when the impact of COVID wanes away and all economic, business, and educational activities slowly reach their normal levels.

After many years, the industry is likely to face a situation where demand will be exceeding supply as capacity addition is lagged primarily due to disruption in the e nv i ro n m e n t o n a cco u n t o f COVID. Prices of packaging grades have a l re a dy m ove d n o r t hwa rd s, whereas the supplies are still under pressure due to increased exports.

The demand for packaging grades is already running at much above the pre-COVID levels while the prices of writing & printing grades, though firm, are still on shaky ground. Availability is not an issue for the moment. There has been a slowdown of demand due to the educational institutions remaining closed, business establishments being partially open, and largely operating remotely from home. Lack of interest in paperbased year-end gift articles has taken away some shine from the demand.

But this seems temporary and things are likely to change very quickly with most parts of the countries gradually opening up.

The state governments have given a

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E go - a h e a d fo r t h e e d u c a t i o n a l institutions to open up (the scholastic sector contributes approximately 60 percent to the total demand for writing & printing paper).

Key trends driving the growth The conversion from plastic to paper is going to be the single biggest megatrend over the next decade for the paper industry as paper is the most eco-friendly alternative to plastic. Also, 'China plus one strategy' of the world is immensely going to benefit India as India remains to be the natural beneficiary of this scenario due to its demographics, low cost and strong domestic market.

With China clamping down on polluting industry, there is going to be a shift of paper manufacturing from China to other developing countries like India, Vietnam, and Indonesia among others.

The only major challenge which I foresee for the domestic paper industry is the availability of rawmaterial in sufficient quantity and at globally competitive prices. India is a fiber deficient country whether it is wood, agricultural residue, or recycled fiber/waste paper. Since the raw material is a major cost component of the production of paper, this single factor adversely impacts the cost competitiveness of the Indian Industry as compared to other competing countries.

The paper trade in the last year went through a very rough patch and is still reeling under that pressure.

Businesses were impacted due to low demand, frequent price increase, breaks in supply chain and logistics, increased investments, high unrealised credit, and increased nonperforming assets, lack of govern-

ment and banking support, increased expenditures on health, unforeseen forced closure for a lengthy period of time, all leading to reduced volumes and increased expenditure. Margins remaining constant were under pressure and ove r- re d u ce d vo l u m e s, wh i c h impacted the bottom line of the traders to a large extent.

The paper trade has been a less celebrated segment of the Indian distributive and retail sector. However, the economic and social importance of the trader is unique. The estimated turnover of the 6,000 plus strong trader is around INR 70,000 crores.

The trade provides direct employment to 25,000 people and indirectly to around 1,00,000. The trade supports the vital national objectives of education, employment generation, and availability of goods for all. n

Satia Industries Starts New Paper Machine Supplied by Allimand

N•E•W•S

The new paper machine by Allimand will expand the production capacity of the paper mill from 300 TPD to 600 TPD. January 29, 2022

S

atia Industries has successfully started a new Writing & Printing Paper Machine (PM4) at its Muktsar plant in Punjab. The paper machine supplied by Allimand Group will reportedly expand the production capacity of Satia Industries by 300 TPD. The finished deckle of the machine is 3.25 metre and is designed to run at a speed of 1000 metres per minute.

Talking about this development in a previous interview with Paper Mart, Mr. R. K. Bhandari, Joint Managing Director, Satia Industries Ltd. said, “We have planned to go for expansion in production capacity from 300 TPD to 600 TPD and we have already got the environmental clearance (EC) from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt of India, New Delhi.

We would be installing a new paper machine supplied by Allimand, France with a machine deckle of 3.25 m and speed of 1000 MPM with top former, shoe press film press and soft calendar along with all other top of line fixtures like hood and on line QCS.”

32 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

Image source: Satia Industries

Earlier, the company had also revealed plans to increase its existing wood pulping capacity to 300 TPD and straw pulping capacity from the existing 200 to 250 TPD along with a deinked pulp line of 150 TPD supplied by ANDRITZ as standby capacity.

Satia Industries has recently procured machinery for the table cutlery segment with 4 TPD capacity and has an ambitious plan to have a turnover of INR 100 crore in this segment. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Zalani Paper Mart: Goal is to Expand in Food & Industrial Packaging Segment

2021 – 2022

Mr. Dushyant Zalani, Managing Partner, Zalani Paper Mart

2021: The year that was

2022: The year that will be

Founded by Mr. Dhanji Natha Zalani in 1960, Zalani Paper Mart is a strong family-owned company and a leading brand in supplying second choice paper and plastics from Europe and the USA to over 20 countries. 2020-2021 has been a turnaround year for us as we installed an extrusion coating plant in Kandla Special Economic Zone and expanded our product line to 2/3/4 ply paper laminates.

Besides exporting 100 percent of these grades to Gulf countries, and the European Union, we are now e ye i n g e x p a n s i o n i n N o r t h America.

We had already touched 250 tonnes a month at the beginning of 2021 and reached approximately 375-400 tonnes a month by the end of the year. Our aim is to touch 500 tonnes a month of mixed paper laminates and export 100 percent of these products to the international markets, marking the excellence of 'Make in India' and supplying the best quality laminates to the world.

We started with 2 ply paper laminates like machine glazed bleached kraft (MGBK)+PE, coated C1S (chromo paper)+PE, coated cup stock in 2020, and now producing 3/4 ply laminates like M G B K + P E + A l u f o i l , C1S+PE+Alufoil, Kraft+PE+Kraft, Foodboard (FBB)+PE. All these grades are extensively used in food packaging and industrial packaging.

34 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

We want to be one-stop shop of paper laminates for supplying to disposable manufacturing companies, flexible packaging companies, and industrial packaging companies. Additionally, we aim to supply the best quality 100 percent foodgrade materials.

Key trends driving the growth Only packaging is the way ahead.

After the COVID 19 pandemic, customers all over the world are opting for better packaging and sustainable materials. Hence, our goal is to grow more in food & industrial packaging. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Raj Dealers & Distributors: Single-Use Plastic Ban a Driving Trend for Paper Packaging in Years Ahead

2021 – 2022

Mr. Pradyumna Bangur, Director, Raj Dealers & Distributors

2021: The year that was Raj Dealers & Distributors (RDD) is a leading paper, board, tissue, and pulp distributing company born out of a century-long experience and vision of the famed Shyam Niwas Shree Gopal Bangur Group (SNSG Group). We are a 50year-old paper trading company and an authorised distributor of several products of various mills including Andhra Paper Ltd., Century Pulp & Paper., JK Paper Ltd., Star Paper Ltd., and APP India Ltd. At RDD, we cater to a lot of segments of paper applications, ranging from commercial printing, publishers, notebook manuf a c t u r e r s , l a m i n a t o r s , VA P Packaging, security printing to wedding cards and paper cups, though education and HoReCa industries were very adversely affected throughout 2021.

2022: The year that will be RDD is a firm believer in innovation, and we are constantly in touch with the technical team of mills and customers for their specialised requirements. We closely work with customers and

36 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

mills to provide sustainable and cost-effective products. We have closely worked in recent times with convertors of e -commerce packaging, cooler base paper, carry bag manufacturers, digital printers & carbonless base paper.

We were able to meet our business targets for 2021-22, which were set after a sluggish 2020-21. After the second wave, the demand has been stable in Q3 & Q4.

Key trends driving the growth The pandemic has made one thing very clear, that is, every country s h o u l d t r y t o a c h i e ve s e l f sufficiency and be indigenously able to cater to its needs in all aspects. 'Make in India' in its true self was understood. Secondly, as our industry per se, 'Single-Use Plastic Ban' announced by the government has made the corporate and business realise the mandate to change to eco-friendly solutions in all aspects, from product-packaging-delivery. This will be a big driving trend in years ahead and requirements to the industrial segment will grow to a new height. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

(L-R) Mr. Vineet Badruka, Managing Director and Mr. Parth Badruka, Director, Badruka Exim Pvt. Ltd.

2021 – 2022

Badruka Exim to Increase Focus on Packaging and Recycled Board Segments 2021: The year that was 2021 saw the paper industry market prices rise to exorbitant highs.

Even though it is true for a lot of industries in this pandemic stricken second year but the board prices saw an increase of almost 40 percent. This was due to the coal shortage, delay in receiving raw material imports by the mills, and rise in international freight, shipping, and container costs that made the MOP of paper board reach a new all-time high.

Delayed lead times of finished products didn't help our case either.

But, much of the above obstacles have been offset by the reduced demand for Writing & Printing paper and Copier paper. This made us suffer from wafer-thin margins in this segment though.

However, we promoters along with our loyal team made sure that we focus on high-value and contribut-

38 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

ing products in our portfolio to sustain and grow in this yet another challenging year. This strategy was backed by consistent customers.

One of our principal suppliers, JK Paper Ltd. has recently expanded with a new state-of-the-art board machine at their CPM unit in Gujarat. This will put out an additional higher paper board capacity of 170000 TPA at full utilization taking their total paper capacity to 625000 TPA. This increased capacity helps us provide our board customers with quality products and increased capacity output helps reduce lead times.

Badruka Exim Pvt. Ltd. is also a keen developer of imported specialty paper of all varieties mainly for the packaging needs of the domestic market. We keep developing and supplying material from European nations, Japan, Vietnam, etc.

Leading Exporter of All Paper & Paperboard Grades of Indian Mills

business that sources globally and exports all grades of prime papers and paperboards across the world.

P R O V I D I N G PA P E R S O L U T I O N S G L O B A L LY

Corporate Office:

Sales Office:

C-107, Sector - 2, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India Tel: +91 120 4659700

234, Chawri Bazar, Delhi - 110006, India Tel: +91 11 46449999

vj@mlmindialtd.com | www.mlmindialtd.com

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E As we mentioned earlier, our goal will be to focus more on packaging board & recycled board segments as a lot of packaging needs are being shifted to sustainable, recyclable, and compostable ways. It is a booming product portfolio with an exponential year-on-year predicted growth. We are also cultivating new import channels and suppliers for the high-strength packaging paper needs of the domestic market.

Key trends driving the growth 2022: The year that will be Our company has performed well despite the pandemic stricken market.

We are going to close our books for FY 21-22 with a healthy turnover which looks promising for the upcoming FY. We operate in all verticals of the paper industry which gives us an edge by offsetting losses of non-performing products with high-value ones.

FY 22-23 also comes with high hopes and potential considering the opening of the educational institutions and corporate markets that have not been promising for the past two years. We are also going to be focussing more on the packaging board segment as this is the future of sustainability backed by various plastic ban initiatives by the government.

Firstly, the corporate sector and the educational sector look to be reviving in their full glory soon which will ramp up our supply of writing & printing paper and copier/cut size paper. Secondly, the current demand for paperboard products is not being met with the supply nationally. Once the supply reaches the demand level there will be a latent demand met resulting in increased sales. n

Kerala Paper Products Commences Operations from January 1

N•E•W•S

In the initial phase, the operations will start with newsprint, and it will later expand into premium paper products like tissue paper products.

December 30, 2021

K

erala Paper Products Limited (KPPL), erstwhile known as the Velloor-based Hindustan Newsprint Limited, has resumed production operations from January 1, 2022.

According to the Minister for Industries, Law, and Coir in the Government of Kerala P. Rajeeve, the new company under the State government will achieve full-scale operation in four phases in 46 months. Once fully operational, the production facility will provide employment to more than 3,000 people.

As published in news daily – a board including the Industries Secretary A.P.M. Mohammad Haneesh, KINFRA MD Santosh Koshy Jacob, and special officer Prasad Balakrishnan, will oversee its operations. Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to undertake a formal inauguration of the unit in May, next year.

In the first few months of its production operations, the paper mill will run its operations on a trial basis.

Although the operations will start with newsprint in the initial phase, it will later expand into premium paper products like tissue paper products. In the final phase, it is expected to become a leading company with a turnover of INR 3,200 crore.

40 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

Representational image: Paper Mill

Hindustan Newsprint Limited, located on the 700-acre land owned by the state government, had shut down its production plant about two years ago citing financial losses. The state government took over the company after the union government had initiated plans to privatise the unit. n

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S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Valmet: Establishing Sourcing from India to be an Integral Part of Global Sustainable Supply Chain

2021 – 2022

Mr. Manish Sharma, Director, Asia Pacific Supply Chain, Valmet

2021: The year that was

2022: The year that will be

In India, our business activity was affected during the peak of the second wave and later recovered and got back to normalcy during the latter part of the year. The project activities have been back on track and all the manufacturing activities for the ongoing projects are going on in full swing. In addition to this, we are in regular touch with multiple companies for grade conversions and future expansion plans in the packaging and hygiene segments. There has been positive development from the supply chain front. We have been able to establish sourcing from India to be an integral part of Valmet's global sustainable supply chain.

At Valmet, we have done a good job of finding innovative, new ways to serve our customers during the pandemic. We have, for instance, started a Valmet Advantage DCT t i s s u e m a c h i n e re m o te ly a t Century Paper's Lalkuan mill without our overseas experts on site. We have also successfully started up a new coated board m a c h i n e a t J P Pa p e r ' s Fo r t Songadh mill. Many customer problems have been resolved with remote connections and through v i r t u a l m e e t i n g s, a n d s a l e s negotiations with customers are also carried out via video meetings.

Valmet has four offices and two workshops in India. Our presence and capability in India have been developing systematically. We expanded automation's operation facility and increased our footprint in India through GL&V acquisition in 2019. Last year, we invested in filter fabric manufacturing in Pune and the operation started from June 2021 onwards. All these efforts show our strong presence and commitment to the Indian market.

In the coming year, we see a good potential of investment from the leading paper mills in upgrading their technology or will come up with a new line. A new containerboard project is set for commissioning and a few of our bioethanol projects will also get commissioned which will create a benchmark for Valmet in the Biotrac business in the Asia Pacific. We are working closely with our customers to set our footprint in new businesses like flue gas desulfurisation, New OCC Lines, BCTMP, etc.

India is one of our key markets, we're also constantly developing our local competence to better serve the customers in India, Asia Pacific, and globally. The Indian market also plays an important role in our global engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain.

India is one of the markets that hold the most potential business.

We continue to develop process technologies, automation and services to address customer needs and help to develop their sustainability performance. We are building up strong local service

42 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E teams that are backed up by our global expert network. We will continue to invest in R&D to:

Ÿ Address customer needs; Ÿ More expansion of local sustainable local supply chains to meet the customers' urgent demands and improve lead time;

Ÿ Energy-saving & environmentfriendly technology; and

Ÿ Continue to strengthen our footprint with sustainable solutions.

Key trends driving the growth Climate change and global warming are significant challenges that are d r iv i n g co m p a n i e s to ra p i d ly

transform and reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Valmet believes that technology plays a key role in mitigating climate change and global warming in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. Therefore, we have created an ambitious climate program − Forward to a carbonneutral future − which continues our comprehensive sustainability work.

We are proceeding with a wide range of actions like decreasing the weight of our products, increasing the share of recycled steel they contain, and introducing alternative materials.

We will support our CO₂-intensive suppliers in reducing their emissions and centralise spending on selected

suppliers offering low- carbon transportation. We will also continue to develop freight planning.

Valmet is also targeting a reduction of 80 percent of CO₂ emissions in its own operations by 2030 without emission compensation. Valmet's current multi-fuel & bioenergy boiler technology already enables 100 percent fossilfree heat and power production today.

Our target is to enable carbon-neutral production for all our pulp and paper industry customers by 2030 as well.

We will achieve this target by developing new technologies that enable fossil-free pulp and paper production when the customer is using carbonneutral electricity. n

ITC PSPD Installs New Slice xP Actuator from ABB

N•E•W•S

ABB India's Pulp & Paper QCS team completed the remote commissioning as part of a modernisation project.

February 14, 2022

I

TC Paperboards and Specialty Papers' Tribeni mill in West Bengal has upgraded to ABB's Slice xP (II) Profiler system, a new actuator for slice lip weight control.

The project, managed by the specialist Quality Control Systems (QCS) team at ABB India, included the replacement of ABB's existing cross-direction (CD) weight control system (Slice Profiler) with the latest Slice xP (II) Profiler under product phaseout notification. The Slice xP (II) is ABB's latest actuator technology for slice lip weight control headboxes and falls within the weight extended profiling (xP) family designed to meet exacting specifications that exceed process requirements.

As a result of the upgrade to Slice xP, which is easy to install and maintain, ITC will benefit from reduced CD profile variability and advanced diagnostics through the built-in monitoring of each actuator. Its high-speed, non-contact positioning sensors ensure precision even after a power loss. This enables mills to achieve fast recovery from grade changes and process upsets.

ITC's Tribeni mill has produced a diverse range of industrial and fine papers for more than 50 years, with production capacity standing at 50,000 TPA. As well as having all relevant ISO accreditations for quality management, environmental standards, and health and safety, ITC is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – Chain of Custody certified; it uses responsibly produced raw materials including timber sourced from sustainably managed forests.

Biplab Bhattacharya, Head of Electrical & Instrumentation at

ITC PSPD Tribeni mill

ITC Paperboards and Specialty Papers, says, “The move from a phase-out product to a new product not only improves our reliability and achieves higher maintenance, but it also reduces our risk of breakdown and therefore inventory costs. ABB's well-considered lifecycle policy enabled us to be proactive with our upgrade strategy. The team's ability to deliver remotely was critical in achieving our modernization goals to schedule.”

Rajmohan Arumugam, Engineering Manager – QMS at ABB, affirms, “This has been significant advancement of remote commissioning for ABB, made possible by the team's strong domain expertise. Despite several challenges related to health and safety, logistics, and the fact it was the first time we've had to commission such a system in India using remote support, we are pleased that the entire process went smoothly and without any issues. The upgrade will help ITC to improve quality and reliability over the actuator's lifecycle to ensure on-spec paper at the lowest cost.” n

www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022 | 43

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Parason: Developing Best-in-Class Products and a Robust Customer Relationship Management System 2021: The year that was 2020 was a diff icult year for everyone. We began 2021 with unwavering optimism.

2021 – 2022

Mr. Madhure Desarda, Director, Parason Machinery (India) Pvt. Ltd.

The year 2021 brought the sunshine of hope; it was a relief year to get back to normal. The second wave of the first quarter affected us brief ly, but we safely managed ourselves.

Additionally, we organized a special vaccination drive for the Parason family's 1500+ employees.

Besides the vaccination drive, we had also prepared an isolation unit at our Desarda Public School. We managed to get through all the barricades with the support of all our employees and customers who had faith in us.

We committed to eliminating single-use plastic items in January 2021. To support our eco-friendly initiative, Parason started moulded fiber machinery plant.

Furthermore, we recently acquired a few businesses and also manufacture masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits under the brand name Medifence.

44 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

In terms of product development, Parason Machiner y recently developed and shipped India's biggest Sharp Edge Drum Pulper.

The Parason team has devised innovative techniques for market penetration on a worldwide scale.

2022: The year that will be We are encouraged by the company's current performance. We have successfully fulfilled all the domestic and global client requirements on time. Our global smart supply chain strategies have helped us to provide our products on time to international clients.

Apart from developing best-inclass products, we will also focus on developing a robust customer relationship management system, which is a part of our founding principles.

Parason is a well-known brand in the paper industry. Our paper machinery is used by some of the most prestigious paper manufacturers in the country. With a strong presence in the domestic market, we are also expanding our footprints to the global market. The current

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E trade war has had a favourable influence on the Indian paper sector.

As a result of the ongoing trade war, foreign paper mills are increasingly turning to ‘Made in India’ products.

Parason is making sure to deliver the products with utmost quality without any compromise.

Key trends driving the growth This year we can see rising demand for recyclable products. Growing hygiene standards will improve the tissue paper-related products demands. The eCommerce and packaging industries will transition to kraft paper packaging that is

recyclable. Moulded fiber products are anticipated to become more popular. Parason has invested heavily in the research and development wing and understands the changes in the market and its demands and working tirelessly in delivering the same. n

Servall Engineering Works: Aiming to Increase Global Reach with an Aggressive Approach in 2022 Mr. Shreeman Ram Prasad, Executive Director, Servall Engineering Works Pvt. Ltd.

2021 – 2022

2021: The year that was 2021 was really a year in which Servall took a number of steps to upgrade its technology by seeking support and also hiring design experts from Europe to distinguish itself from the rest of the suppliers in India Servall, as mentioned earlier, has been developing various new technologies like the metering size press, coating, etc. which is still under R&D and will be launched into the market soon.

2022: The year that will be In the upcoming financial year, we are in discussion with many potential customers overseas and see a very positive year ahead due to the price and technology combina-

46 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

tion offered by Servall in the European and American markets.

In 2022, we have agreed with multiple overseas suppliers, agents and individuals employed by us to increase the global reach of Servall with an aggressive approach.

Key trends driving the growth The trends for the future are tissues for the hygiene aspect due to the pandemic as well as packaging grades due to the increase in online purchases and reduction of plastic use. When it comes to machines, the customers worldwide are now looking at technology at a cheaper price where we feel that we might be able to fit in into a particular portion of the market worldwide. n

Henan Jingxin Fabric Technology Co., Ltd. is a national-level high-tech enterprise. We are professional manufacturer for Paper Machine Clothing (PMC) such as Triple layer Forming Fabric (SSB), double warp flat filament dryer screen, Spiral dryer screen etc.

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S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Krofta Engineering: Empowering Industry with Technology to Treat, Reuse and Recycle Wastewaters

2021 – 2022

Mr. Raghvendra Khaitan, Managing Director, Krofta Engineering Ltd.

2021: The year that was

2022: The year that will be

The current year was a year of introspection considering the volatile situation and ups and downs of the industry. It made us realise that cohesiveness amongst team members and our company executives places a very vital role. It helped us to interact amongst us and do brainstorming which led us to innovate new products.

The performance for the year 2021-22 will be about 25 percent higher revenue in comparison to 2020-21 and for the coming financial year, we are very optimistic about the new opportunities because water and its importance of reuse and recycling will be the main driver.

We have launched Megacell which is an advanced DAF technology allowing higher throughput, lower power consumption, and lower civil cost along with the flexibility to be able to be installed virtually at any tight spot within the paper mill premises.

We have also introduced our Triple Wire Belt Press which includes an inbuilt gravity thickener allowing low consistencies of sludge to be handled along with higher throughput in this machine. Its low power consumption compared to decanter centrifuge is a major advantage.

48 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

Our goal is to explore newer verticals/markets wherever water is stressed. Krofta has the ability and technology to be able to treat wastewaters which will allow the mills to reuse and recycle the same and also dewater their sludge accordingly.

Key trends driving the growth Krofta always strives for newer innovations/products which allow the customers to have an advantage of lower opex costs, lower civil costs, etc. which will ultimately drive the project cost to be competitive. We are planning new launches in the coming year and these advantages will be the driver for growth and generate demand. n

S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Bellmer India: Tapping into Every Opportunity for Capacity & Quality Enhancements

2021 – 2022

Mr. Ranajoy Chowdhury, Managing Director, Bellmer India Pvt. Ltd.

2021: The year that was The year 2021 albeit the challenge, has catalysed some introspection, specific to flexibility in business models, thereby adapting to the changing economic scenario. We have, in the meantime, geared ourselves, to train our Indian service team to hone in and finetune their technical services skills, bringing them at par with our German counterparts.

Bellmer India arguably is the only Indian group, which has geared itself up to start up, troubleshoot and service complete shoe presses, apart from paper machine calenders. This has helped us in achieving our targets, despite the overwhelming odds, attributed to the depleting markets during the pandemic.

We have expanded our services business to pan-India customers, besides we are focussing hugely on indigenisation of existing products, so as to churn out more costeffective solutions, bringing technology within the reach of even a 100 TPD kraft producer.

2022: The year that will be We see business getting back to

50 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

normal in the last quarter JanuaryMarch 2022. Enquiries have increased, particularly from manufacturers of kraft paper and greyback duplex. We take a lot of pride in our teams, amiable demeanour, which is the reason why we have the smallest Indian k ra f t p a p e r m a n u f a c t u re r s , finalising orders for the muchtouted Bellmer calenders and shoe press, apart from the headbox.

Our main focus is to seep into all corners of the Indian packaging industry starting from 60 TPD machines, bringing close to them, k n owl e d ge a n d te c h n o l o g y, thereby tap every opportunity that the market presents itself, be it capacity or quality enhancement.

Since the advent of the pandemic, we have realigned our methods to blend with the realities of the industry, therein focussing more on orders and less on profitability, which will continue the whole of 2022.

Key trends driving the growth We see a further pick-up in demand for packaging, which will essentially drive the growth in the Indian pulp and paper industry. n

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Forbes Marshall: New Steam Factory set up in Singapore 2021: The year that was

2021 – 2022

Mr. Datta Kuvalekar, Director (Operations), Forbes Marshall

The FY 2021-22, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak and its second wave, saw Forbes Marshall grow in both orders and sales and had a good financial position. We see increasing business from the pharmaceutical, chemicals, and food & beverage sectors. The paper industry also made good contributions to our growth. The process and energy efficiency opportunities have grown manifold both in India and international markets. We have seen the business grow on account of this. On the health front, we had several challenges with quite a substantial n u m b e r o f o u r ow n m e m b e r s including our supply partners and their families being affected either directly or indirectly. We managed to keep our operations running on an even keel despite the challenges.

Overall, in the year 2021, we were stable from July 2021 and were able to steer our way through the challenges.

Forbes Marshall has invested the last year in a new redeveloped manufacturing unit as well as in new machinery. This will enable us to ramp up our production and productivity and ability to serve our customers faster and better. We have also set up a new steam factory in Singapore to help serve our international customers faster. This factory was set up in a very unique way right through all the COVID restrictions across countries.

Forbes Marshall has launched a series of digital products aimed at providing our customers with valuable insights based on critical process information that can enhance the safety, yield, and quality of the plant operations.

2022: The year that will be The performance as mentioned earlier has been robust and despite

52 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

the challenges, we have done well on overall business and managed to keep our operations running amid the second wave of COVID-19 and its severe impact. This enabled us to keep serving our customers without disruption. We are very positive about FY23 and see another year of robust growth and good health. We will see more investments in our manufacturing operations and research and development capability to accelerate our innovation pipeline.

Our main goal in 2022 is to further enhance our customer service and support through major investments in manufacturing and innovation and as well as ensuring that our SE Asian manufacturing hub becomes fully operational. Thus, the main thrust is on superior customer experience through multifold initiatives that run across the organisation. Another thrust area is to increase our digital offerings to our customers and thereby, provide insights to our customers to help them run their plants safer and more efficiently.

Key trends driving the growth One of the key trends across the process industry, ranging from paper to food & beverage, is the increasing focus on digitalisation and automation and the thrust on reduced carbon footprint through energy efficiency m e a s u re s a n d re n e w a b l e e n e rg y investments. This will enable process plants to become connected and intelligent and as a result, help plant managers increase plant efficiency by several basis points. We also see a good focus on plant safety and employee health being key learnings from the COVID pandemic. This will lead to more investments in these areas across industries. n

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S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E

Maintech:

2021 – 2022

Mr. Daichi Fukuma, Oversea Sales Division Manager, Maintech Co. Ltd.

Targeting Double of Current Equipment Numbers in Indian Market 2021: The year that was

customers around the world.

Maintech is known for its technologies to avoid deposits on dryer fabrics, rolls, and dryer cylinders of paper machines. In 2021, we faced a lot of difficulties such as increasing material and freight costs and travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

On the other hand, interest in Sustainable Development Goals and various environmental issues is rapidly growing all over the world, which leads a focus to the paper industry as an eco-friendly material.

W i t h t h e re cove r y f ro m t h e pandemic, we think that the demand for packaging paper made of RCP would be booming around the world. Now, our mission is to build a worldwide network to provide this DSP technology to enhance the usage of RCP more, which contributes to environmental protection.

Through the year, these situations enhance the usage of a lower grade of RCP than before, which leads to the demands of our DSP technology. Among our customers, our DSP solution is much recognized as having a critical role to enhance eco -friendly papermaking using rec ycled furnish. Furthermore, even in this difficult situation, our s u p p o r t n e t wo r k w i t h l o c a l partners and the leading edge ICT also gave us substantial support to deliver our solutions to many

54 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

We have been developing this technology in Japan, and it has been spreading to China and ASEAN countries. Now, our focus is shifting to the EU, US, and India as their consumption of both RCP and packaging paper will increase in the future.

We have been developing our business in India since 2017. We already installed 7 equipment in India, and we added 2 on a machine in UP. Through this project, an engineering team of the mill and our local partner, Marubeni India gave us a lot of support, because we were not able to travel due to the peak of COVID. This project gave us

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S•P•E•C•I•A•L F•E•A•T•U•R•E lots of valuable experience. We would like to accelerate the expansion based on these practices once the travel restrictions are relaxed.

2022: The year that will be Due to the shortage of raw materials in China and shrinkage of demands by the pandemic, we faced a slowdown in the Asian market. But we think this is only a temporary trend. On the other hand, we launched various new technologies in the Japanese market, and global expansion to the EU and NA was successfully done.

Our performance in 2021 is surely growing despite such difficulty on the whole. In 2022, we are expecting increasing demand due to material shortage in China and economic recovery in Indian and ASEAN countries.

We are targeting double of current equipment numbers in the Indian market this year. The packaging sector such as containerboard which is growing and requires sticky control technology is our target. We estimate that the export demand to China will steadily grow in 2022. And we have an advantage in this sector backed by a lot of experience and history.

There are a lot of small-middle-class machines in India, and quality requirement is unique compared to other countries. We have been also studying the technical background of this market through existing customers. It will contribute to finding out a fresh solution in the market and further development of our technology.

We also plan a local subsidiary in the future to provide a better customer experience, when we grab more customers here. Regarding our global expansion, we are trying

Mist Runner with Cylinder

to get our business in the US this year. The demand for our technology has been increasing there due to the increased consumption of domestic OCC. We are going to make a first reference in the market with some giants within this year, and would solidity our business foundation there.

Key trends driving the growth We are interested in the restructuring of the global supply chain. The shortage of container boards in China leads to new investment in other Asian countries. Concerning the Chinese market, we expect that export from India will be a lot demanded. However, freight cost and improvement of paper quality shall be the key factors to catch up with the demand. Especially about quality, there are several points of improvement, for example, smells, strength, and moisture profiles. We believe that we can also cooperate to

56 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

discuss such quality issues through our experience.

As described, we are also expecting domestic packaging demand, which will be led by EC and the retail sector.

Now, more than 80 percent of people can access the internet through their phones. Diversification of payment method and logistics led by DX also enhance this movement. There is a lot of investment and startups in this sector in India. We believe that this development will expand the domestic demand and its diversity.

We believe that demand from the domestic and global market would push up the production of containerboard in India. To catch up with this growing market, maximising the production is quite essential. In a lot of cases, contamination on the dryer part withdraws production loss and less productivity. We strongly believe that our insight and technology can take a role in the massive development of the Indian paper industry. n

B•U•D•G•E•T 2•0•2•2

Positive Signals to Manufacturing Sector Augur Well for Paper Industry: IPMA An increase in the basic customs duty on recovered paper, an important raw material used by the paper industry, from nil to 2.5 percent has come as a dampener.

Mr. A.S. Mehta, President, IPMA and President & Executive Director, JK Paper Ltd.

T

he Union Budget 2022-23 is a growth-oriented one with a significant increase in capital expenditure to INR 7.50 lakh crore, with an effective capital investment of INR 10.68 lakh crore (4.1 percent of GDP), which will revive the investment cycle and create employment. It is clear that the government wants to sustain and stimulate the economic recovery process. Moreover, the finance minister has outlined several positive signals for the manufacturing sector which augur well for the paper industry.

the country, the availability of wood domestically is inadequate compared to the demand of India's paper industry. Pioneering work has been carried out by the paper industry over the last three decades in promoting agro/farm forestry in the country. In India, an estimated 5 lakh farmers are engaged in growing plantations and around 12 lakh hectares on a cumulative basis across the country have been brought under plantations due to intensive efforts mounted by paper mills over the last several years. This has generated significant employment opportunities for the local community, especially in the rural areas, and also significantly supplemented the income of farmers and helped check the ruralurban distress migration, apart from the significant environmental benefits in terms of increase in the country's green/tree cover, carbon sequestration, restoration of degraded land, mitigating climate change, etc. Policies and l e g i s l a t ive c h a n ge s to p ro m o te

We greatly welcome the statement of the finance minister that policies and re q u i re d l e g i s l a t ive cha n ge s to promote agroforestry and private forestry will be brought in. Despite the tremendous efforts of the paper industry in promoting plantations in

58 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

agroforestry will certainly provide a fillip to the efforts of the paper industry.

However, an increase in the basic customs duty on recovered paper/wastepaper, an important raw material used by the paper industry, from nil to 2.5 percent has come as a dampener. The industry is passing through challenging times and is hardpressed for raw materials in view of supply-side constraints. An increase in duty on wastepaper will add to the production cost. Since the domestic paper recovery rate in India is around only 40 percent as compared to over 70 percent in developed countries, import of recovered paper or waste paper is necessitated for domestic value addition to meet the growing demand for paper in the country. Any imposition of import duty on recovered paper or wastepaper is not justified till the time that the collection and recovery of waste paper in the country does not increase significantly through efforts by all stakeholders. n

C•A•S•E S•T•U•D•Y

Satia Industries, Greycon join hands to Deliver Automation and Digitisation Greycon has recently implemented their trim optimisation solution, X-Trim, for the paper manufacturer Satia Industries Ltd. As one of the biggest wood and agrobased paper plants in India, Satia began using Greycon X-Trim solution to save on their trim waste.

Identifying that these two paper production lines would benefit from this investment, the firm went to the market to find potential suppliers. SIL had already invested in implementing SAP Hana, as part of this initiative.

Creating More Efficient Ways of Working while Minimising Environmental Impacts

S

atia Industries Ltd. (SIL) has grown to become one of the biggest wood and agro-based paper plants in India, producing a wide range of paper from wood chips, veneer waste, wheat straw, sarkanda and other pulp substitutes. The firm has continually invested in modernisation to improve production processes and product quality while reducing waste and environmental pollution. SIL's paper is used in the printing of textbooks, notebooks, directories, envelopes, diaries, calendars, computer stationery, annual reports and other high-quality printing for both domestic and export sales.

To achieve such an expansive product range the firm has invested in four paper production lines, two of which are used only to produce paper for the public

sector. Each production line features winders, rewinders and simplex and duplex cutters. Each line is designed to produce finished paper as a defined SKU, ready for customers to purchase.

The demand from the retail market is for varying dimensions, and all the planning and production of different sized products were being carried out manually. While this had been an accepted way of working, it was not the most efficient approach, and it wasn't unusual for errors and inaccuracies to occur. Subsequently, this would affect production output while trim losses had room for reduction.

The company's young and dynamic management team is keen to invest in automation and digitisation where there is a robust business case and clear opportunities for improvement.

60 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

After a detailed evaluation process, it was clear that Greycon's X-Trim solution would provide the ideal solution to update and modernise the finishing house practices in the factory.

X-Trim was well suited to the task, with a proven track record of reducing planning time and wasted materials. It was also a good fit with the firm's culture of continuous investment in the latest technologies and digitisation a n d t h e y we re i m p re s s e d w i t h Greycon's team and the ongoing support offered to clients.

Once Greycon's team had evaluated the best way to implement X-Trim, and the solution had been deployed in the business, the firm started to recognise the benefits almost immediately.

As a result, both the efficiency and accuracy of slitting and sheet cutting planning have improved. The planners can now test out different scenarios in a short period of time.

This ensures that the most efficient cutting and preparation scenarios h ave b e e n co n s i d e r e d a n d t h e appropriate one chosen. Not only have planning processes improved,

C•A•S•E S•T•U•D•Y but the team has also noted a measurable reduction in the volume of trim waste because of the new solution.

“At Satia group we are always looking to embrace world-class solutions which can help drive operating efficiencies” states Chirag Satia, Executive Director, Satia Industries Ltd. “Our people are very happy using the X-Trim solution since it has helped them to make far better decisions after evaluating multiple production options. It has also meant that the time required to produce a trim plan is far lower, providing them with much-needed time for other value-added activities.

We are extremely satisfied with this decision”.

The project has been hugely successful, representing another step towards full automation and digitisation and

reinforcing the firm's commitment to minimising the environmental impact of its activities.

A. S. Mehta & Pawan Agarwal Elected as IPMA Office Bearers

N•E•W•S

At the AGM, IPMA Awards for 2019-20 were announced wherein Seshasayee Paper and Boards won the award of IPMA Paper Mill of the Year, IPMA Award for Energy Conservation has been won by ITC Ltd. (PSPD), and IPMA Environment Award has been conferred on Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Ltd. December 30, 2021

M

r. A. S. Mehta, President & Director, JK Paper Ltd., and Mr. Pawan Agarwal, Managing Director, Naini Papers Ltd., have been elected as President and Vice President of the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) respectively at the 22nd AGM of the national apex body for Paper Industry in India.

IPMA Awards for 2019-20 were also announced at the AGM. IPMA Paper Mill of the Year Award has been bagged by Seshasayee Paper and Boards Ltd., Erode. The award recognises an Indian paper mill that sets an example in areas of productivity, quality, HRD, research & development, environment, energy, etc. besides striving to attain global competitiveness.

IPMA Award for Energy Conservation has been won by ITC Ltd. (PSPD), Bhadrachalam. The award recognises the efforts of an Indian paper mill towards energy efficiency and conservation, employing a range of innovations and technologies.

IPMA Environment Award has been conferred on Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Papers Ltd., Kagithapuram. The award recognises the efforts of an Indian paper mill towards environment preservation and reduction in its environmental impact through adoption of clean and green technologies, resource conservation, control of emissions, employing effective effluent treatment techniques, as well as promoting agroforestry leading to carbon sequestration.

Mr. A. S. Mehta, President, IPMA

Mr. Pawan Agarwal, Vice President, IPMA

IPMA awards are truly representative of the entire industry as these are open to all paper mills in India, regardless of size, category, location, and affiliation. An eminent jury of technical and industry experts evaluates the nominations received for the awards.

As a national apex body, IPMA represents the resurgent and organised face of the paper industry in India. IPMA membership comprises large integrated pulp & paper mills from the private and public sector with a product mix of all varieties of paper (writing, printing, packaging, paperboard, specialty, and newsprint) located in all regions of the country using conventional fiber such as wood and bamboo and also unconventional raw materials like recycled fiber/recovered paper, agro residue, viz. bagasse, and wheat straw. n

www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022 | 61

Valmet Kickstarts Supplier Innovation Workshop 2021 in India In the workshop, Valmet collaborated with esteemed suppliers to bring more competitive solutions to its customers.

V

almet, with an aim to transform innovative ideas into value, organised Supplier Innovation Workshop on December 9, 2021, at Leela Ambience, Gurgaon.

Through this event, Valmet collected ideas from its key supplier base in India to feed internal innovation processes.

The main aim of the program was to strengthen supplier collaboration and involvement in providing competitive solutions to its customers.

One of the leading global developers and suppliers of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp and paper industry, Valmet has over 220 years of industrial history. The company intended to capitalise on the innovative capability of its valued suppliers and invite their ideas combined with their skills, knowledge, expertise, and technology to create

value-added and cost-competitive solutions The key theme for the workshop was “Transforming Innovative ideas into Value through knowledge, expertise

Mr. Manish Sharma, Director Asia Pacific Supply Chain, Valmet

62 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

and technolog y ”. The workshop kickstarted with a welcome speech by Mr. Manish Sharma, Director Asia Pacific Supply Chain, Valmet, and was conducted in a hybrid mode with around 50 participants joining faceto - f a ce ( i n c l u d i n g 2 4 s u p p l i e r participants) and around 20 Jury members participating online through Teams. The session began with the Valmet teams in India and Finland welcoming all the participants. While the team from Finland had to attend the event virtually due to the ongoing pandemic, their high level of enthusiasm and words of encouragement boosted the morale of all the participants.

“Ideas do not necessarily need to be big.

They can be small but implementable”, said Mr. Jani Suomalainen, Vice President, Procurement at Valmet.

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E•V•E•N•T C•O•V•E•R•A•G•E projects, the customers were really happy with our deliveries, and the quality of our services from India. Time has been really tough and challenging, however, we've been together through this and we are still going strong and that's the most important thing”.

(On-screen: Left) Mr. Jani Suomalainen, Vice President, Procurement at Valmet

Mr. Varun Jain, Director, India Region, Valmet

He further added, “In the past year, we've seen quite good growth in almost all of Valmet's global sales that has also brought up the need for developing other countries' supply chains apart from China and Europe as a supply hub.

I am pleased to see that India is one of those top considerations. Thus, I would like to say that these kinds of workshops give a sense of assurance that the supplier base here is not only together with us, but is also thinking about improving the quality in the right way without affecting the brand image or compromising the performance of the products.”

that despite the pandemic, Valmet has done extremely well. “There were about 15-20 mega/large-scale projects in the country and in almost each of the

Amidst the COVID-19 challenges, Valmet has been able to put up this show very successfully which has been the first-of-its-kind by any of the technology suppliers in India. n

In the opening remarks, Mr. Manish Sharma said, “As we embark towards a new year – the year 2022, we would like to have grace and great optimism and full of futuristic opportunities for mutual collaboration and cooperation.

Today is indeed a special day when we pave the way for new innovations and creative ideas shared by our key stakeholders and suppliers.” With these words, he set the stage for the participants.

This event was designed for Valmet's key and main suppliers from Engineering, Manufacturing and Logistics and Consultancy Services thus covering the complete supply chain. Around 12 suppliers participated in the workshop. Every participant was allotted 10 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for answering the queries of the jury and audience.

Talking about the workshop, he said, “I would like to express my elation to see the presentations, which were very insightful presented by specialists, expressing very simple ideas that are implementable, which basically sums up the idea behind what innovation is all about. I am of the view that all of the ideas were worth considering.”

The ideas were evaluated by the jury members and the result was compiled and announced. A total of 25 ideas were put up by these 12 suppliers. The top 3 ideas were selected by the jury and awarded with the token of appreciation. These top ideas would be taken for implementation and showcased when ready.

The event ended with Mr. Varun Jain, Director, India Region, Valmet, thanking all the participants for attending the event. He further said it is due to the cooperation of its suppliers

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I•N•D•U•S•T•R•Y W•A•T•C•H

Kadant Auto Lab Pulper – Test your new raw material before you process it Mr. Alain Lascar, Director of Technology and Innovations, Kadant Lamort SAS, popularly known as the technology guru, has been a visionary at Kadant Lamort for 30 years.

His breakthrough innovations and 360-degree problemsolving approach have helped the company add value to its customers’ lives.

A

s consumers worldwide are discarding plastic and shifting towards paper-based packaging, it has put additional demand on the paper industry to look out for more recovered fiber alternatives. The challenges for seekers are on both sides of the coin:

good source of long fiber to mix with traditional wastepaper grades. The biggest challenge is that the paper mills find it difficult to adapt their existing stock preparation equipment to handle these raw materials on an industrial

Ÿ Validation of the recyclability of these new fiber-based complex packaging materials.

Ÿ M a n a ge m e n t o f r e c yc l a b i l i t y challenges in the best way for the selected alternatives.

The Auto Lab is a unique tool to answer these challenging questions.

For recyclers and paper mill owners willing to try out these new complex materials, recycling may not be easy.

Still, these new complex materials are a

Kadant Auto Lab Pulper

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scale. This is where Kadant Auto Lab Pulper gives Paper mills the advantage of trying and testing new raw material in a small scale simulating industrialscale operation.

For Packaging designers developing

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from virgin pulp to recycled pulp, from office waste to poly-cups and used beverage cartons, from banknotes to PE-coated brokes, in all of the cellulosic markets: packaging, tissue, specialty grades, etc.

Kadant has also been a pioneer in developing laboratory equipment to assess the recyclability of various fiberbased plastic alternatives. The advantage being they require raw materials in only small quantities for recyclability assessment.

Utilization of the recovered paper by grade (CEPI 2019)

new plastic-free or bare minimum plastic packaging, the challenge lies in evaluating if these new products are recyclable.

Kadant Auto Lab Pulper is a unique device that helps the packaging companies assess these new sustainable options. The Auto Lab device mixes pulper and coarse screening testing. It is also a fully automatic device able to perform repeatable tests.

With Auto Lab, Kadant has developed standard methods to validate the recyclability of complex fiber-based materials.

The subject of recyclability rapidly caught attention when Europe recorded about 26 million tons of plastic usage every year. It was also realized that only about 30 percent of this amount was recycled, while 70 percent was dumped in landfills. The pattern started changing since the EU committed to working according to their action plan towards the Circular Economy that came into force in December 2015. Given the technological progress and good price of recycled fiber — recovered paper for recycling accounts for 50 percent of the paper industr y. Signif icant economic, e nv i r o n m e n t a l , a n d e co l o g i c a l opportunities created by recycling paper have made Europe a global champion in paper recycling with a massive 72 percent recycling rate.

The utilization of the recovered grades is quite different depending on the fiber quality and price. The recycling process depends on the type of grade in the process. Corrugated and Kraft grades make up more than 50 percent of the recovered paper.

Changing trends As the plastic waste management trend captures the market, people will take considerable time to adjust to the usage of other alternative options. These products, nonetheless, come with several significant challenges that demand appropriate redressal to enhance their acceptability and use.

Some of these challenges are affected fiber quality, requiring newer and stronger pulping conditions to improve their properties. Another problem that is expected to worsen is that of stickies and the harm caused to water loop circuits by substances like Microplastics and Polycyclic Aromatic Hyd ro c a rb o n s, A l u m i n u m , a n d Metallic compounds.

How Kadant help paper mills evaluate new waste paper grades One of Kadant's core businesses spanning over a century deals primarily with fiber processing and recycling.

Kadant is active in supplying all kinds of equipment of fiber-based materials,

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AUTO LAB PULPER: A laboratory pulper is designed to evaluate complex materials that release non-fiber-like elements such as foil and plastic. The design simulates a pulper similar to that used in industrial processes such that it allows coarse screening and rejects washing. Along with the pulper, Kadant has developed a K-Lab Cell to determine the delinking potential of the materials subjected to trial.

With the help of these tools, Kadant will enable customers to determine the recyclability potential of standard cellulosic packaging materials. These inventions will also act as a catalyst to h e l p t h e m a r ke t g r ow t ow a r d s compostable packaging through nonstandard and more complex noncellulose-based fibers substitutes.

Though these raw materials might present new challenges, they will push the world towards greener options and a circular economy. Sensing the tough climb ahead of the industry, Kadant is investing in research efforts to develop tools and testing methods to assess the recyclability of these new products. Not only does Kadant aim to provide equipment but also offer fiber recycling as a solution to a plastic-ridden world.

Kadant Auto Lab Pulper and the existing testing methods are a few outcomes of our rigorous research efforts.

Written by: Seema Saini, Pierre Vialar, Pauline Thibault, Alain Lascar Edited by: Amit Deep Singh

P•R•O•D•U•C•T L•A•U•N•C•H

The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Making Sustainable, Innovative Chemistry to Make Good Business for All The company recently launched Appretan® NTR6304, a water-based polymeric binder based on renewable natural ingredients. bring value, including sustainable value, whilst optimising costs and resource utilization in production”, comments Ms. Jyotsana Shrivastava, Senior Vice President, Paper & Packaging Specialties, India.

“We strive to develop and offer innovative, safe and sustainable solutions for colouration, whiteness, and for overall productivity in paper manufacturing. It is also critical for us that we would have systems supporting specifically the use of recycled fibers”, she adds.

Ms. Jyotsana Shrivastava, Senior Vice President, Paper & Packaging Specialties, India

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rchroma is a global leader in colours and specialty chemicals. The company provides expertise in the management of whiteness, colouration, special coatings and strength for all kinds of packaging and paper.

Archroma is well known for its innovations and solution systems aimed to help packaging & paper manufacturers to optimise productivity and/or create value in their markets. In the past three years, the company introduced over 70 systems designed in line with the principles of ‘The Archroma Way to a Sustainable World: Safe, efficient, enhanced, it’s our nature’, for paper, packaging, fashion, technical textile, and many other applications.

“We can all see the growing consumer demand for products that are safer for people and kinder to the environment.

At Archroma, we believe that we can help transform packaging & paper making by providing solutions that

In the area of whiteness, for instance, Archroma has developed BRIGHT N’SAFE, a system that brings together high whiteness & brightness with food safety for FDA compliant packaging, with improved control and reduced slowdowns in production, SMART WHITE, a system to optimise production even at the highest whiteness level for high quality paper, with less resource use, or PRINT IT BRITE, a system that makes paper whiter and brighter, prints sharper and more vibrant, and the production more efficient.

When it comes to supporting recyclability, the company offers systems such as HOLD TIGHT, a system for improved fiber retention and bonding to create recycled paper that performs cycle after cycle - and to conserve our forests, CLEAN MACHINE, a system for stickies control on the paper and on the machine, for reduced downtime in production and the ability to use lower quality raw materials and reduce costs, CLEAN FELT, a system for increased productivity and spotless paper, even with a higher share of recycled pulp.

Archroma also offers BOXING CLEVER, a colouration solution for

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enhanced packaging with a more economical production, BREAKING NEWS for optimised production of odourless high quality paper newsprint grades and lower chemical load, and RUN FASTER, a system for improved paper drainage, higher machine speeds and increased productivity.

Latest Innovation The company recently launched Appretan® NTR6304, a water-based polymeric binder based on renewable natural ingredients. The new product offers a soft hand feel option and displays an even higher content based on natural, renewable raw materials.

It is at the core of the Archroma compostable binder NATURE BOUND system for food filtration materials.

“We are also about to launch a brand new innovation in the area of barrier coating for food packaging under our Cartaseal® trade name. Paper makers who are out there looking for novel solutions should keep an eye on our social media posts”, says Jyotsana Shrivastava.

The new barrier will complement the established Archroma portfolio of coating solutions such as Cartacoat® RM rheology modifiers with FDA- and BfRcompliancy for improved runnability, Cartacoat® B range of binders, Cartabond® crosslinkers and Cartacol® surface sizing agents for improved printability of multipurpose papers.

Jyotsana Shrivastava concludes, “We are looking forward to soon being able to meet paper makers and partners because Archroma will be at the Paperex exhibition in May 2022.

We cannot wait to help the industry create papers and packaging with performance and positive impact because it’s our nature.” 

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Vertex Chem:

Striving for Innovation in Product Development to Achieve Economic & Eco-Friendly Solutions “We assist the paper industry by developing next-generation products. We supply BF booster, RCT enhancer, ply bonding chemicals, and slushing aid to many paper, and paperboard industries in India and abroad.”

Mr. Kailash C. Kabra, Managing Director, Vertex Chem Pvt. Ltd.

V

ertex Chem Pvt. Ltd. (VCPL) specialises in manufacturing industrial chemicals.

Based in Kalyan (Thane), VCPL has a wide range of products for the paper industry like sizing chemicals, slushing aid, anti-dust, antifluff, retention and drainage aid, defoamer, deinking chemicals, f inishing agents, and coating additives. In an interview with Paper Mart, Mr. Kailash C. Kabra, Managing Director, Vertex Chem

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Pvt. Ltd., talks about his journey, product portfolio, and outlook on the paper industry.

Paper Mart: Kindly take us through the journey and product portfolio of Vertex Chem Pvt. Ltd. Kailash C. Kabra: Vertex Chem Pvt. Ltd. (VCPL) was established in the year 1994 to produce various types of industrial chemicals. The company's main focused area is to manufacture

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We have developed barrier coatings (water repellent coating), oil & grease resistant chemicals for kraft paper, white paper, and paperboard.

speciality chemicals for pulp & paper, wastewater treatment and textile industries. VCPL supplies a wide range of products for the paper industry like sizing chemicals, defoamer, deinking chemicals (for washing & floatation), coating chemicals, dispersing agent, cross-linking agent, finishing agent, lubricant, gloss agent, binder, additives etc. Our products are used in fiber line, paper machines, duplex boards, kraft paper, tissue paper, ETP, etc.

PM: Could you shed some light on the R&D efforts of the company along with some new developments?

KCK: We have set up a state-of-the-art R&D centre and advanced manufacturing facility near Mumbai in Maharashtra where we continue to s e a rc h fo r n e wer products and optimise current processes that enable our customers to be competitive in the marketplace without co m p ro m i s i n g o n q u a l i t y. O u r profound infrastructure is empowered with a well-equipped laboratory, capacious warehouse, cutting-edge technology, gamut of ultra-modern machiner y, and superb working environment. We have developed barrier coatings (water repellent coating ), oil & grease resistant chemicals for kraft paper, white paper, a n d p a p e r b o a rd . We h ave a l s o developed a new generation cooking aid and anti-pitch for pulp mills. Our chemicals are used to prevent ply

delamination and provide stiffness to duplex boards. For the kraft paper segment, we have developed BF booster and odour control chemicals along with ply bonding chemicals and RCT enhancers. We have also produced next-generation ash enhancer and wet strength resins for writing & printing paper and tissue paper segments respectively. We offer a plant trial by our well-qualified technical sales team to show the performance of our products.

PM: What is the vision of your company?

KCK: VCPL's vision is to strive for innovation in product development to achieve the best economic and ecofriendly solutions for our customers.

Our team lays a strong emphasis on high-quality product standards that underline our name in the industry. We aim to replace single-use plastic by using advanced coating chemicals and wet end chemicals.

PM: What are the strengths of VCPL? KCK: VCPL has been manufacturing papermaking chemicals for more than 25 years. The distinctive place of our organisation in national as well as international market is due the quality standards followed. We maintain it in all our proceedings under the supervision of our quality inspectors and adopt hygienic and environment-friendly norms to meet the international quality standards.

The procurement, formulation, s to ra ge , a n d p a c k a g i n g a re a l l undertaken on well-defined norms of the industry. Moreover, stringent checks conducted on the chemicals are based on composition, purity, pH value, and effectiveness Our chemicals mainly target pulp mills, paper machines, and coating p ro ce s s e s. We a s s i s t t h e p a p e r industr y by developing nextgeneration products. We supply BF

“We aim to replace single-use plastic by using advanced coating chemicals and wet-end chemicals.”

booster, RCT enhancer, ply bonding chemicals, and slushing aid to many paper, and paperboard industries in India and abroad.

PM: Please outline the current market presence of Vertex Chem Pvt. Ltd. and your goals with respect to increasing your reach in the domestic and global markets.

KCK: Vertex Chem Pvt. Ltd. has a panIndia presence for all types of paper and paperboard chemicals. Besides India, we serve clients based in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Saudi Arabia. Our clientele includes N R Agarwal Industries, Ballarpur Industries, Orient Paper, G ay a t r i s h a k t i Pa p e r & B o a rd s , Kuantum Papers, Sidharth Papers, West Coast Paper Mills, Krishna Tissues, Tamil Nadu Newsprint & Paper, Balkrishna Paper Mills, and others. Currently, we are focussing on appointing more dealers and technical teams in South East Asia, Middle East Asia, and Africa.

PM: How do you view the Indian paper industry and the market potential of papermaking chemicals?

KCK: Tissue and packaging segments are growing at 8.5 percent year-on-year d u e to h u ge d e m a n d i n t h e e commerce, retail and pharmaceutical sectors. In the current scenario, the cost of fiber is very high and availability is low. Moreover, the quality of fiber is not good. By using speciality chemicals, we can address such issues and enhance paper quality.

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Bansal Dye Chem:

Prerequisite Expertise on Chemicals used in Paper and Board Manufacturing principal suppliers.

As far as my journey is concerned, I started this business with INR 10,000 in my pocket. I used to work at R & D Deptt, BILT Yamuna Nagar and utilised that experience. My son Rohan Bansal, recently joined Bansal Dye Chem Pvt. Ltd., after getting experience in the USA and is aiming to diversify to other businesses in addition to the current business.

PM: Please elaborate on the product portfolio and clientele of the company.

(L-R) Mr. Rohan Kumar Bansal, Director and Mr. Rakesh Kumar Bansal, Director, Bansal Dye Chem Pvt. Ltd.

B

ansal Dye Chem Pvt. Ltd. is a leading supplier and distributor of chemicals. Based in Delhi, Bansal Dye Chem fulfils the requirement of Optical Brightening Agents and Coating Chemicals for the paper mills primarily in North India without the involvement of any intermediary. In an interview with Paper Mart, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Bansal, Director, Bansal Dye Chem Pvt. Ltd., talks about his journey, product portfolio, USP, and outlook on the Paper Industry.

Paper Mart: Tell us in brief about

Bansal Dye Chem Pvt. Ltd. and walk us through your journey.

Rakesh Kumar Bansal: Bansal Dye Chem Pvt. Ltd. is a notable supplier and distributor of Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs) and other chemicals.

Located in Delhi, Bansal Dye Chem serves the paper mills of North India irrespective of their sizes and scales.

We are distributors of Deepak Nitrite Ltd, Apcotex Industries Ltd., K. Patel Chemo Pharma Pvt. Ltd., Kohinoor Chemicals, Auchtel Products Ltd., SNF (India) Pvt. Ltd., and work closely in p ro d u c t d e ve l o p m e n t w i t h o u r

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RKB: Presently, Deepak Nitrite Ltd. is the leading and the only fully backward integrated manufacturer of OBA and we are its sole distributor. We provide a full range of OBA to various writing & printing mills namely Century Pulp and Paper, Kuantum Papers Ltd, Satia Industries Ltd, Shreyans Industries Ltd, Bindals Papers Mills Ltd & Naini Papers Ltd. Full range of tinting pigment violet, blue and red are our specialty of K Patel Chemo Pharma Pvt. Ltd. With respect to the duplex board packaging segment, we provide chemicals to be used in the surface coating of the layers. In addition, we also supply chemicals/dyes for the MDF board industry which is presently the most financially remunerative vertical for us. Greenpanel Industries Ltd and Century Plyboards (India) Ltd

I•N•T•E•R•V•I•E•W are our chief customers in this industry.

While we were previously the supplier of ground calcium carbonate and dealer of 20 Microns but now, we have narrowed down the scope of our product offerings.

Besides being into marketing SBR latex of Apcotex Industries, we are marketi n g d i s p e r s i n g a g e n t o f S N F, Lubricating Agent of Auchtel Products and Cross-Linking Agents, MF Resin, AZC, KZC, of Nikisu Fine Chemicals Pvt. Ltd and have a full range of PVA with low and medium viscosity.

PM: What are your USPs? RKB: Quality and timely delivery are our USPs. We are known for our honesty, credibility, and integrity. One of the major plus points of our business is that we employ technical marketing practices. In fact, our customers do not perceive us solely as a dealer but as a technical expert too. When a paper mill faces technical difficulties pertaining to the chemicals/additives used in

manufacturing, we have the prerequisite expertise to resolve those issues.

We provide immediate support by fulfilling their requirements on a prompt basis. Besides, we have good financial management. My son has pursued a Master's in Finance and intends to use his knowledge in the business.

PM: What is your outlook on the paper industry and your future plans?

RKB: In my perspective, the Indian paper industry had recorded production of around 10 million tonnes in 2009. As I recall, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of our country, had said during an annual seminar in Delhi on 6th March-2009, that in 2020, the domestic production would be around 25 million tonnes which means the total size of the domestic paper industry must be around INR 1 lakh crore. By these estimates in view, the paper-making chemicals & additives would also register a corresponding or

equivalent growth.

While we do not want to set up a manufacturing plant and would like to continue with the same business model, we plan to keep adding products to our basket. In this dynamic world, we should not stick to the same product but change as per industry demand. Our highest-ever turnover in sales has been INR 125 crore and we see the potential to surpass INR 200 crore mark shortly.

PM: Do you face any challenges?

RKB: Currently, the paper industry is affected due to COVID-19 and that affects our business.

A persisting concern of the chemical/additive industry is that the prices of chemicals are continually increasing along with the situation that waste paper is not readily available in our country. Margins have shrunk in terms of percentage while investment has increased to sustain the same profits.

Management Changes at Bilt Graphic Paper Products

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The Board has appointed Mr. Rajeev Vederah as whole-time director with effect from January 2022.

January 10, 2022

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fter delivering excellent performance as CEO of BGPPL, Mr. Yogesh Agarwal has decided to step aside from his role. Mr. Agarwal will now be assuming the role of business head of the company, encompassing manufacturing and commercial functions. Meanwhile, the concerned functional heads under his new role will continue to report to him.

The Board of BGPPL, at its meeting held on 22 December 2021, has appointed Mr. Rajeev Vederah as whole-time director with effect from January 2022. “We will now move into a strategic phase so as to decide the future course of the company,” said Mr. Vederah in a written statement.

A subsidiary of Bilt Paper B.V., BGPPL has re-established its position in the market by delivering a sustained performance over the last couple of years. BGPPL is known for bringing in the most modern technology in the writing and printing segment

76 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

Image source: Bilt Graphic Paper Products

to India intending to meet every demand of the rapidly progressing printing industry. n

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I•N•T•E•R•V•I•E•W

Manipal Technologies:

Always On the Quest for Innovations to Provide Added Value “Our single point focus is to become an industry leader in the packaging segment, providing innovative solutions to our clients. Being a part of a large group, we have the advantage to leverage our expertise in conventional print technology”

Mr. Janardan Damodaran, Vice President and SBU Head—Packaging & Labels, Manipal Technologies Ltd.

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ince its inception in 1941, Manipal Technologies Limited (MTL) has undergone a flourishing growth curve over the past eight decades, whilst expanding its repertoire of services across different business verticals. The company has become one of the largest print, technology, and digital solution providers in the country. Beginning its packaging division in 2008 with a single facility, the company has now established its plants in three different locations for the production of – mono cartons, rigid boxes, labels, and corrugated boxes. Further, MTL has recently started a new R&D laboratory and a Customer Experience Centre with dedicated state-of-the-art facilities for research activities.

In conversation with Paper Mart m a g a z i n e , M r. J a n a r d a n Damodaran, Vice President and SBU Head—Packaging & Labels, Manipal Technologies Ltd., sheds some light on the growth journey of the company, details about the packaging division, R&D efforts, outlook on the packaging industry following the onset of the pandemic, and the company's short-term and long-term goals.

Paper Mart: Could you present a brief overview and significant

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achievements of Manipal Technologies Limited?

Janardan Damodaran: Manipal Technologies Ltd. (MTL) is a part of the diversified USD 2 billion-enterprise 'Manipal Group' which has established a major presence in the areas of – BFSI, education, healthcare, IT, retail, printing, and publishing, with a workforce of 8000+ providing solutions and services to its clients. Starting in 1941, Manipal Technologies has had a flourishing growth curve over these years, whilst expanding its repertoire of services across disparate business verticals.

Quick to gauge an opportunity, with sound business acumen, has led the founders of Manipal Technologies to innovate with their integrated solutions across industry verticals like banking, telecom, education, media publishing, consumer goods and retail, financial services, aviation & transport, and the public sector. Their offerings have largely focused on delivering secure and hassle-free financial transactions, and cutting-edge marketing and branding communications across the digital platforms to their clientele. As these domains of secure payment transferring and targeted communications have swiftly upgraded to the “e-

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From conceptualization to creation, the (packaging) division can craft dynamic designs coupled with the practicality of use for all types of cartons using the latest application software for computer-aided carton designing... The division also has the capability to provide cartons with customized options. niche”, Manipal Technologies only bettered its services and solutions to the best of industry standards.

MTL is a market leader in secure printing, payment card manufacturing, printing, and personalization for MasterCard, VISA and RuPay. In addition to this, we are also one of the most preferred partners for “Rural Unified Banking Services” commonly known as the Financial Inclusion initiative in India. We have a presence in the entire value chain for these initiatives including customer-facing business correspondents. MTL also offers a Risk & Fraud Management System that covers both issuing and acquiring portfolios by implementing user rules, power rules and statistical model (ACE) along with in-built selflearning modules to consistently deliver high detection rates with low false positives.

protection for all your packaging requirements.

From conceptualization to creation, the division can craft dynamic designs coupled with the practicality of use for all types of cartons using the latest application software for computeraided carton designing. The division delivers packaging solutions to diverse segments with a special focus on pharmaceutical, food and beverages, and personal products/toiletries segments by providing packaging mono-cartons, trays, holders, and corrugated boxes.

State-of-the-art machines like Komori Lithrone with UV curing and Mitsubishi Diamond are utilized for printing on boards. Post-Press operations like die punching, lamination, spot UV varnishing, foil stamping, embossing, side-pasting, etc. are possible on equipment from BOBST and Heidelberg.

The division also has the capability to provide cartons with customized options such as a window with intermittent cut, pre-sealed liner, and a window with pre-heated creasing. Technologies like printing on non-absorbent surfaces are also present. The facility is spread over 40,000 sq ft and comprises a conversion capability of close to 600 tonnes of paperboard per month.

The company is always on the lookout for the latest technology so that it can provide value to its esteemed clients.

PM: Could you shed some light on your R&D efforts?

JD: The Research & Development division helps the business to experience

PM: Please describe the packaging division of the company – the infrastructure, product portfolio, manufacturing capabilities, and machinery installed at your facility.

Has there been any upgradation or capacity expansion in the recent past?

JD: Manipal Technologies Limited set up its packaging division in 2008. With the operations of this facility stabilizing, it can guarantee high-quality products and the assurance of brand

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The facility is spread over 40,000 sq ft and comprises a conversion capability of close to 600 tonnes of paperboard per month. future growth by developing new products or process improvements or cost reduction measures. In addition to basic research, R&D has been demonstrating its capability in competencies such as chemistry, secured transactions, IT and vision, printed electronics, design & automation, and print. The team also collaborates with dedicated teams of experts, as well as advanced research and test facilities available in the research institutes across premier institutes for different research verticals.

MTL has recently opened a new Research & Development laboratory and a Customer Experience Centre in Manipal with state-of-the-art facilities for research activities. The advantage of having an in-house R&D helps us to create new products, source new technolog y, and equipm e n t for enhancing production capabilities.

Various developments which are not commonly seen have been a hallmark of our R&D efforts.

PM: As the pace and the degree of digital transformation accelerated after the pandemic – how did this create an impact on the company?

JD: The impact of the coronavirus crisis

I•N•T•E•R•V•I•E•W cating with you like an AI assistant, but the reality of smart packaging is much more fascinating. Smart packaging can be divided into two categories: active packaging, which provides functionality like moisture and oxygen control, and intelligent packaging, which can communicate product changes and other information.

MTL has recently opened a new Research & Development laboratory and a Customer Experience Centre... The advantage of having an in-house R&D helps us to create new products, source new technologies, and equipment.

on the packaging industry has been mixed—and this pattern has already been playing out across the globe.

Demand has risen sharply for packaging for groceries, healthcare products, and e-commerce transportation. At the same time, demand for industrial, luxury, and some B2B-transport packaging could decline. The impact on us has been moderate as our customer portfolios and exposures are in the sectors of FMCG, pharma, and textiles.

PM: How has the landscape of the Indian paper packaging industry changed after COVID-19? What are the key trends and how do you envisage the segment in the coming years?

JD: The packaging industry in India is expected to register a CAGR of approximately 26.7 percent during the period

(2021-2026). The rapid growth of the market is primarily driven by the pharmaceuticals and food & beverage industries. With an inf lux of huge investments in end-user industries including food processing, personal care, and pharmaceutical, there is a scope for expansion of the packaging market.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, as most developed countries are either burning wastepaper or using it for landfill to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, there's been a huge shortage in raw materials for the Indian paper mills.

The manufacturers of Indian corrugated cardboard boxes are continuously working to keep transport packaging flowing to manufacturers of essential products, including packaging for food and other consumer products, medical & pharmaceutical products, tissue, and hygiene products.

The rise of the Indian middle class, the rapid expansion of organized retail, the growth of exports, and India's rising ecommerce sector is further facilitating growth. According to the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), the packaging consumption in India has increased by 200 percent in the past decade, rising from 4.3 kg per person per annum (pppa) to 8.6 kg pppa.

Two technological advancements which are already having a huge impact on the sector are smart packaging and robotics. Smart packaging may conjure up images of a milk bottle communi-

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When using a mix of technologies in manufacturing, complications can arise. In the past, manufacturers have kept a distance between their human workers and robots, but with the creation of superior artificial intelligence collaborative working between people and cooperative robots is increasing safety and productivity.

The packaging sector will continue to be shaped by external influences over the coming years which will increase the rate of digital transformations within the sector. Economic growth, consumer trends, and brand owner trends will force packaging and paper companies to rethink their operations and adopt new technologies to succeed in an ever-evolving climate.

PM: What kind of growth has been registered so far at the packaging division of Manipal Technologies?

JD: Starting off with a single plant, we are now having plants in three different locations catering to varied segments with the special focus on – mono cartons, rigid boxes, labels, and corrugated boxes. It has been an exciting journey during which the adaptation to emerging trends and providing solutions to our clients has been the bedrock.

PM: What are the company's key long-term and short-term goals for the packaging segment?

JD: Our single point focus is to become an industry leader in the packaging segment, providing innovative solutions to our clients. Being a part of a large group, we have the advantage to leverage our expertise in conventional print technology and merge it with emerging solutions and offer an exciting array of services and products.

I•N•D•U•S•T•R•Y W•A•T•C•H

Smart Updates, Big Changes:

ANDRITZ PrimeRotor Makes the Difference in Stock Preparation

T

he innovative PrimeRotor builds on the success of numerous, globally installed ANDRITZ pressure screens as well as on the excellent operating results obtained with the very latest screen type from ANDRITZ – the PrimeScreen X. The new PrimeRotor is perfectly suited for any screen type available on the market and considerably improves screening efficiency while reducing energy consumption at the same time compared to competitors' screens in a comparable application.

The ANDRITZ PrimeRotor is the latest open rotor design for fine screening, fractionation and approach flow applications.

The innovative, aerodynamic shape of the foil provides the highest capacity with the lowest energy consumption while improving the screening efficiency at the same time. According to Sampo Köylijärvi, Global Product Manager for RCF screening systems at ANDRITZ, “This new and innovative product was developed in response to our customers' needs. The

benefits in energy and material efficiency do give clear bottomline savings to our customers while also reducing the environmental footprint and impact. This can all be achieved with improved quality, so I could not be prouder of the product and the team behind the achievements.”

The unique foil shape is based on extensive CFD studies and long-term mill testing results on optimized flow patterns in the screening area and provides optimal pressure and suction pulses. The fins on the foil surface guide the stock flow effectively and rapidly towards the reject area, reducing the thickening effect and keeping fiber losses to a minimum. The fins also create an additional mixing zone by generating small micro-turbulences on the foil surface. This improves the screening efficiency, giving the pulp the desired cleanliness.

“The new rotor was launched on the market in 2017 and has since gained enormous interest. The results have been really encouraging and exceptionally good from the first installation onward. Up till now, we have over 200 references running globally. Thus, the new rotor has proven its capability and is now our standard offering in fine screening and fractionation,” says Sampo Köylijärvi.

Below are the results from the latest installations: Showcase 1: A renowned papermaker in Shandong, China

The innovative design of the PrimeRotor

Site picture of showcase 1

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I•N•D•U•S•T•R•Y W•A•T•C•H Project profile: Complete OCC line with LC-pulper and a capacity of 1,000 bdmt/d, for corrugated medium.

Position

Fractionator

1st and 2nd stage fine screen

Screen type

The challenge: Produce corrugated medium with the highest quality standards

ANDRITZ ModuScreen F50

ANDRITZ ModuScreen F50

Rotor and foils

PrimeRotor

PrimeRotor

The solution:

Stickies reduction

97.5%

96%

Debris reduction

97%

95%

Results:

Fractionator and fine screens were all equipped with the ANDRITZ ModuScreen F with PrimeRotor.

Superior quality was achieved right from the start-up of the line, and improvements were obtained in terms of stickies, dirt and debris removal efficiency.

Position

Fractionator

1stand 2nd stage fine screen

Screen type

ANDRITZ ModuScreen F50

ANDRITZ ModuScreen F50

Rotor and foils

PrimeRotor

PrimeRotor

Stickies reduction

up to 97%

up to 94%

Dirt reduction

85%

80%

Debris reduction

97.5%

92%

Showcase 3: A papermaker in Jiang Suprovince, China

Site picture of showcase 3

Project profile: Rebuild of competitor's OCC line for testliner grades The challenge: Producing top-quality stock for the top ply of the test liner machine, with a partial split after the existing coarse screening system The solution:

The rebuilt fine screening system was equipped with the ANDRITZ ModuScreen F with PrimeRotor.

Results:

The newly installed ANDRITZ ModuScreen F with PrimeRotor showed improved performance in reduction of stickies, dirt and debris.

Showcase 2: An international papermaker in Indonesia

Site picture of showcase 2

Project profile: Complete OCC line with LC-pulper and a capacity of 1,300 bdmt/d, for corrugated medium.

The challenge: Producing low-basis weight corrugated medium at high board machine speeds requires superior stock quality The solution:

Fractionator and fine screens were all equipped with the ANDRITZ ModuScreen F with PrimeRotor.

Results:

Superior quality was achieved, and the rebuilt board machine had excellent runnability right from start up of the line.

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Position

Fine screen

Screen type

ANDRITZ ModuScreen F50

Rotor and foils

PrimeRotor

Stickies reduction

98%

Debris reduction

85%

Conclusion The new rotor is the natural product to evolve from the long history of superior ANDRITZ screening products. It can be installed in any screen type available on the market, in an upflow or downflow, inflow or outflow screen, and is used with white and brown grades. The foils on the rotor are exchangeable, thus reducing spare part and inventory costs.

The spacing to the screen basket surface can be adjusted with shim plates to further optimize performance.

“The targets for this product were to improve the energy efficiency while delivering improved and exceptional accept cleanliness at the same time. This is an outstanding product that has already proven its effectiveness,” concludes Sampo Köylijärvi. n

I•N•D•U•S•T•R•Y W•A•T•C•H

Pulp Dryers:

Rebuilding for Added Value

V

almet performs the full range of conversions and upgrades to ensure the pulp dryer is perfectly adapted to each customer's needs. Valmet's module-based Airborne Dryer concept can be adapted for each customer and each dryer.

“We conduct many small and medium-sized rebuilds on existing pulp dryers, and we get many large assignments in which the entire dryer is essentially rebuilt from scratch.

Increasing production is the most common reason for such projects, but they can also be aimed at reducing dust formation or streamlining the workload for operators, for example.

Wear and outdated technology are further reasons for a dryer to be rebuilt,” says Project Manager Kari Koski.

Valmet has several booster dryer solutions to increase production capacity.

A concept tailored to each customer Valmet's Airborne Dryer concept is module-based, and can be adapted for each customer and each dryer, whether the dryer is relatively new or old, large or small.

Valmet Booster Dryer offers extreme flexibility in expansions.

A typical rebuild may consist of replacing or adding blow boxes, fans and end towers to increase the drying capacity.

The conversion may also include upgrading to automatic tail threading to minimize downtime. The dryer can also be upgraded with smart technology that reduces dust formation and increases runnability.

“All rebuilds are quite different,” comments Koski. “For example, we might replace fans, steam coils and access hatches, or automate tail threading. A rebuild might also entail building new drying decks in the upper part to increase evaporation capacity or improve heat recovery. No matter what the issue is, we can make any dryer maximally competitive with the latest innovations.”

An important task for Valmet is to reduce customers' investment and operating costs. All conversions and upgrades are therefore tailored to keep the project's total costs to a minimum, while the technology added must provide the lowest possible operating costs.

Booster dryers – increased production via a space-efficient solution You may have several reasons to rebuild a dryer, the most common being to increase your production capacity. With Valmet's Booster Dryer solutions, pulp output can be increased with a targeted extension that is placed on top of, after or inside the existing dryer. The one you choose will depend on your particular needs.

Adding a Booster Dryer extension on top of or after the dryer can be done on almost any pulp dryer. On the other hand, if you want to add capacity inside the dryer, space must be reserved for this during the original planning when it is built.

It is thus already prepared for a capacity increase, which is easy to do when needed. An additional advantage with this solution is that there is no need to increase the dryer's physical size or footprint. Because of the extreme flexibility it

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I•N•D•U•S•T•R•Y W•A•T•C•H dryers. The mill wants to keep the dryer frame but upgrade it with selected parts from the Valmet Airborne Dryer technology. Customers are well acquainted with our expertise and technical innovation,” says Koski. “Such an assignment is especially stimulating, because we have the confidence to develop a technical solution that is not originally our own. To do this, we start with a feasibility study in which we thoroughly analyze the existing dryer and then carefully develop our plan. This lays the foundation for a successful end result.”

When the unexpected happens

Kari Koski, Project Manager at Valmet.

offers, and as each project is unique, there has been great interest in the Valmet Booster Dryer for expansions.

Rebuilding and upgrading of "non-Valmet" dryers It isn't just Valmet's dryers that are being rebuilt and further developed.

“More and more assignments involve rebuilds of non-Valmet

A conversion project can be especially demanding when the work is carried out while the dryer is in operation. Planning and project management are therefore very important. Kari Koski explains: “Careful planning and proactive project management are of great importance for the project to run smoothly and well.

We have extensive experience of carrying out renovations and planning the work to minimize downtime.”

But even if everything is prepared and planned in detail, unexpected things can happen.

“Regardless of whether it's on a weekday, a Saturday evening or a holiday, we always act quickly. We earn our customers' trust, and we ensure this trust is well managed,” concludes Koski. n

Andhra Paper Orders New IntelliJet V Hydraulic Headbox from Valmet

N•E•W•S

The order is included in Valmet's orders received of the fourth quarter 2021. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

January 10, 2022

V

almet will supply a new IntelliJet V hydraulic headbox to Andhra Paper Ltd. for its Kadiyam facility in India. The startup of the equipment is scheduled for the third quarter of 2022.

“Andhra Paper selected IntelliJet V headbox thanks to its compact design, adaptability to existing mill environments and processes, as well as its fast installation and start-up. These features will help ensure the targeted improvements in production and the right quality can be reached as quickly as possible after the start-up,” says Mr. Anish T Mathew, Director Commercial & CFO, Andhra Paper.

“The key to the headbox design is a high energy tube bank that provides uniform high headloss, which produces consistent flow from pondside to pondside. The tube bank utilizes expansion tubes with a converging outlet that accelerates the flow and results in uniform flow with equal volume from edge to edge”, says Varun Jain, Director, India Region, Valmet.

Valmet's delivery includes the design, supply, construct and commission of the new IntelliJet V hydraulic headbox for Andhra Paper's PM3 in Kadiyam mill. The IntelliJet V hydraulic headbox operation has two distinct features: high turbulence and controllability. The tube bank provides high turbulence

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Image source: Valmet

that attributes to fiber dispersion and flow distribution while the controllability of the final flow activity is in the nozzle. This is achieved by turbulence optimizing, flow profile control and delivery angle control, which lead to quality fiber dispersion, uniform cross machine flow and fiber orientation.

After the assembly of the IntelliJet V headbox, PM3 will produce mainly writing and printing paper (kraft paper if needed) with the basis weight range of 40–120 g/m2 and with a maximum speed of 850 m/min. n

P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H

Aspire Engineering adds Poly Disc Filter, Cylinder Mould to its Product Line Aspire Engineering, with its continuous R&D activities, is continuously exploring tailor-made solutions to fit pulp mill requirements.

Ganga Papers India, Kaygaon Paper Mills, Swastik Paper and Suryaans Paper.

In spite of today's competition and challenges faced by the industry, we have managed to place ourselves with confidence in the paper industry not only in India but also abroad – by delivering uncompromising quality equipment to countries like the USA, United Kingdom, Italy, Bangladesh etc.”

(L-R) Mr. Sachin Thomas (Regional Director Sales – Black Clawson Ltd.), Mr. Pravin Thawali, Mr. Amol Deshmukh, Directors, Aspire Engineering

P

une-based Aspire Engineering has expanded its product portfolio by launching Poly Disc Filter (Vacuum Disc Filter), Cylinder Mould in the market.

Besides this, the company manufactures Sector & Holder, Polypropylene Filter Bags, Shower Nozzles and other spare parts for various poly disc filters. Aspire Engineering, with its continuous R&D activities, is continuously exploring tailor-made solutions to fit pulp mill requirements.

Spread over 17,000 square feet, Aspire Engineering has its machining and fabrication unit to bring complete solutions for pulp mills. Its wide range of Stock Preparation Equipment Includes Conveyor (Slat/Belt), Pulper (Hydra/D Type) Broke Pulper, Reject Pulper, G r a p p l e, Tu r b o, H i g h D e n s i t y Cleaner/Centri Cleaners, Poire (Detrasher) Trommel Screen, Vacuum Boxes, Pulp Thickeners, Agitators, Vacuum Separator Tank and Starch Cooking Tank. It manufactures auxiliary equipment for Black Clawson Bristol Former such as 1524 dia & 1250 dia Cylinder Mould, Octopus Header, K Frame and Couch Roll.

Talking about its clientele, Directors of Aspire Engineering, said, “Besides Bangladesh-based Partex Paper Mills, Black Clawson - UK, we serve various small and large mills of India including Shweta Paper Mill, Padmavati Paper, K h a n n a Pa p e r, T h r e e M Pa p e r Manufacturing Company, Gayatri Paper Mill, Krishna Tissues, Emami Paper Mills, Dev Priya Industries, Sukraft Recycling, Sunshine Papers, Stark Ridge Paper, Kuantum Papers Shree Krishna Paper Mills & Industries, Shah Paper Mills, Dev Priya Product, Satia Industries, Soham Pa p e r s, B e s t Pa p e r s, D S G Pa p e r, Deevyashakti, Jodhani Papers, Silverton Pulp & Papers, Vishwanath Paper and Boards, Sidharth Papers, Devrishi Papers,

“We are offering world-class quality products, solutions and excellent customer service. Our skilled and experienced technical team incorporates innovative concepts to design equipment that exceeds client expectations. We aspire for continuous improvement in the fields of technology, production, reliability and performance to make our products energy efficient and cost effective. Our goal is to deliver exceptional products & services to esteemed clients with the highest level of satisfaction and continue building the culture of excellence. The company is planning a major expansion in the coming years,” they added.

Aspire Engineering is into manufacturing of pulp and paper machinery equipment and has been catering to the paper industry for more than 5 years with its Directors having paper industry experience of more than 20 years. n

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P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H

ABB Launches Fastest Paper Machine Moisture Sensor The new patented technology offers unprecedented speed and accuracy of moisture measurements for pulp, paper, and paperboard mills.

A

BB has released its High-Performance Infrared-Reflection (HPIR-R) moisture sensor, which provides the fastest and most precise moisture monitoring available on the market today. Taking up to 5,000 measurements per second, the sensor brings precise and high-resolution measurement that enables the paper industry to increase throughput while reducing operating costs.

This advanced, patented technology by ABB will help the pulp, paper, and paperboard mills to be aware of the precise moisture levels, giving them the confidence to raise moisture targets and improve their CD profiles. This will ultimately enhance the end product quality with fewer rejects. Being able to measure and control the moisture levels as the sheet moves through the paper machine is critical to reducing energy requirements. This leads to optimized drying, decreased steam usage, significant energy savings in dryer sections, and reduced carbon emissions.

The new HPIR-R moisture measurement, which also has a builtin sheet temperature sensor, is designed to be fully air-cooled and field repairable. Besides, the features such as its insensitivity to dust and disturbances enable high uptime and lower total cost of ownership.

Andy Broomfield, Product Line Manager at ABB, says, “Unlike

ABB's patented (HPIR-R) moisture sensor

competitive offerings, ABB's HPIR-R moisture sensor provides the highest frequency measurement possible, which helps customers to improve quality, reduce downtime, decrease costs and increase yields. It has been designed for papermakers looking for accurate and precise moisture measurement in hot, difficult machine environments.”

The sensor is fully digital with high-speed measurements provided with a set of diagnostic data which is ideal for analytics to inform on-site or corporate-level decision-making.

It is applicable for all network platform types and can be used to measure publication grades, graphic papers, board, tissue, packaging, specialist and recycled grades. n

DS Smith and IBM Develop AI Solution to Improve Recycled Paper Quality DS Smith has collaborated with IBM to use Artificial Intelligence as a potent tool to help enhance the quality of paper and cardboard collected for recycling.

S

ustainable packaging major DS Smith has partnered with IBM in the UK to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve the quality of paper and cardboard collected for recycling. The technology is being tested at the recycling depot of the company in Kemsley, Kent. The new camera technology uses AI-modelling capabilities on IBM Cloud, to assess the grade, quality, and origin of the material that reaches the depot for recycling.

The cameras will be able to identify and assess whether the composition of the waste paper and cardboard is in line with the stringent quality guidelines. This was achieved by teams from DS Smith and IBM Expert Labs working together to

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develop an AI model that can compare data from images of the materials with a specific set of criteria.

The insights drawn from the imagery are used to inform the production process but can also be presented as feedback to the suppliers to help improve the quality of the material arriving at the depot.

Stephanie Dalton, Innovation Manager, Recycling Division at DS Smith, remarks, “Exploring the latest technologies and digitalising our operations enables us to operate more efficiently and sustainably while simultaneously improving the quality of paper for recycling. This collaboration with IBM is good news for our suppliers of recovered paper as it allows us

P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H to work even more closely to make sure they are optimising their recycling processes – ultimately improving recycling through reducing contamination.”

As more material is fed through the process and more data is analysed, the AI model is continuously refined, improving the accuracy and quality of the inspection.

Janet White, Industrial Products Leader, IBM Consulting UK & Ireland, says, “IBM's collaboration with DS Smith represents the best of IBM's capabilities to help organisations pursue their sustainability goals through digital modernisation. Using the power of the hybrid cloud and Artificial Intelligence technologies to transform DS Smith's recycling operation; this solution will significantly improve the quality of recycling output while reducing waste.” n

Image source: DS Smith

Team of Scientists Develop Biodegradable and Antimicrobial Food Packaging The food packaging material releases the necessary amounts of antimicrobial compounds in response to the appearance of additional humidity or bacteria, which ensure that the packaging can withstand several exposures and persevere for months.

A

team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA, have developed a 'smart' food packaging material that is biodegradable and antimicrobial.

The smart food packaging material is water-proof and it also extends the shelf-life of fresh fruit by two to three days. The packaging material is developed from a corn protein called zein, along with starch, and other naturally-derived biopolymers, infused with natural antimicrobial compounds such as oil from thyme, and citric acid.

While experimenting, the scientists discerned that in the presence of an increase in humidity or enzymes from harmful bacteria, the fibers in the packaging release the natural antimicrobial compounds wipes out common bacteria that contaminate food as well as fungi.

The packaging has been so designed to release the necessary miniscule amounts of antimicrobial compounds only as a response to the appearance of additional humidity or bacteria.

This ability makes certain that the food packaging can withstand several exposures of humidity or bacteria, and thus, it can persevere for months. Since the antimicrobial compounds fight against any bacteria that germinate on the surface of the packaging and on the food product, the scientists claim that the material has the potential to be used for a range of food products like ready-to-eat foods, raw meat, fruits, and vegetables.

During the experiments and research on the packaging

Scientists from NTU and Harvard Chan School developed the new antimicrobial food packaging material.

material, it was found that strawberries that were wrapped in the packaging remained fresh for seven days as against the strawberries contained in fruit plastic boxes, which stayed fresh for four days.

Speaking on the intent behind developing this smart packaging, Dr. Philip Demokritou, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said, “Food safety and waste have become a major societal challenge of

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P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H our times with immense public health and economic impact, which compromises food security.”

He also informs that nature-derived compounds have been used to synthesise smart antimicrobial materials, aiming to not only

enhance food safety and quality but also take care of the environment and health. While reducing the use of nonbiodegradable plastics at a global level, the solution also promotes a sustainable agri-food system which is the need of the hour. n

Hansol Paper Introduces Hansol EB (Eco Barrier) – an Eco-Friendly Paper Packaging Brand Hansol EB is made with a single layer of base paper that is fully coated with a barrier that protects against oxygen and moisture effectively preventing any possible deterioration of contents. It is manufactured using advanced coating technology which is unique to Hansol Paper.

S

outh Korea's leading paper company Hansol Paper has introduced – Hansol EB (Eco Barrier), which is its ecofriendly and high-barrier paper packaging brand. Hansol EB has been created with the aim to replace flexible packaging such as plastic film and aluminum foil.

Made by forming a barrier coat on specially manufactured base paper, Hansol EB is manufactured using advanced coating technology which is unique to Hansol Paper. The reason why it is superior to existing paper packaging materials is because of its capability to keep contents intact based on its high-barrier properties (oxygen, moisture, and smell).

Hansol EB (Eco Barrier)

In addition, it can also be separated and recycled as paper waste. It also boasts up to 80 percent lower carbon emissions compared to existing synthetic packaging owing to the reduced use of plastic and metals.

suited for packaging food and cosmetics products as well as health supplements, daily living necessities, and pet food.

Hansol EB is made with a single layer of base paper that is fully coated with a barrier. Being highly advanced in terms of efficiency, it also enables reduced production costs and a shortened production process. In particular, its superior barrier properties against oxygen and moisture effectively prevent any possible deterioration of contents. Thus, it is perfectly

In recognition of its excellence and technological innovation, Hansol EB has been selected as a winner at three packaging awards in Korea and beyond, including the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Award in the 2020 KoreaStar Award Korea Package Design Contest and the Asia Star 2020 Awards organized by the Asia Packaging Federation. n

Amcor Launches New Platform for Recyclable Paper Based Packaging This new platform is in line with Amcor's 2025 pledge to develop all of its packaging to be recyclable or reusable and to increase the use of recycled content by 2025.

A

mcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has launched a new platform of paper-based packaging products: AmFiber™.

AmFiber innovations aim to redefine the capabilities of traditional paper packaging, providing a wider range of

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features and functional benefits to meet the changing needs of consumers.

Ron Delia, Amcor CEO said: “Amcor's long-term experience in paper and carton packaging was the basis for launching the AmFiber platform. Amcor has a proven history of delivering

P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H ground-breaking innovation to support our customers' growth aspirations. This family of differentiated paper-based products builds on Amcor's extensive track record across multiple materials and applications.”

The AmFiber platform demonstrates Amcor's consumercentric and adaptable approach to innovation which provides customers the best in packaging technology using the materials most suited to their needs.

The first AmFiber product launch in 2022 will be an innovative solution tailored to provide snacks and confectionery customers in Europe a recyclable package that delivers a high barrier from oxygen and moisture.

Amcor will gradually extend its new paper-based offerings into a wide variety of applications such as coffee, drink powders, seasoning and soups as well as into the Americas and AsiaPacific regions. AmFiber innovations will join other Amcor

Image source: Amcor

paper-based products introduced recently, including solutions for butter and margarine in Latin America, for cheese in Europe and for confectionery in Australia. n

Bambrew, a Green Tech Sustainable Packaging Startup, Bags USD 2.35 mn in Pre-Series A Round The company plans to strengthen the team, expand to multiple cities, magnify the supply capacity and enhance R&D on new materials.

B

ambrew, India's largest one-stop innovative solution provider of sustainable packaging as an alternate to single-use plastic, has raised pre-Series-A funding of USD 2.35 Million led by Blue Ashva Capital and Supack Industries. The round also saw participation from Mumbai Angels and notable angel investors.

The latest infusion of funds will be utilized to build India's first tech enabled platform for sourcing green packaging, increase the supply capacity, expand in multiple cities, invest in R&D of new sustainable materials and further strengthen the team.

Commenting on the funding, Mr. Vaibhav Anant, Founder of Bambrew said, “People and businesses are having increased awareness of the perils of Single Use Plastic (SUP) usage. We are elated to see the changing consumer behaviours to consider alternatives. This strengthens our vision and belief to reduce the usage of SUP and help make our planet a better place for the current and future generations.

We have been able to scale our operations manifold over these past few years and take great pride in our collaboration with the largest e-commerce player in the world as well as other major players in this space. Over past 2 years, we have seen 50x growth and envision further higher growth scale in the upcoming year.

This latest infusion of funds will help us increase our footprint and supply capacity across metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and

Image source: Bambrew

Kolkata, as well as global markets including the US, Europe, and the Middle East.”

Satya Bansal, Founder at Blue Ashva Capital said “Single use plastics have been widely used for various applications, even though their negative environmental impact has been well understood for decades. There are simply two parameters that have driven this choice: price and application. Previous attempts at sustainable packaging have failed on one or both of these parameters. We are proud to work with the Bambrew team to deliver sustainable alternatives at scale that are not only environment-friendly but also cost competitive and multiapplication.” n

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P•R•O•D•U•C•T W•A•T•C•H

ABB Releases Second Edition of ABB Fiber Guide The new edition of the ABB Fiber Guide provides information on new advancements such as fiber morphology online measurement tools like its L&W Freeness and Fiber Online.

A

BB has announced the launch of the second edition of ABB Fiber Guide which is a comprehensive reference guide that covers extensive information on fiber. It will educate the paper mills on how the raw materials in the pulp can impact the overall operations.

The latest edition features the ABB brand and covers new advancements in measurements, such as fiber morphology online measurement tools like its L&W Freeness and Fiber Online.

The Fiber Guide was originally published by Lorentzen & Wettre in 2006. Lorentzen & Wettre supplied the pulp and paper industry with a number of different products to evaluate the quality of pulp, including wood chips, classifiers, laboratory digesters, among other things. After acquiring L&W in 2011, ABB decided to continue the legacy of assisting the industry with educational materials.

making. It is specifically written for people working with the production of pulp and their developers, customers, and suppliers.

ABB noted in a statement that the purpose of this book is to support and motivate people working in all areas of the pulp and paper industry, by introducing new methods for paper

The handbook presents a general overview along with detailed information about fiber analysis and possibilities on how to use measurements to improve pulp and paper processes. n

Image source: ABB

IPMA: India's Paper & Paperboard Exports in 9 months N•E•W•S of FY 2021-22 Surpasses Exports of entire FY 2020-21 The paper and paperboard exports in the April-December period of this fiscal are worth INR 10,236 crore as compared to INR 5,032 crore.

February 11, 2022

I

ndia's exports of paper and paperboard in the nine months of FY 2021-22 have surpassed the exports achieved in the entire FY 2020-21, as per the recent data shared by IPMA (Indian Paper Manufacturers Association).

The total exports in the nine months (April-December) of the current financial year (FY 2021-22) have been 2,195.7 thousand tonnes as against 1441.1 thousand tonnes in the AprilDecember period of FY 2020-21. This amounts to a growth of 52.36 percent over last year. Meanwhile, the total exports of paper and paperboard products in FY 2020-21 were 2,190.8 thousand tonnes valued at INR 7,824 crore (~USD 1,058 million).

In terms of financials, the export in the April-December period of this fiscal is worth INR 10,236 crore (~USD 1,380 million) as against INR 5,032 crore (~USD 681 million) of the AprilDecember period of FY 2020-21. That is, financially speaking, the paper and paperboard exports rose by 103.42 percent.

Sharing the data of the paper and paperboard exports of the Indian paper industry, IPMA said, “India's exports of paper & paperboard in the first nine months of FY 2021-22 have already overtaken record exports achieved in entire FY 2020-21.” n

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Image source: IPMA

N•E•W•S

Orient Paper Appoints Ashwin Laddha as New CEO and MD Prior to joining Orient Paper, Mr. Ashwin was Joint President & Regional Sales Marketing Head (Pulp & Fiber Business) of Grasim Industries Ltd. January 15, 2022

T

he Board of Directors at Orient Pa p e r & I n d u s t r i e s L t d . h a s appointed Mr. Ashwin Laddha as the new Chief Executive Officer of the company with effect from 14th January 2022.

Further, the Board has also in-principle decided to appoint Mr. Laddha as the new Managing Director & CEO of the company with effect from 1st April 2022, in place of Mr. M.L. Pachisia whose tenure of appointment as Managing Director shall be expiring on 31st March 2022.

Mr. Laddha, 46 years old, is an MBA graduate and holds Bachelor's Degree in Commerce. He is a dynamic business strategy and marketing professional with a diverse background and extensive global experience across all facets of business & marketing operations, product management, sales management and finance with strengths in realtime business decision making and identifying ROI drivers.

Prior to joining Orient Paper, Mr. Ashwin was Joint President & Regional Sales Marketing Head (Pulp & Fiber Business) of Grasim Industries Ltd. He has over two decades of diverse experience across

Mr. Ashwin Laddha

pulp & fiber and telecom business.

During his career, he held leadership roles in strategic business & operational planning, global sales & marketing in Grasim Industries and Sterlite Technologies Ltd. n

Emami Founders Step Down From Executive Positions, Pave Way for Next Generation Both the Founders will not accept any emoluments from the Company for taking up their new positions. The decision comes in the wake of Board restructuring that was part of the succession planning of the FMCG business of the Group.

February 3, 2022

E

mami Ltd. has announced that its founders, Mr. R.S. Agarwal and Mr. R.S. Goenka have expressed their desire to step down from their executive roles appointing second generation family members at the top as part of a succession exercise.

Accordingly, the Board unanimously decided to appoint Mr. R.S. Goenka as Non-Executive Chairman while re-designating Mr. R.S. Agarwal as Chairman Emeritus effective 1st April, 2022.

The Emami Ltd. Board also acceded to Sushil K. Goenka's desire to step down from his current position as the Managing Director of Emami Ltd. as part of the transition process and has re-appointed him as a Whole-Time Director of the Company effective 1st April, 2022.

Mr. Mohan Goenka and Mr. Harsha V. Agarwal, Whole-Time Directors of Emami Ltd., have been spearheading multiple functions and growing the business successfully thereby gaining immense exposure to steer the organisation forward.

The Board therefore found them to be deserving candidates and re-designated Mr. Goenka and Mr. V. Agarwal and WholeTime Directors as Vice Chairman-cum-Whole Time Director and Vice Chairman-cum-Managing Director respectively, effective April 1, 2022 to steer the organisation forward, subject to

Emami Ltd.

shareholders' approval.

Commenting on the announcement, Founders, R.S. Agarwal and R.S. Goenka said, "We are happy to announce the redesignation of Mohan Goenka and Harsha V. Agarwal as Vice Chairman-cum-Whole Time Director and Vice Chairman-cumManaging Director respectively. They have been in the forefront of running & growing the organisation for over two decades and their ascension today is the formal recognition of their contribution by our esteemed Board." n

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N R Agarwal Industries Appoints Dipankar Rai as the New CFO The paper manufacturer has appointed Dipankar Rai as the Chief Financial Officer who is a Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, and MBA with more than 22 years of experience.

January 12, 2022

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R Agarwal Industries Limited (NRAIL) has announced the appointment of Dipankar Rai as the Chief Financial Officer. As published in news daily – the appointment of the new CFO has been effective from 27th December 2021.

Dipankar Rai is a Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, and MBA and holds over 22 years of experience in the industry.

N R Agarwal Industries is a key manufacturer of a range of products including coated duplex boards and newsprint. The company markets its products countrywide through a network of dealers and also exports them worldwide.

Established in 1993 and engaged in the business of manufacturing quality finished paper products, NRAIL pioneered the

Representational image

use of 100 percent deinked wood-free recycled furnish for the same. The company serves with its high-quality paper products both domestic and international markets. n

Government Viewing Agroforestry as Path to Carbon Neutral Growth The government is looking at agroforestry as one of the ways to help India get on a carbon neutral growth path.

February 3, 2022

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he Budget has included it as one of the four interventions which will be used for the country's "transition to carbon neutral economy". Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget, pitched for these interventions as important climate actions and said agroforestry and forests on private land would be promoted through adequate policies and required legislative changes.

"In addition, financial support will be provided to farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), who want to take up agroforestry," she said. Though she did not explain it further, the government may go for certain amendments in the Forest Conservation Act and the Indian Forest Act to promote agroforestry and forests on private land in tune with global practice to treat such green cover as an important mitigation tool.

Agroforestry is practised in both irrigated and rainfed conditions where it produces food, fuel, fodder, timber, fertiliser and fibre and contributes to food, nutritional and ecological security, sustains livelihoods, alleviates poverty and promotes productive and resilient cropping.

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Image source: Libreshot

Currently, the government is working on agroforestry and afforestation programmes under National Project on AgroForestry of the agriculture ministry and National Mission for Green India. Over 10 percent of the total budget of the environment ministry in 2022-23 (INR 3,030 crore) has been earmarked for the Green India mission. n

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JK Paper Installs New HERB Recovery Boiler from ANDRITZ This is the fourth HERB recovery boiler ANDRITZ is currently installing in India, demonstrating it's strong presence in the Indian pulp and paper market.

January 10, 2022

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NDRITZ has successfully started up a new 950 t/d HERB chemical recovery boiler at JK Paper Limited, Unit: CPM at Fort Songadh, in the Tapi District of Gujarat state, India.

The boiler is designed to process hardwood black liquor and enables environment-friendly and more energyefficient operation compared to the direct-contact evaporator boiler currently used at the mill. This will significantly increase the mill's pulp production and power-to-heat-ratio. The boiler also features a unique air system to minimize air emissions.

The scope of supply also included:

Ÿ Engineering for the entire system except for the civil works and the electrical and automation equipment

Ÿ Complete pressure parts Ÿ Auxiliaries such as start-up oil burners, black liquor burners, smelt spouts and high-pressure steam valves and piping

Ÿ Safety-related system (SRS)

New HERB recovery boiler from ANDRITZ at JK Paper

Mr. AS Mehta, President & Director of JK Paper Ltd, says: “The entire ANDRITZ team has worked tirelessly and zealously to see that the commissioning was trouble-free and fast. This has

been achieved despite many constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic. Team JK Paper conveys its warmest gratitude to the ANDRITZ team for this wonderful support.” n

Lower Coal Allocation Impacts Operations of Paper Mills in India In a communication to the Union ministers of coal & mines and railways, the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA), apex body for the industry, stated that paper mills are facing rapidly dwindling coal stocks.

January 5, 2022

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s reported in a leading daily — operations at paper mills in India are getting severely affected due to lower coal allocation by Coal India and its subsidiaries and non-availability of adequate railway rakes for transportation of coal from mines to paper mills.

“In view of the continuing coal shortage and non-availability of adequate railway rakes, paper mills in India are finding it extremely hard to source adequate and un-interrupted thermal coal supplies as feedstock for their captive power plants and are facing rapidly dwindling coal stocks available with them. As a result, operations of paper mills across the country are getting severely impacted”, stated Mr. A S Mehta, president of IPMA. According to IPMA, Pulp & Paper Industry is capital and power

Image source: Unsplash

intensive and has invested a huge amount of money in setting up captive power plants (CPPs) for sustained supply of power and steam for the process requirements. Captive power plants reduce the generation and distribution load on the country's

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N•E•W•S entire power system. Paper Industry is a continuous process industry and energy cost is a significant part of the total production cost in paper mills.

For the last several months, Coal India and its subsidiaries have prioritised coal supplies to the power sector/thermal power plants on priority at the cost of non-power/non-regulated sectors. The problems have been compounded by even priority allocation of railway rakes to the power sector/thermal power plants.

"A resurgent paper industry is a must for sustained economic growth of the country since paperboard/packaging is crucial for all kinds of essential goods, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, food products, soaps, milk cartons, hygiene products, etc," the IPMA said in a statement.

Tissue paper helps in improving the hygienic conditions and is used in all health-conscious institutions/areas like hospitals, etc. Similarly, writing & printing paper is essential for labels, pharmaceutical inserts, and all educational institutes.

If supplies of coal from allocated/designated mines to paper mills as prior to June 2021 are not restored on priority, a large number of paper mills may need to have prolonged shutdowns resulting in shortage of writing & printing paper and packaging paper in the market and this may have cascading impact on all FMCG, food and pharma sectors.

IPMA has urged the government to consider priority allocation of both coal and railway rakes to captive power plants of the Pulp & Paper Industry at a par with thermal power plants/power sector. n

ITC Partners with Invest India to Crowdsource Innovative Ideas for Single-Use Plastic Substitution This partnership will enable ITC-PSPD to leverage India's rich start-up repertoire whilst also providing support to the country's start-up ecosystem.

January 3, 2022

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TC Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division (PSPD) has collaborated with Invest India to launch the 'ITC Sustainability Innovation Challenge', which would support innovative start-up ideas on sustainable packaging and smart waste management solutions.

ITC PSPD, through the Startup India portal, is inviting responses from startups towards challenges laid out by the Company to find sustainable and smart technology-based solutions that can substitute single-use plastics and automate the waste segregation process with smart technology-based solutions to improve efficiency and speed.

The startups selected for the 'ITC Sustainability Innovation Challenge' will be offered incentives at various stages of the programme. This includes mentorship from experts, paid pilot opportunity, and assistance in testing and certification at the 'Development Stage'. This will be followed by support to enable market expansion and capacity building through funding opportunities in the 'Early Market Play Stage'. Additionally, startups, at the 'Late Stage' will get procurement opportunities and could be evaluated, on a case to case basis, for funding and acquisition opportunities as well. The deadline to submit proof of concept was 28th February, 2021.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Vadiraj Kulkarni, CEO of ITC PSPD said, “Disposal of plastic and non-biodegradable waste continues to pose the biggest challenge in solid waste management in India. The problem is further aggravated due to inefficient segregation of post-consumer waste at the

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ITC Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division

source which leads to a lot of waste ending up in landfills which is highly polluting.. We, at ITC, believe that businesses, both big and small, with their immense managerial and innovative capacity, can come together to contribute significantly towards finding innovative and sustainable packaging and waste management solutions leading to transformative changes in the society. This philosophy manifests in the new 'ITC Sustainability Innovation Challenge' which underlines our ongoing engagements with the start-up ecosystem through collaboration with Invest India to crowdsource out-of-the box ideas for phasing out single-use plastics by 2022.”

Mr. Deepak Bagla, MD & CEO, Invest India said, “We look forward

N•E•W•S to accelerating efforts towards a more sustainable economic growth through the ITC Innovative Sustainability Challenge.

Innovative startups will be able to showcase Made-in-India solutions that propel India towards a circular economy. On behalf of Invest India, I invite start-ups to be part of India's growth journey.”

For sustainable packaging, ITC is inviting ideas to replace plastic-based products with compostable food delivery solutions using molded fiber packaging based on wood fibre, agri-waste, etc. Besides, the 'Sustainability Innovation Challenge' with Start-up India is also inviting solutions under recyclable and/or compostable barrier coatings for papers and paperboards category.

For the challenge of waste segregation, collection, and handling, ITC PSPD is inviting innovative and technologybased solutions for managing household and municipality waste based on different material type such as Paper, Metal, Glass, Rigid Plastic. The ideas must include an effective revenue model for the waste management ecosystem and lead to

significant incremental benefits over prevailing methods as the desired outcome from the solutions.

ITC Paperboards is a clear leader in Value Added Paperboards in India. ITC PSPD has been a pioneer in introducing specially designed branded Paperboards based on end-use applications. Among the sustainability initiatives, the Company is focusing on substituting single-use plastics packaging with fibre-based solutions. Some of the sustainable packaging innovations pioneered by ITC are – the Omega Series: completely Biodegradable under composting conditions as well as the Filo Series: completely Recyclable in existing standard recycling conditions. Other innovations include Bioseal: biodegradable packaging for packaged/fast-food & personal care industries and Oxyblock: recyclable structure with barrier properties for edible oils, etc. ITC's flagship Wellbeing out of Waste (ITC WoW) programme, partners with municipal bodies across India to bring the benefits of integrated waste management systems to 1.5 crore citizens in India. n

Finance Ministry Imposes Anti-Dumping Duty on Decor Paper from China for Five Year As per the notification issued by DGTR — ITC Limited had filed an application seeking initiation of anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of Decor Paper, originating in or exported from China.

January 3, 2022

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inance Ministry has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on 'decor paper' imports from China.

As reported in a leading daily — based on the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) recommendations in its final findings in September this year, the revenue department has now imposed definitive anti-dumping duty that ranged from USD 110 MT to USD 542 per MT. Diversified major ITC Limited's paperboards and speciality papers division, which accounts for close to 80 percent of the domestic production of decor paper, had filed the petition seeking anti-dumping duty on this key material used by the decorative industry. It is also used as base paper for printing and as a barrier paper for waxing and coating.

India produces about 24,227 MT of decor paper, and ITC accounts for the dominant share (about 80 percent) of this production. Pudumjee Paper Products Ltd. and Shree Krishna Paper Mills & Industries Ltd. are the other domestic manufacturers of decor paper.

In the case of decor paper produced by Kingdecor (Zhejiang)

Decor Paper

Co Ltd., the anti-dumping duty has been pegged at USD 116 per tonne. For decor paper produced by Shandong Boxing Ouhua Special Paper Co Ltd., the revenue department has pegged the anti-dumping duty at USD 110 per tonne. A similar duty of USD 110 per tonne has been imposed on decor paper produced by Zibo-OU-MU Special Paper Co Ltd. For all other producers, the anti-dumping duty has been pegged at USD 542 per tonne. n

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A.Celli Starts up Complete Turnkey Tissue Plant at Partex Star Group in Bangladesh The Tissue line supplied by A.Celli Paper produced its first Jumbo roll in December 2021 with full satisfaction of the customer.

January 20, 2022

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.Celli Paper successfully started up in December 2021 the turnkey Tissue plant supplied to Partex Star Group.

The line, installed for the production of bulky and soft Tissue with high levels of absorbency, includes a low-consumption complete stock preparation from 100 percent pure cellulose pulp, the “Control and Automation System”, the ancillary services and the field equipment.

The scope also includes a new iDEAL® Tissue machine with a width of 2800mm at the pope reel and a maximum operating speed of 1800 m/min, a 15-foot forged steel Yankee Dryer, an EWIND® T100 three-ply Tissue slitter rewinder and, finally, a reel handling system.

Partex Star Group is one of the largest Bangladeshi private sector enterprises.

Mr. Shamsul Arefin Chowdhury, collaborator of A.Celli Group, says, “It was extremely satisfying to produce the first Jumbo Roll with A.Celli Tissue machine. We at Partex Tissue Ltd. would like to thank A.Celli for the state-of-the-art technology

and services they provided us with, which allowed for a wonderful start up without any sheet breaking. All of this was possible despite the COVID 19 pandemic situation and the consequent limitations.” n

Georgia-Pacific to Invest USD 500 Million in Tissue and Towel Business in Green Bay The project will enable the expansion of the company's premium and private label brands.

January 20, 2022

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eorgia-Pacific has announced significant investments, which total more than USD 500 million, at its Green Bay, Wisconsin, Broadway mill. The investments will greatly enhance the company's retail consumer tissue and towel business.

Investments to the Green Bay mill include building a new paper machine using through-air-dried (TAD) technology, as well as adding associated converting equipment and infrastructure.

Engineering and related work is beginning immediately, with start up of the new machine scheduled for the first half of 2024.

“This truly is an investment in our customers and consumers who value the quality of our products,” said Christian Fischer, Georgia-Pacific president and chief executive officer. “We appreciate the local community, Brown County, state officials and all of our employees' hard work and efforts to continue making our Green Bay Broadway mill more competitive for the long-term.”

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Image source: Georgia-Pacific

The improvements will allow expansion of Georgia-Pacific's own premium brands as well as supporting the growth of current and potential customers' premium private label brands.

N•E•W•S The Green Bay Broadway mill currently operates seven paper machines and several converting operations to make bath tissue, paper towels, napkins and facial tissue for both retail and away-from-home uses. Capital investment at all of GeorgiaPacific's Green Bay facilities have totalled more than USD 700 million since 2006.

“This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to

Georgia-Pacific's consumer business, our hard-working teams and our current and potential customers,” said Fernando Gonzalez, president – Georgia-Pacific Consumer Business. “It also allows us to further leverage the many advantages we have, including our breadth of offerings, excellence in manufacturing operations, commitment to quality and focus on research and development to create products that consumers value.” n

Over 100 Years of Excellence at BTG – High Performance Blades Duroblade® coating blades are factory-honed to each customer's individual requirements. The blades are known for their improved coatweight control, higher solids content, improved fiber coverage, increased backing roll lifetime and Streak reduction.

January 26, 2022

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TG has been very successful in providing integrated, highly specialized solutions for the global pulp and paper industry. These solutions are based on BTG's expertise and the leading products that have been introduced over the last century.

As part of BTG's 100 year anniversary, the company is offering a series of 1-page focused flyers, sharing some insight on the products that have helped make BTG successful – and that are still delivering tremendous benefits to clients.

The focus of this issue is on high performing blades. Almost 40 years ago, BTG invented a revolutionary technology for the coated board and paper industry: Duroblade®. This breakthrough innovation allowed for the manufacture of blades with an outstanding lifetime compared to traditional steel blades. This innovation increased machine efficiency tremendously and also improved surface properties that allowed for further cost reduction. Learn more about the high performing blade principle and benefits in this dedicated document.

®

Duroblade

A flyer on the challenges of consistency measurement and about the BTG MEK is also available. n

Stora Enso Invests EUR 40 Million at its Sweden Facility Following the investment in new bleaching technology, Stora Enso will be able to reduce the number of bleach lines from three to two that will improve cost competitiveness and the carbon footprint of the production site.

February 4, 2022

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tora Enso will invest EUR 40 million (~USD 45.86 million) in new technology and restructuring of its fluff pulp production facility in Skutskär, Sweden. The aim is to increase cost efficiencies and further improve the site's environmental footprint, which also coincides with Stora Enso's goal to

provide regenerative solutions. The Skutskär site has a production capacity of 540,000 TPA and it produces fluff, hardwood, and softwood kraft pulp.

Being the leading producer of fluff pulp in Europe, the expansion will further enhance both operational efficiency and the site's carbon footprint performance. Stora Enso's investment in

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N•E•W•S absolute Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from operations by 50 percent by 2030, aligned with the 1.5-degree scenario. The transition to new technology will enable a carbon footprint reduction of 5 percent.

Johanna Hagelberg, Executive Vice President, Biomaterials division at Stora Enso, says, “Our Skutskär site is already close to carbon-neutral, and through this investment, we are now taking the next important step towards a climate-positive contribution. Moreover, technology upgrade investments will further sharpen our competitiveness in the growing hygiene products sector.”

Stora Enso Skutskär mill in Sweden

new bleaching technology also aligns with its ambitious climate targets.

Stora Enso had revised its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2021. The Finnish company is committed to reducing

With the investment, the number of bleach lines will be reduced from three to two which will improve cost competitiveness. The implementation of this plan is projected to start in Q1 2022, with the upgraded bleaching plant estimated to be in operation in Q2 2023, followed by the closure of the obsolete bleach line in Q2 2024. n

U.S. Paper Industry Reaches Record for Containerboard Production in 2021 The preliminary data indicates total containerboard production in 2021 increased 5.6 percent compared to 2020, the ninth increase in the past 10 years.

January 18, 2022

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he American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released preliminary 2021 data from U.S. paper and paperboard mills indicating record containerboard production, the material used to make cardboard boxes.

"Paper products and materials like containerboard help to meet the needs of consumers seeking sustainable choices," said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. "These are some of the most-recycled materials in the United States — in fact, more paper by weight is recycled from municipal waste streams than plastic, glass, steel and aluminum combined."

Based on this information, the consumption of old corrugated containers (OCC) may also reach record numbers with data to be published by AF&PA. OCC consumption is strongly tied to production of containerboard, and through November 2021 consumption already reached 22.2 million tons, just shy of the previous fullyear record set in 2020.

"Consumer demand is growing for sustainable paper products, and our industry is investing to meet evolving customer and consumer needs," Brock said. "AF&PA members are dedicated to advancing the circular economy and our shared commitment to sustainability, as demonstrated by our Better Practices Better Planet 2030 goals."

Paper recycling rates have grown over time and remain

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Representational image: Containerboard

consistently high, meeting or exceeding 63 percent since 2009.

In 2020, nearly 66 percent of paper was recycled.

"Paper recycling is a success story," Brock said. "That's because of the industry's investments, education efforts, the wide availability of paper recycling programs, and the many millions of Americans who recycle each day."

The paper industry has completed or announced around USD 5 billion in manufacturing infrastructure investments from 20192023 to continue the best use of recycled fiber in our products.

These investments will help increase the amount of recovered paper used by U.S. paper and paperboard mills by approximately 8 million tonnes — a 25 percent increase over 2020 levels. n

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Voith Paper Appoints Dr. Michael Weiss as its new CTO Dr. Michael Weiss succeeds Frank Opletal as the Chief Technology Officer and Member of the Management Board of Voith Paper. His journey with the technology group began in 2006 as a development engineer and up until now, he has held various positions in Research & Development department.

February 7, 2022

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oith Paper has appointed Dr. Michael Weiss as Chief Technology Officer and member of the Management Board. He started in his new role on February 1, 2022, succeeding Frank Opletal, who is going into well-deserved retirement after 38 years at Voith Paper. In his role, Dr. Michael Weiss reports directly to Andreas Endters, President & CEO of Voith Paper.

Since 2006, Dr. Michael Weiss has held various positions in the development of pioneering technologies and innovations at Voith Paper, most recently as the Vice President New Business and Research. In his prior role as VP New Business & Research, he has been in charge of innovation management, the simulation department and the central laboratory at Voith Paper since 2017. As CTO, he will contribute his many years of experience in research and development to drive Voith Paper's innovation strategy around the differentiation criteria of sustainability, efficiency, and full-line supplier. The main aim is to find answers to the megatrends of sustainability and digitalisation and to make them usable for the paper industry.

Andreas Endters, President & CEO of Voith Paper, says, “As the technology leader and full-line supplier, Voith Paper has always been a reliable partner for its customers when it comes to breaking new ground. Especially today, the paper industry needs more innovations to make production more efficient and sustainable. With his experience and his visionary view of

Dr. Michael Weiss, Chief Technology Officer, Voith Paper

the possibilities that lie in the sustainable material paper, we are pleased to appoint Michael Weiss to the Voith Paper Management Board.”

Dr. Michael Weiss had joined Voith Paper as a development engineer and has held various positions in research & development, where he dealt with the topics of process optimisation, mathematical simulation, water management, and wastewater treatment, among other things. From 2017 he held the position of Vice President New Business & Research. Dr. Weiss studied process engineering at the RWTH Aachen University and completed his Ph.D. in chemical engineering at the University of Oxford, UK. n

Mondi Sets Ambitious Science-Based Plans to Transition to Net-Zero by 2050 The Net-Zero plan set out by the global paper and packaging leader aligns with the Science Based Targets initiative's new Net-Zero Standard.

January 17, 2022

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ondi has accelerated its plans to take climate-positive actions by committing to transition to Net-Zero by 2050.

This next step builds on almost two decades of progress, including a 45 percent reduction in specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions against a 2004 baseline and science-based targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2019.

Andrew King, Mondi's Group CEO, remarks, “Mondi has a long track record of investing in our operations to reduce our GHG emissions and the Board's approval of our new Net-Zero plan

Image source: Mondi

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N•E•W•S reinforces our commitment to contributing to a better world.

The adoption of science-based targets in line with 1.5°C is an important milestone in our journey to net-zero. However taking action today is an absolute imperative and we already have a clear roadmap to achieve our 2025 milestones.”

Mondi's Net-Zero plan, which was developed to align with SBTi's new Net-Zero Standard, commits to reducing GHG emissions across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 in line with a 1.5°C scenario. Mondi submitted its Net-Zero commitment to the SBTi in December 2021 and has signed up to the UN Business Ambition.

Gladys Naylor, Mondi's Group Head of Sustainable Development said, “Our current emissions reduction targets were approved by the SBTi in 2019 and we have now increased our ambition in line with climate science and the SBTi's new Net-Zero Standard. While we work with SBTi to validate our new targets, we're taking action - doing the long-term planning to achieve our commitments and working every day to ensure that we are on track to meet our milestones in line with our MAP2030 sustainability framework.” n

Sappi Expands Production for Fusion Topliner in its Flagship Mill in Austria The pulp and paper company designed – Fusion Topliner as an alternative to traditional corrugated liners in the market which are kraft liners and test liners. It is recommended for applications such as premium quality consumer goods packaging and POS displays.

February 4, 2022

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appi has announced the expansion of its production of Fusion Topliner grade in its flagship mill in Gratkorn, Austria. Fusion Topliner, that is, a white virgin fiber liner for high-quality corrugated packaging, will also continue to be manufactured at Sappi's Ehingen mill in Germany.

With this expansion, Sappi is not just scaling up its production capacity in the corrugated board business but is bringing production closer to its customers – to assure a sustainable and short supply chain in Europe.

As an alternative to kraft liner and test liner, Sappi developed its Fusion Topliner, which has now become the most widely used corrugated liner made from pure virgin fiber. It is recommended for applications such as premium quality consumer goods packaging and POS displays as it stands out more than the conventional corrugated liners.

The production of the topliner is now being expanded from the German mill in Ehingen to include Sappi's flagship mill in Gratkorn. Thus, the available capacities are increased to include the production of Fusion Topliner besides graphic papers. The volume availability is going to be increased month by month to

Sappi Fusion Topliner |Image source: Sappi

support the expected demand of our customers, and to fulfil large-scale requirements in the corrugated board segment.

Luis Mata, Sales Director Packaging & Digital Solutions, Sappi, explains, “Gratkorn offers the best possible technical prerequisites for the production of our Fusion product. With the investments we have made, Sappi is strengthening its packaging and speciality paper business as well as the Gratkorn mill itself.” n

Sonoco Recycling Acquires American Recycling of Western North Carolina The global provider of consumer, industrial, healthcare and protective packaging has acquired American Recycling of Western North Carolina which processes around 30,000 TPA of recovered fiber.

January 11, 2022

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onoco Recycling, a unit of Sonoco, has announced its acquisition of American Recycling of Western North Carolina, a privately-owned paper recycler in Asheville, North Carolina.

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American Recycling of Western North Carolina processes approximately 30,000 TPA of recovered fiber. The company is expecting to generate approximately USD 9 million in sales in 2021 and it is strategically located approximately 65 miles from Sonoco's Newport, Tennessee, uncoated recycled paperboard

N•E•W•S mill, according to the news release on the acquisition by Sonoco.

Palace Stepps, Division Vice President and General Manager, Sonoco Recycling, says, “This acquisition provides Sonoco's mill operations with a stable, lower-cost supply of recovered fiber with the opportunity to grow volumes in the region.”

Sonoco Recycling collects approximately 2.8 million TPA of old corrugated containers (OCC), mixed paper, metals, and plastics through its five material recovery facilities and 20 recycling centers annually.

Image source: Sonoco

Stora Enso and Tornator to Restore 1000 Hectares of Low Forest Cover Peatland in Finland The restoration will increase biodiversity along with enhancing the habitat in the restored land by removing trees that have grown in the area after drainage.

January 31, 2022

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tora Enso and Tornator will restore 1,000 hectares of low forest cover peatland in eastern and southern Finland between 2022 and 2027. The restoration will increase biodiversity along with enhancing the habitat in the restored land by removing trees that have grown in the area after drainage. After harvesting, ditches will be blocked to raise the water level in the peatland.

Speaking on the restoration initiative, Niina Partanen, Environmental Manager at Stora Enso, comments, “Restoring peatland to an as natural state as possible starts with harvesting when the ground is frozen and able to support forestry machinery. After the restoration measures, the drained peatland will, in the long term, recover to its natural state. We will use the harvested wood for renewable and recyclable products that replace fossil-based raw materials.”

Image source: Stora Enso

In the long term, with the restoration of low forest cover peatland, the amount of carbon sequestered in peat will increase. Improving peatland habitat will contribute to the recovery of vegetation and other species, the condition of the waterways beneath peatlands, and thus, for example, the recreational use of lakes. At the same time, berry picking and hunting opportunities in these areas will be improved. n

Smurfit Kappa Announces USD 33 Million Investment in Fortaleza, Brazil In the expansion, a new corrugator, which will increase the Shelf-Ready Packaging (SRP) capability, and several high-end printers will also be installed to provide the high level of precision for e-commerce packaging.

February 01, 2022

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murfit Kappa has announced an investment of over USD 33 million in Brazil to expand the capacity of its plant in Fortaleza in order to cater to the growing demand for innovative and sustainable packaging.

The expansion, which includes the installation of a new corrugator, will increase the Shelf-Ready Packaging (SRP) capability for FMCG customers in a range of sectors including fresh fruit, home appliances and pharmaceuticals.

Several high-end printers will also be installed to provide the

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N•E•W•S high level of precision and quality that is required for eCommerce packaging. In addition, a new innovation centre will foster even more customer collaboration and enhance the development of impactful, sustainable, and market-leading packaging solutions.

Laurent Sellier, CEO of Smurfit Kappa the Americas, said, “Almost 30 percent of the total Brazilian population resides in the Northeast region, and Fortaleza offers the perfect platform to strengthen our presence in this attractive and fast-growing part of the country.”

“Brazil is an essential market for Smurfit Kappa and we are excited to dedicate significant resources of the company's global investment plan to expand our presence in the Northeast.”

Image source: Smurfit Kappa

Koehler Paper Sets New Production Speed Record With Voith Paper Machine It is the fastest MG paper machine in the world with consistent speed of more than 1,400 m/min. To celebrate this event, Voith handed over an engraved glass plate to Koehler Paper, which records this historic speed record.

January 3, 2022

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esigned as one of the most efficient specialty paper machines in the world, Koehler Paper commissioned Voith's production line 8 at its Kehl mill at the end of October 2019 - after a previous project time of only around two and a half years.

Thanks to ongoing optimization, the company recently achieved a groundbreaking level of performance for the production of around 40 GSM base paper at a continuous speed of more than 1,400 m/min. Thanks to intensive cooperation, permanent project support and continuous optimization from Koehler and Voith, the line achieved an average speed of 1,410 m/min over a period of 24 hours as well as a maximum value of 1,432 m/min - a world record for the MG paper machine.

On the occasion of this event, Voith presented Koehler Paper with an engraved glass plate that records this historic speed record. At the award ceremony at the Kehl mill last week, Dr. Michael Trefz, President Projects at Voith, was pleased to present the recognition: "An outstanding value, which was made possible by the cooperation between Koehler and Voith, the combination of extensive technical knowledge and a long-standing and trusting partnership. Koehler and Voith are thus once again demonstrating their pioneering spirit in paper production." Dr. Stefan Karrer, COO at Koehler, and Joachim Uhl, Mill Director in Kehl, also appreciate the cooperation and are proud of the team's performance on production line 8: "The optimizations have enabled us to raise our machine to a new level."

Joint development of trailblazing packaging paper products Another outcome of the collaboration between Koehler and Voith is the development of cutting-edge products. As part of

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(L-R) Dr. Stefan Karrer, COO Koehler; Joachim Uhl, Mill Director Kehl; Dr. Michael Trefz, President Projects Voith Paper; Michael Rendsburg, President Voith Paper Projects EMEA.

the development partnership for new paper grades, Voith carried out several test series on the R&D pilot coater at the Voith Paper Technology Center in Heidenheim. The technological requirements of the new paper grades were investigated in depth and then implemented in the new production line. This has resulted in the innovative products of the NexFlex® product line, Koehler's flexible packaging paper.

State-of-the-art technologies for effective production With a volume of EUR 300 million, the entire production line 8 is one of the largest investments in Koehler's history. As well as the XcelLine paper machine and an offline coating machine, the project includes a BlueLine stock preparation system including wet end process and a VariPlus winder. The facility is

N•E•W•S designed to produce around 100,000 tonnes per year of various paper grades. An offline coating machine enables variable coating orders and combinations, resulting in an enormous range of grades. This extensive range of different paper grades and basis weights from 22 GSM to 95 GSM is another unique selling point of the production line. PM 8 paper machine thus supplies already finished paper and raw paper for the further finishing process.

A special technical highlight is the MG cylinder, which has a diameter of 7,315 mm, the largest of its kind worldwide at the time of installation. The cylinder gives the paper its unique smoothness, which is essential for optimum downstream processing. Thanks to the MCB air dryers, the coated paper is dried extremely gently and without contact, while at the same time maintaining high thermal efficiency. A special calender design ensures final calendering of the specialty papers. n

Voith will be Operating Climate Neutrally at all its Sites as of January 1, 2022 The proportion of renewable energies in the Voith-wide electricity mix could be increased from 44 percent in the previous year to 87 percent.

January 15, 2022

V

oith has achieved an ambitious sustainability goal, i.e. of the beginning of 2022, the Group has successfully reduced the CO2 emissions at all its sites to “net-zero”. Therefore, Voith operations will be climate-neutral from January onwards.

This move cements Voith's pioneering role in the decarbonisation of industrial production. All Voith sites worldwide undertook enormous efforts to achieve this major accomplishment. Increased energy efficiency and the comprehensive use of renewable energy sources were key factors in reaching the Group's CO2 reduction goals.

Since FY 2011-12, Voith has successfully reduced its energy consumption by 28 percent. In addition, the Group relies on energy from renewable sources. Until the beginning of FY 2021-22, the proportion of renewable energies in the Voithwide electricity mix could be increased from 44 percent in the previous year to 87 percent. In addition, the Voith sites are generating more and more energy from solar and hydropower – currently approximately 6 GWh/a.

Image source: Voith

According to a TÜV-verified analysis of the Voith products launched in 2019-20 and their potential deployment, the products achieve annual CO2 savings of almost 3 million tons compared to 2.2 million tons produced. The Group is continuously striving to further reduce the carbon footprint of its products during their service life at customer sites. n

Stora Enso to invest EUR 23 million at its Varkaus Mill in Finland With the investment, the flexibility of the product range and the Varkaus mill site's total capacity will be increased by around 10 percent. While the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the preparatory work for the investment will be immediately started, the expansion is expected to be completed by 2022-end.

December 29, 2021

S

tora Enso has announced the investment of EUR 23 million (~USD 26 million) in its Varkaus containerboard mill site in Finland. The objective of the investment is to increase the flexibility of the product range and to increase the site's total capacity by approximately 10 percent. This will also increase the use of recycled fiber in the production in addition to fresh

wood fiber. The investment is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

The Varkaus mill site has a production capacity of – 310,000 TPA of unbleached softwood pulp and 390,000 TPA of high-quality brown and white top containerboard for corrugated board, i.e. kraftliner. Besides unbleached softwood pulp, around onethird of the total packaging board recycled in Finland is utilised

www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022 | 105

N•E•W•S as its raw material at the paper mill.

As an integral part of the Stora Enso Packaging Materials Division, the Varkaus mill has extensive know-how in utilising wood fibers beginning from product design to finished products and up to recycling. Since the recycling of paperboard packaging products is a key sustainability goal, investments in recycling capacity are a concrete way to support this goal. Stora Enso aims to achieve 100 percent renewable products in line with Circular Economy and have positive carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

Jarkko Tehomaa, Varkaus Packaging Board Mill Director, Stora Enso, says, “The investment will increase the capacity of our recycled fiber site and give us the flexibility to increase the use of recycled fiber in our portfolio. The investment will also improve production efficiency through

Stora Enso's Varkaus Mill site in Finland

technical changes in both the board machine and the pulp mill drying machine.”

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the updating of the environmental permit, and the preparatory work for the investment, will be immediately started. n

Holmen Iggesund Paperboard Orders Effluent and Sludge Treatment Line from ANDRITZ The sludge handling line including proven ANDRITZ gravity tables, and the entire key equipment will be provided with a special surface coating to protect against the harsh coastal environment at the Workington mill.

January 31, 2022

W

orkington, UK-based Holmen Iggesund Paperboard mill has ordered a state-of-the-art primary effluent and sludge treatment line from Valmet. The technological solution includes – channel screening, clarifying, automated flocculant and coagulant dosing, and sludge dewatering. The startup of the line is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.

The mill will replace the existing primary effluent treatment plant to improve the efficiency of the system and reduce the level of total suspended solids (TSS) in the outfall. ANDRITZ Aqua-Screen channel screens are particularly designed for handling wastewater streams which will ensure effective coarse screening and removal of large contaminants from the influent to the clarifiers.

The state-of-the-art sludge handling line, including proven ANDRITZ gravity tables prior to ANDRITZ sludge screw presses for minimum flocculant consumption, lowest solids load in the filtrate, and highest possible sludge dryness. The entire key equipment will be provided with a special surface coating to

106 | www.papermart.in / December-January, 2022

Image source: Holmen Iggesund

protect against the harsh coastal environment at the Workington mill.

The scope of supply also includes – field instruments, tanks, agitators, and process pumps as well as installation and service support after commissioning to maintain the highest availability of the plant. n

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Vol.: 22 / No.: 05

Editor & Publisher Parveen Kumar Jain – pkj@tulip3pmedia.in Associate Editor Geetika Jain – gjain@papermart.in Editorial Team Anurima Mondal – desk@tulip3pmedia.in Laique Khan – desk2@tulip3pmedia.in Soumya Ojha – desk3@tulip3pmedia.in Graphic Designer Ravi Thakur – ravithakur@tulip3pmedia.in Advertising & Marketing Puneet Dua – mktg@papermart.in Akansha Tiwari – mktg3@tulip3pmedia.in Priya Thapar – mktg2@tulip3pmedia.in Support Team Kushagra Mehrotra Sandeep Kumar Rahul Kumar admin@tulip3pmedia.in Chief Executive Officer Priyank Jain pj@tulip3pmedia.in Editorial & Publisher's Office : Paper Mart, Tulip 3P Media Pvt. Ltd. 218, Sanjay Nagar, Gulabi Bagh, New Delhi-110007, INDIA

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