autumn 2020

Prospective
insight for
the global
paper industry
 EDITOrial

Still waiting for

the “new normal”

A
s the world is learning to live with COVID-19, and possibly
other kinds of pandemics, the “new normal” that is sup-
posed to emerge from this crisis is still a concept to be
shaped. Since the start of the current crisis, consumers have been
forced to change their daily routine and spending habits, while pro-
ducers have been struggling to adapt their human resources, sup-
ply chain, production lines and distribution processes to this new
pattern. The big question for everyone is “how long will it last?”.
It is one thing to adjust temporarily to a new environment, quite
another to reinvent a way of life or a business model.

What we have witnessed so far are just practical reorganisations,

Stéphane Richard
but nothing revolutionary. Maybe this is because, in the end, the
general hope is to get back to the “old normal” in some ways.
PaperFIRST Mag is produced by
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Stéphane RICHARD
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Richard CHO, Kaj FAHLLUND, Abhinav GOEL, and online management has its limitations.
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JAMEEL, Paul JENKINS, Oskar LINGQVIST, tential leads at exhibitions and other events. Webinars and video
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ZAMBRANO MBA does not cover the costs.
Consulting Editor
Teresa PRESAS
Revision
As long as we see the present situation as an interlude, there will
Zoe WELLENKAMP
Graphic Design be no real disruption in our global system. However, the need, and
Gessica CAMBI
wish, for a green and decarbonized economy is more obvious than
Marketing and Sales
François HENIN ever. And although the final outcome of all this is still very uncer-
tain, the P&P sector, and cellulose-based products in general,
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Enjoy the read, and stay safe.
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PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 03

From production to delivery.

Logistics
made simple.
Pesmel’s automated Material Flow How® concept offers the pulp & paper industry reliable,
accurate and intelligent logistics solutions for material handling, packaging and storage.

The solutions integrate production processes with delivery, making sure all products
leave the mill in perfect condition and on time. Logistics made simple.

Pesmel – The Material Flow How® Company

www.pesmel.com
 CONTENTS
26 58 22

30

EDITORIAL 3

MARKET OUTLOOK
Graphic-paper producers: Boosting resilience amid the COVID-19 crisis 6
The market for specialty papers in North and South America 12

MARKET TRENDS
National Brands vs. Private Labels: A market dynamics
analysis for hygiene tissue in the United States 16
ill re ased pa a in de el p ilst t e rld still
suffers from plastic paranoia? 22

THE C-LEVEL INTERVIEW

Michele Bianchi, CEO of RDM Group – Reno De Medici 26
55
GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Energy transition and decarbonisation: Crossed viewpoints
from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas 30

MILL STORIES
Domtar’s Dryden Mill conducts safe maintenance
outage during pandemic 42

TECH TALK
5 questions to Jari Vähäpesola,
President Paper Business Line at Valmet 44
12
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Field services go remote! by Valmet 46
Hard data, soft sensors and process expertise by ABB 48
Optimizing the paper manufacturing process
with virtual sensors by Voith 52
Water-cooled multi-motor drive for a complete
paper machine by Siemens 55
A digital revolution in logistics by Pesmel 58
Adding 30% capacity with little investment by AFT 62
Mist & contaminants be gone at SAICA Champblain by Kadant/M-clean 66
Handling tumultuous times in the tissue and towel market by Solenis 68
Mar et p lp line n ersi n t p lp line by Bellmer 71
66
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 74

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 05

 Market outlook

Graphic-paper producers:
Boosting resilience amid the
COVID-19 crisis
Article by Abhinav Goel, Felix Grünewald, Oskar Lingqvist, and Gregory Vainberg

G
lobal graphic-paper markets have been declining si-
A recent survey released
gnificantly over the past decade. eveloped countries
by the consulting firm have experienced the strongest decline, at approxima-
McKinsey shows that four tely to percent per year hibit . eveloping countries
proven actions can help graphic paper consumption surpassed demand from deve-
graphic-paper producers loped countries in . o ever, consumption there, too, had
rebound despite the started to ane in , albeit at the slo er pace of appro i-
market declines that have mately to percent a year.
been accelerated by the
he decline in demand for graphic paper has been especially
COVID-19 pandemic.
noticeable in developed countries, here there has been a
clear correlation bet een reducing paper consumption and
economic advancement,
driven by digiti ation.
he similar effects e
are no seeing in deve-
loping countries can be
e plained in part by the
relatively larger share
of digitally savvy youn-
ger people in such mar-
ets. eneration born
comprises
true digital natives and
already ma es up
percent of Bra il s popu-
lation today, for instance.
Exhibit 1: Graphic-paper demand has been declining globally for a decade—and even longer in
developed economies.

THE COVID-19 CRISIS HAS ACCELERATED THE DECLINE OF GRAPHIC-PAPER

DEMAND

he crisis has been a mi ed bag for paper and pac aging players. n one hand, some com-
panies have benefited from an increase in grocery shopping and pantry loading of essentials, such
as toilet paper. n the other hand, graphic paper producers have suffered significant volume drops
hese declines are driven by the fact that the pandemic has introduced ne factors but also acce-

1
Tracy Francis and Fernanda Hoefel, “‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies,” November 12, 2018, McKinsey.com.

6 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market outlook

lerated some of the previously e isting trends that ere already

driving graphic paper reduction

■ Office printing. here has been a decline in office printing be-

cause of the rise in remote or ing. The associated absence
of corporate grade printers and s itch to digital meetings has
drastically reduced office paper consumption. hat has been
compounded by a tight grip ept on nonessential spend items
including stationery and office supplies among organi ations
that are reopening offices.

■ Advertising. here has been an absolute reduction in adver-

tising because of lo er discretionary spend or tight spend
control by companies and a significant shift to online adverti-
sing ith more targeted audience communication.

■ Media consumption. A shift to digital and online consump-

tion of media ne spapers, maga ines, and boo s has been
accompanied by an accelerated increase in the availability and
consumption of e boo s, podcasts, and audioboo s.

■ Mail volume and forms. he rise of e communication, a fur-

ther acceleration of e invoicing, and a s itch to e forms driven
by the closure of offices and retail outlets manifested in, for
e ample, the rise of online only ban accounts have led to a
decline in mail volume and forms. he decline of transactional
paper uses has also been driven by governmental efforts to
advance digital adoption.

■ Digital learning. he e pansion of digital learning, ith many

schools and universities moving to ard online courses, has been
accelerated by the pandemic driven rollout of digital solutions,
hich have become lifelines for the continuation of learning.

here is, nevertheless, some light at the end of the tunnel for
graphic paper producers in the potential recovery of discretio-
nary spend after loc do n. hat could increase businesses il-
lingness to spend, and see individuals turning bac to printouts in
business conte ts, as ell as paper based media consumption.
o big challenges remain for the industry, ho ever. he first is
that the crisis is accelerating structural changes that
are stic y for e ample, readers ho have s itched to digital
maga ines seldom return to print copies . econd, trends such
as or ing from home and providing digital first education that
ere once forecasted to happen over a timeline of five to ten
years have been condensed into a period of months and they
ill li ely be sustained.

2
Andrea Alexander, Aaron De Smet, and Mihir Mysore, “Reimagining the postpandemic workforce,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 7, 2020, McKinsey.com.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 7

 Market outlook

HOW GRAPHIC-PAPER COMPANIES CAN WEATHER THE STORM:

FOUR PROVEN ACTIONS

e can already see the effects of loc do n on graphic paper demand by loo ing at mar et indi-
cators. demand for graphic paper grades plummeted to percent, year on year, from April
to une prices for ood free paper in urope fell to percent in uly compared
ith ecember .

o eather the current storm, e anticipate that graphic paper companies ill need to consider
four actions. trategically revie ing their asset portfolios and mar et e posure, relentlessly focusing
on cost and cash, driving commercial e cellence, and e ploring diversification opportunities is an
approach that could allo players to improve their resilience hibit .

Exhibit 2: Graphic-paper players can act upon strategic, cost, and commercial levers while exploring diversification.

1. Strategic review

nder the current circumstances, graphic paper companies ill need to revie their strategies from
three angles. onsideration of footprint consolidation in case of multiple assets , end customer
segment participation, and level of value chain participation is a good first step in determining the
best strategy moving for ard.

ootprint consolidation is a relevant strategic choice for players ith multiple assets in the same
graphic paper grade. Ad usting capacity in light of falling demand may help the competitiveness of
the remaining assets and secure financial stability.
egment participation revie for e ample, of involvement in pac aging, paperboard, container-

3
Jake Bryant, Felipe Child, Emma Dorn, and Stephen Hall, “New global data reveal education technology’s impact on learning,”
June 12, 2020, McKinsey.com.

8 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

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 Market outlook

board, envelopes, and so on ill be critical to maintain sufficient volume stability during head inds.
n past years, numerous mills around the orld have been converted from graphic paper production
to other grades, such as food pac aging, coated free sheet, and containerboard and that trend is
set to stay. ome of the conversions ill re uire significant capital investment, and they may re uire
footprint rationali ation for funding.

Exhibit 3: Successful strategies differ according to the size of the graphic-paper company.
Source: McKinsey analysis

2. Relentless focus on cost and cash

he ma ority of graphic paper companies have eathered the storm considerably ell so far by
reducing budgets, decreasing capital e penditures, and implementing ero based approaches to
indirect spend and organi ation si e. urthermore, establishing strict spend control to ers and
launching competitive sourcing for large cost items such as furnish, chemicals, pac aging, and so
on are ey. sing analytical tools to drive process controls and asset performance has been proven
to elevate operational performance and reduce costs further.

e have seen multiple instances in hich digital and analytical tools have improved process para-
meters yield, material consumption, and output ithin raft mills digester and bleach assets hile
also reducing overall do ntime and improving yield across all production lines. hat approach could
deliver an added benefit of to percent throughput uplift across a mill and reduce conversion
costs by to percent ithin three to five months.

3. Commercial excellence to create value for customers

o ensure strict controls on margin lea age hile maintaining appropriate loading of paper assets,
companies need to shore up their governance on commercial decisions. n the short term, that
means focusing on optimi ing product and customer mi to ma imi e profitability and enforcing pri-
cing discipline to ma imi e average price.

10 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market outlook

As mar ets remain volatile, graphic paper players also need

to remain active in searching for opportunities for geographic
and product portfolio e pansion opportunities. t is important
that mills keep close tabs on their average prices achievable via
e ports versus domestic customers. As home mar ets dry up,
stimulating volume and pricing competition, mills might consider
strengthening their relationships ith distributors and bro ers to
access international mar ets and protect their order boo s and
to be able to cover fi ed costs.

4. Exploration of adjacent value pockets to find market niches,

conversions, and specialties

roduct diversification presents another avenue for graphic pa-

per companies to consider as they see a more lasting solution
to protecting their businesses. or instance, they can e plore
ad acent product niches to utili e e isting assets ith little or no
investment. As an e ample, offset roll ma ers might e plore op-
portunities in in et and release papers. Additionally, ith minor
capital infusion, companies can participate in ad acent niches,
such as envelopes, paperboards, and so on. hat ill help bridge
order boo gaps over the near term until the mar et recovers.

■■■

e believe that graphic paper companies can rebound amid the

crisis. espite the trends in demand decline accele-
rated by the crisis, they can thrive by carefully e ecuting on the
plan outlined in this article, creating value for shareholders. he
po er of the strategy has been demonstrated by a paper mill
used it to achieve an improvement in B margin of to
percent.

Abhinav Goel is an associate partner in McKinsey’s Cleveland office, Felix Grü-

newald is a consultant in the Zurich office, Oskar Lingqvist is a senior partner
in the Stockholm office, and Gregory Vainberg is a senior partner in the Mon-
treal office.

This article is a shortened version of the «Graphic-paper producers: Boosting resilience

amid the COVID-19 crises» article published by McKinsey on 18 Sep 2020.

opyright c insey ompany. All rights reserved.

4
Earnings before interest and taxes.2020, McKinsey.com.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 11

 Market outlook

The market for specialty papers

in North and South America
Article by John Nelson, Smithers

W
The specialty papers hile offering attractive revenue, the specialty papers
market in the Americas market in the Americas will face a series of new chal-
will face a series of lenges and opportunities over the ne t five years.
new challenges and hese are profiled and e amined in a brand ne study from
opportunities over the Smithers – The Future of Specialty Papers in North and South
America to 2025.
ne t five years.
In this exclusive content for PaperFIRST, Smithers examines
ho this mar et ill change over the ne t five years.
hile paper mar ets such as ne sprint, maga ines, and office
papers have been in decline for many years due to electronic alternatives, most specialty papers
serve a function that an electronic product cannot replace. ey factors driving change in the orth
and outh American specialty papers mar et re ect society s increasing interest in developing op-
tions that are lo er cost, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly.
As larger, faster paper machines making commodity grades are shut down due to declining markets,
some are transferring to producing high-volume specialty paper grades, such as release liner and
e ible pac aging. As an incentive to their customers, they are using innovative technologies to offer
lighter, stronger paper, or higher uality finishes.

echnology allo ing better connectivity and using ndustry . tools for more precise process control
is particularly valuable for faster machines. pecialty paper customers often have very specific re ui-
rements for such properties as basis eight, caliper, smoothness, gloss or et strength, and grade
changes bet een customers, hich can lead to a lot of transition paper that does not meet specifi-
cations, can be minimised ith automation, resulting in more efficient production.

eaching customers through advertising and relying on customer loyalty to sell products is becoming
more difficult in a orld here customers have more information at their fingertips. ac aging that
stands out, especially in food stores, is one ay to attract shoppers attention to ne products and
to convince them that a product offers added value over alternatives. his can create demand for
lu ury pac aging grades, hich typically use higher basis eights, have higher brightness, and more
coatings.

he emergence of e boo readers ate into sales of printed boo s, but e boo sales seem to have sta-
bili ed at about of all boo s. he use of specialty papers for covers and binding of boo s is decli-
ning at a slightly lo er rate than in previous years. e business opportunities in the food industry,
including take-out, ready-to-eat meals from the deli section of grocery stores, and delivery services
such as ber ats, all provide convenience to last minute shoppers and have created opportunities in
the specialty paper mar et, especially for e ible raps, bags, and light eight disposable pac aging,
such as paper cups.

12 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market outlook

Concern for the environment has driven a demand for more sus-
tainable materials. he ideal materials are not only bio based, but
are also reusable, recyclable and compostable. aper scores ell
in all these categories, although it is not uite as suitable as plastic
for re use pac aging formats, but in all other categories it is a bet-
ter environmental choice. here is thus an opportunity to s itch
some materials from plastic to specialty papers. ncluded in this
trend is a desire to move, here feasible, from multilayer pac a-
ging made of paper, plastic and aluminium, to paper based pac a-
ging ith ater based barrier coatings.

overnments are helping to drive better recycling and compos-

ting infrastructure hile putting up barriers to the use of less envi-
ronmentally desirable materials. hey are using a combination of
strategies that include setting up e pert advisory boards creating
sustainability targets passing legislation to ban materials, such as
single use plastics and implementing ta es or fines.
A term that is increasingly being used to promote better sustaina-
bility is the idea of a circular economy, in hich resources are ept
in use for as long as possible, ma imum value is e tracted from
them while in use, and these are recovered and used for regene-
rated products and materials at the end of each service life. pe-
cialty papers fit ell into this model, as paper is one of the most
recycled products on earth.

Innovation is necessary for survival in the specialty paper market,

but many specialty paper manufacturers are very small and cannot
develop ideas independently that require large investments and
lengthy development or . any of the ne est ideas are coming
from third parties, such as chemical suppliers or research institu-
tions, or from open innovation concepts, such as competitions.
One example of the former is nanocellulose, a technology that
has been developed over the last years mostly by consortium
research.
An e ample of open innovation is the e t en onsortium, hich
aims to develop fully recyclable ta e out cups, founded by c o-
nald s and tarbuc s.
icrocellulose and nanocellulose technology has been available
for many years, but only at a small scale until the late s. he
technology is no available to ma e micro nanocellulose products
on a commercial scale, and in the period many products
ill benefit from their use. he current applications of micro na-
nocellulose in specialty papers generally fall into four categories:
lighter basis eights lo er cost furnish opacity improvement
and surface barrier properties.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 13

 Market outlook

Some chemicals traditionally used as additives in making specialty papers are

no out of favour due to health and or environmental concerns. hese are being
replaced ith more sustainable and less controversial substitutes. o e amples
are the replacement of bisphenol A B A or other phenol type additives in ther-
mal paper for receipts, and the replacement of per and poly uoroal yl subs-
tances A to impart greaseproof properties to papers for food raps and
other products.

ater based barrier coatings for specialty paper products are being developed
to replace less recyclable alternatives, such as poly laminated papers or e tru-
ded polyethylene layers. Bio based a products, hich are bio sourced com-
postable products, can replace paraffin a for ater resistant products.
unctional coatings can also be applied to paper
The supply chain for specialty papers
to impart such properties as antimicrobial acti-
vity. ndustry . has brought together computing
power, wireless networks, internet, cloud storage
and other ne tools. ombined ith state of the
art papermaking equipment, papermakers can now
precisely control paper quality and make faster
grade changes, allowing more uniform, higher qua-
lity products at a lo er cost.
hile these ne technologies are being imple-
mented in , there are still some unmet goals
that could become closer to being met by .
aper is finding more ays to replace plastic, for
e ample in a ne ood based hermocell material
developed by in inland. he plastics industry is Source: Smithers
developing bio based and compostable polymers, North and South American specialty paper
hich may contend ith paper based solutions if sales by country, 2015–25 (‘000 tonnes)

the cost can be matched. he goal of an easily recy-

clable or compostable pac aging ith barrier pro-
perties for water, grease, oxygen, and water vapour
ithout using plastic or foil is currently difficult to
meet, but some of these goals are being met.

he uture of pecialty apers in orth and outh

America to delivers e pert ualitative and
quantitative analysis of the shifting market proposi-
tion for specialty paper in these t o orld regions.
This includes a comprehensive data set charting
historic, current and future demand for grades
of specialty papers, in each region and major natio-
Notes: 1 = US values have been divided by 10;
nal mar ets. e = estimate, p = predicted, f = forecast
Source: Smithers

14 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

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 Market TRENDS

National Brands vs. Private

Labels: a market dynamics
analysis for hygiene tissue in
the United States
Article by
Franklin Zambrano1, Antonio Suarez2, Dr. Hasan Jameel3, Dr. Richard Venditti3 & Dr. Ronalds Gonzalez MBA4
1
Ph.D. student focused on tissue technology and performance, North Carolina State University
2
Ph.D. student focused on sustainability, North Carolina State University
3
Professor, North Carolina State University
4
Professor & Co-Director Tissue Pack Innovation Lab, North Carolina State University

P
Private labels have rivate labels have managed to gain market share from
managed to gain market national brands in different consumer-packaged goods,
growing at a CAGR of 2.5% since 2015 versus the 1%
share from national
growth reported for national brands.[1] Particularly hygiene tis-
brands in different
sue products in the consumer segment, such as bath tissue
consumer-packaged and paper towels, represent one of the articles with the highest
goods, growing at a CAGR impact on the sustained growth of private labels (Fig. 1), with
of 2.5% since 2015 versus approximately 27%[2] of the current tissue market share in the
the 1% growth reported for U.S., 55% in Europe and 35%[3] worldwide.
national brands.

The success of private labels in consumer-

packaged goods is attributed to their ability to
offer the best trade-off between product per-
formance and shelf price. Consumers perceive
that private labels are reasonably priced for the
performance offered, making them feel that
they obtain higher value for their money. Howe-
ver, when national brands and private labels are
compared on a performance basis in the context
of hygiene tissue, which product group truly of-
Fig. 1. Consumers’ willingness to purchase private labels.
fers the best value? Is the feeling of satisfaction
experienced by consumers well-founded? The goal of this analysis is to answer these questions in
an attempt to provide more insights to manufacturers, retailers, and consumers about the current
product offering in the U.S. tissue and towel market.

WHICH PRODUCT GROUP OFFERS THE BEST VALUE TO CONSUMERS?

Previous work conducted by the Tissue Pack Innovation Lab at NC State University (www.go.ncsu.
edu/tissue) showed that the price consumers pay for bath tissue and paper towels is highly cor-

16 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market TRENDS

related to how soft or absorbent the product is.

Although other structural properties such as basis
weight and strength are also critical for the ove-
rall performance of a tissue product, consumers
will even pay a premium for improved absorbency
or softness.[4][5] Tissue manufacturers strive to tai-
lor their operations to maximize these properties
based on their fiber selection, chemical additives,
and manufacturing technology. Naturally, the ulti-
mate combination of attributes will depend on the
grade (e.g., Economy, Premium and Ultra) to which
the product is intended to.

Figure 2 shows the average shelf price and water

absorbency for consumer paper towels (kitchen
towels) in the U.S market in 2019. The data, which
covers ca. 95% of the product offering (based on
market share by volume), is segmented into natio- Fig. 2. Consumer paper
nal brands, private labels sold by retailers, and pri- towels in the U.S. market.

vate labels sold by wholesale clubs. Water absor-

bency was selected as the primary performance
indicator since our previous analysis showed that
overall, this feature is the main price driver for paper
towels within the consumer tissue segment.[4]

In general, national brands show a combination

of high shelf prices and high performance, which
is in an agreement between what consumers are
charged for and the product they get, i.e., there
is a dollar value on each gram of water absorbed.
When compared to national brands, private labels
sold by retailers show inferior performance (14%
lower) with a lower shelf price (23% lower). On the
other hand, private labels sold by wholesale clubs
behave differently to their competitors. Tissue
products offered at wholesale clubs tend to be un-
derpriced (41% less than national brands) related
to the performance they offer (water absorbency
only 5% below national brands). In other words,
they provide an excellent trade-off between per-
formance and shelf price – no wonder why toilet
paper is Costco’s best-selling item[6] This obser-
vation aligns with the strategy of wholesale clubs,
here their ma or profits come from subscriptions
while they pass on the savings to subscribers. Na-
turally, it is important to consider the “bulk” factor
playing a role in pricing, which tends to conside-
rably decrease the shelf price (per unit of product)
for wholesale products. Fig. 3. Facts about private label in tissue products.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 17

 Market TRENDS

MILLENNIALS AND GROWTH IN RETAIL STORES WILL FURTHER DRIVE THE

INCREASE IN OFFERING OF PRIVATE LABELS

The data collected by our team demonstrates the ability of private labels to offer a great trade-off
between product performance and shelf price and helps partially explain why private labels have
been successful in gaining market share within the consumer tissue segment as depicted in Fig. 3.
The product offering of private labels within this segment aligns very well with the priorities and
behaviors of generational groups such as Millennials, which have considerably increased their pur-
chasing power with approximately $600 billion spent each year in the U.S. and projections to spend
$1.4 trillion in 2020 (30% of total retail sales).[7] Millennials primarily seek value, quality, and expe-
riences in their products,[8] which can be offered by private label paper towels. Studies have shown
that 60% of Millennials prefer to purchase private labels over national brands,[9] while it has been
reported that Millennials’ shopping carts contain 32% private labels compared to the 25% found in
the average shopping cart.[10] Millennials are also known for causing changes in sales-volume-mix for
given product categories. For instance, they are replacing napkins with paper towels, as the latter is
considered more functional and multipurpose.

Despite the efforts of national brands to target Millennials with novel products such as the giant
tissue roll by Charmin®,[12] this generational group represents one of the major driving factors for
the expansion of private labels, and thus discount grocery stores (e.g., Aldi and Lidl). The number
of discount grocery stores in the U.S. has increased by almost 45% between 2013 and 2018, and it
is forecasted to keep a sustained growth in the years ahead.[13,14] Aldi represents an example of the
future of discount retailers in the U.S. With 2,500 stores estimated by the end of 2022, the discount
supermarket chain is projected to become America’s third largest supermarket chain behind Wal-
mart and Kroger.[15] There is no doubt that this accelerated increase in the number of private label-fo-
cused retailer stores will come along with an increase in the offering of private label tissue products.
Therefore, it is highly expected for this situation to contribute to further gains in market share by
private labels.

NATIONAL BRANDS AND PRIVATE LABELS HAVE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO CATCH

CONSUMERS

«Evidence from the field shows
that national brands strive to offer
performance, whereas private
labels focus more on offering value
to consumers»
National brands are performance-driven products, where high shelf
prices are required in order to compensate for their high R&D ex-
penses and manufacturing costs. It is essential to recognize that
performance is not the only variable affecting the shelf prices for
national brands but attributes such as brand name, promotion, dis-
tribution channel, and sales volume play a critical role in determi-
ning the final price paid by consumers.

On the other hand, we found that private labels are value-driven products, where the quality consu-
mers get for their money will depend on whether the tissue product is distributed by a retailer or a
wholesale club. Retailers have different sales strategies depending on how large their corporation is
and their business model.

In the case of multinational retailers such as Walmart, which offer most of the U.S. product portfo-
lio, their products (store private label) need to outperform national brands directly on the shelf. In a
practical sense, this means that consumers have the chance to stand in front of the shelf, stare at

18 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market TRENDS

the whole market offering, and compare head-to-

head the different products before ma ing a final
purchase decision. These circumstances force mul-
tinational retailers to have highly competitive prices
and reasonable performance in order to win market
share from their competitors. Otherwise, consu-
mers will likely pick the traditional national brand.

The situation turns out to be different for smaller-

si e retailers here significant differences in shelf
price (either above or below the average price
range) for a given level of performance are obser-
ved. n cases here shelf prices are significantly
above the average, factors such as brand loyalty,
limited product offering on the shelf, sustainable
labels, consumers’ misperception associated with
the belief that by purchasing the store brand they
will get the best deal, or merely convenience, might
be the driver for consumers to buy these products.
Alternatively, cases where shelf prices are below
Fig. 4. Comparison of
the average price typically correspond to discount private label to the leading
grocery stores (e.g., Aldi), whose business models national brand.

focused on selected private labels with higher per-

ceived value, allows them to have lower retailing
prices while offering a premium product perfor-
mance.

Wholesale clubs follow a different market stra-

tegy, which consists of having a reduced product
offering, typically the leading national and their
store brand. Consumers are given limited options
to benchmark prices at the store, which makes the
store brand seems much more attractive because
of its lower price. The ideal product performance,
in conjunction with the reasonable shelf price, in-
uences buying patterns in consumers, ho easily
engage with the store brand as they feel they are
being offered real value. This results in a win-win
situation since wholesale clubs simultaneously
ma imi e their profits.

PRIVATE LABELS LIKE TO COMPARE

THEMSELVES TO NATIONAL BRANDS

A common advertisement strategy used by pri-

vate labels consists of comparing themselves to
a leading national brand in terms of performance. Fig. 5. Analysis of manufacturing technology
In order to determine if these claims are valid, we for paper towels.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 19

 Market TRENDS

compared both options for paper towels taking into consideration shelf price, basis weight and per-
formance (indicated by water absorbency).

Figure 4 provides a comparative overview for paper towels from private labels and their respective
advertised leading national brand. We observed a similar situation for almost all products analyzed,
where private labels offered articles having considerably lower prices, with differences that can
reach up to 40%, and a poorer performance that contradicts with the claims on the package. Howe-
ver, in most cases, the difference in price is disproportional to the difference in performance with the
former being higher, which leads users to trade-off consumer experience for savings. In addition, it
is orth mentioning that private labels e hibited a lo er use of fibers, represented by a lo er basis
eight, hich supports the strategy of sacrificing performance to offer a price competitive product.

We also analyzed the different tissue drying technologies used for manufacture of private labels
and national brands (Fig. 5). National brands exhibit a more extensive use of advanced technologies,
hich are associated ith higher manufacturing costs, such as drying energy and better uality fiber
utilization. In addition, some of the products analyzed are manufactured using patented technolo-
gies, which not only render higher quality but also the opportunity of differentiation in the Ultra seg-
ment resulting in higher shelf prices. Thus, in order to compete against national brands, private labels
bet on the use of fe er fibers and less e pensive processes to offer products that, even though
present a lower performance, are economically attractive to consumers.

References
[1]: Nielsen Global (2019). The Rise of Premium Private Label and Its Impact on Discount Retailers. Accessed March 16, 2020. https://
www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2019/the-rise-of-premium-private-label-and-its-impact-on-discount-retailers/
[2]: Uduslivaia, S. (2019.) Tissue World Magazine. Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.tissueworldmagazine.com/country- report/nor-
theast-usa/consumer-tissue-in-the-us-from-structural-challenges-to-insurgent-dtc-brands-latest-in-the-industry-dynamic/.
[3]: Valmet (2020). Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.valmet.com/media/articles/tissue/private-labels-challenges/#9161f39f.
[4]: de Assis, T., Reisinger, L., Dasmohapatra S., Pawlak J., Jameel H., Pal L., Kavalew D., and Gonzalez R. (2018). «Performance and sustainability
vs. the shelf price of tissue paper kitchen towels.» BioResources, 13(3), 6868-6892.
[5]: Wang, Y., Zambrano F., Venditti R., Dasmohapatra S., de Assis, T., Reisinger L., Pawlak, J., and Gonzalez R.. (2019). «Effect of Pulp Properties,
Drying Technology, and Sustainability on Bath Tissue Performance and Shelf Price.» BioResources 14(4), 9410-9428.
[6]: Cutolo, M. (2018). This Is the Best-Selling Item at Costco. Accessed March 5, 2020. https://www.rd.com/culture/costco-best-selling-item/
[7]: Donnelly, C., and Scaff R. (2013). Who Are the Millennials Shoppers? And What Do They Really Want? Accessed March 7, 2020. https://
www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-outlook-who-are-millennial-shoppers-what-do-they-really-want-retail#block-about-the-research
[8]: Rosenstrauch, E. (2019). Understanding Millennials’ Purchase Habits Regarding Private Label. Accessed March 7, 2020. https://progres-
sivegrocer.com/understanding-millennials-purchase-habits-regarding-private-label
[9]: Fromm, J., Lindell, C., and Decker L. (2011). American Millennials: Deciphering the Enigma Generation. Accessed March 7, 2020. http://www.
millennialmarketing.com/research/
[10]: Cadent Consulting Group. (2018). The Branding of Private Label. Accessed March 7, 2020. http://cadentcg.com/wp-content/uploads/The-
Branding-of-Private-Label.pdf
[11]: Schossberg, M. (2016). Millennials Are Killing the Napkin Industry. Accessed March 18, 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-
hate-napkins-2016-3
[12]: Peterson, H. (2019). Charming Created a Toilet-Paper Roll for Millennials that Lasts Up to 3 Months. Accessed March 5, 2020. https://www.
businessinsider.com/charmin-toilet-paper-roll-for-millennials-lasts-months-2019-6
[13]: Aldi South Group. (2015). International Corporate Responsibility Report 2015. Accessed March 2, 2020. https://cr.aldisouthgroup.com/
sites default files A roup nternational orporate esponsibility eport .pdf
[14]: Aldi South Group. (2017). International Corporate Responsibility Report 2017. Accessed March 2, 2020. https://cr.aldisouthgroup.com/
sites default files do nloads A roup eport .pdf
[15]: Corporate Aldi U.S. (2017). Aldi Ramps Up U.S. Expansion with Goal of 2,500 Stores by End of 2022. Accessed March 4, 2020. https://
corporate.aldi.us fileadmin fm dam ne s and a ards ress elease A ro th Announcement.pdf

20 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market OUTLOOK

How will fibre-based packaging

develop whilst the world still
suffers from plastic paranoia?
Article by Paul Jenkins, Managing Director, ThePackHub

T
The packaging industry he packaging industry permanently changed around three
years ago. The Blue Planet 2 programme shown world-
permanently changed
wide presented by the excellent David Attenborough
around three years ago.
painted an ugly picture. He described how our oceans are being
Blue Planet 2 has been filled ith literally millions of tonnes of plastic aste. he haun-
widely acknowledged as ting scenes of sea life trying to e tricate themselves from aste
starting a domino effect, plastic left an indelible mar on our memories and created a
starting a series of events grounds ell of action from everyone involved in pac aging.
that has changed how
we all feel about plastic Blue Planet 2 has been widely acknowledged as starting a domi-
no effect, starting a series of events that has changed ho e
packaging.
all feel about plastic pac aging. f course, the environment has
al ays been of consideration for the ma ority of brand o ners
and retailers. o ever, rather than being a nice to have , sustai-
nability is no an essential top priority for anyone that ants to sell a successful product. he Blue
lanet effect sa supermar et plastic bans, plastic free aisle trials, plastic ta plans, the outla ing
of many single use plastic items as ell as the founding of lastic acts around the orld. his has
seen many of the leading brand o ners, retailers and suppliers around the orld pledge to ma e their
pac aging recyclable, reusable or compostable by .

lastic pac aging is no under increased pressure and scrutiny. he rene ed focus on the environ-
ment and devastation of our oceans, is really all about plastic. any organisations have put strategies
in place to reduce or remove plastic from their supply chains. ther materials such as aluminium and
glass as ell as, of course, fibre based pac aging are no often the preferred alternative. his means
that e are trac ing many ne initiatives in he ac ub s nnovation one database of pac aging
innovations that are fibre based and a direct replacement for plastic.

assachusetts based arpa -

A has announced the launch of a
new paper-based packaging tech-
nology. uch of today s multi laye-
red and material packaging cannot
be reprocessed with existing recy-
cling systems. The ongoing drive
for mono material and paper based
solutions is high on food pac aging
suppliers development agendas.
arpa A is advancing . on-

22 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market OUTLOOK

dini s line of aper eal trays as a sustainable alternative to plastic

trays. he concept is the outcome of a collaboration bet een .
ondini and raphic ac aging nternational and has already had
launches in Europe and Asia. Trays are produced with renewable
fibre sourced from sustainably managed forests. ach tray utili es
paperboard and film, depending on tray dimen-
sions limiting base tray aste to ust an industry lo . n
addition, the tray film liner is easily separated from the paperboard
after use to simplify recycling. A one piece ange design ma es
sealing surface strength e ual to traditional plastic trays. he trays
can be stac ed at to improve logistics efficiencies. he tray can
deliver up to days of shelf life. t is suitable for a ide range of
applications including cheese, meat, ready made meals, fro en
foods, snac s, salad and fruit.

lastic foam containers for eeping food and drin cool for outdoor
occasions are increasingly being replaced with other materials.
eading pac aging, paper and recycling leaders mith is part
of this change ith an announcement that it has produced a
recyclable disposable cooler. The solution incorporates the packa-
ging group s proprietary moisture resistant and food contact safe
reencoat corrugated material. reencoat is made of rene able
paper fibre and is biodegradable. he initiative is fully recyclable
as ell as lea proof. mith s reencoat coolers offer fully bes-
po e and customi able printing. he paper based and recyclable
option is suitable in those environments here food and beverage
contents need to stay cold. mith s durable reencoat cooler is
a good foam replacement.

ultinational distribution and outsourcing company Bun l etail

and ndustry is or ing on reducing the environmental impact of
packaging via a switch in materials. Their EcoCoolBox solution is
a fully paper based insulation pac ,
hich is able to provide effective pro-
tection of temperature sensitive pro-
ducts. Applications include fresh and
fro en products as ell as other items
that must remain at room temperature
during transportation. The EcoCool-
Box is seen as a more sustainable al-
ternative to bo es and apparently
offers an e ual or better insulation
performance than . he plastic
free solution consists of recycled ma-
terial and is reusable. The insulation
is achieved by applying a thick layer
of cardboard fibres to the all of the
shipping bo . hese fibres have good
insulation properties and comply with

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 23

 Market OUTLOOK

food contact standards. he co oolBo is also suitable for trans-

porting fro en products in combination ith dry ice. t is recyclable
and available in various different si es and all thic nesses.

An Australian start-up has developed a paper-based alternative to

replace plastic for items li e single use coffee pods and pharma-
ceutical blister pac s. he paper is derived made from plant aste.
Varden have introduced the new solution called Paperseal and
have received funding from ori on entures to accelerate e pan-
sion. A bespoke machine has been designed that gets around the
challenges of forming shapes using paper. he process forms
paper fibres into shapes ithout creating holes that let product
avour out and air in. he machine is able to mould the fibres to
create an effective ater and o ygen barrier. he aperseal solu-
tion promises to ultimately lower production costs and decrease
the carbon footprint at no sacrifice to product performance. ar-
den is in tal s ith t o coffee brands along ith several large
multinational pharmaceutical companies. A production facility is
planned for urope ithin months and the . . ithin t o years.

t is he ac ub s vie that s itching from plastic to fibre based

pac aging solutions is li ely to continue for the foreseeable future
presenting a good ongoing opportunity.

24 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Kadant is a global leader in
fabric cleaning with more than

1000 traversing high-pressure

cleaning system installations

worldwide. The M-clean™ system

uses high-pressure water in

combination with an effective

evacuation and air knife system.

This patented method removes

stickies and chemical build up

from the fabric’s surface to

optimize cleaning, improve

operation efficiency, and

increase production.

Fiber Processing | Doctoring, Cleaning, and Filtration | Drying

kadant.com

©2020 Kadant Nordic AB

 THE C-LEVEL INTERVIEW

10 questions to
Michele Bianchi, CEO of RDM
Group - Reno De Medici

Amidst the turbulent

moments the global
economy is going
through, it takes some
wisdom for a CEO to run
an international company
and keep a clear vision of
the long-term strategy.
At the head of the Milan
based cartonboard
producer RDM Group
since 2016, Michele
Bianchi certainly holds
that wisdom. He explains
here how the group has
been expanding recently,
how he is coping with the
pandemic, and what his
prospects are.
1. How many mills do you operate globally and
what is your production/sales volume?
MICHELE BIANCHI: We can boast a strategic presence at in-
ternational level thanks to our 7 cartonboard mills - 3 of which
in Italy, 2 in France, 1 in Germany and 1 in Spain –, 2 specialized
sheeting centres and sales offices that ensure idespread
coverage across Europe, as well as sales all over the globe. This
strategic network of production plants has led us to become
the second largest European producer of coated recycled car-
tonboard, the largest in Italy, France and the Iberian Peninsula
with 1.26 thousand tons produced annually. About Spain, on
September 30th, RDM Group announced that its subsidiary
RDM Barcelona Cartonboard S.A.U. has signed four prelimina-
ry agreements for the acquisition of 100% of the share capital
of four companies incorporated in Spain. The deal covers the
acquisition of one of the main European players of the coated
chipboard industry, Papelera del Principado S.A. (“Paprinsa”),
and three smaller companies operating in contiguous busi-
nesses based in the same site: Fergerdell S.L., Cogeneraciò del
Pla S.A. and Ondupacart S.A.

Founded in 1977, Paprinsa operates in the recycled White Lined Chipboard (WLC) business. The
company has both its headquarters and mill in Mollerussa, just 130 km from Barcelona and less than
one hour from the plant of RDM Barcelona Cartonboard. It manufactures 120,000 tons of recycled
chipboard, with a potential capacity of 140,000 tons. Over the past six years, Paprinsa has made signi-
ficant investments for more than million in its plant. roduction includes a ide range of grades
and grammages (from 180 to 550g).

Today, Paprinsa is the No. 2 chipboard producer in Spain, and the eighth WLC producer in Europe. The
paper mill has a trim width of 4.8 meters, which will make it the widest plant in RDM Group, as it is one of
the largest paper mills of this sector in Europe. By further exploiting this size, RDM Group can count on
a potential increase in the factory’s production capacity from the current 140,000 tons a year to over
200,000 tons a year, in line with the other top plants today part of the Group.
Ondupacart S.A. is a small corrugator manufacturer.
Fergerdell S.L. is the real estate company that owns the 30,000 sqm area on which the two manufac-
turing companies stand.
Cogeneraciò del Pla S.A. is the former cogeneration plant recently sold to Paprinsa. The company cur-
rently provides both plants with maintenance services.

26 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 THE C-LEVEL INTERVIEW

2. How has it been evolving for

the past 5 years?

MB: Since I joined RDM Group, we have under-

taken a major transformation process, which in-
cluded the definition of a clear vision that guides
us in all our activities. Our ambition is to become
the Partner of choice for all our main stakehol-
ders, with three strategic goals in mind: provide
product and service excellence, optimise costs,
and maximise stakeholder satisfaction. Since
2016, we have made this possible thanks to a
growth process that has allowed us, on the one
hand, to benefit from internal synergies and «Our ambition is
greater efficiencies in production and, on the to become the
other hand, to continue to grow through several Partner of choice
acquisitions, as also demonstrated by the re- for all our main
cent preliminary agreement for the acquisition stakeholders».
of Papelera del Principado S.A. (“Paprinsa”).

3. What is your range of products

and what are your main markets
geographically? For what kind
of use?

MB: The WLC (White Lined Chipboard) segment

represents our core business and accounts for
82% of our consolidated turnover. Then, through
La Rochette Mill, we also produce folding virgin
fibre cartonboard BB olding Bo Board and,
through Ovaro Mill, some specialty products (OG
GK - UD – UT), well suited to luxury packaging
and the publishing market. Our cartonboard is
mainly used as primary and secondary packa-
ging for consumer goods: it can indeed become
packaging for food or medicine, for household
appliances, accessories, cosmetics and perso-
nal care products. It can also be used in the pu-
blishing sector in order to create sales displays
or for toys in high performance printed form.

In South Europe we are market leaders: we «In South Europe

generate about 28% and 58% of our turnover, we are market
respectively, in Italy and in the other European leaders».
Countries, while the remaining 13% is repre-
sented by Extra-EU countries, among which
South America, Turkey, Saudi Arabia…

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 27

 THE C-LEVEL INTERVIEW
4. COVID-19 has been a real game
changer. Can you already perceive
some long-term effects on your
business and organisation?
MB: I like to think that uncertain times are preci-
sely those in which we have to prove our abilities
and strengths... and in this regard the Covid-19
pandemic has been a real testing ground for the
Group. Overall, we’ve promptly reacted in order
to minimize the risks related to the pandemic, by
introducing precautionary measures for all our
sites, and to guarantee the fulfilment of the or-
ders received from customers. In fact, our busi-
ness is an integrated part of the so-called essen-
tial materials supply chain, and this is the reason
why we have never halted our production plants;
on the contrary, we have guaranteed the pro-
duction continuity in order to meet the increa-
sing market demands for food, medicines and
hygiene products, that lockdown generated.
5. For which segments do you see
the best prospects at the moment?
«Fibre-based MB: uring the pandemic, the value of fibre
packaging has based materials has been recognized by many
played a vital governments, retailers and brand-owners around
role in fostering the world as a key element to keep citizens sup-
the hygienic plied with essential products. In particular, fi re
and efficient based packaging has played a vital role in fos-
movement of tering the h gienic and efficient movement of
products across
products across Europe: today, consumers per-
Europe».
ceive packaged products as safer, more hygienic
and durable. We are therefore optimistic that the
food sector, which now accounts for almost 60%
of our sales, will remain the leading one, followed
by pharmaceuticals and cleanings. Moreover, we
expect good prospects in the electronics sector
as well.
6. E-commerce has been a driver for
the containerboard producers over
the past decade. How heavy is this
sector for you and is the demand still
growing despite the economic crisis?
MB: E-commerce has certainly been a key busi-
28 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020
ness driver in recent years, and now the pande-
mic has fostered this trend. Many companies
around the world are implementing smart-wor-
king on a permanent basis and this will impact
consumption and purchasing patterns: for
example, work from home creates demand for
more in-home cooking as well as e-commerce.
Indeed, during the lockdown, many have expe-
rienced the benefits of buying goods and pro-
ducts online and I’m sure this trend is only just
beginning. his can benefit us.
7. What are your current
preoccupations and what could make
your life easier at the moment?
MB: The main concerns are certainly related
to the pandemic. If Covid-19 cases increase in
Europe, the runnability of our facilities becomes
more challenging. Our production processes run
24 hours a day, 7 days a week: as well as running
production with the greatest attention to health
and hygiene dispositions, we have to make sure
we have enough staff to cover all shifts. Moreo-
ver, if during the crisis the leading sectors were
food and pharma, we may have to deal with the
downsizing of fashion and luxury markets that
we serve overall with one of our mill.
8. Sustainability and competitive
prices are efinite a ue ri ers for
consumers these days, and thus your
clients by extension. How do you
respond to these requirements?
MB: According to many studies, consumers pre-
fer and appreciate paper and cartonboard pac-
kaging: this happens because it is practical (light-
weight and easy to open and close), it is perceived
as safer and durable, but also because it is based
on natural and renewable raw materials. There-
fore, it is clear that consumers are willing to pay
more to receive a 100% sustainable product.
Anyway, there aren’t many industries around
that can aspire to becoming genuinely sustai-
nable. The paper and board industry, however, is
one of them: our products are renewable, recy-
clable and actually recycled. Besides, in a context
where raw materials are considered as precious
 THE C-LEVEL INTERVIEW

resources, we constantly invest in engineering «We constantly

and technology upgrades to make our industrial invest in
processes more sustainable and efficient. engineering
and technology
upgrades».
9. Are you maintaining your
investment programme? If yes, can
you specify?

MB: Yes, of course. In 2020 the expected capi-

tal expenditure is 23-25 million Euros, of which
maintenance and health & Safety investments
are 11-13 million Euros. Other important invest-
ments are energy efficiency, digitali ation, envi-
ronment and quality. We remain committed to
invest and keep updating our operations, actual-
ly we want to accelerate some of the key invest-
ments as we believe it is in time of crises that we
need to remain strategic to target an even higher
competitiveness after the “storm”.

. Do ou thin R D in fi re ase
pro ucts is sufficient to ma e our
industry a true alternative to fossil
economy?

MB: R&D is an essential approach to meet the

increasingly challenging market demands for
sustainable and environmental-friendly materials
and packaging. In recognition of this, we have
recently created a department dedicated expli-
citly to Innovation and Sustainability. However,
this is not the only way: RDM Group is an inte-
grated part of a wider virtuous industry and we
firmly believe that only by or ing together ith
our suppliers and customers, we can lead to a
real change. This is the reason why for example
RDM Group joined 4Evergreen Alliance, which
bring together the entire fibre based pac aging
value chain, in order to raise awareness about the
advantages of using cartonboard for packaging,
and also supports the development of new pac-
kaging solutions through innovation and product
design, as well as the development of appropriate
recycling infrastructure and collection systems.
But it is not the only initiative, we are actually in-
volved in many other partnerships and strategic
developments that will support us in positioning
our product and company strongly in the future.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 29

 Global Challenges

Energy transition and

decarbonization: risks and
opportunities for the P&P sector
If the thawing permafrost is a reserve of viruses and bacteria, humanity might
well have to face other pandemics in the future because of global warming.
Decarbonizing our societies through energy transition is more than ever a priority.
he orest-based industry is definitely doing its part.

CANADA
FPAC (Forest Products
Association of Canada)
Mr Derek Nighbor
President & CEO
USA
AF&PA (American
Forest and Paper
Association)
Mrs Heidi Brock
President & CEO

BRAZIL
IBA (Brazilian Tree
Industry Association)
Mr Paulo Hartung
Executive President

30 PAPERFIRST MAG SPRING 2020

 Global Challenges

EUROPE INDIA
CEPI (Confederation
IPMA (Indian Paper
of European Paper
Manufacturers
Industries)
Association)
Mr Jori Ringman
Mr Rohit Pandit
Director General
Secretary General

SOUTH AFRICA
PAMSA (Paper
Manufacturers
Association of South
Africa)
Mrs Jane Molony
Executive Director

PAPERFIRST MAG SPRING 2020 31

 Global Challenges
. Can ou share with us some figures for
countr or region
AF&PA
About a decade ago, members of the Ameri-
can Forest & Paper Association introduced one
of the most comprehensive sets of voluntary
sustainability goals for any U.S. industry. These
goals continue to demonstrate a commitment to
improving the environment. The initiative, known
as Better Practices, Better Planet 2020, in-
CEPI
The European pulp and paper industry’s vision
is to decarbonise by 2050 while creating added
value to the EU economy. So far, we have walked
the talk: our carbon emissions have fallen by
27% since 2005 while our added value has
grown. We are also the largest industrial genera-
FPAC
Canada is a resource rich country and has the
third largest oil reserves in the world. As Cana-
da’s transitions to a lower carbon economy and
a ‘net zero’ carbon future by 2050 the future of
our energy policy is one of the hottest discussion
points in Canadian public policy today.
anada is the orld s fifth largest producer of
natural gas and the sixth-largest producer of
oil. These two sectors alone provide over $100
billion to Canada’s GDP (2018) and support over
500,000 family-supporting jobs. In 2017 alone,
IBA
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy of
Brazil, in 2019:
The Internal Energy Supply accounted for 46.1%
of renewable sources in the energy matrix,
against a world average of 14.2%. Renewable
sources are considered: hydraulics, wood resi-
32 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
an o er the past eca e in our
cludes efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. Our original GHG goal was to reduce
the industry’s emissions by at least 15 percent
from the 2005 baseline. When members sur-
passed that goal, we raised the bar, increasing
it to 20 percent, which we achieved with a more
than 23 percent reduction based on member
data from 2018.
tor and user of renewable energy in Europe: bio-
mass from sustainable forest resources currently
provides 60% of our overall energy consumption.
Another 33.2% is provided by gas, and the remai-
ning 6.8% by other fuels. Furthermore our energy
consumption is steadily decreasing, as exempli-
fied by a decrease of . from to .
these two sectors provided $8 billion in revenue
to governments to fund public education, heal-
thcare, and other key government deliverables.
Canada’s energy consumption breakdown is as
follows: 39% crude oil, 35% natural gas, 22%
hydro-electric and nuclear, and the remainder
being from a growing renewables sector and a
coal sector in steep decline.
Canada produces 3% of the world’s renewable
energy and has an opportunity to do more with
wind, solar, and forest and agricultural biopro-
ducts.
dues, charcoal, sugar cane derivatives, biodiesel,
wind, solar, rice husks, biogas, charcoal gas, etc.
The country’s electrical matrix has 83% origi-
nated from renewable sources. Participation is
led by hydroelectric (63.8%), followed by wind
(9.3%), biomass and biogas (8.9%) and centra-
lized solar (1.4%). In total, the country has over

170 thousand MW of inspected power in 2019.
In this scenario, the sector of cultivated trees
stands out, since it is one of the few Brazilian
sectors that generates almost all the electricity
consumed in its production processes. In 2019,
there was a 4.6% increase in electricity genera-
tion. 78.8 million gigajoules (GJ) were produced,
representing 69% of what the sector consumed.
With modern factories, in addition to being self-
IPMA
Pulp & paper industry in India is very fragmented
and most paper mills are quite small in size com-
pared to global standards. Different types of
raw material are also used like wood, agro resi-
due bagasse, heat stra and recycled fibre
PAMSA
We have a heavy reliance on fossil fuels for elec-
tricity generation and li uid fuels beneficiation. n
2017, 5690Tj of primary energy was supplied, of
which 72.6% was from coal and 15.4% from oil.
The remaining energy supply was met by natu-
ral gas (3.1%), nuclear (2.7%), biofuels and waste
(5.8%), wind and solar (0.7%) and hydro (0.1%).
Our electricity consumption during 2017 was re-
portedly 201 929 GWh. More than 90% of elec-
. hat are the am itions an o ecti es of our go ernments an institutions
when it comes to CO2 emissions re uction
AF&PA
The U.S. government does not have CO2 emis-
sions reduction requirements. However, our
members have taken on an emissions reduction
goal as part of AF&PA’s sustainability initiative.
ur final report on Better Practices, Better Pla-
net 2020 is due out next year, along with the
release of our 2030 sustainability goals. Our new
goals will build on the progress we have made in
the last decade, ensuring the industry remains a
Global Challenges
sufficient in energy, the industry generated a
surplus of 20.8 million GJ for commercializa-
tion to the public network.
Companies in the sector use almost exclusively
by-products of their processes for the genera-
tion of thermal and electrical energy. Black liquor
from cellulose production and forest biomass re-
present 69% and 20%, respectively, of all energy
produced.
recovered paper. And as such for the industry as
a whole energy data is not readily available. The
specific energy consumption varies significantly
depending on the raw material used, amongst
other factors.
tricity needs are met by national utility Eskom
ith coal fired po er as the predominant tech-
nology and electricity consumption contributing
some 87% to the country’s GHG emissions.
According to our latest GHG Inventory, total emis-
sions increased by 22.8% from 2000 to 2017 with
energy’s contribution rising from 77% to 79.1%.
559 260 Gg CO2e (excluding removals from fo-
restry and land activity) was calculated for 2017.
leader in the circular economy. Paper and wood
products manufacturers know that continuous
innovation and applying new ways of thinking are
the path to a more sustainable future. As we look
forward, we demonstrate how our industry conti-
nues to contribute to the United Nations Sustai-
nable Development Goals and the broader cir-
cular economy, interacting with other industries,
entities and individuals at all levels of society.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 33
 Global Challenges
CEPI
The decarbonisation agenda is the cornerstone
of the EU Green Deal, which is the political pro-
gramme of the von der Leyen Commission. An
important part of the Green Deal plan is to
reach a climate neutral economy in 2050 by
reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero
by 2050 and making it a legally binding commit-
ment. Consequently, earlier this year, the Euro-
pean Commission proposed a climate neutrality
law, currently under negotiations.
FPAC
Canada has committed to the Paris Agreement
and is embracing the challenge to move to a net
zero carbon economy by 2050.
It is also developing its Clean Fuel Standard in a
move to achieve 30 million tonnes of annual re-
ductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Canada’s move to a lower carbon economy is
IBA
The Brazilian National Congress concluded, in
2016, the process of ratifying the Paris Agree-
ment, creating official commitments, the so cal-
led NDCs (Nationally Determined Contribution):
■ Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 37%
by 2025 (compared to 2005);
■ By 2030 this decrease should be 43%, also in
relation to 2005.
The cultivated tree sector has a fundamental
role in this regard. First of all because it is also
IPMA
India has set goals to reduce the emission
intensity of the economy by 33-35% by 2030
from the 2005 level, to increase the share of
non-fossil fuels to 40% of the total electricity
generation capacity, and to create an additio-
34 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
Moreover, the European Commission also pro-
posed to set a new emission reduction target of
55% by 2030, as part of the climate neutrality law.
From our industry perspective, the new targets
present opportunities (substituting carbon in-
tensive products) and challenges (reducing our
residual emissions) at the same time. These are
unevenly distributed across national and regio-
nal realities.
further reinforced by its commitment to ban har-
mful single-use plastics as early as 2021.
As with other countries around the world in the
face of the biggest health and economic crisis
of our lifetimes, the Canadian government conti-
nues to work to advance its green agenda, while
considering the impacts of COVID-19 and what
needs to be done to spur a much-needed eco-
nomic recovery.
established that it will be necessary to restore
and reforest 12 million hectares of forests by
2030, for multiple uses.
The sector has 9 million hectares of trees grown
for industrial purposes. At the same time, it has
areas destined for the conservation of natural
forest of 5.9 million hectares, between Legal
Reserve (RL), APP Permanent Preservation Area
(APP), High Conservation Value Area (AAVC) and
Private Heritage Reserve Natural (RPPN). Toge-
ther, they have 4.2 billion CO2 eq. stocked.
nal carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO2
equivalent through additional forest and tree
cover. The Government of India’s National Ac-
tion Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) has out-
lined priorities for mitigation and adaptation to

combat climate change through various Natio-
nal Missions.
he ation ission for nhanced nergy ffi-
ciency (NMEEE), a part of NAPCC, aims to
PAMSA
South Africa is vulnerable to climate change im-
pacts hich is a significant threat to socio eco-
nomic development. As party to the UNFCCC
and the Paris Agreement, a number of policies
and initiatives have been developed to guide a
domestic Just Transition and decarbonization.
ur first o mission evelopment trategy
has recently been published which plots a low-
carbon growth trajectory to 2050, towards our
ultimate ambition of net zero emissions. Howe-
ver, a carefully implemented transition is requi-
red to mitigate risk to economic growth and sus-
tainable development.
Government’s Integrated Resource Plan guides
. Do ou thin that pro ucers can e se f moti ate to re uce their emissions
or shou it e enforce aw
AF&PA
The paper and wood products industry remains
self-motivated to advance on GHG reduction
goals. ncreasing energy efficiency is also a fun-
damental energy management objective, and
renewable energy sources are at the heart of this
CEPI
Climate change is a global challenge and requires
actions at all levels of society. Our industry is
under carbon reduction regulation since 2005
and is overachieving. This is the result of long-
term planning. That’s why it is important that the
regulatory framework is stable and predictable.
Global Challenges
strengthen the mar et for energy efficiency by
creating a conducive regulatory and policy re-
gime by fostering innovative policies and effec-
tive market instruments.
the electricity supply diversification, promoting
renewable energy and other low-carbon techno-
logies.
New renewable energy power producer agree-
ments were signed in 2018 and another bid pro-
cess is expected before end 2020.
The promulgation of Carbon Tax gives effect to
the “producer pays principle” and Carbon Bud-
gets set a maximum volume of emissions from
certain activities within a set timeframe. Howe-
ver, a range of strategic interventions and struc-
tural changes will be required to strengthen the
country’s response to climate change through a
Just Transition.
work. AF&PA members meet about two-thirds
of their overall energy demand through carbon-
neutral biomass. We see this as an example of
our results-driven work helping to move the
needle forward on sustainability.
Otherwise the regulatory risk would discourage
investments. Moreover, the ability of our sector
to decarbonise ultimately depends on the timely
and cost efficient decarbonisation of the uro-
pean energy system as a whole. As highlighted in
our CEOs 2050 initiative www.cepi.org/ceo-initia-
tive-our-contribution-to-eu-2050-climate-neu-
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 35
 Global Challenges
trality/, we would urgently need cost-competitive
climate-neutral fuels for industry (be it biogas,
hydrogen, synthetic gas or others) using existing
infrastructures, large-scale roll-out of cost-com-
petitive climate neutral electricity generation and
FPAC
Famous Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky
once said, “I skate to where the puck is going.”
(What’s a Canadian submission without a quick
hockey reference!)
The same can be said about how producers in
Canada are addressing our energy transition.
Whether it’s been environmental improvements
to oil sands operations or investment in the forest
bioeconomy, Canadian industry has been prepa-
ring for the demand shift we are now seeing from
consumers.
Since the 1990s, the Canadian pulp and paper
IBA
It is important to point out that the pandemic
has brought a new scenario to the world. It acce-
lerated processes that were already underway,
such as environmental awareness, especially
among young people, who currently require
products of correct origin; a new model of doing
business, which leaves the predatory culture in
the past and promotes a low carbon economy,
in fact; and a new relationship between human
beings and nature.
In the face of movements in the world that aim
to stimulate a post-crisis recovery in a more
sustainable way, such as the European Green
Deal, decarbonization goals, traceability requi-
IPMA
Ideally, it should be a mix of both. Some enfor-
cement by law is essential, while at the same
time, producers need to be incentivised to re-
36 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
an effective sector integration, adequately reco-
gnising energy system benefits from distributed
industrial generation – such as Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) facilities where our sector is an
industrial leader in Europe.
sector has reduced its GHG emissions by nearly
70%. FPAC believes a mix of smart regulation
and a commitment to innovation will continue to
support our transition to a lower carbon economy.
One thing we need from our government to get
there is a clear and inclusive strategy, versus
shifting policy frameworks. Canada is the second
largest country by land mass in the world, but
38th by population, and we have a colder climate
than most countries – these natural factors bring
about some unique challenges as we consider
energy policy, access, and affordability.
rements, among other attitudes, it is possible
to say that companies that do not adhere to a
model that respect nature, the human being
and do not have a governance that re ects
diversity, with these rooted values, you will not
have longevity in business.
Fortunately, companies in the cultivated tree
sector have been working for decades based on
pillars such as respect for nature, generation
of shared value with neighboring communities
and diversity in their leadership. All of this means
that these values are not temporary, but cultural
for each company.
The forest-based sector is moving steadily to-
wards a reality based on ESG, in fact.
duce their emissions. PAT (Perform Achieve and
Trade) Scheme, under NMEEE, is a market-based
mechanism to enhance cost effectiveness of

improvements in energy efficiency in energy in-
tensive large industries through certification of
energy savings that can be traded. Large paper
mills have been given mandated targets for re-
duction in specific energy consumption in
a given PAT cycle of three years.
Similarly, under Renewable Purchase Obligation
PAMSA
Our private sector implemented numerous
energy efficiency and emissions mitigation
measures before regulatory frameworks came
into effect. With the increasing pace towards de-
carbonization, a range of policies and legislation
are under development. However, it’s essential
that the suite of mitigation instruments is alig-
ned to ensure that all stakeholders have a com-
. hat in of initiati es are preferre
ow car on so utions
AF&PA
Setting and striving for new goals will help keep
us motivated to achieve low-carbon solutions
in the future. We have long been responsible
stewards of our planet, and demand for pulp,
paper and wood products ensures that there is
value in the forest and keeps forests as forests.
I also believe we can do more. Every new day is
CEPI
First and foremost, pulp and paper industry com-
panies look at reducing their fossil fuel emissions
by investing in energ efficienc . Secondly, they
look into primary energy savings by deploying
innovative renewable energy generation on-
site. Thirdly, they are working in partnership with
stakeholders in the “energy value-chain” and in
cross-sectorial platforms, to look for “outside
of the box” solutions, tapping into expertise
Global Challenges
(RPO) Scheme, under NAPCC, every consumer
of electricity has to source a given percentage
of electricity from renewable energy sources
(solar and non-solar). PAT seeks to reduce ener-
gy consumption and enhance energy efficiency
in select industries. REC is an initiative to maxi-
mise generation of green power from renewable
energy sources.
mon vision and approach to the interventions.
The Climate Change Bill was welcomed by in-
dustry and is currently being discussed by rele-
vant stakeholders. This will also strengthen the
public-private partnership and facilitate a better
understanding of opportunities and constraints
to emission reduction. Policy certainty is key to
economic investment and development.
our mem ers when imp ementing
a chance to do more with less. Our members do
this by reusing resources, like water, multiple
times over, or utilizing manufacturing residuals
and byproducts to produce biomass energy.
Setting an ambitious but achievable goal and
working toward it each day is helping us improve
tomorrow’s environment today.
outside of the industry’s core competences. Fi-
nally, they look for breakthrough technologies
in further reducing other emissions to water
and air towards the Zero Emission objective and
tap into industrial symbiosis to extract valuable
resources in those emissions; advance further in
circularity of water management starting from
being pioneers in water stewardship and already
having high rates of water recycling.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 37
 Global Challenges
FPAC
anada s forest sector sees significant opportu-
nity in the growing forest bioeconomy. In 2018,
Canada’s federal and provincial forest ministers
came together to launch the Forest Bioeconomy
Framework – a blueprint for the future of Cana-
da’s forest resources and bioproducts.
In addition to this framework, Canada’s forest
sector views the development of a Clean Fuel
Standard to be an opportunity to lower GHG
IBA
It is a constant objective of this sector to do more
with less. The cultivation of trees for industrial
purposes is usually carried out in areas previous-
ly degraded by human action and the sector has
been working on increasing its productivity on
the land it already owns, which is already one of
the largest in the world: an average of 35.3 m3
ha for eucalyptus and 31.3 m3 ha for inus. n
fact, 100% of Brazilian pulp and paper come from
trees grown for industrial purposes. The com-
panies are in states such as Rio Grande do Sul,
Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo, Espírito Santo,
Minas Gerais, Bahia and Mato Grosso do Sul.
It is worth mentioning that the area of cultivated
forests represents just over 1% of the national
territory, with 9 million hectares.
Allied to this, 5.9 million hectares are destined
for conservation areas of natural forest. All of
this means an area larger than Belgium, Den-
mark or Switzerland, for example.
Together, these conservation and production
areas stock about 4.48 billion CO2 eq., one of
the main greenhouse gases. This sum is greater
than the entire emission of the Brazilian industry
in one year.
lobally recogni ed certifications attest to the
correct handling of these areas for more than
two decades. The recognitions come from the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Program for
the ndorsement of orest ertification
38 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
emissions by increasing the use of forest bio-
mass in our fuel supply. In Canada, transportation
systems account for 34% of our energy usage
and are an important focal point for reductions.
We also see the opportunity to build more with
wood in the built environment to move away
from more carbon-intensive materials like ce-
ment and concrete and are seeing moves across
federal, provincial, and municipal governments
to advance this agenda.
and the International Organization for Standardi-
zation (ISO). Altogether, 7.4 million hectares are
currently certified.
The manufacturing process also invests in caring
for the environment. In terms of energy, about
of the factories are self sufficient, based
on clean energy, coming from forest biomass
and residues from the manufacturing process.
The industry is also working to reduce water
use. Since 1970, the use of water resources has
fallen by 70% the use of the resource and the
sector continues to search for more solutions
that further reduce water use.
The result of this all translates into a recyclable,
reusable and, in most cases, biodegradable ma-
terial.
Looking ahead, technology and science are
making the Brazilian forest-based industry take
years ahead of its time. There are several new
uses from the cultivated tree.
ome e amples are microfibrillated cellulose,
a cellulose broken down into smaller particles,
will give rise to textile threads using up to 90%
less water and less chemicals than polyester.
Nanocrystalline cellulose will replace materials
of fossil origin in cell phone screens, for example.
Lignin, until then called a by-product, will gain ad-
ded value and may compose conventional ther-
moplastics, used in internal parts of automobiles,
which will provide greater recyclability.

IPMA
Paper industry is an energy intensive sector and
paper mills in India have been working towards
better energy efficiency, employing a range of
innovations and technologies. The largest 30-35
paper mills are covered under the PAT Scheme. All
paper mills are covered under the RPO Scheme.
The entire residual biomass after extraction of
pulp fibre from ood, is used by paper mills to ge-
nerate steam and power. Paper mills are genera-
PAMSA
Our Forestry Industry plays an important role in
the Just Transition pathway with various value
chain opportunities to contribute to decarboni-
zation.
Our sustainably managed plantations provide
timber for harvested wood products, which
increases sequestrated and stored carbon. We
want to expand the application of harvested
wood products through product substitution
and further bioeconomy research. ur fibre
voluntary paper recovery programme has been
. ou ou e in fa or of ta es at the entrance of our countr region on
pro ucts manufacture in countries that wou not or itt e respect the
ecar oni ation o ecti es that ou support
AF&PA
AF&PA advocates for open international mar-
kets. In the event the United States introduces
a carbon tax, as an energy-intensive, trade-ex-
CEPI
The European pulp and paper industry has
always promoted free trade and fair com-
petition as well as sustainability as a key
principle. And the pulp and paper industry
is and has always been among the sectors
Global Challenges
ting renewable energy from biomass to the tune
of 20-60% of their total electricity consumption.
India’s paper industry has strong agroforestry
roots and through its efforts, about 125,000 hec-
tares are being brought under agro farm forestry
on an annual basis, with around 1.2 million hec-
tares on a cumulative basis across the country.
About 58% of the total production of paper in
India is manufactured from recovered paper.
successfully operating for 17 years, and in 2019,
a 68.5% recovery rate was achieved, exceeding
the international average. With the introduction
of extended producer responsibility regulations,
additional interventions are planned to expand
waste minimization mechanisms and the range
of recovered and recycled products.
Although energy production from biomass is
only about 6% nationally, pulp and paper manu-
facturers already produce about 50% of their
energy requirements from biomass and intend
to expand this technology.
posed industry, our industry would consider the
implications of carbon border adjustable mea-
sures to ensure that the industry is able to main-
tain its international competitiveness.
identified as at most ris of carbon lea age.
So in a context in which the EU has already the
most stringent carbon reduction target in the
world and is planning to further tightening it for
2030 and beyond, it is indeed fair to expect that -
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 39
 Global Challenges
if foreign competitors don’t adopt the same level
of decarbonisation ambition - some measures
have to be adopted to accompany the European
industry along its decarbonisation journey and
the substantial investments it entails.
To avoid undue competition from countries with
less stringent carbon reduction policies, we
would need a basket of solutions that, inter alia,
would include: strengthening of current provi-
sions against the risk of carbon leakage, decar-
bonisation programmes supporting low-carbon
investments in industry, strengthening of Euro-
pean industrial value-chains, policies promoting
low-carbon and sustainable products
FPAC
Canada is a free trading nation and the answer
to this question would really be incumbent upon
current trade agreements with the trading par-
tners in question. That said, fairness and equity
is very important.
Our position would simply be if Canadian require-
ments and standards hold Canadian companies
IBA
I believe that the search for a green economy and
conservation of the environment is something
of interest to everyone. Therefore, logically, eve-
ryone should start from correct operations and
businesses from the socio-environmental point
of view. However, it is a fact that there are those,
a minority, who go in the opposite direction and
loo for an immediate profit, not measuring its
long-term consequences.
40 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
The EU Commission has been very vague about
details but is expected to put forward a proposal
in 2021 for a carbon border adjustment mecha-
nism. But it is not a silver bullet and currently
we do not see it fit for our sector. It should not
be the only measure as it won’t probably address
all the challenges an industry sector like the pulp
and paper industry might have, with the com-
plexity of its supply chain, the need to secure the
competitiveness of its exports, the compliance
with WTO competition rules, etc. Complemen-
tary measures in a number of policy areas have to
be identified to level the playing field and secure
that EU manufacturing products and imported
products are treated the same way.
to certain commitments, we would expect tra-
ding partners to be held to the same account to
ensure a level playing field.
The issue and risk of ‘carbon leakage’ is very real
and at the forefront of the minds of many in Ca-
nadian industry on this topic of GHG reductions.
The movement I see gaining speed, fueled by
the pandemic scenario, is a more demanding
consumer, especially among young people. If
some few decades ago the utopia was social,
today it is environmental. And the consumer
dictates the rules. As a consequence, aware-
ness and green investment in the business sec-
tor grows.
A very clear example is traceability, which al-

lows us to know the origin of the product and
whether the chain it has passed meets environ-
mental quality standards. The companies them-
selves are making this demand, as consumers
ask for it.
On the issue of carbon, I believe that we must
address a solution based on Article 6 of the
Paris Agreement, which provides for the crea-
tion of regulations at the international level.
Thus, countries and companies would be able to
negotiate emissions between themselves. It is
also essential that there is a fair transition from
the current system (Clean Development Mecha-
nism) to the new one in Article 6. We cannot lose
the efforts already made. In Brazil, we are inter-
IPMA
While, in principle, we are in favour of taxes
imposed on imports coming in from countries
PAMSA
Discussions are ongoing about the possibility
of carbon border tax by the EU and we reco-
gnize the potential impact that this will have
on our economy and international trading.
Through the development and implementation
of a clear pathway towards a lower carbon eco-
nomy, South Africa is committed to reaching
net ero emissions. e ill re uire green finan-
cing and international support to phase in the
interventions.
The international trading environment is com-
Global Challenges
nally advocating that the sale of carbon credits
be adopted and regulated nationally.
Therefore, I believe that there are mechanisms
that encourage the market to adopt a sustai-
nable model. This way, any type of protectio-
nism is also avoided. In this globalized world
in which we live, I think that the best thing for
everyone’s future is to encourage dialogue,
collaboration, exchange of experiences, conti-
nuous and progressive use of technology and
healthy competitiveness. In this way, we will
have more social actors with a sustainable foot-
print, not because of the fear of being charged,
but because of the stimulus to gain market and
contribute to the planet.
which do not have decarbonization objectives,
but this cannot be done overnight and has to be
thought through extensively.
plex and dynamic and any additional conditions
imposed on trading partners may result in the
migration of carbon-intensive supply chains
to countries that do not have decarbonization
policies. This will disadvantage manufacturers
that are required to comply with stricter envi-
ronmental legislation and may result in impor-
ted products that are cheaper to manufacture.
A carbon tax border tax to level the playing
field would be one instrument to mitigate job
losses in South Africa as it transitions to a green
economy.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 41
 Mill Stories

Dryden Mill conducts safe

maintenance outage during
pandemic
Article by Domtar Newsroom and S. Richard

Maintenance operations
are a challenge for
mill managers and
their teams during the
pandemic. While some
have delayed their
outage, others have
decided to maintain
their original schedule
to preserve the
industrial assets as well
as the local economy.
The experience of
Domtar’s Dryden pulp
mill in Northwestern
Ontario, Canada, is
quite inspiring in that
respect.
A
scheduled maintenance outage is a critical part of any
mill’s operation. The downtime gives employees an oppor-
tunity to complete necessary maintenance that isn’t pos-
sible during normal operations, and it ensures the mill continues
to run safely and efficiently. t s also important to the community.
Vendors and contractors who travel to the site to assist with the
outage support the local economy by staying in hotels, eating in
restaurants and shopping at local businesses.
Earlier this year, everything was proceeding according to plan
for the Dryden Mill’s spring maintenance outage. The small com-
munity of about 8,000 people located in Northwestern Ontario,
anada, as also preparing for an in u of about vendors
and contractors.
hen the pandemic started, and ryden ill ana-
ger Marie Cyr and her team had some tough decisions to make.
hould they proceed ith the maintenance outage f so, could
they ensure the health and safety of employees and contractors?
Could they maintain proper social distancing? Could the facility
manage outside visitors in accordance with public health regu-
lations ould the in u of outside or ers affect the health of
people living in Dryden?

COLLABORATION ENABLES SAFE MAINTENANCE OUTAGE

With support from Domtar’s corporate leadership, the team decided to proceed with the mainte-
nance outage, but it designed a reduced work scope that focused only on tasks deemed essential
for the mill s safe and efficient operation. ore or ould be performed by mill employees, reducing

42 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020


the need for outside service providers by 80
percent. n addition, the ma ority of the out-
side providers who were required would come
from within Northwestern Ontario, eliminating
the need for travel from outside the region. The
change in scope also meant the outage would
ta e days instead of days.
The team knew the plan couldn’t proceed wit-
hout support and guidance from local health
and safety authorities and Dryden community
leaders. “As we developed our plans, we worked
closely with community partners to build unders-
tanding and get their guidance,” says Marilyn
Findlay, Dryden Mill’s health and safety manager.
“We wanted to cooperate and assure them that
we could safely execute our plan.”
Dryden Mill leaders worked with members of the
Northwestern Health Unit, the Dryden Regional
Health Centre, the City of Dryden and the Onta-
rio Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Deve-
lopment to create a detailed health and safety
plan that could follo related guide-
lines and allow the maintenance outage to occur.
Naturally, health and safety are always priorities
for the mill, but they’re even more critical during
a pandemic — especially in Dryden, a small, re-
mote community with limited medical facilities,
located roughly ilometers miles from
the nearest large city.
Dryden Mayor Greg Wilson commended the
mill’s efforts to anticipate and quickly respond to
local uestions about the in u of contractors by
providing facts and figures, as ell as open ac-
cess to many third-party and internal processes.
“Thank you for putting so much time and effort
into communicating your shutdown plans with
us over the past few months,” he said. “Your
commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our
town over the years has only served to enhance
an already strong relationship.”
n addition to the rigorous measures already in
place to address ris s, the mill adop-
ted enhanced protocols for facility use, cleanli-
ness, traffic o and personal protective e uip-
ment . he largest consideration during the
maintenance outage was coordinating and ca-
ring for visiting contractors to ensure everyone’s
protection during the maintenance outage.
Mill Stories
A key factor in doing this successfully was the
strong partnership established with a local ho-
tel where the contractors stayed. Contractors
were screened prior to arrival. The hotel staff
graciously provided all meals as well as accom-
modations that were adequately spaced and
thoroughly cleaned. Contractors had daily health
monitoring and temperature checks before lea-
ving the hotel. To ensure they met proper isola-
tion and social distancing requirements throu-
ghout their stay, contractors remained on hotel
property when not at the mill, and they were
accounted for with each arrival and departure.
The maintenance outage happened between
ay and une , and everything ent accor-
ding to plan. he process as e tremely effi-
cient and successful, but most of all, it was safe.
Lindsay Gannon is a superintendent for Vens-
hore Mechanical Ltd., one of the contractors
helping with the maintenance outage. She than-
ked the mill team for their planning efforts. “Eve-
rything, from our accommodations, site access,
issuing permits and maintaining social distan-
cing in common areas, was well thought out. It
really made our job much easier.”
DRYDEN MILL SETS INDUSTRY
EXAMPLE
The Dryden maintenance outage’s success in
the midst of the pandemic has garne-
red national attention in Canada at a time when
many other pulp and paper operations are consi-
dering cancelling, or have already cancelled,
similar maintenance outages. The mill shared its
story through Canadian industry trade associa-
tions, and it’s now considered a best manage-
ment practice for other mills to consider.
“2020 has brought along many new challenges
and uncertainties to overcome,” says Domtar
Pulp Vice President Steve Makris. “The chal-
lenge presented to the Dryden team to address
safe and critical operations during a pandemic
was not an easy one. But I’m proud of the pro-
cess they followed to achieve a positive out-
come. It truly embodies Domtar’s core principles
of being agile, caring and innovative.”
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 43
 Tech Talk

5 questions to Jari Vähäpesola,

president of the Paper Business
Line at Valmet
Jari Vähäpesola is
the President of the 1. Jari, which technological breakthrough do
Paper Business Line at you think has been a game changer for our
industry in the past recent years? And in the
Valmet. His extensive
future?
experience within Metso
and Valmet makes him JARI VÄHÄPESOLA: Shoe press in my mind is one of the grea-
a veteran of the paper test game changers for all paper grades. t has significantly in-
industry, and therefore a creased the dry content and runnability of the machines. Steel
valuable witness of how cylinders and steel Yankee dryers are the latest ones, which have
papermaking technology also improved the drying capacity and increased the efficiency
has evolved in the past of machinery. n finishing area, automation has decreased the
need of personnel in the area where the headcount has tradi-
20 years.
tionally been the highest in operations. There is also number of
bigger and smaller innovations improving the energy efficiency
of the machines and paper strength properties.
Already during the COVID-19 pandemic we have used many digital tools which in the future will change
our way of working. Supporting customers remotely will be more common and new tools will help us
to optimize operations both in mill as well as in production line level. Target and actions to reduce plas-
tic usage ill bring ne fibre based products. ome of them are already under development, some not
no n yet. nteresting is also the usage of micro fibrillated cellulose in different applications in near fu-
ture. This is now in the focus of our customers and for us as well.

2. Would you say that papermakers in general are eager to try new technologies
and processes, or rather conservative?

I would say that we have papermakers in both groups. The biggest group is conservative who always
wants to have only proofed technology with plenty of references. There are also papermakers who
want to be one step or two ahead of competition and hence, willing to try something new which nobody
else has.

3. Producing paper products with the lowest carbon footprint is now a major
tren . hat in of so utions wou ou a ise first to a c ient tr ing to impro e
his environmental impact?

Number one might be lightweighting and minimizing energy consumption. The same strength pro-
perties with 10% lower gms will reduce CO2 emission almost 10%. Valmet has many components to
improve strength properties and reduce energy consumption li e refiners, multilayer headbo , sleeve

44 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Tech Talk

roll, hard nip sizer, runnability components etc.

On tissue side new Valmet hybrid concepts
reduce energy usage without compromising
the quality parameters of paper. The Advantage
ViscoNip press is another technology that has
great impact on energy consumption and CO2
emissions.

4. Valmet recently acquired the

Polish machinery manufacturer
PMP. Can you explain the strategy
behind this and how it can improve
your position on the market?

The acquisition of PMP Group brings together

two companies with different offerings, com-
plementing each other. PMP’s product portfolio
focuses on small and medium-sized tissue ma-
chines and board machine rebuilds. Valmet’s cur-
rent strength is in technology and services for
wide and fast machines and rebuilds. As a result,
Valmet will have the widest product portfolio in
the market, and we have now also strengthened
our core competencies with another 650 dedi-
cated people.

5. How is the COVID-19 pandemic

affecting your business globally
and what are the prospects
for 2021?

COVID-19 has been a challenge to all of us. It

has limited our travelling, face to face customer
contacts and site operations. However, at the
same time it has increased usage of the latest di-
gital tools. Together with our customers we have
increased remote work and remote support
through our Performance Centres and with our
Industrial Internet applications. We have started
up new machinery and rebuilds remotely having
only limited staff on site and our e perts suppor-
ting remotely. We can also run pilot trials remo-
tely from our technology centers. The usage of
latest digital tools is in different level today than
it was one year ago, and I believe that this change
is permanent.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 45

 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Field services go remote!
Article by Marianne Valta
Digitalization is bringing a
completely new dimension to the
field services typically conducted
on site at customer mills and
plants. New digital tools, remote
connections and online support
from a global expert network are
making field services increasingly
prompt cost-e ective and easy
or the customer.
H
owever, Remote Field Services make Val-
met’s technology and process experts
around the world available, regardless of
the location or time zone.
“Sometimes travel to the site isn’t considered
sustainable – from a time and money perspec-
tive. It can also be impossible, as we’ve now seen
during COVID-19, yet the service need is there.
Our advanced remote connections and tools
mean we can offer maintenance services like
troubleshooting and inspections, conduct pre-
audits before scheduled site visits, or simply pro-
46 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020
1
vide additional support in daily operations as re-
quired. With these tools, we offer customers to
have easy access to first-class customer service,
sustainably and without delay,” Anders Öhrblad,
Director, Field Services Growth, explains.
EASY ACCESS FOR CUSTOMERS TO
SERVICES
Valmet has a wide service network – more than
120 service centers in 22 countries and more
than , field service e perts. e also have a
network of eight Performance Centers, which
are available 24 hours a day, serving every
industry and geographical region. The Perfor-
mance Centers can support onsite services by
utilizing the global expert network.
“Our Performance Centers provide access to the
required expertise – whether the challenges are
machine-, process- or automation-related. We
offer process analysis and optimization services,
as well as remote monitoring. The services provi-
ded by Performance Centers are available either
on demand or as part of a service agreement,”
Öhrblad says.

2
1. Valmet has a network of eight Performance Centers, which
are available 24 hours a day, serving every industry and
geographical region. The Performance Centers can support
onsite services by utilizing the global expert network.
2. To secure excellent customer support, Valmet uses several
digital tools to connect service experts with customers, as
well as with each other.
NEW DIGITAL TOOLS ENABLE
REAL-TIME ACCESS TO INFORMATION
AND EXPERTISE
To secure excellent customer support, Valmet
has developed several digital tools to connect
service experts with customers, as well as with
each other.
Valmet Customer Portal is a unique online space
for collaboration between customers and Val-
met. It gives access to all Valmet’s online ser-
vices in an easy-to-use platform.
“The portal gives one-point entry to order, ser-
vice and project information, documents and the
K I dashboards of the eet’s performance. he
portal also serves as a gateway to spare parts
and learning services, and allows our customers
to contact their Valmet team or Performance
Centers to get support or share plans and infor-
mation,” Öhrblad says.
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Valmet’s newest digital tool is @Field, a Field Ser-
vice Management Application that connects Val-
met’s more than 1,100 professionals with each
other and the Performance Centers.
ield unifies ho e plan and e ecute our field
services globally. We allocate the best available
resources through the app, securing a short res-
ponse time and excellent customer service – at
all times and in all places. The app also serves as
a databank that allows us to better predict and
advise our customers in preventive maintenance
and other services,” Öhrblad explains.
A SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH ONLINE
AND REMOTE SERVICES
A Service Agreement is an annual agreement
between Valmet and the customer. The content
of the agreement is designed individually for
each equipment or site. It can include any ser-
vices – inspections, troubleshooting, process
optimization, remote monitoring or training. The
agreement can include both onsite and remote
services.
“Demand for remote services is growing all the
time. The feedback shows that our customers
value the fact that we’re supporting their pro-
duction process day and night. With Remote
Field Services, we also give the same opportu-
nity to the maintenance organization. If unex-
pected challenges arise, our most experienced
professionals are at their disposal without delay
through remote collaboration,” Öhrblad says.
TOWARD IMPROVED CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE
Field Services is one of the focus areas of Val-
met’s strategy.
“Our aim is simply to offer the same excellent
customer experience globally. We’re esta-
blishing a stronger local presence, with impro-
ved capacity to support our customers on site.
We’re developing new services and digital tools
to secure an excellent customer experience,
both on site and online. Internally, we’re running
a global competence development program that
secures the transfer of expertise to future pro-
fessionals,” Öhrblad concludes.
PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 47
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Hard data, soft sensors and
process expertise: a recipe for
Industry 4.0 success
Article by Donald Stanley, ChangYuan Liu and John Schroeder, ABB
For pulp and paper
manufacturers, a robust data
strategy backed with sector
e pertise ma imi es the benefits
of Industry 4.0 technologies, such
as the latest machine learning-
based soft sensors. Donald
Stanley, ChangYuan Liu and John
Schroeder of ABB, explain.
I
ndustry 4.0 technologies are transforming the
pulp and paper industry, empowering manu-
facturers to achieve previously unseen levels
of efficiency and output. his change is being
fueled by data, which lies at the center of strate-
gies to provide reproduceable, robust and sus-
tainable results.
However, data is almost irrelevant unless it can
be gathered and validated in a meaningful way:
thus, data collection and conditioning – an un-
glamorous, time-consuming task – is vital if we
are to extract valuable insights from our data
48 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
with minimal false positives. Taking an approach
to data acquisition and cleansing that also leve-
rages industry expertise ensures that our mo-
dels and advanced data-driven applications are
accurate and therefore useful.
In this article, we discuss creating a data stra-
tegy that systematically combines Industry 4.0
technologies and data analysis with sector-spe-
cific competencies, particularly as it relates to
the newest advances in soft sensors. Building
these applications based on machine learning
has been talked about for years, but only now do
we have the data techniques that enable these
to be deployed as reliable, sustainable tools—
especially when continuous monitoring of data-
empowered systems is used to mitigate the risk
of performance degradation.
Following a strategy that equalizes the impor-
tance of domain know-how with data acquisi-
tion and validation ensures the best results are
achieved. This also reduces production costs
by minimizing raw material usage, increasing
throughputs by improving equipment reliability,
or raising quality by stabilizing processes and
automation performance.

DATA STRATEGY IN PRACTICE
Putting a proper data strategy in place is crucial
to the overall success of digitalization. When
considering the optimization of papermaking,
the following key areas need to be considered:
1. Data acquisition and harmonization
2. Data preparation and validation
. f ine data utili ation
4. Online implementation of data-driven solu-
tions
5. Operational integration and training
6. Collaborative monitoring and continuous en-
hancement
1. Key tasks in implementation of data-driven solutions.
STEPS 1 AND 2: ACQUIRE, HARMONIZE,
PREPARE AND VALIDATE YOUR DATA
he first t o steps in such a data strategy ensure
that data is collected and prepared to be usable
in data-driven process optimization. In the pulp
and paper industry, this data comes from a wide
variety of sources (distributed control systems,
quality control systems, manufacturing execu-
tions systems, other databases and historians):
the challenge is to bring this data together in a
usable way.
Some key considerations include identifying
and locating the variables of interest, which
requires a high level of industry experience to
provide context and insight into the process
and operations. In addition, the time synchro-
nization of data sources is crucial: even a few
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
seconds difference between the clocks of two
data sources can distort the data and impact the
validity of any subsequent analytics.
Also important is understanding the impact of
sampling and compression; ideally, data should be
sourced as closely as possible to its ‘real’ or ‘raw’
form. For real-time data-driven operations, data
must be aggregated from its various sources into
a harmonized repository for analysis, preferably
using a e ible time series database capable of
subscribing to OPC data and bringing data over
from other databases or historians.
While there are many more considerations for
cleaning and filtering, no ing ho to sort data
for use is crucial. Different data sorting sche-
mes must be applied, depending on what type
of machine learning, data mining or modelling a
user is trying to create, while taking into account
that machine conditions, different grades and
transition periods result in different operating
characteristics. Multivariate analysis techniques
should be used to further validate collected data
and identify the dominant contribution data
sets, hich is crucial to the efficiency of sub-
sequent modelling.
Once the process data has been collected, pre-
pared and validated appropriately, it is possible to
structure data-driven applications to extract in-
sight – which leads us to consider the use of data
and specifically to the creation of soft sensors.
STEPS 3 AND 4: PUTTING YOUR
OFFLINE DATA TO WORK FOR ONLINE
SOFT SENSOR APPLICATIONS
The insights extracted from collected data are
most often presented through the creation of
models (step 3) that illustrate how selected
process variables interact with other variables.
These models could be soft measurements of
unmeasurable process variables or product pro-
perties, complex models of process behavior for
process control solutions, and/or calculations of
process performance indices that help monitor
the health of a process. To illustrate the idea, we
will focus on soft sensors, the types of models
that are based on machine learning and that
produce inferred calculations of physical mea-
surements.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 49
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
A soft sensor uses
various process
variables to infer
or estimate a
process variable
or product quality
measurement
that cannot be
measured in
real-time or by a
physical sensor.
So, what is a soft sensor? A soft sensor uses
various process variables to infer or estimate
a process variable or product quality measure-
ment that cannot be measured in real-time or by
a physical sensor. They are an addition to labo-
ratory measurements, which provide valuable
insight into the final properties of a reel at end
of production, but not during production, when
actions can still be taken to affect the end result.
In the world of papermaking, soft sensors can
be applied to many different properties inclu-
ding: sheet quality, sheet strength, sheet weight,
kappa value in pulping processes, and wet-end
ash calculations.
Building soft sensor models re uires a signifi-
cant investment in time and effort before they
can be used online in the manufacturing pro-
cess. Historical process and product quality
data – the foundational inputs for soft sensor
development – are usually stored in different
databases.
To create soft sensors, various exporting tools
and techniques (examined in steps 1 and 2) are
needed to extract and synchronize this data.
Step 3 is the physical creation of the model
using the insightful information extracted from
the data. When done correctly – and within the
context of a proper data strategy – soft sensors
bring the value of real-time measurements to
variables that were previously only measured
periodically.
50 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
To make the most of soft sensors, they need to
be integrated with controls systems by levera-
ging application programming interfaces (APIs),
which provide connectivity, device manage-
ment, software management, and data handling
for various data-driven solutions. APIs are the
backbone of online digital solutions, allowing
data to o seamlessly through control sys-
tems, edge devices, cloud platforms, and online
data-driven analytics solutions. This means the
output of such analytics solutions – of which
soft sensors are one – can be made available to
control systems for monitoring and/or control
applications, completing step 4.
For example, soft sensors that provide measu-
rements of sheet quality can stand in for tra-
ditional sheet measurements during start-up,
sheet breaks, or while scanners are temporarily
of ine for service. ith this additional insight,
papermakers are given complete visibility of the
process status and have full access to process
controls to achieve smoother transitions, faster
sheet break recovery, and better overall process
conditions.
An example would be the online prediction of
sheet strength – a measurement that is only
available in the laboratory. This type of soft sen-
sor application – such as ABB’s Strength Virtual
Measurement—allows operators to maintain
strength properties much closer to their lower
limits with measurements that are considerably

An online strength calculation provides more frequent
measurement to keep strength properties closer to their lower
limits, helping to reduce raw material usage and maintain quality
more consistently.
more frequent than those tested in the laborato-
ry at the end of the reel. Mills gain valuable insight
that can help reduce raw material consumption,
increase machine speed, and complete grade
changes faster. The key to creating this valuable
insight is constructing a predictive model for the
soft sensor application that leverages process
knowledge and expertise.
Online models used to predict paper proper-
ties can only be as accurate as their architect’s
knowledge of the individual process. In the
case of selecting input variables to consider
for modelling against the strength of the paper,
you need a deep understanding of the process
conditions that contribute to and affect the
final product s strength. hese include more
generali ed inputs, such as eight, refining, and
fiber orientation, as ell as inputs that are spe-
cifically detailed to the individual process, such
as the initial furnish blends and other pulp cha-
racteristics.
STEPS 5 AND 6: MAKING INDUSTRY 4.0
GAINS STICK
Spending all this time and effort on data collec-
tion and validation, model building, soft sensor
development and online connectivity is worth
nothing, however, unless improvement gains
can be sustained. And this brings the final t o
elements of a proper data strategy into play.
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
he first tas is to bring those that ill use the
system onboard through a people-focused and
inclusive implementation approach. Operators,
engineers and supervisors all have valuable in-
sight into their process and what avenues exist
for improvement. They should be brought into
any solution’s development at an early stage,
and through implementation and commissio-
ning. his allo s the pro ect to benefit from both
their expertise and buy-in, maximizing chances
for success. As an example, process operators
should be included in the design of the user
interfaces and displays to ensure they are infor-
mative and intuitive.
The final element of a successful digital stra-
tegy looks beyond final installation and com-
missioning to ensure its long-term use to its
users. The lifecycle of digitalization solutions
is all too often one of initial benefit, followed
by slow degradation, until they are turned off.
To break this cycle, a system of collaborative
monitoring and continuous improvement must
be put in place.
CONCLUSION
he benefits of ndustry . solutions are poten-
tially enormous but depend on the implementa-
tion of a solid data strategy as outlined above.
In particular, soft sensors can play an important
role in allowing infrequent or even unknown
variables to be predicted and used to optimize
performance. As their benefits become more
widely known in the industry, their use is likely to
expand to the point where paper mills have mul-
tiple paper properties that are calculated using
soft sensors.
As with all digital solutions, however, soft sen-
sors are just tools. To achieve the most value
from a digital solution requires not just the
technology but an implementation partner with
a deep-level understanding of the process,
such as that found in the decades of experience
ABB’s had serving pulp and paper mills. Buil-
ding an industry-expertise-backed data stra-
tegy that follows a proven process will provide
lasting value and, more importantly, the trust
a business needs to act on the insights digital
technologies unlock.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 51
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
1

Optimizing the paper

manufacturing process with
virtual sensors: the story of
ondi u omberok in
lovakia
Article by Julia Schaefer, Global Market Communication Manager, Voith Group

of their production facilities. In this context, di-

Meeting the challenges of the
paper industry with digital
solutions has been an issue
addressed by some papermaking
machinery suppliers for quite a
while now. The sensor technology
has proven useful in that respect.
ith its On ficiency. trength
gitalization is the key technology for achieving
efficiency increases and cutting costs, because
ne technologies in particular enable signifi-
cant improvements in existing and new faci-
lities. hey allo better monitoring of all pro-
cesses and therefore more precise production
control, hich in turn results in higher efficiency
and better availability.

concept applied to PM 18 at Mondi

C u omberok in lovakia Voith
REDUCED FIBER CONSUMPTION
helped his client achieve some
impressive results. ince fiber is a decisive cost factor in paper
production, the goal of papermakers is to
reduce fiber losses and minimi e the amount

T
he price of raw material is forcing paper
manufacturers to reduce production
costs and further improve the efficiency
of fiber as much as possible ithout falling
belo the re uired uality level. o ever, opti-
mization with conventional measures and tools
has its limits, and in many cases, papermakers

52 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
2

Fig. 1: The use of

nE ficiency. trength
at PM 18 allowed 2,800
metric tons of virgin
fibers to be saved in the
first year, while important
uality parameters li e
bending stiffness and
thic ness remained
within target values.

ig 2: nE ficiency.
trength helps stabili e
uality uctuations and
reduce costs.

are faced with the situation that they simply
cannot control important uality parameters
such as strength in a closed loop. Digital solu-
tions li e n fficiency. trength by oith no
offer the possibility to constantly eep trac of
ey uality parameters to minimi e the amount
of fibers.
O MO D S C R OM ERO S of this advanced process control system, e
OPTIMIZING FIBER CONTENT
e have been usin On fficiency.Stren th
since 2018 to consistently meet uality re ui-
rements for stiffness and thickness and thus
optimi e the paper produced on the M 18,
says Peter Chlepko, Manager of the PM 18 at
ondi u ombero . In the process e
are also reducin our costs, because On ffi-
ciency.Stren th provides optimum control of
basis ei ht and ash content.
hat is other ise only possible using manual
measurements in elaborate measuring pro-
cesses and ith considerable additional effort
is no being done at u ombero ith virtual
sensors that calculate the data on bending stif-
fness. his continuous condition monitorin
of key uality parameters enables automated
ad ustment of the paper eb’s fiber and ash
content, hereas manual laboratory measu-
rements can take up to 0 minutes to deliver
results after samplin , and the parameters can
only be ad usted by means of manual interven-
tions, says Dr. Julius Flitsch, Director Remote
perations enter at oith aper. hanks to
the virtual sensors, stren th values are avai-
lable in real time, so fiber content and basis
ei ht can be reduced ithout any time delays.
he filler content, also kno n as ash content,
can be increased to achieve the re uired
stren th values.
fter e installed On fficiency.Stren th, the
basis ei ht and the ratio of fiber to ash impro-
ved substantially, says Chlepko. s a result
could stabili e our paper manufacturin pro-
cess and are no able to proactively control
paper uality. his means e can achieve the
re uired paper uality even ith a hi her ash
content and lo er basis ei ht, as confirmed
by our laboratory measurements.
he picture belo sho s the process stabili a-
tion achieved at in u ombero through
the installation of the n fficiency. trength
control system. Following an optimization
phase, the basis eight as reduced by around
0.5%. At the same time, the ash content was
increased by . , the ratio of fiber to ash op-
ptimi ation o ash and basis weight ratio or the in
u ombero .

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 53

 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
timi ed and the entire process stabili ed, ee-
ping the uality stiffness above the specified
level.
he real time prediction of uality parameters
and the continuous optimization of the process
not only prevents uality uctuations. n ffi-
ciency. trength also enables production costs
to be reduced hile reliably maintaining uality.
e reduced our costs because of better pre-
diction and faster ad ustment of ash content to
chan ed process conditions, hile maintainin
all uality parameters, says Chlepko. As a re-
sult, the use of n fficiency. trength in the
allo ed , metric tons of virgin fibers to
be saved in the first year, hile important ua-
lity parameters li e bending stiffness and thic-
kness remained within target values.
EO E C E C .S RE
R C E S A E, S A E,
OPTIMIZE
n fficiency. trength combines three mo-
dules into one high-performance control sys-
tem and heralds a new generation of advanced
process control systems. The system includes
virtual sensors, also known as soft sensors, the
model predictive control unit and the
cost optimizer. A special feature of the virtual
sensors is their high accuracy, as the prediction
accuracy is typically over . oreover, the
soft sensors are self adapting and able to eep
their prediction accuracy at a very high level.
The virtual sensors accurately predict im-
portant uality parameters. he real time
knowledge of these values allows the MPC to
control the paper manufacturing process in
such a way as to consistently achieve the tar-
geted values by means of continuous ad ust-
ment. The cost optimizer then ensures that
this is done at the lo est possible cost. n order
to find the customer specific cost optimum,
actuators and control strategies can be indivi-
dually selected and e ibly adapted.
ondi u ombero as impressed in par-
54 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020
ticular by the high savings potential offered
by n fficiency. trength. his as calculated
beforehand in the value add assessment. “Be-
fore installin the product, e conduct a value
add assessment’ for our customers, hich cal-
culates the savin s potential of On fficiency.
Stren th based on individual customer data,
says r. litsch of oith. e then uarantee the
savin s potential to our customer. In addition,
e al ays individually define the parameters
and actuators to be controlled dependin on
customer re uirements and paper machine.
MO D S C R OM ERO A D
O A S CCESS S OR
ondi and oith have been riting their shared
success story since as far bac as . he
collaboration bet een the t o companies be-
gan ith an order for the ne . n ,
oith rebuilt this production line to create an
ultra modern paper machine for office papers.
e have had a very ood e perience of or-
kin ith Voith. lon ith the construction
of the M 18, e also successfully completed
numerous other pro ects to ether and ere
therefore able to continually improve our paper
manufacturin process, says Chlepko. Our
collaboration ith Voith as al ays at a very
hi h level and based on a spirit of partner-
ship. Durin the On fficiency.Stren th pro ect
phase, e en a ed in a close, in-depth dialo .
s a result, e ere able to discuss potential
problems and implement solutions promptly.
e are very proud to be able to look back on
an intensive collaboration ith Mondi based
on a spirit of partnership, says Andreas Zangl
from the oith sales team for u ombero .
he re ular personal e chan es in particular
are very important for both parties. ith the
introduction of a ne eneration of advanced
process control systems for the M 18, e
have a ain stepped up these e chan es. On f-
ficiency.Stren th is an e ample of ho our cus-
tomers are continuin to evolve and are able to
benefit from the savin s potential offered by
our apermakin .0 product ran e.

Water-cooled multi-motor drive
for a complete paper machine
Author: Michael Herold, Sales Manager Fiber Industry, Siemens Energy
ENTIRE MULTI-MOTOR DRIVE
REPLACED IN NINE DAYS
I
n April 2018 Siemens put a water-cooled mul-
ti-motor drive into operation for Progroup,
one of the leading manufacturers of contai-
nerboard and corrugated board in Europe. While
their paper mill PM1 in Burg near Magdeburg
(Germany) was down for ten days for the ins-
tallation, the opportunity was taken to migrate
and combine what had been separate operating
areas into the PCS 7 SIPAPER process control
system at the same time.
The drive system used in the multi-motor drive
at PM1 had been running reliably for more than
15 years. To both improve machine speed and
enable the mill to maintain its very high availa-
bility level into the future, Progroup replaced the
multi-motor drive of the air-cooled Masterdrive
converter ith efficient, innovative ater coo-
led converters. This forward planning means
PM1 is already prepared for future performance
enhancements.
MULTI-MOTOR DRIVE WITH 13 MW
INSTALLED DRIVE POWER
With about 41 drive circuits, the new multi-motor
drive includes both the variable drives in the pa-
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
per machine and the pump drives. System com-
patibility ensured the feed-in points, motors, and
most of the cabling could be reused, although se-
lected drives were replaced as a preventive mea-
sure or to improve performance. As a precaution,
nanocrystalline toroidal tape cores ere fitted to
the outputs of both the inverters and converters
to protect the motors against bearing currents.
At PM2, its sister paper mill in Eisenhüttenstadt,
Progroup has had very good experience with the
proven Siemens SINAMICS S120 CM (Cabinet
Module) converter series, since the high levels
of dynamism and control accuracy of this series
make it possible to achieve the drive parameters
needed for the paper machine. Progroup also
decided to utilize this innovative drive solution
for , and ta e full advantage of the benefits
of the water-cooled frequency converters at the
same time. The presence of a cooling plant for
the raw water connection on-site made it easier
to set up the converter plant ith energy effi-
cient water cooling. The entire water-cooling
system is configured ith redundancy n the
event of failure or when required for mainte-
nance purposes, the redundant system automa-
tically takes over. The new, space-saving cabinet
arrangement and direct heat dissipation via the
water circuit substantially reduced heat losses
in the switchgear room.
PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 55
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT

WHY WATER-COOLING?

Water is much denser than air, and therefore

has a more favorable heat transfer coefficient.
eat is directly dra n off to the cooling uid
rather than the environment. Unlike air-cooling,
water-cooling requires much lower circulation of
the cooling agent, which also means the pumps
need much lower drive power than fans would
otherwise require.

reater efficiency is the result.

Water-cooling substantially reduces the amount

of air-conditioning required, which also removes
the need to change air filters every year. Additio-
nal savings can be obtained from targeted heat
recovery for process or heating purposes. This
can also reduce maintenance and operating costs
for the longer term. The comparatively higher
investment cost is amortized over a short time-
frame, and lifecycle costs are reduced overall.

UNIFORM PCS 7 PROCESS CONTROL

SYSTEM WITH STANDARDIZED
SIPAPER APL SECTOR LIBRARY

The entire solution for the automation and drive

system is based on the PCS 7 process control

56 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020


system with the standardized SIPAPER system
solution for the fiber industry. ith it, iemens
Energy provides a comprehensive tool for imple-
menting process automation, drive controllers,
energy supply, IT solutions, and services.
The business areas of multi-motor drives, core
cutter, and roll cutter were available separately
in various older PCS 7 versions. As part of the
upgrade project, these were all uniformly migra-
ted into PCS 7 V9.0 SP1, combined into a single
multi-project, and structured within a client-ser-
ver architecture.
The new multi-motor drive was implemented
using the SIPAPER Drives APL standard, the core
cutter with the SIPAPER DCS APL standard, and
the roll cutter using the SIPAPER Winder APL
standard. The main focus was on ensuring there
were no changes in function for the system
operators. The use of water-cooled frequency
converters for the first time made it possible to
refine and implement the A rive A
standard for the WinCC/panel control system in
the redundant water circuits and DC links. The
Comfort Panels will be used in the future for on-
site operation in the switchgear room.
To ensure a high level of safety for operators and
equipment at PM1, the new automation system
also includes the fail-safe S7-410 controller.
This means the conventional emergency stop
components are replaced with fail-safe I/Os.
Safety-relevant signals are communicated via
the same bus system as the process signals. The
standardized, fail-safe PROFIsafe communica-
tion protocol prioritizes, protects, and monitors
the fail-safe signals. This means safety-relevant
functions can be put in place with no additional
installation cost, while maintaining a high level of
e ibility in terms of signal connections and sub-
sequent adaptations.
NINE DAYS FROM START TO FINISH –
HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE?
To upgrade the existing drive system, Siemens
Energy was tasked to replace the entire switch-
gear during a ten-day downtime.
Being perfectly prepared in line with plant re-
quirements was the key to success. The entire
conversion was planned beforehand in detail,
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
or o and assembly plans ere dra n up,
and assembly tasks like cable runs and piping
were also performed in advance. Many different
business areas had to be coordinated, from spe-
cial logistics firms to electrical assembly and
assembly of the water-cooling system. Shortly
before the mill was powered down, all system
components for the multi-motor drive unde-
rwent preliminary commissioning on-site, inclu-
ding functional testing, in a separate warehouse
adjacent to the paper machine.
Via a temporary direct access to the switchgear
room for the paper machine, more than 70 m of
control cabinets was moved in the space of two
days at the beginning of the downtime. Following
connection to the prepared cables, selected
water-cooled converters were put into opera-
tion on a partially automated basis and in close
coordination with third-party business areas,
using specially developed scripts and prepared
databases.
All these elements ensured the schedule was
adhered to and the paper machine was ready
to be powered up after just nine days. Using the
PCS 7 SIPAPER standard, system commissio-
ning of the paper machine was completed in be-
low ten hours. The lower noise emissions, thanks
to the water-cooling installed in the switchgear
room, and desired system availability level in ex-
cess of 99.8 percent were both achieved.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT,
CONTRACTUAL STRUCTURE, AND
SERVICE
Siemens Energy was responsible for the project
overall, including components and systems from
the Siemens portfolio.
By making use of regional automation and drive
specialists for the fiber industry, the paper mill
can rely in the future on short response times
and close attention from service employees fa-
miliar with the system.
Progroup is very happy with the water-cooled
frequency converters, and will therefore also ap-
ply this solution not only for its entire multi-mo-
tor drive system but also for the larger process
drives at its planned paper mill PM3 in Sanders-
dorf-Brehna.
PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 57
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
1
A digital revolution in logistics -
Major savings potential at pulp
and paper mills
Article by Kaj Fahllund, Vice President, Pesmel Corporation
Pulp and paper mills all over
the world are completely
transforming their production
processes by automating
and digitizing. But what about
logistics? Logistics experts at
esmel are finding that there
are huge savings to be made at
pulp and paper mills by using
its intelligent Material Flow How®
concepts.
«W
e like to think of lo istics as the
lo han in fruit’ at pulp and
paper mills. It’s an area here
a lot of efficiencies can easily be made. says
ony ei as, of esmel. “We have a lot of
e perience in the field and have carried out ma-
or studies on material o s at pulp and paper
mills all over the orld. e have proved that ith
the ri ht plannin and usin tailor-made lo istic
solutions utili in di iti ed automation, there is
a potential for hu e savin s and a very speedy
return on investment.
esmel e perts have not ust studied logistics
58 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
as a result of their findings they have put hat
they have learned firmly into practice. he com-
pany has successfully designed and built fully
automatic, tailor made systems for some of the
most modern and efficient pulp and paper mills
in the orld, including ets roup s ne os i,
tora nso s matra, and aica aper s l Burgo
de bro mill.
ei as adds, “In-mill logistics have a major in-
uence on the mills’ complete lo istics chain.
Our studies have revealed that aitin times
of trucks and trains at mills can add up to more
than 0 of the total transportation time. here
is enormous potential to close these aps usin
intelli ent di itali ed automated arehousin .
he fact is it’s only hen the rail ay a ons are
on the tracks and the trucks on the road that pro-
ducts are movin to their destinations. he aim
of esmel systems is to shorten the lead and tur-
naround times and basically to close those aps.
SHORT PAYBACK TIME
esmel has found that due to the increased effi-
ciencies across the hole logistics chain, ma or
savings can be made ith reduced pay bac

2
1. With the right planning and using tailor-made logistic solutions
utilizing digitized automation, there is a potential for huge
savings.
times on a complete system varying from as
little as three to five years. here are all sorts
of areas here efficiencies can be made, as ell
as many other added benefits, says ei as. It’s
not ust the automation of mill lo istics here bi
savin s are made by havin an unmanned ope-
ration, there is also the short turnaround times
here our studies sho that as much as uro
- million can be saved in transportation costs.
If you think about a mill that has 1 0-200
trucks comin in and out every day and havin
a turnaround time of t o hours each. ith a
ell-planned automated system, a 20 minute
turnaround is completely viable. dded to this is
increased customer satisfaction ith better and
more consistent delivery times.
Another bonus of a fully automated logistics
system is the reduced damage to bales and rolls
due to dramatically reduced for lift and manual
handling. esmel s arehousing logistics sys-
tems use a series of automatic high bay stac er
cranes, conveyors and loading cranes, all connec-
ted to its o n arehouse anagement ystem
, here the bales and rolls have minimum
contact during transportation. Our systems are
desi ned to smoothly transport bales and rolls
ith the minimum of contact hich means that
the customer ill receive the final products in
much better shape, says ei as.
WELL PROVEN FORMULA
esmel has its o n ell proven formula for desi-
gning and planning in mill logistics solutions. t
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
2. It’s not just the
automation of mill
logistics where big
savings are made by
having an unmanned
operation, there is also
the short turnaround
times where our
studies show that
millions can be saved in
transportation costs.
starts ith a complete mill ide feasibility study
ta ing in every area of the mill and beyond, and
particularly ta ing into account mill customer
re uirements. esmel then selects the right
automation components and introduces digita-
li ation hich is connected for sharing bet een
the mill processes.
t the feasibility sta e e like to have as many
people from the mill process areas en a ed
as possible, often includin the sales teams as
ell, says ei as. e like to take a holistic ap-
proach as then e can build a model that takes
into account all the re uirements the mill lo is-
tics needs mi ht have .
esmel ta es all the e isting data possible from
the customer s process areas and builds a simu-
lated model here e act production scenarios
3
3. 3D modelling applications are built replicating customer’s exact
logistics situation.
can be vie ed. his is here e like customers
to et really involved and en a ed, says ei as.
sin their data, e build a D model replica-
tin their e act e istin lo istics situation. sin
a di ital t in as a simulator, e can then clearly
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 59
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
4
5

4. Pesmel delivered an automated distribution center for

pulp bales which includes a 25,000 ton storage high-bay reduce e pensive rail ay costs by cutting a-
warehouse with a handling capacity of 1,000 ton per hour.
gon usage from agons and up to five loco-
5. Pesmel will supply an automated distribution center with a
65,000 ton warehousing capacity. motives to agons using three locomotives.

The Solution
illustrate the lo istics possibilities that are avai- esmel designed an automated distribution
lable as ell as take into account the future in- center at the mill hich includes a , ton
creased demands of the customer. storage high bay arehouse ith t o stac er
cranes ith a total handling capacity of ,
ton per hour. he design also included automa-
CASE STUDIES ted railroad car loading controlled by the esmel
arehouse management system.
METSÄ GROUP Äänekoski, Finland
esmel delivered an automated distribution
The Challenge center for pulp bales hich includes a ,
o develop an efficient logistic chain for a ne ton storage high bay arehouse ith a handling
pulp mill producing . million tons of pulp. f capacity of , ton per hour.
the mill output, , tons travel by rail to
elsin i for e port and , tons travel by he installation is completed ith esmel s
truc s to local customers in inland. automated management system hich is
connected to the mill s A management infor-
pecifically the mill anted to reduce the round mation system that allo s instructions, repor-
trip time for transportation of , tons of ting and information sharing across the board
pulp by rail to the ort of elsin i by more than from mill to port, and real time trac ing of a-
half, from hours to hours. t also anted to gons using throughout the delivery ourney.

60 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020


The Results
he ne automated distribution center has
achieved significant operational savings
■ nmanned arehouse operations at the mill
■ rain frames have been reduced by ith
, tonnes loaded in an average of three
hours
■ A saving of , liters of fuel per year
■ ruc loading time has been reduced to less
than minutes
Added benefits to the mill are more e ibility in
both production and logistics, improved custo-
mer service, error free deliveries and improved
safety.
SAICA PAPER El Burgo de Ebro Mill, Spain
The Challenge
he overall challenge and driver for the invest-
ment as to change the operating philosophy
from made to order to made to stoc , resulting
in improved customer service.
he customer s target as to increase storing
capacity and improve inventory control at the
mill site. treamlining shipping functions to
minimi e turnaround times as e ually high
on the agenda. t also anted to improve cus-
tomer service and provide faster and more
e ible deliveries. inally, the customer anted
to enhance safety in the storage and loading
area.
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
The Solution
esmel designed an automated distribution
center at the mill hich includes a , ton
storage high bay arehouse ith t o stac er
cranes ith a total handling capacity of ,
ton per hour. he design also included automa-
ted railroad car loading controlled by the esmel
arehouse management system.
he installation is completed ith esmel s
automated management system hich is
connected to the mill s A management infor-
mation system that allo s instructions, repor-
ting and information sharing across the board
from mill to port, and real time trac ing of a-
gons using throughout the delivery ourney.
The Results
■ torage operations ill be completely auto-
nomous. ombined in out handling capacity
ill be rolls per hour from three board
machines and an off machine coater
■ verything ill be automated in the ne logis-
tics arehouse. arge stac er cranes ith pre
and after sorting facilities ill be responsible
for placing the paper reels in the most appro-
priate place to optimi e handling of loads
■ oads ill be prepared for truc loading in
minutes after gate arrival, up to five truc s
simultaneously, resulting in minimi ed turna-
round times at the mill
■ n time deliveries ith minimal product da-
mages
■ he truc loading area has been designed by
aica roup specifically for improving truc
drivers safety
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 61
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
1
Creativity compliments major
rebuilds at APPM… Adding 30%
capacity with little investment
Article by Roman Smorgunov and Lyubov Lyubimova
O
Located near the White
Sea, about 1,000 kilometers
northeast of St. Petersburg,
Arkhangelsk Pulp and
Paper Mill (APPM) is one
of the largest producers
of containerboard in the
country. They produce over
500,000 TPY of fluting and
Kraft linerboard and have
a total mill capacity of
over 900,000 TPY, including
bleached market pulp.
An important player in
the European market,
their containerboard is
considered a benchmark
for quality, having a “noble”
brown color, reaching
over 60 countries. Their
domestic market share
has risen along with export
markets in Italy, Spain and
Turkey being strong as well.
62 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
2
ver the past several years, they have invested
over EUR 100 million on both board machines,
improving quality and reducing environmental
impact. BM2’s rebuild for linerboard and corrugating me-
dium started up in 2016, including a new wet end, impro-
vements to the drying section, a new pope reel, slitter,
and wrapping and handling system. A new control system
was also put in place. Earlier, in 2014, BM1 underwent a
comprehensive rebuild, including a new wire section
for raftliner production. rom refining and
stock preparation were completely updated. Within the
framework of each of these projects, all guarantees for
end products were met. Environmental goals from 2013
to 2021 include water consumption cut in half, pollutant
emissions down by 65%, discharge water reduced by
75% and greenhouse gas emissions lowered by 18,000
tons of CO2 equivalent.
Alongside the significant containerboard investment, the
mill is always in search of ways to improve quality and
increase capacity with little money spent. Dmitry Khra-
pach, board production manager, challenged his team to
wonder: what if the bottleneck in BM1 screening could be
overcome to open the way for higher productivity.
FOCUS ON THICK STOCK SCREENING FOR THE
BOTTOM PLY
Says Khrapach, e need strate ic e ibility because
packa in is al ays chan in . iber yield and optimi a-

3 5
4
tion is a must. asy chan es from one rade to
another have to be smooth. roduct appearance
must be consistent. et, sometimes e had
akes and shives in the pulp causin problems
on M1. uality problems, too.
s a result of comprehensive measures perfor-
med on the machine, e increased the produc-
tion rate above desi n capacity. o ever, this
caused limitations in thick stock screenin capa-
city. So, e needed to increase the screenin
capacity, hich as accomplished ithout bi
capital investments. or this purpose e chose
, kno in that they have the kno led e and
e perience in tacklin such tasks.
AFT’s Roman Smorgunov, Jussi Karppinen and
Tarmo Karioja helped APPM with modelling
BM1’s bottom-ply thick stock screening and
mapping out o changes inside the screens. A
imAudit mass and o balance analysis re-
vealed that major productivity and quality gains
were possible. The screen room was limited by
inefficient rotors and insufficient open area in
the cylinders.
AFT recommended changing over to new high
efficiency rotors and cylinders ith op-
timi ed open area and profile in all three stages
to improve pulp throughput, hile not sacrificing
the accept pulp quality. All three stages employ
acro lo cylinders and high efficiency
rotors.
APPM went with the recommendations and also
made necessary engineering modifications to
the BM1 thick stock screening system, including
pumps, pipes, valves. The project was completed
in 2018 with all expectations met.
1. Dmitry Khrapach, board production manager, (right) and Roman
Smorgunov, AFT specialist.
2. BM2 operator observes quality as the sheet comes off of BM2.
3. A wide range of hardwood and some softwood is used at APPM,
coming from expansive forests within a 350 kilometer range.
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
Says Khrapach, ho says screenin is bo-
rin Sometimes you in bi by bein creative.
Simple, bold moves inside our screens improved
o to allo us to ma imi e output and uality.
e achieved a 0 ain in screenin capacity,
and stable properties of the end product - that’s
a bi in
INTELLIGENCE INSIDE EXISTING
SCREENS
Roman Smorgunov, sales manager at AFT, points
out that the new rotors achieve lower reject thic-
kening than the OEM rotor, meaning that rejects
are reduced despite similar re ect o s. A
still closely monitors for uctuating consistency,
but can do so calmly, even during peak produc-
tion of the board machine.
Khrapach says, Since makin the chan es, the
screens have run smoothly for over a year, so far.
Operators and the maintenance team can focus
on other obs.
Khrapach continues, Our discussions ith
applications e perts are al ays productive be-
cause of the ay e brainstorm ideas. he best
results are reached throu h creative problem
solvin and cooperation. e kno our mill ell
and has an in-depth understandin of pulp
and paper processes.
With a laugh Khrapach concludes, ecause
every production site is a livin or anism, there
are never-endin challen es. ut that’s a ood
thin as it keeps us alert at all times
4. Denis Sergeev and Elena Saiko, pulp mill control room operators
with their boss, Vadim Moseev.
5. Vadim Moseev, pulp production manager at Arkhangelsk Pulp
and Paper Mill.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 63
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
6 6. The human touch is part
7 quality approach to
MAXIMIZING FIBER FOR MARKET PULP
Producing over 1,000 t/day of pulp, including
ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) since 2019, they
cook, screen, wash and bleach birch and aspen
for their own machines and produce bleached
market pulp for customers. When they bleach,
they use hydrogen peroxide as a bleaching
agent, replacing sodium hypochlorite.
According to Vadim Moseev, head of APPM
pulp production, their ecologically pure product
allows for greener, safer pulp production and end
products. e considers this to be a competitive
advantage of Arkhangelsk APPM on both the
Russian and world market. Of note, however, he
believes that market pulp requirements demand
constant attention to even the smallest issues in
the process.
Recently, Moseev and his team decided to re-
duce fiber deposits on evaporation e uipment
and increase fiber recovery.
Moseev remarks, Small problems can become
bi problems, so e address them early. e
decided to repurpose an old screen to handle
all black li uor o for our hard ood and
soft ood Kraft production, hich runs at 80-
110 C. he oal of the conversion as to reco-
ver more fiber from the black li uor stream and
meet capacity ob ectives. e looked to to
make this happen.
According to Tarmo Karioja, AFT project mana-
ger, who provided technical support for the pro-
ject, ith our ussian team, e reconfi ured
the inside of the screen and ho the unit as
controlled. he up rade included an Cb
rotor and lectrobeam drilled cylinder alon ith
preliminary layout, pipin and process en inee-
rin . In addition, ne control valves and opera-
tin lo ic ere built around the old ooper pres-
sure screen and e istin DCS system.
64 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
of APPM’s consistent
bleached market pulp.
7. Located near the White
Sea, Arkhangelsk Pulp
and Paper Mill (APPM)
is the largest producer
of cardboard in Russia,
as well as a key player in
bleached market pulp.
All objectives for this screen conversion project
were achieved, including:
■ reduction of fiber deposits on the evaporation
equipment
■ ncreased fiber recovery and returning the fiber
to the pulp output
■ Running the system in a hermetic environment,
without any emissions
■ Running a single screen to handle all of the
mill s blac li uor o
Continues Moseev, ecause has been a par-
tner for a lon time, our pulp mill has ained many
advanta es from their kno -ho , especially
around cylinders for screenin . heir kno led e
is valued by our team as an e tension of us.
Back to the point about problems, Moseev quips,
hen unsolved problems and little issues are
accumulated, it ets messy. I ill say it another
ay... there are no little issues in our business.
ll the issues that arise in the course of our busi-
ness re uire a prompt response.
WHAT’S NEXT AT APPM?
ookin ahead, optimi ation could include
replacin screens for paper production. Says
Khrapach, ith our productivity ains helpin
pay for ne t steps, e are al ays lookin for ne
ays to meet market needs as they chan e.
very production site is a livin or anism. here
are al ays never-endin challen es. hat’s hy
e count on the people to discuss problems,
and help us solve them. Our recent advances
make it possible to fi ure out the ne t steps.
According to Risto Weckroth, general manager
with AFT, M has become a star in packa in
in ussia. hey are part of an increasin ly dyna-
mic and e citin marketplace. e plan to sup-
port their ro th ith innovation, especially ith
e istin e uipment that can reach a hi her level
of performance.
 Screening, Refining,
PM Approach Flow Solutions

Responding to your changing needs

aft-global.com
 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
1 4
3

1. Extracting stickies out

of the MAP improves
the surface condition of
the sheet. To achieve the
highest performance it’s
essential to get the angles
of the nozzles just right.

Mist & contaminants be gone at

SAICA Champblain. But how?
Article by Kadant / M-clean

SAICA Champblain, France, has
achieved a forming section
breakthrough-mist elimination
and fewer showers at the wet end
made possible with the Kadant
M-clean™ system. Combined
with M-clean units to remove
contaminants from dryer fabrics,
SAICA now enjoys major water and
energy savings, as well as greater
ease to increase productivity.
Adds Brouty, “Better work conditions and safety
are important gains for mill operators and wor-
kers. The value of eliminating mist at the wet end
cannot be under estimated.”
FORMING CLEANLINESS — HOW IT
HAPPENS
The M-clean unit traverses the forming section,
using high-pressure water in combination with a
robust evacuation and air knife system. By clea-
ning on top and underneath, this opens the pores
of the forming fabric. Contaminants and water
are then separated in a cyclone.

A
ccording to Pierre Henri Brouty, project
engineer and innovations team leader
with SAICA Champblain, “Removing
forward showers from our Bel Baie Sup MAP
60 forming section allows us to sharply reduce
habitual mist. With this M-clean unit we use only
7 m3/day of water, compared to 500 m3/day for
this task. We start up in 3-4 hours less time.”
Brouty notes that their pioneering effort at the
forming section is a natural progression from the
cleanliness already achieved with M-clean units
at the dryer sections of both paper machines,
where runnability is up.
Says Ludovic Veyre, applications engineer with
Kadant Lamort, “SAICA’s forming section inno-
vation is a major technological breakthrough
for the papermaking process. The extraction of
contaminants for a 8,700 mm fabric width wit-
“Pioneering efforts at the forming
section with M-clean is paying
off. Major reductions in water
consumption and improved safety
happen because of elimination of
showers mportant gains in efficienc
and sustainability result.”
Pierre-Henri Brouty, SAICA Champblain

66 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020


2 3. Kadant’s Robin Moritz (left) and SAICA Champblain’s Pierre
2. Increased life of sheet rolls happens because of on-going
removal of contaminants.
hout the traditional fog is noteworthy. Saving so
much fresh water compared with conventional
systems on this position matters a lot to them.”
Adds Veyre, “SAICA Champblain was bold. This
transformation was like changing to an electric
car. Add to this the strange fact that understan-
ding the mist allowed operators to know the sys-
tem was working. Avoiding breaks without fog
was not immediately easy!”
CONTAMINANTS REMOVED IN DRYING
In fact, M-clean for the dryer section has become
a de facto standard at SAICA. The Saica Group
already uses 43 M-clean units across their mills
in Europe, contributing to productivity optimiza-
tion, increased energy performance and impro-
ved process efficiency.
Keeping the paper machines clean is a constant
issue at SAICA in Champblain, where 100% re-
cycled furnish is varied. Considering the 1,500
mpm or greater speed of their paper machines,
represents an ongoing challenge.
As Robin Moritz, sales director for Kadant Nordic
suggests, “M-clean installed at dryer sections has
allowed the SAICA team to ramp up quality and
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
5
6
Henri Brouty beneath the dryer section of MAP 50. M-clean
units at the dryer section are achieving major contaminant
and stickies reduction at SAICA Champblain. Productivity is
up, maintenance is reduced and the workplace is safer.
4. SAICA Champblain is located just beside France’s famous St.
Joseph vineyards, and lives side- by-side, because of a strong
sustainability commitment.
5. The 1000th M-clean on the Bel Baie forming section for MAP
60, delivers rapid pay-back, based upon higher productivity.
Eliminating the forward showers on their Bel Baie forming
section takes them “out of the mist.”
6. SAICA Champblain has achieved a high level of cleanliness
and major water consumption reduction because of their
pioneering efforts at the wet end of MAP 60.
productivity on a continuous basis. Because they
are runnin so clean, they had the confidence to
try this approach at the forming section.
Forming fabrics are more sensitive than dryer
fabrics, so this required numerous pre-testing
trials in Sweden on our trial machine. This effort
allowed for a plug and play installation at SAICA
Champblain.”
CLEANER DRYER SECTION, THE
STARTING POINT
Over the past several years SAICA Champblain
has systematically improved dryer section per-
formance through better control of stickies,
gaining uniformity with sheet properties, while
saving energy. Installation of M-clean units has
played an important role in high cleaning effi-
ciency, resulting in better energy performance
of their MAP 50 - MAP 60 machines.
WHAT’S NEXT AT SAICA CHAMPBLAIN?
“Pioneering is our way of being. We like the
challenges from innovation, especially when we
make sustainability and productivity gains. And
it’s fun,” concludes Brouty.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 67
 Market trends

Handling tumultuous times in

the tissue and towel market
Article by Richard Cho, Global Marketing Director, Tissue and Towel Solenis

The unfolding of the past PUSHING FOR PRODUCTIVITY

several months has led

A
to more unpredictability s consumers around the world actively stockpiled sup-
than any of us could plies and household staple items, tissue makers were
pushed to maximize production. In some countries, bath
have imagined. Stay-
tissue sales increased by more than 50% during the early months
at-home orders, social
of the pandemic. Though machine utilization rates spiked to
distancing guidelines nearly , there ere still difficulties meeting demand. or
and consumer panic Solenis, being part of a larger effort to help customers increase
buying have created output through higher production efficiency as an opportunity
major irregularities to transform our expertise and capabilities into tangible bene-
in tissue and towel fits for our customers and, ultimately, for consumers ho rely
market dynamics and on their products every day. Our teams partnered with tissue
makers across the globe to help optimize wet-end process and
consumption patterns.
coating stability to improve productivity and paper quality. These
These challenges
efforts have helped multiple customers achieve record machine
also present a great speeds to meet the unexpected surge in demand.
opportunity to help tissue Beyond great chemistry and applications, many of our custo-
and towel producers mers have also leveraged the Solenis OPTIX™ Applied Intelli-
adapt and respond to gence adaptive analytics platform to optimize their paperma-
these sudden changes. king processes and meet quality targets. We have documented
successes in reducing off-spec tissue production by helping
customers significantly improve et tensile target adherence
and reduce variability.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Richard Cho has held the position of global marketing director for Sole-
nis Tissue & Towel since 2016. In this role, he is responsible for develo-
ping the global strategy, driving the innovation pipeline and leading digital
communication for this vertical market. Prior to Solenis, Richard was the
director of global marketing for Industrial Specialties at Ashland. Earlier
in his career, Richard held brand management positions at Diageo and
Campbell Soup Company. He holds a Master of Science from the Univer-
sity of Massachusetts at Amherst.

68 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 Market trends

MANAGING FIBER SUPPLY CHALLENGES

issue made from recovered fiber accounts for appro imately

30% of global production. Over the past few months, the recove-
red paper market has experienced extreme volatility. An unprece-
dented surge in tissue and packaging board demand, combined
ith reductions in office astepaper and old corrugated cardboard
availability, has tightened supply.

This has forced some tissue makers to switch from higher quality
office aste to lo er uality alternatives, hich can result in lo er
strength and increased wet-end contamination. We have collabo-
rated with a number of these tissue manufacturers, helping them
Stay-at-home orders, social distancing guidelines and consumer panic
evaluate and modify their dry-strength and contaminant control buying have created major irregularities in tissue and towel market dyna-
solutions to overcome these challenges. mics and consumption patterns. These challenges present opportunities
for companies like Solenis to help customers adapt and respond.

An increasing number of tissue makers are also producing tissue

made from non ood alternative fiber, such as bamboo, hich is
not related to the pandemic per se, but it is exacerbating some of
the other challenges affecting the industry. Non-wood tissue ac-
counts for approximately 10% of global tissue production. Though
more common right no in the Asia acific mar et, non ood tis-
sue will continue to expand across the other regions. In fact, seve-
ral recently launched direct-to-consumer tissue brands are selling
100% bamboo tissue outside of Asia.

This type of tissue is seen as a more environmentally friendly and

sustainable alternative. However, non-wood pulps typically contain

Solenis has helped tissue makers optimize wet-end process and coating stability to improve
productivity and paper quality. These efforts have led to record machine speeds to meet the
unexpected surge in demand. In addition, many customers have leveraged the Solenis OPTIX™
Applied Intelligence adaptive analytics platform to optimize papermaking processes and meet
uality targets, with documented success in lowering o -spec tissue production by signifi-
cantly improving wet tensile target adherence and reducing variability.

PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020 69

 Market trends

higher levels of contaminants, such as sili-

ca and fines, hich create an ee coating
challenges related to hardness, dusting
and abrasiveness. Solenis has partnered
with tissue makers to address challenges
related to improving softness/hand feel,
machine runnability and extending doctor
blade life.

PREPARING FOR NEW PAPER

TOWEL OPPORTUNITIES
In the wake of the global pandemic, there
is a renewed emphasis on hand hygiene
lternative-fiber tissue is seen as more environmentally riendly
and sustainable. However, non-wood pulps typically contain
higher levels o contaminants, such as silica and fines, which
create Yankee coating challenges related to hardness, dusting
and abrasiveness.

that has resulted in more hand washing

and hand drying occasions. Many establishments are also replacing hot and jet
air dryers with paper towel dispensers in public restrooms. In addition, experts
recommend cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces at least once a day
to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission via surface contact. All of these
trends are driving an increase in paper towel usage and pushing manufacturers
to enhance their product requirements.

Solenis is well-positioned to help tissue makers produce more — and higher qua-
lity paper to els. ur e tended net or of field professionals and application
experts collaborate directly with paper producers to customize solutions to their
unique needs. At the same time, our global manufacturing footprint allows us to
deliver a variety of et and dry strength products efficiently and cost effectively
to any mill, anywhere in the world. Our additives have enabled towel producers in
all regions to enhance product quality in the areas of wet strength (for improved
durability when used with disinfectants/cleaners), absorbency and scrubbability
(to ensure the towel can clean a wider surface area).

THE NEW “NORMAL”

Post-COVID-19, the world will likely operate very differently. Suppliers must evolve
as much as the customers they serve, which is why Solenis is actively working to
enhance, e tend and redefine our capabilities to align ith the changing orld.
We have an exciting pipeline of new activities planned for the next 12 months and
look forward to helping producers navigate through these tumultuous times.

70 PAPERFIRST MAG Autumn 2020

 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
1
2

Market pulp line conversion 1. Fluff pulp by

Stora Enso.

to uff pulp line at tora nso

2. Fly over.

kutsk r ill weden

Article by Ahti Peiponen, Winder specialist, Bellmer GmbH

Stora Enso converted one of its
bale-based market pulp lines
into a so t ood u pulp line and
increased its u pulp capacity
at Skutskär Mill in Sweden. Bellmer
as selected as their technology
partner.
with them,” states Stora Enso’s Biomaterials
Division.
Stora Enso’s Skutskär Mill in eastern Sweden is
a modern pulp mill that primarily produces uff
pulp for diapers, other hygiene products and
non ovens, but also pulp for li uid pac aging
board and speciality papers. he mill s total an-
nual capacity is tonnes of B pulp,
soft ood uff pulp and bleached hard ood

T
birch pulp.
he 26 million euro investment enhanced
uts r ill s profitability and long term
competitiveness by increasing uff pro- FLUFF PULP
duction by tonnes annually. he mill s “NATURAFLUFF BY STORA ENSO”
total uff pulp capacity after the investment is
415 000 tonnes. According to the company, atura luff by tora
nso is the idest range of uff pulp grades on
“Both hygiene and non-woven products are the mar et, including a completely chlorine free
a fast-growing market. This investment has bleached uff pulp. After the investment, uts-
enabled us to support the growth of our custo- r ill no produces tons of uff pulp
mers and further develop this business together per year.

3. Stora Enso Skutskär Mill.

PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 71

 TECHNICAL INSIGHT
4. Operador desk.
5. Empty spool lifting.
Skutsk r Mill started manufacturin uff pulp
in 1969. We have long been the largest manu-
facturer of this pulp in Europe. In the last couple
of years, we have only strengthened our posi-
tion. Demand for uff pulp is ro in by per
cent a year globally,” says enri olm, irector
of tora nso uts r ill.
tora nso studied the transformation or for
four years ith various e uipment suppliers be-
fore deciding to carry out the pro ect ith Bell-
mer. he moderni ation as large and included
a ne dilution controlled headbo , ater remo-
val improvements at the ire section, a ne reel
and a inder, including complete automation
and controls. he reel delivery also included an
automatic return system for bringing empty
spools bac to the reel spool storage. As this is
a s ing dryer machine that can produce both
sheets and rolls from pulp, the pro ect included a
y over section to pass the eb over the cutter
lay boy to the ne reel at the dry end.
TurboWinder by Bellmer
Bellmer s scope of the turn ey delivery as very
detailed. It included:
■ Automatic set change ith tape applicators
to fasten shipping roll tails to the roll body.
■ A traversing cutting device.
■ eb holders to maintain tension during set
change.
■ ffective and reliable eb separation after the
slitters, ith t o spreader rolls mounted in an
ad ustable frame.
72 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020
4
5
■ An automatic core feeding table and pivoting
device to load ne cores bet een the drums.
■ ast and accurate automatic slitter positioning
for pairs of bottom and top slitters.
■ eparation fingers after the slitting to force
the ebs to separate.
■ eb feeding ith vacuum and driven belts.
■ A parent roll transporting system, B -
ransporter from reel to un inder. An auto-
matic empty reel spool return system was also
included.
he formation of the uff pulp must be ood
and the quality must be just right, since the pulp
is used directly in the converter’s end products.
hat is hy e needed to make si nificant im-
provements also to the production line’s wet
end. We replaced the wire section and installed
a new headbox,” says Henrik Holm.
“A key part of the conversion was, however, the
new winder, which Bellmer supplied seamlessly
in co-operation ith us. ellmer as e ible, as
when we had an idea, they were quick to deve-
lop it. Solutions emerged smoothly,” says Holm.
CUSTOMER-FOCUSSED PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
“Effective threading through the winder is cru-
cial for a uff eb due to its thickness 0
m2). We improved the web threading to wind-up
section by installing driven belts instead of air
blows,” says Bellmer s sales manager Ahti ei-
ponen.
“Fluff pulp, winded to the desired customer
reel dimensions at the automatic winder, is de-

6
6. At the middle Lasse Aspelin, StoraEnso Skutskär, right Frank
Schorzmann and Ahti Peiponen from Bellmer.
livered directly to the converting plants manu-
facturing hygienic products; therefore, Stora
Enso only needs to apply medical tape used
in hospitals to bind the tails of the customer
reels, instead of the typically used hot-melt
glue. R&D was required to invent this medical-
tape solution, which was successful, and the
outcome is that 28 tape dispenser units units
do the job required during the automatic set
change” says eiponen.
“Occupational Safety and Healthy requirements
ere fulfilled by takin the necessary measures
to avoid excessive noise levels and improve er-
gonomics,” he adds.
“A PERFECT MATCH”
Our main criteria ere that ellmer fulfilled our
technical specifications and uarantees, had the
right delivery time – and price, of course,” says
production manager asse Aspelin.
“The targets were to reach several scheduled
points, such as the start-up time, rollin test uff
pulp the first time and mi in bet een uff and
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
bale pulp. When the line was ready, we started
re ular uff pulp production and periodically in
bales in order to fine-tune the inder packin
line,” says Aspelin.
s this as ellmer’s first modern, ne - ene-
ration reel and winder delivery to a Scandina-
vian customer, the project was important to us.
At the same time, we are pleased to be Stora
Enso’s partner in Skutskär as a leading headbox
manufacturer,” says yr i trengell, of Bell-
mer inland y.
STORA ENSO
tora nso says its strategy is to support cus-
tomers to meet consumers demand for sustai-
nable products based on rene able materials.
art of the bioeconomy, tora nso is a leading
global provider of rene able solutions in pac-
aging, biomaterials, ooden constructions
and paper. tora nso s business divisions are
onsumer Board, ac aging olutions, ood
roducts and Biomaterials.
he Biomaterials ivision offers a ide variety
of pulp grades to meet the demands of paper,
board, tissue, te tile, and hygiene product pro-
ducers.
PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020 73
 AGENDA
A SELECTION OF PAPER INDUSTRY EVENTS AROUND THE GLOBE
The current situation might make this agenda fast-moving.
Fastmarkets RISI International CCE International Paperworld Middle East
Containerboard Conference Munich, Germany Dubai, UAE
Online event 9/3/21 - 11/3/21 24/5/21 - 26/5/21
4/11/20 - 6/11/20 cce-international.com/2019/english paperworld-middle-east.
risi.com/icc ae.messefrankfurt.com/dubai/en.html
Tecnicelpa International Conference
Paper & Tissue Asia and Exhibition Zellcheming Expo
Lahore Pakistan Coimbra, Portugal Wiesbaden, Germany
8/11/20 - 10/11/20 10/3/21 - 12/3/21 9/6/21 - 10/6/21
papertissueasia.com tecnicelpa.com/tecnicelpa.ciadicyp2020 zex.mesago.com/events/en.html

Pap-For CIADICYP Congress Paper Viet Nam - New dates

St Petersburg, Russia Coimbra, Portugal Hi Chi Minh, Viet Nam
24/11/20 - 27/11/20 10/3/21 - 12/3/21 16/6/21 - 18/6/21
papfor.com/en-gb.html tecnicelpa.com/tecnicelpa.ciadicyp2020 paper-vietnam.com

Paper Middle East Exhibition Drupa LatamPAPER Conference

Cairo, Egypt Dusseldorf, Germany Mexico City, Mexico
17/12/20 - 19/12/10 20/4/21 - 30/4/21 16/6/21 - 18/6/21
papermideast.com drupa.com latampaper.com

Tissue Conference 2021 MIAC - Restart ACCCSA Congress

Online event Lucca, Italy San Jose, Costa Rica
12/1/21 - 14/1/21 21/4/21 - 23/4/21 13/7/21 - 15/7/21
tissueconference.com miac.info acccsa.org

PaperWeek Canada (Virtual) TappiCon 2021 Tissue World Europe - New dates
Online event Atlanta, USA Dusseldorf, Germany
8/2/21 - 12/2/21 25/4/21 - 28/4/21 21/9/21 - 23/9/21
paperweek.ca tappicon.org tissueworld.com/dusseldorf/

Spaper / Smagua PulPaper MIAC

Zaragoza, Spain Helsinki, Finland Lucca, Italy
2/3/21 - 4/3/21 27/4/21 - 29/4/21 13/10/21 - 15/10/21
feriazaragoza.com/smagua-2021 pulpaper.messukeskus.com miac.info

ou can find our updated list of events on www.paperfirst.info or aper RS App

CONTRIBUTORS AND PARTNERS
ABB offers end-to-end solutions for pulping and
papermaking to support the entire value chain -
from woodyard to shipment, from mill to enterprise •
www.new.abb.com/pulp-paper
AF&PA is the American Forest & Paper Association
serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp,
paper, packaging, tissue and wood products
manufacturing industry • www.afandpa.org
AFT brings innovative technologies, equipment
and services to support our customers in stock
preparation • www.aft-global.com
Bellmer is a German based company offering
all sorts of complete paper machines and board
machines for the production of mass papers,
specialty papers, packaging grades or board •
www.bellmer.com
CEPI is the European association representing the
paper industry. Through its 18 national associations,
Cepi gathers 500 companies operating 895 mills
across Europe • www.cepi.org
Demag Cranes is one of the world’s leading
manufacturers of powerful and reliable industrial
cranes, crane components and drives •
www.demagcranes.com
Domtar manufactures, markets and distributes
a wide variety of communication and specialty
papers, market pulp and absorbent hygiene
products • www.domtar.com
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp and
paper producers nationally and internationally in
government, trade, and environmental affairs •
www.fpac.ca
IBA, the Brazilian Tree Industry association, is
reponsible for institutionally representing the
planted tree production chain •
www.iba.org
IPMA, the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association, is
a national industry body representing the resurgent
and organized face of paper industry in India •
www.ipma.co.in
Kadant is a global supplier of high-value, critical
components and engineered systems used in
process industries worldwide • www.kadant.com
M-clean is a modular cleaning system for fabrics,
belts, and rolls in process industries proposed
by Kadant • www.kadant.com/en-us/products/
modular-shower-systems
McKinsey is a global consulting firm helping
clients strengthen their strategies, operations, and
organizations. Its Paper, Forest Products & Packaging
division offers extensive expertise in this sector •
www.mckinsey.com/industries/paper-forest-
products-and-packaging
PAMSA is The Paper Manufacturers Association
of South Africa (PAMSA), is acknowledged as the
national ‘voice of the pulp and paper industry’ •
www.thepaperstory.co.za
Pesmel has more than 40 years of experience in
delivering solutions that improve material flows and
logistics at different types of manufacturing facilities
• www.pesmel.com
Runtech/Gardner Denver is a reliable partner
providing solutions to improve the runnability and
efficiency of tissue, board, paper and pulp machines
• www.gardnerdenver.com
Siemens through its fiber industry division, aims
at making pulp and paper production more
environmentally friendly, resource-efficient and
profitable • www.siemens.com
Smithers is a recognized provider of strategic
market research reports, uniting a global
network of industry experts and extensive
industry knowledge • www.smithers.com
Solenis is a chemical company helping its
customers improve their profitability by helping
them solve their process and water treatment
challenges • www.solenis.com
STE Analytics is a business intelligence
company focusing in mathematical business
models and simulation • www.steanalytics.com
ThePackHub is a packaging innovation
consultancy specialising in the delivery of
technical and innovative packaging solutions
for brand owners, retailers and packaging
suppliers • www.thepackhub.com
The Tissue Pack Innovation Lab (TPIL) is a
research partner and a source for industry
training, hosted by the North Carolina State
University • www.ncsu.edu
https://research.cnr.ncsu.edu/sites/tissuelab/
Valmet is a developer and supplier of
technologies, automation and services for the
pulp, paper and energy industries worldwide •
www.valmet.com
Voith is a global player offering real
product solutions that facilitate intelligent,
interconnected paper manufacturing •
www.voith.com

74 PAPERFIRST MAG autumn 2020

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