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Articles related to paper


Preventative Maintenance Made Memorable
Preventative Maintenance Made Memorable

When I was little my dad would bring home comic books when I was sick. It broke up the monotony of being ill and introduced a bit of fun flipping through the pages. Now take that same idea - a bit of fun with comics - and instead apply it to livening up and strengthening a preventive maintenance (PM) culture. (When was the last time you sat in a riveting PM meeting?) Yes, entertaining author and experienced consultant Joel Levitt, President of Springfield Resources, is creating content about PM through his comic book, Stories of PM, covering PM principles.

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A Simplified Solution for Transportation Troubles
A Simplified Solution for Transportation Troubles

Sometimes simple solutions are the best solutions. And a similarly simple solution to a very complex problem has recently come to light with transportation, using robotics

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Investing in Tomorrow's Paper: Capital Projects
Investing in Tomorrow's Paper: Capital Projects

As the ball drops in Times Square on New Years Day, the trees in South America grow ever taller, and are much better and more productive than that dropping ball (which mainly yields a great deal of traffic). Interesting things are happening in South America, and I do suspect capital projects for 2024 will be affected, and hopefully started for the upcoming year. Why is that?

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Unlocking Semiconductor Gridlock
Unlocking Semiconductor Gridlock

Have you ever seen those large, round, glass jars filled with marbles (or candies, or Matchbox cars, etc.) where you had to guess how many objects were in the jar - the answer being some incredibly huge number? (And did you ever win the prize?) Along that same line of thought, I was wondering this week if it were possible to count up the vast number of semiconductors on the property of the average mill (I really do think of this stuff) - not including the semiconductors in every mobile phone that the employees carry.

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Making Batteries Better... With Paper
Making Batteries Better... With Paper

Switching to green energy seems all well and good until you get into the details.

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Filtering Fact from Fiction: Ensuring Information Quality in the Digital Age
Filtering Fact from Fiction: Ensuring Information Quality in the Digital Age

Quality is the commitment to excellence that drives the relentless pursuit of perfection. But interfering with that relentless pursuit is a strong EU governmental push to go completely digital, particularly with industrial products, medical products and other consumer information. No paper. Digital only. As a result the European print and paper industry is uniting, reminding legislators that going" digital only" is not neutral but would be harmful in some cases. The proposed restriction of paper would result in wide-ranging social, educational, and economic risks, beneficial to no one.

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The Most Fascinating Part of any Tree
The Most Fascinating Part of any Tree

In wood chemistry classes in college, one thing I learned was that trees are fascinating. We spent a bit of time on the root system of trees, but far more on what was above ground. After all, that's what paper makers are most interested in. Since college days, I've learned a lot more about trees. And much of what's fascinating about trees begins, actually, with what's underground.

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Increasing Safety and Productivity with Digital Downtime
Increasing Safety and Productivity with Digital Downtime

Today we're looking at the flip side of smart procurement (June's topic): increasing safety and productivity with digital downtime. As a background, if you google the topic you'll get an amusing list of headlines, ranging from how to fight tech addiction, to articles telling you not to bother disengaging from a screen addiction since it's apparently useless. But how does this even remotely relate to the pulp and paper industry???

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Evolution of the Smith Corona Logo
Evolution of the Smith Corona Logo

"A long lasting impact." That's the definition of what a legacy leaves behind. Well, there's no better way to look at the legacy of a company than viewing its logos. Smith Corona's brand has been around for decades (over 130 years but who's counting?), so we've gone through a lot of changes - all better than the next!

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Paper Mills: Yes, It Can Be Done
Paper Mills: Yes, It Can Be Done

Right now there's a strong trend of wanting to "take down" paper companies and the government officials who allow them. - There are stories all over the news to this effect. But there is a way to have paper mills welcome in their communities. It is doable. How? It requires a multifaceted approach.

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 Smith Corona Launches A New Brand  Pinnacle Labels
Smith Corona Launches A New Brand Pinnacle Labels

Smith Corona today announces the launch of its new division, Pinnacle Labels, a leading manufacturer and provider of top-quality weigh scale labels. With full dedication to scale label production, Pinnacle Labels' mission is to bring convenience and affordability to the industry.

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Smart Procurement: Changes and Opportunities in Pulp and Paper
Smart Procurement: Changes and Opportunities in Pulp and Paper

It's not a question of if smart procurement is coming to mills. It's a question of when.

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On Seeking Alternative Energy for the Pulp and Paper Industry
On Seeking Alternative Energy for the Pulp and Paper Industry

Changes are coming.

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Safety: What Happened at Escanaba, and Other Unusual Events
Safety: What Happened at Escanaba, and Other Unusual Events

Despite all the safety training, sometimes things happen that you really didn't see coming. This month for safety, we'll cover a couple extra things that aren't usually discussed in those monthly safety trainings, starting with what's in the news...

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Proactive Maintenance Keeps Your Mill Running
Proactive Maintenance Keeps Your Mill Running

Pay now, or pay more later, or... pay dramatically more much later. Simple as that. That's the essence of mill maintenance.

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The Latest Railroad Dispute: How Does it Affect Your Mill?
The Latest Railroad Dispute: How Does it Affect Your Mill?

You can't make sandcastles without sand, you can't make skyscrapers without steel, and you can't make paper without wood or fiber. And it's trains that are central to the transportation of products into and out of a pulp and paper mill. Back last December, we had quite the problem with the railroads, but what exactly was going on?

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Another Finland Strike? Are Paper Supplies in Trouble Again?
Another Finland Strike? Are Paper Supplies in Trouble Again?

Another Finland strike is making headlines and giving the paper industry flashbacks to last year. The Finland Transport Workers' Union, known as Auto-ja Kjetusala Työntekijäliitto (AKT), began striking on February 15, 2023. The strike is between union and employer organizations over labor and wage disputes for stevedores, terminal workers, and other various transport professionals. If this sounds familiar, that's because the AKT was on strike just last year.

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Why the Paper Industry Isn't Attractive (to Investors)
Why the Paper Industry Isn't Attractive (to Investors)

There's been a steady decline in the paper industry that we've all had front row seats to for years now. The play "Death of a Salesman" doesn't quite compare to the "Death of Print." To be more specific, printing and writing paper like magazines and newspapers. Unfortunately, labels get looped into this group, too.

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Why The North American Paper Market Rejects Glassine
Why The North American Paper Market Rejects Glassine

The North American label industry has taken hit after hit when it comes to availability of materials for release liner. While 87% of release liner is paper-based, recent events like the Pixelle mill closure have succeeded in removing large amounts of materials from the market. As alternative options are being utilized, there's one option we're not seeing much of: glassine.

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Avoid Capital Project Delays in Pulp and Paper Mills
Avoid Capital Project Delays in Pulp and Paper Mills

Surely you've completed one of those "simple" home projects that ended up requiring multiple trips to Home Depot. Once finished you likely breathed a deep sigh of relief as you quietly kicked yourself for your lack of planning. Similarly, the paper industry is a very capital intensive industry - referring to last month's article, many capital projects focus on reducing fossil fuel usage. But when your capital project ends up requiring multiple trips and delays due to forgotten items, results can be disastrous. So what are proven steps management can take to reduce these needless trips and delays?

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CellMark introduces new Packaging & Paper division
CellMark introduces new Packaging & Paper division

CellMark is introducing a new division: CellMark Packaging & Paper. The division is the result of a merger of its two existing divisions, CellMark Packaging and CellMark Paper.

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2022 in Review: The Label Industry
2022 in Review: The Label Industry

I know you're supposed to take time at the end of the year to reflect on everything that happened. The good, the bad, what have you. But for the labeling industry, 2022 was in a league of its own. Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. And in spectacular fashion, too (Yes, Murphy's Law was a reality, ask anyone dealing with paper).

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How to Make Steam Without Fossil Fuels or Producing CO2
How to Make Steam Without Fossil Fuels or Producing CO2

Our mill got a call one day from Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO), asking if we were doing anything unusual? As it so happened, we were restarting the mill after the spring shut down and maintenance. Why did they ask?

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The Unavoidable Shift From Paper to PET Liner
The Unavoidable Shift From Paper to PET Liner

The labeling industry is about to be dealing with yet another rapid change that we'll have to adjust to. What's the crisis this time? Another massive paper release liner shortage.

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Packaging Innovation and Strategy
Packaging Innovation and Strategy

We've come a long way - from disintegrating paper straws to being on the verge of having plastic-free packaging, and a fully recyclable beer bottle with a wood fiber outer lining. Cellulose and pulp are in the forefront of the away-from-plastic movement (as it should be).

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How Returns and Allowances Boost Sales in the Mill
How Returns and Allowances Boost Sales in the Mill

Giving allowances is easy, but those expenses add up alarmingly quickly. Not a great solution. So to use returns and allowances to boost sales in your mill, let's take a page out of an experienced consultant's book and learn about the changes made at one mill, which led to significant mill-wide improvements in just three months. The strategy was quite simple.

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Management Best Practices
Management Best Practices

One of the best managers I ever had the privilege of working with was in charge of our pulp mill. We'll call him V.C. He was an unassuming fellow, but when V.C. stepped into the control room to address an issue - anything at all - things got done. Best management practices can fill volumes of books and occupy weeks of classes, but V.C. had three characteristics in particular, finely honed, which kept employees in the pulp mill working extremely well together.

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NOREXECO, Myles Cohen sign agreement to cooperate in investigating opportunities for financial pulp and paper futures in North American markets
NOREXECO, Myles Cohen sign agreement to cooperate in investigating opportunities for financial pulp and paper futures in North American markets

Myles Cohen has served as a division president at both Pratt Industries and Sonoco Products Company over the past two decades.

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J&J Green Paper Receives Patent Approval for Its Fully Compostable, All-Natural Paper Coating and Process in the United States
J&J Green Paper Receives Patent Approval for Its Fully Compostable, All-Natural Paper Coating and Process in the United States

The latest approval expands the footprint of the Miami-based green paper products developer now poised for global expansion.

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Annual PSSMA meeting held
Annual PSSMA meeting held

Industry Welcomes New PSSMA Chairman, Sylvamo's Mark Edwards and Honors Portco Packaging's Howard M. 'Macy' Wall with 2021 Richard E. Storat - PSSMA Annual Industry Excellence Award.

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Consumer Alert: New Debt Collection Rules Allow Unsolicited Emails, Texts and Social Media Messaging!
Consumer Alert: New Debt Collection Rules Allow Unsolicited Emails, Texts and Social Media Messaging!

Here's What You Need to Know to Reclaim Communications Choice, Avoid Abuse and Safeguard Against Fraud

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Consumers Are Not Fooled By The Push to
Consumers Are Not Fooled By The Push to "Go Paperless" They Know It's Cost Shifting, Still Print Docs Themselves

Who doesn't feel a rush of joy when they open a handwritten card or letter received in the mail? Many of us rediscovered the simple, yet powerful pleasures of keeping in touch with pen, paper and a postage stamp during the pandemic.

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Send a Card and Deliver a Smile! Celebrate Thinking of You Week with
Send a Card and Deliver a Smile! Celebrate Thinking of You Week with "Message Monsters" Stamps

Who doesn't feel a rush of joy when they open a handwritten card or letter received in the mail? Many of us rediscovered the simple, yet powerful pleasures of keeping in touch with pen, paper and a postage stamp during the pandemic.

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Paper Communications Bridge the Digital Divide. So Why Are Companies and Policymakers Removing Them?
Paper Communications Bridge the Digital Divide. So Why Are Companies and Policymakers Removing Them?

If we care about closing the digital divide, we should also be concerned about the assault on paper options that millions need to cross over it.

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Ransomware Attacks Target Companies and Consumers Alike: Having Paper and Offline Backups Can Reduce Harms and Risks
Ransomware Attacks Target Companies and Consumers Alike: Having Paper and Offline Backups Can Reduce Harms and Risks

Ransomware attacks are making headlines with worrisome frequency. In May, 45% of the fuel supply for the east coast of the United States was disrupted when cybercriminals took Colonial Pipeline's computer network hostage. This latest digital exploit, which created massive commercial and consumer havoc, was international news. Missing from most reporting, however, were the facts that consumers are increasingly targeted as well - and simple steps like maintaining paper and offline backups of important records can greatly reduce the devastation.

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Consumers Ask: Have Even More Important Financial Notices Been Pushed Online?
Consumers Ask: Have Even More Important Financial Notices Been Pushed Online?

Consumers who followed our coverage of new U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rules that allow employer-sponsored retirement plans to automatically switch from paper to digital notices without asking are now wondering if similar abuse of communications preferences is happening with individual investment accounts. The short answer is yes.

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CTI Paper USA Expands Kromekote
CTI Paper USA Expands Kromekote

Kromekote®, one of North America's best-known premium cast-coated paper brands, is now available in four new thick, luxurious, ultra-bright white heavyweights for production-rated digital printing and color copiers. The papers are FSC-certified, recyclable and elemental chlorine free.

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Is Going Paperless Really Better for the Environment?
Is Going Paperless Really Better for the Environment?

Many banks, utilities, telecoms and other service providers continue to encourage (and sometimes force) their customers to switch from paper to electronic communications, using claims that electronic communication is "greener," "saves trees" or "protects the planet" as justification.

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DC Circuit Calls for More Pollution Control at Pulp Mills
DC Circuit Calls for More Pollution Control at Pulp Mills

In a 2-1 decision, the court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on air pollutants that pulp mill combustion sources are known to emit.

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Paper or paper? Washington lawmakers ban plastic grocery bags, add 8-cent fee to paper ones
Paper or paper? Washington lawmakers ban plastic grocery bags, add 8-cent fee to paper ones

Several conservative lawmakers supported the Democrat-sponsored legislation, hoping it will create demand for paper bags and "breathe new life" into Washington's pulp and paper industry.

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CEPI: European paper and board production decreases by 3% in 2019
CEPI: European paper and board production decreases by 3% in 2019

The European paper and board production has decreased by 3% in 2019 (European Paper Industry countries covered by the data: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom), compared to the previous year, according to the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI).

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Starbucks Japan to Switch to Paper Straws
Starbucks Japan to Switch to Paper Straws

Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. said Tuesday it will replace plastic straws with paper ones at all of its 1,500 outlets across the nation by mid-March 2020.

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Mondi supports European Paper Bag Day by planting over 3,000 trees at its mill locations across Europe
Mondi supports European Paper Bag Day by planting over 3,000 trees at its mill locations across Europe

This initiative aims to reduce the impact of climate change by encouraging the use of paper bags, given it is a renewable and recyclable solution.

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Paper Ballots Key to Election Security
Paper Ballots Key to Election Security

Important information belongs on paper and should be shielded from broken hard drives, data breaches and foreign hackers. Paper is personal, permanent, safe and confidential.

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Paper mill celebrating its 200th anniversary
Paper mill celebrating its 200th anniversary

Monadnock Paper Mills, founded in 1819 in Bennington, says it is the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the country.

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Easy and free access to paper-based communications is key for millions of consumers
Easy and free access to paper-based communications is key for millions of consumers

A new International survey commissioned by Two Sides shows that most Americans and Canadians want to retain a choice to receive paper statements at no charge, and many prefer paper over digital.

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Paper Products Takes Center Stage in Graduate School
Paper Products Takes Center Stage in Graduate School

As I prepare to enter my last year of graduate school, I look back and appreciate paper and paper products' role in my success throughout the past couple years.

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New report shows Wisconsin's paper industry leads the nation
New report shows Wisconsin's paper industry leads the nation

Wisconsin's paper industry is alive and well, according to a new state report.

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AF&PA Testifies in Opposition of California State Assembly Efforts to Prohibit Businesses from Providing Paper Receipts to Consumers
AF&PA Testifies in Opposition of California State Assembly Efforts to Prohibit Businesses from Providing Paper Receipts to Consumers

In testimony before the California Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, the American Forest & Paper Association called for the legislature to reconsider efforts to create unnecessary barriers for consumers to receive paper receipts at point-of-purchase, except upon request.

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Hansol Paper and Iconex Announce Mutual Decision to Withdraw from Agreement Governing Sale of Schades and R+S to Iconex
Hansol Paper and Iconex Announce Mutual Decision to Withdraw from Agreement Governing Sale of Schades and R+S to Iconex

Iconex and Hansol Paper announced that the companies are withdrawing from their definitive agreement signed November 2, 2018, under which Iconex would have acquired Schades and R+S from Hansol Paper.

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Well-known industy leader Arthur
Well-known industy leader Arthur "Art" David Rankin passes away

Arthur "Art" David Rankin entered into eternal peace on Thursday, June 6, 2019 at Froedtert Medical Hospital in Wauwatosa, WI surrounded by his loving family.

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Wooden beer bottles and paper straws -- Japan shifts from plastic
Wooden beer bottles and paper straws -- Japan shifts from plastic

Transition creates opportunities for the nation's declining paper industry.

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Fire at Monadnock Paper Mills
Fire at Monadnock Paper Mills

Firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at Monadnock Paper Mills in Bennington Thursday morning around 9:45 a.m.

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Kroger, nation's largest grocery chain, eliminates plastic bags
Kroger, nation's largest grocery chain, eliminates plastic bags

Kroger, the nation's largest grocery chain, will phase out the use of plastic bags in its stores by 2025. The grocer orders about 6 billion bags each year.

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SAP selects Paperitalo Publications, LLC
SAP selects Paperitalo Publications, LLC

Paperitalo Publications announced today that SAP of Walldorf, Germany has selected Paperitalo to be their media partner in the pulp and paper industry.

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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AF&PA Testifies in Opposition of California State Assembly Efforts to Mandate Digital Receipts
AF&PA Testifies in Opposition of California State Assembly Efforts to Mandate Digital Receipts

In testimony before the California State Assembly Committee on Natural Resources theAmerican Forest & Paper Association called for the legislature to reconsider efforts to create unnecessary mandates on businesses and consumers by requiring retailers to use electronic receipts for retail transactions.

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Five Ways to Prevent Paper Jams at the Office
Five Ways to Prevent Paper Jams at the Office

Believe it or not, paper jams are not always the printer's fault. In fact, low-quality paper often has inconsistent caliper, or thickness, resulting in more jams.

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Forest Products Workers Discuss Policies that Jeopardize Manufacturing Jobs, Environment on Capitol Hill
Forest Products Workers Discuss Policies that Jeopardize Manufacturing Jobs, Environment on Capitol Hill

Their goal was to educate officials on the impacts of legislative and regulatory decisions on the environment as well as the families and communities that depend on forest products manufacturing for their livelihood.

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Indonesia rejects accusations of pulp, paper dumping
Indonesia rejects accusations of pulp, paper dumping

Indonesia on Monday said that the accusations of pulp and paper dumping on the country have been wrongly made, while forcasting a higher industry growth for this year.

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?
Have you tried the Paperitalo Supplier Directory lately?

If you are looking for goods and services in the pulp and paper industry, you need to check out the Paperitalo Directory!

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Five Reasons Why Your Estate Plan Needs Paper
Five Reasons Why Your Estate Plan Needs Paper

No one likes to think about death, but everyone should. We're all going to die someday. So why not greet the end of life with peace of mind, knowing that your estate plan is well organized and easy to find by those you leave behind?

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Paper and Wood Products Make Modern Life Possible
Paper and Wood Products Make Modern Life Possible

Our modern society is one that increasingly relies on technology for everyday life, work and study, yet the desire and benefits of paper and wood-based products remains consistent.

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Nippon Paper develops paper straws just as strong as plastic ones
Nippon Paper develops paper straws just as strong as plastic ones

Japanese papermakers seek to profit from growing boycott.

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Japan's paper industry pushes sector to replace plastic
Japan's paper industry pushes sector to replace plastic

Japan's biggest paper manufacturers have set up crack marketing and research units to leverage global movements against disposable plastic and convince the world that a "paperised" future is more than pulp fiction.

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Kespry Announces Availability of Pulp and Paper Industry's First Drone-Based Aerial Intelligence Solution
Kespry Announces Availability of Pulp and Paper Industry's First Drone-Based Aerial Intelligence Solution

Kespry announced the availability of the pulp and paper industry's first drone-based aerial intelligence solution.

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Buyer pledges investment in Glatfelter mills
Buyer pledges investment in Glatfelter mills

The investment firm buying Glatfelter's specialty papers division says it plans to invest in the division and make it more competitive.

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Glatfelter Announces Definitive Agreement to Sell Specialty Papers Business Unit
Glatfelter Announces Definitive Agreement to Sell Specialty Papers Business Unit

Glatfelter announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Specialty Papers Business Unit ("SPBU") on a cash free and debt free basis to Lindsay Goldberg (the "Purchaser") for a total sale price of $360 million.

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CNG's Lindenmeyr Munroe Division Acquires Texas-Based Olmsted-Kirk Paper Company, Moving Into Southwestern U.S.
CNG's Lindenmeyr Munroe Division Acquires Texas-Based Olmsted-Kirk Paper Company, Moving Into Southwestern U.S.

Central National Gottesman Inc. (CNG), which owns a range of sales and distribution businesses in the global pulp, paper, tissue, packaging, plywood and metals industries, announced that its Lindenmeyr Munroe division has acquired the business of Texas-based Olmsted-Kirk Paper Company, expanding its reach into the Southwestern United States.

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Glatfelter expects to provide update on Specialty Papers division in the fall
Glatfelter expects to provide update on Specialty Papers division in the fall

Glatfelter expects to provide an update this fall on its strategic review regarding the future of its Specialty Papers division, which includes the Chillicothe paper mill.

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NCLT approves sale of Sirpur Paper Mills to JK Paper
NCLT approves sale of Sirpur Paper Mills to JK Paper

The National Company Law Tribunal on Thursday approved a proposal by paper manufacturer JK Paper Ltd to take over the bankrupt The Sirpur Paper Mills Ltd.

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Specialty paper mill praises 'no plastic' straw movement
Specialty paper mill praises 'no plastic' straw movement

As Starbucks and McDonalds transition away from using plastic straws, Expera Specialty Solutions says the eco-friendly push is good for business.

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Trade settlement allows Port Hawkesbury Paper to focus on future
Trade settlement allows Port Hawkesbury Paper to focus on future

A member of the management team at Port Hawkesbury Paper says it's a relief to have a costly cross-border trade battle officially behind the mill.

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Case Paper acquires WinterBell Converting in High Point, North Carolina
Case Paper acquires WinterBell Converting in High Point, North Carolina

Winter Bell Converting in High Point, North Carolina, became a division of Case Paper Co., operating as Case Paper WinterBell.

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WTO rules in Canada's favor on dispute with U.S. on glossy paper duties
WTO rules in Canada's favor on dispute with U.S. on glossy paper duties

The World Trade Organization has ruled largely in favor of Canada in a dispute with the United States over duties on glossy paper.

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Scheufelen restarts mill in Lenningen, Germany
Scheufelen restarts mill in Lenningen, Germany

Scheufelen restars its mill in Lenningen, Germany. Thanks to a strong partnership of investors Green Growth Fund 2 / Wermuth Asset Management, Nordia Invest and Scheufelen Equity Partners, the newly established Scheufelen GmbH will initiate operations with staff of 100 on July 2nd, 2018. Scheufelen had declared insolvency end of January 2018.

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Japan Pulp & Paper established joint venture OVOL Fibre Solution India
Japan Pulp & Paper established joint venture OVOL Fibre Solution India

With the aim of strengthening its paper recycling business in India, Japan Pulp & Paper Co., Ltd. has established OVOL Fibre Solution India Private Limited ("OFSI") in a joint venture with Papyrus Recycling Private Limited, with the new company having now commenced operations.

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Applegreen goes... green with 100% recyclable cups in all stores
Applegreen goes... green with 100% recyclable cups in all stores

One of Ireland's leading forecourt retailers, Applegreen has confirmed that, from July, the brand will replace all non-recyclable single-use cups in stores with a new 100% recyclable cup created by reCUP™

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Shandong Century Sunshine Paper automates its scheduling process for five sheet cutters
Shandong Century Sunshine Paper automates its scheduling process for five sheet cutters

China's largest producer of coated and uncoated white top test liner and world-class preprint home base, Sunshine Paper, has automated its scheduling process for its five cutters by integrating opt-Studio with its SAP ERP solution. The system went live last month.

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Nippon Paper Group Announces Reorganization of Production Structure for its Paper Business
Nippon Paper Group Announces Reorganization of Production Structure for its Paper Business

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. ("the Company") has announced that, at a meeting of the Board of Directors held today, the Company resolved to reorganize the production structure for its paper business as follows.

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Bain Capital to acquire Gruppo Cordenons
Bain Capital to acquire Gruppo Cordenons

Bain Capital Private Equity, a leading global private equity firm, through Fedrigoni Holding Ltd, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Gruppo Cordenons, a leading international manufacturer of high end specialty papers for luxury packaging and premium publishing applications.

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Catalyst Paper Machine Starts Up
Catalyst Paper Machine Starts Up

Paper machine 11 at Catalyst Paper Corporation's Powell River mill went into start-up mode on May 7 after a three-week production curtailment of uncoated groundwood paper.

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Catalyst Paper Machine Starts Up
Catalyst Paper Machine Starts Up

Paper machine 11 at Catalyst Paper Corporation's Powell River mill went into start-up mode on May 7 after a three-week production curtailment of uncoated groundwood paper.

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Former Appleton Coated facility to begin doing business as Midwest Paper Group
Former Appleton Coated facility to begin doing business as Midwest Paper Group

The Combined Locks paper mill formerly home to Appleton Coated will begin doing business under the name "Midwest Paper Group".

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Ilim plans to increase its market presence and share of products supplied to Henan, China
Ilim plans to increase its market presence and share of products supplied to Henan, China

Ilim Group held a business conference in Zhengzhou, Henan, China, to discuss an increase in supply to this region. Ilim plans to increase its market presence and the share of products supplied to Henan.

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Two companies express interest in offering to purchase Carthage Specialty Paperboard mill
Two companies express interest in offering to purchase Carthage Specialty Paperboard mill

Two companies have expressed interest in making purchase offers for Carthage Specialty Paperboard, according to the village mayor.

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Verso Enters Into CVD Conditional Settlement
Verso Enters Into CVD Conditional Settlement

As part of a settlement entered into by Verso with two Canadian producers of supercalendered papers, Verso has requested that the U.S. Department of Commerce revoke its order imposing duties on supercalendered papers made by those Canadian producers and imported into the U.S.

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Rising imports pose threat to paper mills in India
Rising imports pose threat to paper mills in India

High energy cost, inadequate raw material supply are issues..

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100 North American Companies Remove
100 North American Companies Remove "Go Paperless - Go Green" Claims

Two Sides' anti-greenwash campaign reaches a milestone as more leading corporations change their marketing messages to recognize the sustainable features of print on paper

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Fibria CEO denies Eldorado tie-up talks, but open to M&A
Fibria CEO denies Eldorado tie-up talks, but open to M&A

Fibria Celulose SA denied on Tuesday that the company or its shareholders were discussing a potential tie-up with rival Eldorado Brasil Celulose SA, but underscored their interest in eventual deals in the sector.

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Japan paper exports reach another record
Japan paper exports reach another record

Japan's paper exports climbed to a record volume for a second straight year in 2017, thanks to brisk Chinese demand for boxes for e-commerce.

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McDonald's to drop foam packaging by year's end
McDonald's to drop foam packaging by year's end

McDonald's will stop using plastic foam cups, which keep drinks icy cold but make environmentalists red hot, by the end of this year.

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Nekoosa sold to private equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners
Nekoosa sold to private equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners

A private equity firm has acquired Nekoosa Inc., which is based in the city of Nekoosa and produces specialty paper and film used in graphics and commercial print.

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Paper Bag Provision is Short Sighted
Paper Bag Provision is Short Sighted

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman issued a statement regarding the Massachusetts Senate Bill 424, "Act Reducing Plastic Bag Pollution."

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UPM Paper ENA plans to reduce graphic paper capacity and optimize operations to increase competitiveness
UPM Paper ENA plans to reduce graphic paper capacity and optimize operations to increase competitiveness

Company to close paper machine in Minnesota.

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Week of 23 October 2017: Internal Quality
Week of 23 October 2017: Internal Quality

Some people (and I suspect they are often the same people I described above) think doing a quality job is relevant only to their outside customers and clients. Wrong! In fact, one could not be more wrong than this. Practicing internal quality principles really saves money (practicing quality externally saves and wins customers). Internally, two things go wrong when we fail to hold to the highest quality standards...

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Two Sides, Paperitalo Publications assisting AF&PA in raising awareness about misleading claims by Green America
Two Sides, Paperitalo Publications assisting AF&PA in raising awareness about misleading claims by Green America

We in the pulp and paper industry needs to have our voices heard, too.

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BPM Paper Achieves Wisconsin Green Professional for Third Consecutive Year
BPM Paper Achieves Wisconsin Green Professional for Third Consecutive Year

For the third year in a row, BPM Inc., northeast Wisconsin paper mill, has received recognition as a Green Professional in the Wisconsin Green Masters Program.

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DS Smith to buy Romanian packaging and paper business in $245 million deal
DS Smith to buy Romanian packaging and paper business in $245 million deal

Britain's DS Smith Plc said on Wednesday it would acquire a Romania-based paper and packaging business for an enterprise value of about 208 million euros ($244.6 million) to expand its Eastern European presence.

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It's National Forest Products Week
It's National Forest Products Week

American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President & CEO Donna Harman issued a statement regarding President Trump's official proclamation recognizing the 57th anniversary of National Forest Products Week...

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Week of 16 October 2017: When your reputation for quality is horrible
Week of 16 October 2017: When your reputation for quality is horrible

If your reputation for quality is horrible, there is only one choice--fix it. But to reach that one choice, you must first be willing to accept the feedback that your reputation for quality is poor. This is a hurdle for many organizations; they are dismissive of customer feedback, and say to themselves, "It is only a single case" or "customers are not willing to pay for quality." I know of three organizations that have met this challenge head-on and done something about it...

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Delfortgroup invests more than Euro 150 million in paper mill in Czech Republic
Delfortgroup invests more than Euro 150 million in paper mill in Czech Republic

Delfortgroup invests more than Euro 150 million into a new paper machine at its paper mill in Olšany, Czech Republic.

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Week of 9 October 2017: When you can't figure out how to fix your quality
Week of 9 October 2017: When you can't figure out how to fix your quality

Wait a minute--you did not know your quality was broken? Your product or service quality is always broken. It is always broken because quality is a moving target. What may have been the best quality among your peers last month may send you to the bottom of the heap this month.

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Southworth Paper files for bankruptcy a month after abruptly closing facilities
Southworth Paper files for bankruptcy a month after abruptly closing facilities

Southworth Co., the 178-year-old paper maker that shut down abruptly one month ago, filed for federal bankruptcy protection on Thursday, according to court documents that also show the company has $9 million in underfunded pension liability.

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Week of 2 October 2017: Quality Advantages
Week of 2 October 2017: Quality Advantages

Over a quarter of a century ago, quality was all the rage in industry. Business books on quality abounded and everyone had laser cut letter Q's sitting on their desks (at least in my world). About this time, I had a boss who attended some great quality seminar and came back reporting, "Quality is just as good as the customer requires, no more, no less." He was wrong. Welcome to quality month at Paperitalo Publications...

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Week of 25 September 2017: Management compliments and criticisms are not always obvious
Week of 25 September 2017: Management compliments and criticisms are not always obvious

Many employees spend an inordinate amount of time trying to read the "tea leaves" of the boss's behavior. Most of this effort is a waste of time...

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Week of 18 September 2017: Be careful how you define your team, part 2
Week of 18 September 2017: Be careful how you define your team, part 2

Last week we talked about exactly who is defined as part of your team. This was done from the stance of making sure you don't, due to naïve generosity, take on work outside your scope and in the end, do everything poorly. At the same time, you must ward off the outside work without building silos or fortresses that seed discontent. This week, we will deal with two issues that may come up as you protect your team and strive for excellence in your team's area of responsibility, as well as good relations with all of your coworkers.

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Week of 11 September 2017: Be careful how you define your team, part 1
Week of 11 September 2017: Be careful how you define your team, part 1

A team is your specific, small group of personnel assigned to do a specific job or set of jobs. Although I am not much of a sports fan, I can give an example from there. Suppose the quarterback notices that the waterboy forgot to fill the drink containers? Does he ask for a time out so the players on the field can do this job? No. While in the bigger picture, they are all on the same team, when it comes to specific tasks they are not.

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Week of 4 September 2017: What assets are affecting your performance?
Week of 4 September 2017: What assets are affecting your performance?

I recently had a discussion with a long-time industry professional concerning this question: which is more important to a given mill--the technology or the management?

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Mondi postpones paper machine investment at its Steti mill in the Czech Republic
Mondi postpones paper machine investment at its Steti mill in the Czech Republic

Mondi has decided to postpone its €135 million investment in a new 90,000 tonne per annum machine glazed speciality kraft paper machine at its Steti mill in the Czech Republic.

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Week of 28 August 2017: Corruption Month 2017, Fourth Week
Week of 28 August 2017: Corruption Month 2017, Fourth Week

Every August, we focus on corruption we have seen or heard about in the industry in the past year. As usual, these stories are told by Fos, a pulp rat. It is my privilege to put Fos's stories in print for you...

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Norpac to slash production; potential layoffs loom
Norpac to slash production; potential layoffs loom

Norpac will slash its production capacity by nearly a third in October, idling one of three paper machines at the Longview mill in effort to remain competitive, the papermaker announced Wednesday. The capacity cut could lead to an unknown number of layoffs at one of Longview's major employers.

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Week of 21 August 2017: Corruption Month 2017, Third Week
Week of 21 August 2017: Corruption Month 2017, Third Week

Every August, we focus on corruption we have seen or heard about in the industry in the past year. As usual, these stories are told by Fos, a pulp rat. It is my privilege to put Fos's stories in print for you...

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Week of 14 August 2017: Corruption Month 2017, Second Week
Week of 14 August 2017: Corruption Month 2017, Second Week

Every August, we focus on corruption we have seen or heard about in the industry in the past year. As usual, these stories are told by Fos, a pulp rat. It is my privilege to put Fos's stories in print for you...

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Nippon Paper to shut down coating machines
Nippon Paper to shut down coating machines

Nippon Paper Industries will shut down the coating machine No.1 operating at Akita Mill in Japan and the coating machine No.2 operating at Ishinomaki Mill, respectively, at the end of May 2018.

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Week of 7 August 2017: Corruption Month is here again!
Week of 7 August 2017: Corruption Month is here again!

Every August, we focus on corruption we have seen or heard about in the industry in the past year. As usual, these stories will be told by Fos, a pulp rat. It is my privilege to put Fos's stories in print for you...

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Expera Specialty Solutions Announces Glass Interleave Family Of Brands
Expera Specialty Solutions Announces Glass Interleave Family Of Brands

Expera is rolling out its refreshed line of Glass-Gard Prime™ and Glass-Gard™ papers, highlighting a diverse portfolio of specialty paper products that span a variety of end-use applications.

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Week of 31 July 2017: People versus computer technology
Week of 31 July 2017: People versus computer technology

I was talking to an old friend who spent one of his college days' summers doing fetch-and-carry work in a paper mill. Although it had been many years ago, he was still in awe of that "big ol' paper machine" and the fact that it took "twelve or thirteen men" to run it. No more, Tom, I said...

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Fire at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper wood yard
Fire at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper wood yard

It is probably one of the worst places for a fire to break out, but a quick response minimized the potential for a more serious incident in the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper wood yard Sunday.

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Nordic Paper will be acquired by Anhui Shanying Paper
Nordic Paper will be acquired by Anhui Shanying Paper

A China-based pulp and paper company, Anhui Shanying Paper Industry Co., LTD, has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 % of the shares in Nordic Paper Holding AB from Special Situation Venture Partner lll and Petek GmbH.

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Week of 24 July 2017: How well do you know your territory?
Week of 24 July 2017: How well do you know your territory?

"You've got to know the territory." As I remember it, this was a song sung by a chorus of some erstwhile salesmen in the Broadway show "The Music Man." If you are a mill manager or a department manager, it is your responsibility to be a walking encyclopedia about your territory and all that is in it. You've got to know your territory...

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Week of 17 July 2017: The quandary of environmental advocates
Week of 17 July 2017: The quandary of environmental advocates

The real objective of the environmental advocacy groups today is their own survival. They cannot afford to declare a great victory, for then their incomes dry up. They are in quite a predicament!

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Australian Paper looks towards diverting landfill to create power at Latrobe Valley mill
Australian Paper looks towards diverting landfill to create power at Latrobe Valley mill

A $7.5 million feasibility study will investigate a proposal to burn thousands of tonnes of household and industrial waste to create energy at the Australian Paper mill at Maryvale near Morwell in Victoria's Latrobe Valley.

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Week of 10 July 2017: Being Hands-on Engineers and Scientists
Week of 10 July 2017: Being Hands-on Engineers and Scientists

It was not so long ago that engineers and scientists often came from a rural background. This is still true in developing nations, but for those of us living in developed nations, it is usually no longer the case. My own experience is a good example...

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Kotkamills To Discontinue Its Operations In Imatra
Kotkamills To Discontinue Its Operations In Imatra

Stora Enso Oyj has notified Kotkamills Oy that the leasing agreement concerning Tainionkoski PM7 will be terminated in accordance with its terms to expire at the end of 2018.

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Catalyst launches Trident - new wet strength label paper
Catalyst launches Trident - new wet strength label paper

Catalyst Paper announced today the launch of Trident™, a wet strength label paper produced at its Rumford mill in Maine, USA.

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An Overview of Waste Water Treatment Systems
An Overview of Waste Water Treatment Systems

In spite of being both capital and energy intensive, the use of advanced waste water treatment systems is projected to grow about 9% per year. This is related to the requirement to more fully protect water resources. Let's briefly review a few of the methods in use today.

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Week of 3 July 2017: Make your office make a statement
Week of 3 July 2017: Make your office make a statement

This column is for the younger generation. Ready? Away we go! You get your degree and head off to the mill to work. Or perhaps your first job is with a supplier. In any case, you are proud of your accomplishments to date--but reality is about to set in. After you sign the pile of papers from the human resources department, you will be taken to your new office...

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Metsä Tissue to rebuild greaseproof paper machine at Düren mill
Metsä Tissue to rebuild greaseproof paper machine at Düren mill

Metsä Tissue will rebuild paper machine 5 at its Düren mill in Germany. The total investment is approximately EUR 15 million and the rebuild starts immediately.

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Sappi North America Announces Somerset 9pt Gloss
Sappi North America Announces Somerset 9pt Gloss

Sappi North America has announced the addition of Somerset 9 point (9pt) Gloss to its Somerset product line.

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Paper mills in India seek dumping duty
Paper mills in India seek dumping duty

Paper mills in India have urged the government to impose anti-dumping duty on imports of paper and newsprint to protect the local industry.

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Week of 26 June 2017: Do you feel like somebody's watching you? They are...
Week of 26 June 2017: Do you feel like somebody's watching you? They are...

Do you have trouble getting subordinates to do what you want them to do? There can be many reasons for this, but one of the most common is that YOU are not doing what you want THEM to do...

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Week of 19 June 2017: Preparing for your personal buy-out day
Week of 19 June 2017: Preparing for your personal buy-out day

I have spent a lot of time talking to investment bankers. Their interest is in buying into deals, looking at bankrupt companies for possible purchase and so forth. In short, they are looking for nuggets in the pulp and paper industry. Such are the fortunes of a mature industry. If you have been located in a mill or a headquarters for some period of time, you may have already seen company names and logos come and go, while you personally occupied the same space. Observing colleagues in the industry, I have noticed a number of behaviors that could use some improvement, to the benefit of the persons whose careers may be affected...

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Fortress announces new Durasafe banknote customer
Fortress announces new Durasafe banknote customer

Fortress Paper Ltd. has announced that the Central Bank of the Bahamas has chosen to use Durasafe, the proprietary banknote substrate.

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Brazilian pulp production grows
Brazilian pulp production grows

The Brazilian Tree Industry is reporting that Brazilian pulp production grew 5.1% in the first quarter 2017 compared to the same period last year, totaling 6.32 million tons against 6.02 million in 2016.

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Week of 12 June 2017: Inspect inspections
Week of 12 June 2017: Inspect inspections

If you are buying inspection services, make sure you are getting them. I was in a facility once where I saw what happens when these things go wrong. This facility had some high priced instrumentation for which they had an annual inspection contract. It just so happened that I was very familiar with one piece of instrumentation that was on this inspection cycle and I was standing beside it when the inspector came by. I knew every flaw this instrument currently suffered. The inspector's entire activity, as I observed it, was to take off last year's inspection sticker and put on this year's...

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Catalyst Paper named one of Canada's top corporate citizens for 11th consecutive year
Catalyst Paper named one of Canada's top corporate citizens for 11th consecutive year

Catalyst Paper announced that it has been named for the 11th consecutive year as one of the Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada by Corporate Knights Magazine, which reports on corporate sustainability and transparency.

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Heinzel making investment
Heinzel making investment

The Supervisory Boards of Laakirchen Papier AG and Heinzel Holding GmbH has approved the extensive investments for the expansion of the Laakirchen paper mill in Austria involving total spending of over EUR 100 million.

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Appleton Coated to Acquire Sublimation Transfer Paper Developer Spectra Jet
Appleton Coated to Acquire Sublimation Transfer Paper Developer Spectra Jet

Doug Osterberg, president and CEO of Appleton Coated LLC, and Guy Spinelli, president and CEO of Spectra Jet Inc., announce that they have entered into an agreement for Appleton Coated to acquire the principal business of Spectra Jet Inc., a developer and distributor of sublimation transfer papers headquartered in Woodstock, Ill.

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Week of 5 June 2017: Your role in your company
Week of 5 June 2017: Your role in your company

Wandering around the industry as I do, I am often amazed at the perceived roles people think they have, as indicated by their actions and words each day. Many appear to have no clue to the overall picture. It is really quite simple...

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Week of 29 May 2017: My feelings about feelings
Week of 29 May 2017: My feelings about feelings

A person starting a career is a bit of an open book. Such people may have had some work experiences, maybe even some military experience, but, in general their expectations about the work environment are recognized, even by them, as just that: expectations that may or may not become reality. It amuses me, for instance, to hear some of the ideas soon-to-be college graduates have about work. One told me something to the effect that once she started to work, she saw excitement in life as being over--you go to work each day, do the same things each day and forty years later you retire. Sadly, I have actually met people who have done exactly this. What I am getting at here, though, is something more subtle...

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Preparing for Contract Negotiations
Preparing for Contract Negotiations

This article is intended primarily to focus company management on some of the essential considerations involved when entering into negotiations. Since the end result will not only involve an allocation of resources and have a significant effect on other areas of the company, the achievement of contract goals becomes of highest importance. Here are a few guidelines that may be helpful.

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Verso seeks to cut costs
Verso seeks to cut costs

Verso Corp. is looking to cut $55 million in costs this year as it saw a net loss to start off the year.

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Week of 22 May 2017: Table talk can be educational
Week of 22 May 2017: Table talk can be educational

No matter how much formal education you have acquired, there is one forum that stands above others in importance. It is one in which you participate first as a receiver, and then, later, if you have children, as a provider. It is the forum of the family dinner table...

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AF&PA Releases 57th Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard, and Pulp Capacity
AF&PA Releases 57th Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard, and Pulp Capacity

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the 57th Annual Survey of Paper, Paperboard and Pulp Capacity, reporting that U.S. paper and paperboard capacity declined 1.3 percent in 2016, in line with the long-term decline rate of 1.3 percent per year since 2001.

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Week of 15 May 2017: The problem of scattered assets--some new, some old
Week of 15 May 2017: The problem of scattered assets--some new, some old

There is a lesson here for us all--an opportunity for a critical self-examination of how large decisions are made...

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U.S. Paper Recovery Rate Reaches Record 67.2 Percent in 2016
U.S. Paper Recovery Rate Reaches Record 67.2 Percent in 2016

The American Forest & Paper Association announced that a record 67.2 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling in 2016.

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Week of 8 May 2017: How would you change things if you could?
Week of 8 May 2017: How would you change things if you could?

Over the years, I have heard many conversations start with, "If I were in charge of this place..." If you were in charge, what would you change? Why would you change it? How would you accomplish the changes? When would you change it? Let us take things one at a time...

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Week of 1 May 2017: Up and at 'em--or just sitting?
Week of 1 May 2017: Up and at 'em--or just sitting?

Recently I have seen a number of cases in which human energy was not being expended to any appreciable extent. Actually, I was witnessing laziness. I have not discussed this topic in a long time, so perhaps it is time once again to bring it up. It is a topic that tends to offend some folks, for people do not like to be singled out as lazy or unenergetic. To assuage the embarrassment of the truly guilty, let me say that we all are struck by this at one time or another. And we must admit that we know some people who are in a permanent rut of inactivity. So, who to blame? What to do?

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Fortress Paper to Commence Trading on the OTCQX Market in the United States
Fortress Paper to Commence Trading on the OTCQX Market in the United States

Fortress Paper Ltd. announced that, effective April 24, 2017, the Company's common shares will commence trading on the OTCQX® Best Market in the United States under the symbol "FTPLF".

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Australian Paper welcomes Federal Government decision to impose tariff on cheap imports
Australian Paper welcomes Federal Government decision to impose tariff on cheap imports

Australia's only manufacturer of office paper has welcomed a move to impose import duties on A4 copy paper from Indonesia, China, Thailand and Brazil.

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Week of 24 April 2017: Perception vs. Reality
Week of 24 April 2017: Perception vs. Reality

The phrase, "perception is reality" is often a cautionary warning as to how others might perceive what one is doing, or how they look and so forth. I want to talk today about times when perception is not reality and how this might affect our actions...

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Week of 17 April 2017: Hindsight vs. Foresight
Week of 17 April 2017: Hindsight vs. Foresight

You are reading this, most likely, at an operating facility. I am going to give you two important challenges that are vital to the success of your company, no matter what your position is.

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Japan Pulp and Paper will acquire Oceanian peers for $64 million
Japan Pulp and Paper will acquire Oceanian peers for $64 million

Japan Pulp and Paper, the country's largest paper trading house, will acquire Oceanian peers.

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Japan Pulp and Paper Company establishes a new representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Japan Pulp and Paper Company establishes a new representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Japan Pulp and Paper Company Limited (JP) announced the establishment of a new representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

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Week of 10 April 2017: Taking control of your time
Week of 10 April 2017: Taking control of your time

I will bet you have tasks, if viewed by a critical eye, that would appear somewhat ludicrous. They may include a meeting you attend regularly that does nothing toward moving your enterprise forward. They may be insane reports that no one reads, or some other habitual exercise that does nothing...

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Glatfelter to complete upgrade of production capabilities at its Ober-Schmitten, Germany facility
Glatfelter to complete upgrade of production capabilities at its Ober-Schmitten, Germany facility

Glatfelter announced that in 2017 it will complete a three-year targeted investment program at its Ober-Schmitten facility that upgrades production capabilities to continue to meet highest market requirements for the electrical and glassine paper markets.

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AF&PA: Paper Plays an Important Role in Tax Season
AF&PA: Paper Plays an Important Role in Tax Season

"Americans recognize that paying taxes is not a choice but a responsibility. Citizens should have a choice in how they receive important information and the option to file tax forms in the manner they most trust. The IRS should not be allowed to impose digital-only access as a one-size-fits-all requirement for taxpayers."

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Week of 3 April 2017: General liability and the cost of not caring
Week of 3 April 2017: General liability and the cost of not caring

Years ago, when I started this column, I decided one important thing to be done here was to beat the drum for safety. Well, we have, and we plan to continue doing so. I am writing today, however, about general liability--caused by people or caused to people through exposures of various kinds. Some of these are safety matters, some are security matters. Others can arise out of employment law...

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Evergreen Packaging Announces Sentinel Paper and Paperboard Line to Meet a Variety of Food Service and Packaging Needs
Evergreen Packaging Announces Sentinel Paper and Paperboard Line to Meet a Variety of Food Service and Packaging Needs

Evergreen Packaging, a producer of liquid packaging board, today announced the rollout of its Sentinel paper and paperboard line for food products.

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PaperWorks paper mill to close, laying off 147
PaperWorks paper mill to close, laying off 147

PaperWorks Industries Inc. will layoff 147 when it shutters operations in one of the nation's oldest papermaking mills, the PaperWorks Philadelphia Mill in Manayunk.

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Catalyst Paper launches BISTRO family of food service papers
Catalyst Paper launches BISTRO family of food service papers

Catalyst Paper announced the launch of BISTRO, a diverse line of uncoated food service papers.

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Verso announces 92-Bright Anthem Plus Coated Paper
Verso announces 92-Bright Anthem Plus Coated Paper

Verso Corporation introduced a new promotion titled Anthem Plus®. The American Workhorse. PUT US TO WORK., featuring its brighter, whiter Anthem Plus® economy coated paper.

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Week of 27 March 2017: Thinking new thoughts about maintenance
Week of 27 March 2017: Thinking new thoughts about maintenance

There are some ways in which original capital purchases can serve to reduce maintenance costs and downtime...

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Week of 20 March 2017: When we were younger, when things were simpler
Week of 20 March 2017: When we were younger, when things were simpler

Today we spend lots of time talking about predictive, preventive maintenance and have all sorts of seminars and software to manage this. There is no excuse for not having a strong predictive, preventive maintenance program. But can it all come down to something as simple as proper care of bearings?

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How many hours of uptime do you estimate your facility loses per year due to a lack of the correct spare part?
How many hours of uptime do you estimate your facility loses per year due to a lack of the correct spare part?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Understanding Matrix Management
Understanding Matrix Management

Many older managers and some who are now in retirement operated within a traditional business management structure. This included organization charts, which outlined the company functions and lines of reporting...

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Nordic pulp makers seek new lease of life from by-products
Nordic pulp makers seek new lease of life from by-products

Nordic forestry firms racing to replace paper business lost to the internet are trying to transform their pulp mill by-products into glue, biofuel and carbon fibre for aircraft and wind turbines.

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International Paper explosion: Preliminary findings have been released
International Paper explosion: Preliminary findings have been released

An extended shutdown at International Paper's Cantonment mill allowed a gas buildup that caused the facility's Jan. 22 explosion, according to the company.

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Week of 13 March 2017: Maintenance Storerooms
Week of 13 March 2017: Maintenance Storerooms

If you have read my thoughts on maintenance storerooms over the years, you will accuse me of having been all over the place, and you will be correct. At one time, I adopted the attitude that everyone should do what they were best at doing, and in the case of paper mills, this was making paper, so they should outsource storerooms. I still think this is good for small consumables and specialized repairs (such as roll repairs and recovering). However, for other items, such as pump assemblies, screens, motors and so forth, keep your own--but take care of them. This philosophy certainly applies for existing papermills (but read to the end)...

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Does your company budget unplanned maintenance costs?
Does your company budget unplanned maintenance costs?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Valmet to supply two containerboard machines for Nine Dragons in China
Valmet to supply two containerboard machines for Nine Dragons in China

Valmet will supply two containerboard production lines and related automation systems for Nine Dragons Industries Co., Ltd. in China.

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Asia Symbol Paper starts up Valmet-supplied fine paper line
Asia Symbol Paper starts up Valmet-supplied fine paper line

A Valmet-supplied fine paper production line for Asia Symbol (Guangdong) Paper Co., Ltd. has successfully started up one month ahead of schedule.

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Euromoney to acquire RISI
Euromoney to acquire RISI

Euromoney Institutional Investor has agreed to acquire RISI, a price reporting agency for the global forest products market, for $125 million in cash.

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Indonesia pushes for Australia to import more palm oil and paper
Indonesia pushes for Australia to import more palm oil and paper

One of Indonesia's top trade officials has questioned whether "artificial" trade barriers are preventing Australia importing more palm oil, pulp and paper and wood products as the two c

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Week of 6 March 2017: Maintenance
Week of 6 March 2017: Maintenance "Costs"

We have been conditioned to think maintenance is a cost and unscheduled maintenance is acceptable. There is no basis for this logic; it is just a rumor passed around from board room to board room. It is time for your senior management to take a long hard look at the numbers, not the traditions...

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Do you think there will be more or less attractive jobs in the transportation sector in the future?
Do you think there will be more or less attractive jobs in the transportation sector in the future?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Verso's Coated Sheetfed and Digital Paper Portfolios Go Whiter, Brighter
Verso's Coated Sheetfed and Digital Paper Portfolios Go Whiter, Brighter

Verso Corporation, a North American producer of printing papers, specialty papers and pulp, announced an increase in the brightness and whiteness of every product in its coated sheetfed and digital paper portfolios, and introduced Brilliantly Brighter, a new printed promotion showcasing these products.

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Nippon Paper Industries to sell Port Angeles mill to US subsidiary of Bio-Pappel
Nippon Paper Industries to sell Port Angeles mill to US subsidiary of Bio-Pappel

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. announced the sale of the Port Angeles Washington paper mill and cogeneration assets, which are owned and operated by Nippon Paper Industries USA Co., Ltd., to McKinley Paper Company.

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Finch Paper announces high-speed inkjet brand expansion plan
Finch Paper announces high-speed inkjet brand expansion plan

Finch Paper says it has updated and expanded its paper brands. The most notable being the announcement of Finch Opaque Jet.

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RYECO announces new sheet-break detector
RYECO announces new sheet-break detector

Sheet-break failures from heat, debris, web strikes, operator paper-hooks, coating splashes, sizing splashes, mount failures, excessive sensor bouncing and more are a thing of the past with RYECO's new Smart-ONE Break Detection System.

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Burgo announces reconversion plan of line 2 of Avezzano paper mill in Italy
Burgo announces reconversion plan of line 2 of Avezzano paper mill in Italy

Burgo Group S.p.A. announced the start of the reconversion plan of line 2 of the Avezzano (AQ) paper mill, from graphical paper to container board, with a view to making the mill a true national centre of excellence for cardboard production.

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RAPP Named Authorized Economic Operator by World Customs Organization
RAPP Named Authorized Economic Operator by World Customs Organization

Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper, or RAPP, Indonesian subsidiary of global pulp and paper industry leader Asia Pacific Resources International, APRIL, was named an authorized economic operator by the World Customs Organization.

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Week of 27 Feb 2017: Future jobs in transportation
Week of 27 Feb 2017: Future jobs in transportation

We have spent the entire month talking about driverless trucks, drones, robots and so forth. So what is in the future for humans in this scenario?

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Mill official: Nippon has pared down production
Mill official: Nippon has pared down production

Dow Chemical and DuPont are on track to win European Union approval for their merger as soon as next month - before an April 4 deadline - after tweaking concessions to allay antitrust concerns, it was reported this week.

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Suzano announces investment projects
Suzano announces investment projects

Suzano Pulp and Paper announced that it will invest around R$720 million by year-end in a set of projects intended to diversify its operations in Brazil through higher-value products, boost structural competitiveness, cut costs and enhance environmental initiatives.

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Port Townsend Paper mill, union working under new contract
Port Townsend Paper mill, union working under new contract

Port Townsend Paper Corp. and United Steelworkers Local 175 have come to an agreement on a five-year contract after minor revisions to a deal that failed in January.

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Expera launches new product
Expera launches new product

Continuing to be at the forefront of next generation technology, Expera Specialty Solutions, a leading producer of food packaging solutions, announced today that it continues to expand its Grease-Gard® family of brands, including its Grease-Gard FluoroFree® papers.

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International Paper once again selected to FORTUNE's list of America's Most Admired Companies
International Paper once again selected to FORTUNE's list of America's Most Admired Companies

International Paper announced that it has been named again by FORTUNE magazine as one of "America's Most Admired Companies."

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Greif Paper Packaging and Services Receives Award for Outstanding Customer Service
Greif Paper Packaging and Services Receives Award for Outstanding Customer Service

Greif, Inc. announced that its Paper Packaging and Services business unit received the company's inaugural Dempsey Award for Customer Service Excellence.

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Week of 20 Feb 2017: Deadheading Drones
Week of 20 Feb 2017: Deadheading Drones

We have heard a lot about drones delivering packages, but not so much about the return flights--there will be a lot of deadheading going on. Can this wasted transportation resource be put to good use?

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Do you have any driverless vehicles on your site (inside or outside)?
Do you have any driverless vehicles on your site (inside or outside)?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Hot spots under control following KapStone fire
Hot spots under control following KapStone fire

KapStone has reportedly resumed running a furnace where a major fire burned earlier this week, Longview fire officials said Wednesday.

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Verso introduces NK Series of lightweight natural kraft machine glazed papers
Verso introduces NK Series of lightweight natural kraft machine glazed papers

Verso announced the introduction of NK Series, a family of lightweight, machine-glazed natural kraft papers manufactured using unbleached virgin fiber.

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Anhui Shanying Paper in China to upgrade machines
Anhui Shanying Paper in China to upgrade machines

Valmet has received an order for an online condition monitoring system from Anhui Shanyin Paper Industry Co., Ltd. in Ma'anshan, Anhui province, China.

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Catalyst launches new lightweight flexible packaging product line
Catalyst launches new lightweight flexible packaging product line

Catalyst Paper has successfully launched a complete line of new lightweight flexible food packaging papers, branded LEAP, from their FDA-compliant Biron mill in Wisconsin.

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Fire at KapStone Longview, Washington facility
Fire at KapStone Longview, Washington facility

A furnace fire that began at the KapStone Paper & Packaging facility in Longview posed significant challenges to firefighters as they tried to infiltrate the blaze without disturbing any asbestos.

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1 trapped during IP mill explosion, according to report
1 trapped during IP mill explosion, according to report

A control tower operator was trapped on site for more than an hour following an explosion at the Cantonment International Paper mill, according to a new series of documents from first responders.

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Fire at Georgia-Pacific mill
Fire at Georgia-Pacific mill

A forklift overheated and caught fire at the Georgia-Pacific paper mill early Friday morning.

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Week of 13 Feb 2017: Rethinking local transportation needs
Week of 13 Feb 2017: Rethinking local transportation needs

While last week I was talking about long distance transportation of pulp by pipelines, let's look at what should be done locally, given the current state of technology...

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How may years do you think it is until we have driverless trucks?
How may years do you think it is until we have driverless trucks?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Sappi announces $165 million paper machine rebuild at its Somerset mill in Skowhegan, Maine
Sappi announces $165 million paper machine rebuild at its Somerset mill in Skowhegan, Maine

Sappi Limited announced 8 Feb 2017 the approval of a range of projects in Europe and the United States including the approval of a US$165 million capital project to expand Sappi North America's manufacturing capabilities and flexibility to include a variety of consumer packaging products.

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$2 billion paper mill project in Virginia may begin this summer
$2 billion paper mill project in Virginia may begin this summer

Nearly three years after the project was first announced, Vastly Inc. (formerly Tranlin) could begin construction this summer on a $2 billion paper mill in eastern Chesterfield.

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Week of 6 Feb 2017: What has changed? What is new?
Week of 6 Feb 2017: What has changed? What is new?

This is transportation month at Paperitalo Publications. This week, we discuss trucks and pipelines...

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What did Jim miss in helping you have a successful capital project?
What did Jim miss in helping you have a successful capital project?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Employee consultation processes at UPM Steyrermühl and UPM Augsburg ended
Employee consultation processes at UPM Steyrermühl and UPM Augsburg ended

UPM has decided to close 305,000 tonnes of graphic paper capacity in Europe. The company permanently closes the paper machine 3 at UPM Steyrermühl, Austria and the paper machine 2 at UPM Augsburg, Germany.

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Sappi to increase its capital expenditure
Sappi to increase its capital expenditure

Sappi plans to increase dissolving wood pulp capacity by more than 30 percent over the next four years as the world's largest maker of the product pursues growth.

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Indonesia's pulp mill capacity to reach 10 million tons per year
Indonesia's pulp mill capacity to reach 10 million tons per year

The capacity of pulp mills will increase from 7.93 million tons to 10.43 million tons per year in February when PT OKI Pulp & Paper Mills (OKI) starts the production of its new pulp factory with a 2.5 million-ton production capacity, the Industry Ministry has said.

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Sappi marks eight decades listing on JSE
Sappi marks eight decades listing on JSE

SAPPI, the South African pulp and paper company with global operations, is celebrating 80 years of listing in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

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Blaze at Clearwater Paper facility in North Carolina
Blaze at Clearwater Paper facility in North Carolina

Firefighters worked for nearly 12 hours to extinguish a fire at Clearwater Paper Corp. in Shelby, N.C. that began just before 6 p.m. Saturday, 28 Jan 2017.

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Mondi will invest Euro 470 million in Steti mill in the Czech Republic
Mondi will invest Euro 470 million in Steti mill in the Czech Republic

The Mondi Boards have approved the modernization and expansion of the Steti mill in the Czech Republic for a total investment of Euro 470 million, subject to obtaining approval for various tax incentives and necessary permitting.

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Catalyst Paper completes recapitalization and privatization
Catalyst Paper completes recapitalization and privatization

Catalyst Paper Corporation announced that the Supreme Court of British Columbia has issued its final order approving the Company's recapitalization and privatization pursuant to a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

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Fire breaks out at Soundview Paper mill
Fire breaks out at Soundview Paper mill

An electrical fire caused damage to the roof and ductwork of Soundview Paper in downtown Putney, Vermont.

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Week of 30 Jan 2017: Keeping Capital Project Costs Low
Week of 30 Jan 2017: Keeping Capital Project Costs Low

There are a number of actions by mill owners that drive up the costs of capital projects. We'll wrap up this month by touching on these...

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Has your mill ever been harmed by the way a general contractor treated a subcontractor?
Has your mill ever been harmed by the way a general contractor treated a subcontractor?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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American Forest & Paper Association Backs Presidential Directive in Support of Manufacturing Growth
American Forest & Paper Association Backs Presidential Directive in Support of Manufacturing Growth

American Forest & Paper Association President & CEO Donna Harman issued a statement in support of President Trump's directive to support U.S. manufacturing by expediting the permitting process and reducing regulatory burden affecting domestic manufacturing.

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Verso Introduces Ideal TrueJet
Verso Introduces Ideal TrueJet

Verso Corporation, a producer of digital printing papers, introduced Ideal TrueJet, a specialized line of uncoated inkjet roll papers for commercial printers and document centers with high-speed inkjet printers.

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Fortress Paper announces $40 million credit agreement
Fortress Paper announces $40 million credit agreement

The Company intends to use the proceeds of the IAM Loan to repay convertible debentures issued by Fortress Paper and for general corporate purposes.

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Semitractor-trailers collide at main gate of Georgia-Pacific paper mill
Semitractor-trailers collide at main gate of Georgia-Pacific paper mill

Two fully loaded semitractor-trailers collided at the main gate of the Georgia-Pacific paper mill on Wednesday, Jan. 18, closing Butler Bridge Road for four hours while police, fire and public works personnel responded.

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Week of 23 Jan 2017: What you don't know about your capital project
Week of 23 Jan 2017: What you don't know about your capital project

Construction projects are complicated, even the little ones. I can guarantee you that you can watch a five-million-dollar project all day long for its entire duration and you won't know half of what happened, not half the interactions that occurred over its duration. There is one contemporary and one post completion test you can do...

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Friendly suppliers
Friendly suppliers

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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The Australian Corrugated Box Market just got more interesting
The Australian Corrugated Box Market just got more interesting

For many years Australia has had substantially a duopoly of corrugated box suppliers, with Visy Industries (Pratt Group) and Amcor (now Orora) between them supplying more than 85% of the market. A bruising "box war" many years ago saw the demise of the Smorgon Group as Australia's third integrated corrugated box supplier. Visy consolidated its market leading position and now holds well over 50% market share and Orora more than 30%. This orderly state of affairs may be about to change.

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Sappi and Felix Schoeller to jointly develop sustainable packaging solutions
Sappi and Felix Schoeller to jointly develop sustainable packaging solutions

Sappi Europe and Felix Schoeller Group have entered into a collaboration agreement that includes the joint development of sustainable barrier paper solutions for flexible packaging applications.

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Gould Paper Corporation rebrands as
Gould Paper Corporation rebrands as "JP Gould"

Gould Paper Corporation has brought all of its businesses together under one marketing umbrella "JP Gould." The new brand underscores the collaborative nature of the company's global supply chain.

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Researchers, $1M in grants to help Maine recover from 'natural disaster' of mill closures
Researchers, $1M in grants to help Maine recover from 'natural disaster' of mill closures

About $1 million in federal grants and access to the federal laboratory that began the Atomic Age will help the state's $8.5 billion forest products industry determine its future, officials announced Wednesday.

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APP Aims to Boost Sales, Expand Business to Central Asia
APP Aims to Boost Sales, Expand Business to Central Asia

Asia Pulp and Paper, the pulp and paper company of conglomerate Sinar Mas Group, aims to boost its sales this year, banking on its expansion in Central Asia and rapid growth in new growing markets, the company said in a statement.

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First Nation Forestry Council and four B.C. Pulp & Paper Companies work together to promote greater co-operation
First Nation Forestry Council and four B.C. Pulp & Paper Companies work together to promote greater co-operation

The First Nation Forestry Council and four B.C. pulp and paper companies are pleased to announce they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote and support the growing role and influence of First Nations in the B.C. forest sector. The four companies include: Catalyst Paper, Nanaimo Forest Products (Harmac), Paper Excellence Canada and Zellstoff Celgar Limited Partnership.

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Schweitzer-Mauduit International announces capacity expansion for filigree papers
Schweitzer-Mauduit International announces capacity expansion for filigree papers

Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (SWM) announced that it has purchased machinery to expand its capacity in filigreed cigarette papers for the Roll Your Own and cigarette manufacturing sectors in its Saint Girons, France location.

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Chinese company to build biggest paper mill in Ethiopia
Chinese company to build biggest paper mill in Ethiopia

China Engineering Corporation (CEC) has signed an agreement with Yekatit Pulp and Paper on Tuesday to construct the biggest Pulp and Paper Mill in Ethiopia.

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Catalyst receives final order of the Supreme of British Columbia for recapitalization and privatization transaction
Catalyst receives final order of the Supreme of British Columbia for recapitalization and privatization transaction

Catalyst Paper Corporation announced that the Supreme Court of British Columbia has issued its final order approving the Company's recapitalization and privatization pursuant to a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

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Maine pulp and paper trade group dissolves after half a century
Maine pulp and paper trade group dissolves after half a century

In what appears to be a sign of the times, the Maine Pulp and Paper Association has announced that it is disbanding effective immediately.

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Katahdin group buys former Great Northern Paper mill site in Millinocket, Maine
Katahdin group buys former Great Northern Paper mill site in Millinocket, Maine

A controversial New Hampshire-based private equity firm that scrapped Millinocket's shuttered former Great Northern Paper mill has sold the site for $1 to a volunteer economic development group that will partner with the town to revitalize Millinocket's economy, officials announced Thursday.

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Week of 16 Jan 2017: Why mills lose at capital projects
Week of 16 Jan 2017: Why mills lose at capital projects

In addition to the fantasyland I referenced last week, there are other issues in capital projects that are landmines...

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Have you ever seen a capital project end up in court?
Have you ever seen a capital project end up in court?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Verso Corporation Names B. Christopher DiSantis as CEO
Verso Corporation Names B. Christopher DiSantis as CEO

Verso Corporation announced that B. Christopher DiSantis will become the chief executive officer and a director of Verso effective as of February 1, 2017.

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Glatfelter Announces Commercial Leadership Change in Its Specialty Papers Business Unit
Glatfelter Announces Commercial Leadership Change in Its Specialty Papers Business Unit

Glatfelter announced the promotion of David Dickerhoof to Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Specialty Papers, effective immediately.

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New Coating and Lacquering Line at Leitza Mill
New Coating and Lacquering Line at Leitza Mill

In accordance with Lecta's strategic plan, a new coating and lacquering line made by the Swiss manufacturer Polytype was recently put into operation at the Leitza mill​.

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Firm has applied to demolish former East Millinocket, Maine mill, state confirms
Firm has applied to demolish former East Millinocket, Maine mill, state confirms

A Florida-based demolition company has applied to raze buildings at the former Great Northern Paper Co. mill site despite a developer's interest in the facility, town officials said Monday.

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Social Security Administration Suspends Mailing of Social Security Earnings Statements, Leaving Many without Access to Critical Savings Tool
Social Security Administration Suspends Mailing of Social Security Earnings Statements, Leaving Many without Access to Critical Savings Tool

Consumers for Paper Options, a coalition advocating for access to important paper-based services and information, has expressed strong opposition to a new decision by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to suspend the mailing of Social Security Statements to workers under the age of 60.

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AF&PA Targets Regulations, Taxes, Transportation, Trade Among Top 2017 Advocacy Priorities
AF&PA Targets Regulations, Taxes, Transportation, Trade Among Top 2017 Advocacy Priorities

The American Forest & Paper Association announced 2017 advocacy priorities that include smarter regulations to unleash economic growth, comprehensive tax reform, efficient transportation and trade policies that advance U.S. competitiveness. The association will pursue these over the coming year to support the paper and wood product manufacturing industry's ability to create jobs and grow the economy.

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U.S.-Canada Paper Dispute Shows Unintended Results of Import Tariffs
U.S.-Canada Paper Dispute Shows Unintended Results of Import Tariffs

Workers at a struggling paper mill in rural Madison, Maine, cheered in 2015 when the U.S. government slapped an import tariff on a type of magazine paper made in Canada. It wasn't enough. Months later, Madison's owners--Finland's UPM-Kymmene Inc. and a New York Times Co. subsidiary--closed the plant and laid off more than 200 workers...

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The Complexity of Workplace Conflict
The Complexity of Workplace Conflict

Early in my career I was told by an Engineer that the only real problems we would face in our careers were people problems. He went on to explain that solutions could be found for all other problems, but not always for those originating from personnel. As time progressed, I began to appreciate his wisdom more and more...

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Week of 9 Jan 2017: Lawyers and Capital Projects
Week of 9 Jan 2017: Lawyers and Capital Projects

Having been in the industry for over forty years and having written my fair share of expert witness reports, I can tell you that major capital projects (over, say, USD 5 million) are more likely to end up in court than not. This does not have to be. OK, Jim, you say this does not have to be, then why does it happen? There are two or three conditions that cause construction court cases. They come up repeatedly...

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Do you think capital project activity is about to heat up?
Do you think capital project activity is about to heat up?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Fire at Domtar facility
Fire at Domtar facility

Fire crews braved the extreme cold and icy conditions Thursday night to put out a fire at the Domtar mill at Mission Flats in British Columbia.

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Buyer of closed Madison, Maine paper mill envisions success with new use
Buyer of closed Madison, Maine paper mill envisions success with new use

Gregory Schain of New Mill Capital Holdings in New York City points to one recent success his company has had in Maine as he looks to the company's newest acquisition: the shuttered Madison Paper Industries mill.

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Nippon Paper Industries to build a demonstration plant for CNF-reinforced resin at Fuji mill in Japan
Nippon Paper Industries to build a demonstration plant for CNF-reinforced resin at Fuji mill in Japan

Nippon Paper Industries to build a demonstration plant at Fuji Mill in Japan to promote practical applications of CNF-reinforced resin.

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Firefighters battle blaze at Ahlstrom Windsor Locks mill
Firefighters battle blaze at Ahlstrom Windsor Locks mill

A fire that appears to have begun in duct work at the Ahlstrom mill kept firefighters from Windsor Locks and several other towns busy Monday afternoon.

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 AF&PA Statement on Proposed National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Kraft Pulp Mills
AF&PA Statement on Proposed National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Kraft Pulp Mills

"By signing the proposed rule, the EPA has indicated that the 2001 maximum achievable control technology (MACT) rule protects public health: That's a positive testament to our industry's investments and commitment to air quality and sustainability..."

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Closed Madison, Maine mill sold to 'joint venture' of companies
Closed Madison, Maine mill sold to 'joint venture' of companies

Madison Paper Industries, which closed in May and put about 215 people out of work, has been sold to a buyer with plans to put the property back into use as an industrial site.

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Week of 2 Jan 2017: Capital Projects are about to change
Week of 2 Jan 2017: Capital Projects are about to change

If you have been doing capital projects for only a few years, I think some surprises are just around the corner. Here is my assessment of where we are headed, assuming some natural or human-caused cataclysmic event does not occur...

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Three worker die of asphyxia at paper mill in India
Three worker die of asphyxia at paper mill in India

Three workers died of asphyxia in a paper mill in the Site area of Hyderabad on Saturday, 24 Dec 2016.

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Week of 26 Dec 2016: Energy/Perception/ Environment Blend
Week of 26 Dec 2016: Energy/Perception/ Environment Blend

Whether you are the CEO, Mill Manger, Energy Czar or a Project Engineer, your job today is more demanding than ever as we deal with energy, the environment and public perception...

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Do you think your mill will be revising its energy budget in the first quarter of 2017?
Do you think your mill will be revising its energy budget in the first quarter of 2017?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Clearwater Paper Acquires Manchester Industries
Clearwater Paper Acquires Manchester Industries

Clearwater Paper Corporation announced it has acquired Manchester Industries of Richmond, Virginia, a leading, independently-owned paperboard sales, sheeting and distribution supplier to the packaging and commercial print industries.

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Greenpeace, WWF cut ties with Indonesia pulp and paper company
Greenpeace, WWF cut ties with Indonesia pulp and paper company

Greenpeace and WWF have suspended their relationship with one of Indonesia's leading pulp and paper companies, saying it didn't live up to promises to stop clearing virgin forests and peatlands.

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Week of 19 Dec 2016: I told you energy is political!
Week of 19 Dec 2016: I told you energy is political!

For many years, I have been telling the faithful readers of this column that energy is a political issue. Now the proof is in...

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Estimate the number of VFD pumps installed in your mill
Estimate the number of VFD pumps installed in your mill

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Domtar receives Kentucky Governor's Safety and Health Award
Domtar receives Kentucky Governor's Safety and Health Award

Hawesville-based Domtar was presented a Governor's Safety and Health Award for working 1,053,309 consecutive hours without a lost time injury or illness.

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Burgo Group replacing fuel oil with natural gas at its Virton paper mill in Belgium
Burgo Group replacing fuel oil with natural gas at its Virton paper mill in Belgium

Burgo Group announced, in the integrated mill of Burgo Ardennes, the conclusion of a large project aimed at replacing fuel oil used to power the boilers of Virton paper mill in Belgium with natural gas.

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Precision Paper Converters announces $5.8 million expansion of its facility in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Precision Paper Converters announces $5.8 million expansion of its facility in Kaukauna, Wisconsin

Precision Paper Converters (PPC) has announced the $5.8 million expansion of its facility in Kaukauna, Wisconsin and installation of a state-of-the-art facial tissue interfolder and cartoner.

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Avery Dennison to acquire Hanita Coatings and Tene Investment Funds
Avery Dennison to acquire Hanita Coatings and Tene Investment Funds

Avery Dennison Corporation has agreed to acquire Hanita Coatings, a pressure-sensitive materials manufacturer of specialty films and laminates from Kibbutz Hanita Coatings and Tene Investment Funds for the purchase price of $75 million.

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ABB launches online system for measuring, monitoring and controlling freeness in pulp mixtures
ABB launches online system for measuring, monitoring and controlling freeness in pulp mixtures

ABB has launched L&W Freeness Online, what the company describes as a reliable, repeatable and cost-effective online system for measuring, monitoring and controlling key quality variables - Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) and Schopper-Riegler (SR) - in paper stock preparation.

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Billerudkorsnäs invests $621 million in its Gruvön site in Sweden
Billerudkorsnäs invests $621 million in its Gruvön site in Sweden

The board of BillerudKorsnäs has made the decision to carry out the largest investment in the history of the company and one of the largest in Sweden in recent years - the investment in a new board machine at the Gruvön site, Sweden.

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Xerium announces new product
Xerium announces new product

Xerium Technologies, Inc. has introduced TransForm, which the company describes as a revolutionary new generation of forming fabrics designed specifically for paperboard and packaging machines that lowers energy consumption and extends fabric life, among other considerable benefits.

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Week of 12 Dec 2016: Easy Energy Money
Week of 12 Dec 2016: Easy Energy Money

These two ideas have been around for a very long time, but I am amazed at how many people don't use them, not just in replacement scenarios, but in new installations. The first one I want to mention is regenerative drives. The other application is VFD (variable frequency drives) on pumps...

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BillerudKorsnäs explores new technologies - launches full scale tests adding MFC to its paperboard
BillerudKorsnäs explores new technologies - launches full scale tests adding MFC to its paperboard

After promising initial tests, BillerudKorsnäs is now moving ahead with full scale trials adding microfibrillated cellulose, MFC, to its paperboard products. The initiative is made possible through a new cooperation with Norwegian biorefinery pioneer Borregaard.

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Longview, Washington millworkers to vote on new KapStone offer
Longview, Washington millworkers to vote on new KapStone offer

Millworkers will vote on a new contract offer from KapStone next week, more than two years after their original contract expired.

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Nippon Paper Industries reviews the production structure of glassine paper
Nippon Paper Industries reviews the production structure of glassine paper

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. decided to review the production structure of glassine paper and achieve a more efficient production structure, as part of the restructuring initiatives, on the basis of the contraction of the domestic paper market.

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Expera Launches Resin-Gard Saturating Papers
Expera Launches Resin-Gard Saturating Papers

Expera Specialty Solutions is adding a new product brand, Resin-Gard, representing its advanced line of saturating papers.

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Week of 5 Dec 2016: Power & Energy
Week of 5 Dec 2016: Power & Energy

We are headed for a crisis. We have a combination of operators who have little physical understanding of the systems they operate, some of them have an attitude, and, on top of that, the hardware and software that serve as their crutches is obsolete. We want to do something about this...

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Have you ever changed venue, path or some other physical condition in order to gain a different perspective on a problem?
Have you ever changed venue, path or some other physical condition in order to gain a different perspective on a problem?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Fortress Paper Announces Hemicellulose Separation Project at its Dissolving Pulp Mill
Fortress Paper Announces Hemicellulose Separation Project at its Dissolving Pulp Mill

The Hemicellulose Project will allow the Company to advance its research and development in hemicellulose derivative products.

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Clearwater Paper to lay off 85 in Neenah, Wisconsin
Clearwater Paper to lay off 85 in Neenah, Wisconsin

Clearwater Paper Corporation announced Tuesday it will permanently shut down two of the company's highest cost tissue machines Dec. 31 at its Neenah facility, eliminating 85 of its 400 employees.

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EPA to conduct hearing on Glatfelter boiler changes
EPA to conduct hearing on Glatfelter boiler changes

The Ohio EPA will come to Chillicothe, Ohio next week to conduct a public hearing on changes at Glatfelter.

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Important steps leading to a successful start-up
Important steps leading to a successful start-up

A start-up can be extremely challenging, but upon completion, the accomplishment can become a milestone in the careers of those involved. And, the experience obtained from participation in a start-up is invaluable to those involved.

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Proposed Paper Bag Fee to Cost Consumers Millions
Proposed Paper Bag Fee to Cost Consumers Millions

The plastic bag ban outlined today by Boston City Councilor Matt O'Malley contains a fee on paper bags that will cost several millions of dollars to Boston consumers, further strapping working families already struggling to get by in one of America's most expensive cities.

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Georgia-Pacific employee killed in accident
Georgia-Pacific employee killed in accident

An employee killed Wednesday in an industrial accident at the Georgia-Pacific mill in Big Island was identified as Robert C. Dameron, 44, of Natural Bridge.

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Week of 28 Nov 2016: Innovation--when you are stuck
Week of 28 Nov 2016: Innovation--when you are stuck

This week, we talk about some tricks you can use to unplug an innovation log jam...

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Looking back on your career, do you think there is more innovation now?
Looking back on your career, do you think there is more innovation now?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Sun Paper Permit Application Progressing
Sun Paper Permit Application Progressing

Becky Keogh, director of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, said she and her staff had recent meetings with officials at Sun Paper Industry of China on pre-engineering and environmental permitting for the $1.3 billion mega-project in Clark County.

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Worker cheats death after plunging into pulper
Worker cheats death after plunging into pulper

Valmet Ltd, who supplied the machine and carried out maintenance work, has now been fined £120,000

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Recyclable paper bike helmet just won a prestigious design award
Recyclable paper bike helmet just won a prestigious design award

On November 17, inventor Isis Shiffer won the 2016 International James Dyson Award, a prestigious design accolade given to university students, for the helmet design. Shiffer imagines the helmets could be sold in vending machines near bike share stations for $5 each.

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Stora Enso and Volvo Cars to inaugurate renewable energy pipeline
Stora Enso and Volvo Cars to inaugurate renewable energy pipeline

Stora Enso and Volvo Cars officially opened a new hot water pipeline between their manufacturing sites in Ghent, Belgium, on 18 November 2016.

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Landmark court ruling expected to serve as deterrent
Landmark court ruling expected to serve as deterrent

A landmark Supreme Court ruling ordering a plantation company to pay a high line for illegal forest clearing is expected to serve as a deterrent for companies that seek to engage in deforestation.

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Week of 21 Nov 2016: Innovations--winners and losers
Week of 21 Nov 2016: Innovations--winners and losers

I thought I would spend some time this week talking about some of the innovations I have witnessed over the years...

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Technical difficulties
Technical difficulties

With our quiz this past week...

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When the unexpected becomes the expected!
When the unexpected becomes the expected!

So the Polls got it wrong again - the American people have spoken decisively, if unexpectedly, just as the people in the United Kingdom did at the Brexit vote. Mr. Trump has pledged to make the USA great again. Will he also make the US paper industry great again?

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Finch Paper considering $5 million waste reuse project
Finch Paper considering $5 million waste reuse project

Finch Paper in December will conduct tests and market analysis of two new potential reuses of waste from the pulp-making process at the company's Glens Falls mill.

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RAPP eyes for bigger market with 30% production hike in 2017
RAPP eyes for bigger market with 30% production hike in 2017

Indonesia's second-largest pulp and paper firm PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) has completed its third paper mill and set its operational debut for next year to increase production and expand its exports to the international market.

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Stora Enso nearing orders from new China food packaging mill
Stora Enso nearing orders from new China food packaging mill

Finnish pulp, paper and board maker Stora Enso expects to sign its first orders for food packaging boards from a new mill in China shortly and is not concerned by slowing Chinese growth, its chief executive said.

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Fortress Paper announces $19.7 million investment in Birch Project at its dissolving pulp mill
Fortress Paper announces $19.7 million investment in Birch Project at its dissolving pulp mill

Fortress Paper Ltd. has announced a major investment to advance its strategic project of utilizing birch to manufacture dissolving pulp at the Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill located in Thurso, Québec.

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Firefighters control blaze at North Las Vegas Clearwater Paper facility
Firefighters control blaze at North Las Vegas Clearwater Paper facility

Firefighters on Monday gained control of a fire at a Clearwater paper facility in North Las Vegas that shut down traffic on a surface street for several hours.

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OMNOVA Solutions Inc. announces CEO succession
OMNOVA Solutions Inc. announces CEO succession

OMNOVA Solutions Inc. is moving forward with its CEO succession process, and Kevin M. McMullen is stepping down as Chairman, CEO and President, and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective December 1, 2016, to pursue other interests.

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Twin Rivers to acquire paper division of Burrows Paper Corp.
Twin Rivers to acquire paper division of Burrows Paper Corp.

Burrows Paper Corp. of Little Falls, New York, announced Friday that it was selling its packaging division to Novolex of Charlotte, North Carolina, and its paper division to Twin Rivers, in a deal that is expected to close later this year.

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Week of 14 Nov 2016: I can teach you innovation
Week of 14 Nov 2016: I can teach you innovation

I concluded several years ago, that while people like me may be naturally wired to be innovative, creativity can be taught. It boils down to several steps or realizations. I don't think I have shared these in such a wide audience before. So, here goes...

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How to add innovation to our industry
How to add innovation to our industry

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Duluth, Minn. caps electric franchise fee, saving Verso $390,000
Duluth, Minn. caps electric franchise fee, saving Verso $390,000

Heeding concerns that a proposed franchise fee could jeopardize the future of Verso Corp.'s paper mill in West Duluth and the 260 jobs it provides, city councilors unanimously voted Monday night to roll back the fee the company could have seen tacked onto its mammoth electric bill.

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Asia Pulp & Paper Requests $50 Million Limit on Coated Paper Imports
Asia Pulp & Paper Requests $50 Million Limit on Coated Paper Imports

Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP), the global pulp, paper, packaging and tissue manufacturing company has committed to importing certain coated papers manufactured in Indonesia and no more than $50 million dollars worth annually - only 2.5% of the current $2 billion dollar coated paper U.S. manufacturing market.

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Smurfit Kappa UK buys Saxon Packaging
Smurfit Kappa UK buys Saxon Packaging

Paper-based packaging manufacturer Smurfit Kappa UK has announced the acquisition of UK company Saxon Packaging.

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Week of 7 Nov 2016: How to add innovation to our industry
Week of 7 Nov 2016: How to add innovation to our industry

The secret to innovation is to carve out the risk of innovation and allocate it to investors who have the attitude to handle it...

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The final act
The final act

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Evoqua Acquires Environmental Treatment Systems
Evoqua Acquires Environmental Treatment Systems

Evoqua Water Technologies today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Environmental Treatment Systems, Inc., a leading provider of engineered solutions to the industrial wastewater market based in Acworth, GA. Terms were not disclosed.

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Verso paper mill in Jay, Maine  to lay off 190 workers
Verso paper mill in Jay, Maine to lay off 190 workers

The company said Tuesday that the Androscoggin Mill will temporarily idle the No. 3 paper machine, "reducing annual coated paper production capacity by approximately 200,000 tons."

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Firefighters called out for small fire at Finch paper mill
Firefighters called out for small fire at Finch paper mill

A small fire at Finch Paper Co. damaged a conveyor belt on Saturday night.

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Week of 31 Oct 2016: Quality--the final act
Week of 31 Oct 2016: Quality--the final act

Time and again, I have seen people conduct themselves in an exemplary manner throughout their careers, only to find themselves departing their places of employment in an untimely fashion. Once I went to work in a paper mill where this had happened en masse just before I arrived. The place was a mess. Whole departments had been eliminated and it looked as if the people had just left for a fire drill...

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Do you think you treat business acquaintances the same, no matter whether they are customers or suppliers?
Do you think you treat business acquaintances the same, no matter whether they are customers or suppliers?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Can Improved Quality be Achieved at a Reasonable Cost?
Can Improved Quality be Achieved at a Reasonable Cost?

We must recognize that there are costs associated with achieving good quality, as well as operating with poor quality...

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Sofidel launches Away-from-Home Paper Brand, Papernet, to the U.S.
Sofidel launches Away-from-Home Paper Brand, Papernet, to the U.S.

Sofidel has launched its away-from-home paper brand, Papernet, to the U.S. market.

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Catalyst puts fallback in place as sale deal uncertain
Catalyst puts fallback in place as sale deal uncertain

Catalyst Paper says it is now considering its options if the deal to sell the company to the Indian-based Kejriwal Group International falls through.

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Kruger makes investment at Crabtree facility
Kruger makes investment at Crabtree facility

Kruger Products L.P. announced it is investing $55 million to add a paper machine at its Crabtree facility, in the Lanaudière region. The project will increase the facility's overall production by approximately 20,000 metric tonnes annually and will help to consolidate approximately 600 jobs.

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Paper sludge that polluted sea cleans up soil in Fukushima
Paper sludge that polluted sea cleans up soil in Fukushima

Charcoal from paper mill sludge that once polluted the ocean here southwest of Tokyo could be used to restore contaminated land near the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

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Maine paper mills to get bulk of $3M in aid from carbon auction cash
Maine paper mills to get bulk of $3M in aid from carbon auction cash

Maine paper makers will get more than half of a new $3 million fund to give special energy cost rebates to large Maine manufacturers connected to the New England power grid.

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Week of 24 Oct 2016: Other Quality, Part 2
Week of 24 Oct 2016: Other Quality, Part 2

In the vein of what we discussed last week, let's continue. An area where I think many fall down, especially if they are not used to being in this particular venue, is customer relations. When in doubt, defer to your customer...

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Being on time
Being on time

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Miami University Paper Science and Engineering Foundation announce scholarship winners
Miami University Paper Science and Engineering Foundation announce scholarship winners

Eight awarded prestigious Williams Leadership Scholarships.

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Duluth, Minn. to modify electric fee to help paper mill
Duluth, Minn. to modify electric fee to help paper mill

Duluth Mayor Emily Larson announced Tuesday that her administration will ask the City Council next week to amend its ordinance which raises the city's electric utility franchise fee from 1 percent to 3 percent starting next year, bending to the complaints from the Verso paper mill that said the higher fee could force its closure.

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Lawsuit against Catalyst Paper dropped
Lawsuit against Catalyst Paper dropped

Catalyst Paper Corporation announced that Sunvault Energy Inc. and Aboriginal Power Corp. have discontinued the lawsuit previously commenced against Catalyst.

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Week of 17 Oct 2016: Other Quality, part 1
Week of 17 Oct 2016: Other Quality, part 1

Quality comes in many shapes and forms. I want to talk about some of them this week...

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On Inside Quality
On Inside Quality

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Rayonier Advanced Materials Resumes Operations
Rayonier Advanced Materials Resumes Operations

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. has provided an update about operations following Hurricane Matthew, which affected the entire US Southeastern coast, passing near the Company's Fernandina Beach, Fla. facility.

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Verso paper mill workers in Minnesota ask West Duluth council to reconsider electric franchise fee
Verso paper mill workers in Minnesota ask West Duluth council to reconsider electric franchise fee

Employees of the Verso Paper Co. in West Duluth again implored city council members Monday night to reconsider their decision last month to triple a local electric franchise fee it charges.

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Fire at Expera mill in Wisconsin
Fire at Expera mill in Wisconsin

A spokesperson for Expera Specialty Solutions said employees were evaluated for smoke inhalation following a fire Wednesday morning.

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Mondi to buy Russian packaging firm
Mondi to buy Russian packaging firm

South Africa's Mondi has signed an agreement to acquire Beepack from a private investor for 41 million euros ($46 million) as part of plans to expand its packaging business, the paper group said on Monday.

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Worker killed in incident at WestRock facility in Covington, Virginia
Worker killed in incident at WestRock facility in Covington, Virginia

An employee was fatally injured while working at a WestRock Co. facility in Covington early Thursday.

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Week of 10 Oct 2016: Inside Quality
Week of 10 Oct 2016: Inside Quality

Quality must not be an attribute that employees think can be turned on or off, dependent on time, place and resources. Apply the same quality everywhere all the time. Your business will thank you for it.

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Fibria, Praxair sign long-term oxygen supply agreement
Fibria, Praxair sign long-term oxygen supply agreement

Praxair, Inc., through its Brazilian subsidiary White Martins, has signed a long-term agreement expanding its supply of oxygen to Fibria Celulose S/A in Três Lagoas, Brazil.

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Tranlin faces battle with permits, pollution credits
Tranlin faces battle with permits, pollution credits

Last week, Tranlin Inc. announced that it was moving forward with its $2 billion paper mill in eastern Chesterfield. But one of the permits that Tranlin, a subsidiary of China-based Shandong Tranlin Paper Co., will need to secure involves a complicated and somewhat untested system of trading pollution credits for nutrient contamination allowed into the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding waters.

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Appvion's Roaring Spring Mill to Celebrate its 150th Anniversary
Appvion's Roaring Spring Mill to Celebrate its 150th Anniversary

Appvion's Roaring Spring pulp and paper mill will conduct a celebration event at the mill on Friday, October 7 beginning at 10 a.m. to observe the 150th anniversary of the founding of the mill.

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Weyerhaeuser to sell printing papers business to One Rock Capital Partners
Weyerhaeuser to sell printing papers business to One Rock Capital Partners

Weyerhaeuser Company on Wednesday announced an agreement to sell North Pacific Paper Company ("NORPAC"), the company's printing papers business, to One Rock Capital Partners, LLC.

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R.R. Donnelley spins off two companies
R.R. Donnelley spins off two companies

R.R. Donnelley & Sons completed the spin-offs of its publishing and retail-centric print services and office products business, LSC Communications, and its financial communications and data service business, Donnelley Financial Solutions.

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U.S. trade envoy to meet Canadian lumber execs before softwood deadline
U.S. trade envoy to meet Canadian lumber execs before softwood deadline

Canadian softwood lumber executives will meet this week with America's trade ambassador as they brace for the prospect of U.S. tariffs that they say could result in mill closures and layoffs.

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UPM Paper Asia to be renamed UPM Specialty Papers
UPM Paper Asia to be renamed UPM Specialty Papers

UPM Paper Asia business area will be renamed UPM Specialty Papers as of 1 October 2016. The new name highlights the business area's strategic focus on specialty papers and global operations.

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Södra inaugurates new pulp mill in Sweden
Södra inaugurates new pulp mill in Sweden

Södra's new pulp mill in Värö was officially inaugurated on Friday 30 September.

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N.C. State conference a big
N.C. State conference a big "family reunion"

More than 300 attend annual meeting and LGMI conference is coming to Raleigh in mid-October

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Week of 3 Oct 2016: How much quality?
Week of 3 Oct 2016: How much quality?

Once in my career, a boss told me we were building too much quality into our products. He said we should provide only the quality the customer expects. That might be true if "extra" quality costs extra expense which you cannot recover. There is another way to look at this...

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There are only two requirements for a successful career
There are only two requirements for a successful career

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Neenah Paper to close facility
Neenah Paper to close facility

Neenah Paper Inc. is closing its facility in Muhlenberg Township, Pennsylvania.

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Stora Enso launching new paperboard
Stora Enso launching new paperboard

Stora Enso is launching a new paperboard, CKB Nude™ by Stora Enso, at FachPack in Nuremberg from the 27th to 29th of September 2016.

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The Importance of Technical Writing Skills
The Importance of Technical Writing Skills

Instead of dreading the task of report writing, consider the longer term career benefits potentially available. Sharpening this skill can boost your visibility to peers and assist in career advancement.

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Week of 26 Sep 2016: There are only two requirements for a successful career*
Week of 26 Sep 2016: There are only two requirements for a successful career*

*All else being equal and if you always behave in a legal, moral and ethical manner and you understand that the invoice printer is the most important machine in any enterprise. These are a given and you should already know them by now, if you have been following me for any length of time. After forty-six and one half years of observing modern business life, I think it does indeed boil down to two things, at least in large corporations...

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Do you think your CEO exhibits psychopathic traits?
Do you think your CEO exhibits psychopathic traits?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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The Investment Conundrum
The Investment Conundrum

There are only two options for direct investment in paper manufacture in Australasia. If an investor flipped a coin and chose one option the reward for the one would be very different from the other.

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Paper makers retire equipment to shed excess capacity
Paper makers retire equipment to shed excess capacity

Japan's paper manufacturers have started to rationalize their production facilities in earnest to rid themselves of unneeded capacity.

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AF&PA appoints new communications director
AF&PA appoints new communications director

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has selected Barbara Riley as communications director.

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Week of 19 Sep 2016: Make them sign for it
Week of 19 Sep 2016: Make them sign for it

A recent study, done by Australian Bond University and the University of San Diego, of US CEOs in the supply chain industry found that 21 percent had "clinically significant levels of psychopathic traits" (psychopath: a person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior). Based on my 46 years in industry, I think they have nailed it, perhaps even gotten the number a bit low. So, this column is for the other 79% of you...

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Coldwater acquires EZ eco smart cleaner Technology for Wires and Press Felts-- 90% Less Water and Eliminates Need for Mist Removal
Coldwater acquires EZ eco smart cleaner Technology for Wires and Press Felts-- 90% Less Water and Eliminates Need for Mist Removal

David Withers, President, announced that Coldwater has acquired the EZ eco smart cleaner technology for wires and press felts.

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Are you management material?
Are you management material?

Our readers weigh in on the subject...

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Madison Paper Industries seeks a buyer for the mill in Madison and the hydro facility in Anson
Madison Paper Industries seeks a buyer for the mill in Madison and the hydro facility in Anson

In the wake of the closure of Madison Paper Industries, the company is asking town officials in both Anson and Madison for a reduction in the amount of property taxes that are due this year.

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Lincoln, Maine mill executives took millions rather than restart mill, creditors claim
Lincoln, Maine mill executives took millions rather than restart mill, creditors claim

Unsecured creditors are suing executives at the former Lincoln Paper and Tissue Co. LLC, alleging that the company officials fraudulently pocketed millions of dollars rather than repair a damaged boiler that was key to the mill's profitability.

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Brazilian Judge Permits JBS Executives to Return to Work
Brazilian Judge Permits JBS Executives to Return to Work

Dubbed Operation Greenfield, the probe is aimed at uncovering alleged malfeasance at four state pension funds that allegedly overpaid for stakes in Brazilian-owned companies, including pulp maker Eldorado Brasil Celulose.

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Indonesian pulp firm halts work in Riau over building of 'illegal canals'
Indonesian pulp firm halts work in Riau over building of 'illegal canals'

A major Indonesian pulp and paper firm, Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (Rapp), has temporarily ceased operations in part of a concession in Riau province, as forestry authorities begin to review whether it built canals on peatland in the area illegally.

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Week of 12 Sep 2016: Are you management material?
Week of 12 Sep 2016: Are you management material?

Some, not all, young people in the industry often want to know what it takes to get into management. The answer is simple to state, a bit more difficult to execute. It is this: perform beyond expectations and become known for it. However, before we go further into this (likely next week), let's discuss some matters that you can use to test yourself to determine if you have the disposition to be a manager...

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Week of 5 Sep 2016: Hard or soft?
Week of 5 Sep 2016: Hard or soft?

Every facility in our industry has two types of assets--hard and soft. By hard I mean buildings, machinery, process control systems and so forth. By soft I mean people. When a facility produces products for a vibrant market (defined as steady or growing, not declining), which are more important to its success--the hard assets or the soft assets?

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Week of 29 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, fifth week
Week of 29 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, fifth week

As Corruption Month 2016 comes to a close, Pulp Rats Vel and Hae relate their experiences to Great Grandmother and the rest of the council...

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Avoiding Corruption in the Workplace
Avoiding Corruption in the Workplace

If one accepts a traditional definition of corruption as "abusing power or taking actions illegally for personal gain," it could be argued that the paper industry is no different from any other business in this regard. However, in spite of many shared organizational features, each business environment has its own unique circumstances, which may make it more appealing for personnel to consider a corrupt practice.

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Louisiana Flood and Paperitalo Friends
Louisiana Flood and Paperitalo Friends

Louisiana is home to a significant portion of the North American pulp and paper industry, both mills and suppliers. When I think back to the business I have done over the decades in Louisiana, the volume is staggering (I received my first project in Louisiana in 1979 in Bogalusa). Right now several of our clients call Louisiana home as well as do many of our friends.

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Week of 22 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, fourth week
Week of 22 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, fourth week

"I did not relate this story to the council, but I wanted to share it with you readers of Mr. Jim's column. It happened in a place where I lived and it is a bit complicated, for I do not understand all the things the Big Things do. Apparently, from the best I can gather, the Big Things make paper products for something called money. They hand other Big Things products they make and these Big Things give them this money in return. Why, I don't understand, but that is the way things seem to work..." Fos the Pulp Rat continues his tale.

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Week of 15 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, third week
Week of 15 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, third week

How many times have you seen a less than honest performer running out the back door as the investigators are coming in the front door? It happens quite often. Fos the Pulp Rat continues his tale...

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Week of 8 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, second week
Week of 8 Aug 2016: Corruption Month 2016, second week

When the rats know we have to follow the rules, there is no excuse for us humans, is there?

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Week of 1 Aug 2016: It's corruption month!
Week of 1 Aug 2016: It's corruption month!

If you are a new reader, a bit of explanation is in order. In the trade journal business, at least in the northern hemisphere, August is the lightest readership month of the year. So, last year we tried something different to perk up August. We labeled it "Corruption Month" and let Fos, a pulp rat, write the stories. This was a huge hit. So, Fos is back again with more tales from the dark side of the pulp and paper industry and beyond...

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The Brexit Paradigm
The Brexit Paradigm

Much has been written about the probable impacts of Brexit, but for the paper industry the impacts are ostensibly minimal. However, the resulting uncertainty has affected global business confidence with implications for a slowdown in global paper demand.

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Week of 25 July 2016: Impact
Week of 25 July 2016: Impact

What is the impact of your mill on the world as a whole? The truth is we don't know--no one knows because there are simply bits of science yet to be discovered. It is likely, however, that the impact is not as great as environmental NGOs say it is and not as little as your CEO may concede...

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Week of 18 July 2016: Just one more
Week of 18 July 2016: Just one more

Today the number of regulations with which a business or even a homeowner must comply has reached an incalculable quantity. It is as if one were reading the Book of Leviticus and attempting to understand how one properly prepares for the Jewish Sabbath--times ten million. The regulators, bureaucrats and their contractors see it to be their sacred duty to write just one more regulation. This leaves us with an impossible task--how to comply with all the regulations and the new ones constantly being foisted upon us...

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Week of 11 July 2016: The source of regulations
Week of 11 July 2016: The source of regulations

Last week I gave you my definition of regulations: "Regulations are imposed by those who have artificially gained power on those who own assets." I would like to spend this column discussing those who have artificially gained power. There are three groups that come to mind when I think of those who have artificially gained power. They are environmental NGOs, lawyers and governments. Let's take these one at a time...

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Week of 4 July 2016: Saving us from ourselves
Week of 4 July 2016: Saving us from ourselves

This is environment/regulations month here at Paperitalo Publications. Issues surrounding the environment and regulations necessarily, unless you subscribe to conspiracy theories, involve the mitigation of risks. I'll tell a story on myself to set the stage....

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Week of 27 June 2016: What's in a Contract? Part 3
Week of 27 June 2016: What's in a Contract? Part 3

As we wrap up procurement month, I want to talk to you about performance-based contracts. These are very different from most other contracts. They can be complicated to write, but if awarded to a competent bidder, can bring guaranteed results...

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The Evolution of Procurement in the Paper Industry
The Evolution of Procurement in the Paper Industry

Procurement has evolved through a system of integrating people systems, structures and practices into one process based on the insights of all the linked departments. The goal has been to optimize project results, reduce waste, increase value, and maximize efficiency...

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Week of 20 June 2016: What's in a Contract? Part 2
Week of 20 June 2016: What's in a Contract? Part 2

We talked last week about what is not in a contract and the premise that in the eyes of the law in most places, if money has exchanged hands you have a contract. This week I wanted to take a higher level look at what one might want to include in a contract. And, we'll further simplify it by focusing on a contract that is of the "time and material" variety...

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Week of 13 June 2016: What's in a contract? Part 1
Week of 13 June 2016: What's in a contract? Part 1

It is true that if you want something in a contract, you must put it in the contract. It is also true that there are things not in a contract that are implied. A basic principle in the laws in the United States at least is this: if you accept money to do a task, there is a contract. It may be a verbal contract, but it is indeed a contract. Unfortunately, such contracts, if they involve a substantial claim by one party against another, will be sorted out the expensive way--in court. Here's an example...

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Week of 6 June 2016: Procurement Follies
Week of 6 June 2016: Procurement Follies

It is procurement month at Paperitalo Publications. The mill-related troublesome issues that can be attributed to the purchasing department are myriad and legion. This is not to say that there are not great purchasing agents, but this is a focal point of interaction with outsiders. It can lead to grand levels of loss through misunderstanding, incompetence and fraud. I want to discuss two issues today, two issues that are critical even before one arrives at the content of purchasing documents...

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Week of 30 May 2016: A flight of fantasy--wild and crazy energy ideas
Week of 30 May 2016: A flight of fantasy--wild and crazy energy ideas

As we wrap up energy month, let's look at some completely kooky ideas for saving energy. The naysayers will have their negative comments, but keep in mind what looks kooky now may be the greatest thing in just a few years. After all, if a mere two hundred years ago had you tried to speculate on humankind's harnessing and use of electricity coming in just a couple of centuries, you would have been labeled a complete nut-job. So, here we go...

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Week of 23 May 2016: The easiest energy savings
Week of 23 May 2016: The easiest energy savings

The easiest energy savings follow the same philosophy as the easiest safety improvements. If it does not exist, it cannot hurt you or consume energy. Your first reaction will be this: we don't operate anything we don't need in order to run our facility. Really? I'll bet I could find all sorts of things to turn off or modify in your facility...

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The trend is definitely not your friend
The trend is definitely not your friend

The specifics may differ but the trend is consistent and inevitable. It seems that for print media it is no longer a matter of if, but rather when...

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Current Energy Trends Have Heavy Impact on the Paper Industry
Current Energy Trends Have Heavy Impact on the Paper Industry

Since both the demand and cost of energy are projected to increase, the importance of energy conservation measures will become even more important in the future.

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Week of 16 May 2016: Energy ROI Calculations are suspect
Week of 16 May 2016: Energy ROI Calculations are suspect

Energy projects have to be looked at from many angles, particularly if they are a significant investment as compared to the depreciated value of the assets they serve. Don't develop a cost overhang situation that will sink the mill if you guessed wrong (and you can count on guessing wrong). This is why you have to develop several scenarios...

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Week of 9 May 2016: Energy Leakage
Week of 9 May 2016: Energy Leakage

If a mill is thinking about adding to their energy generation sources, that is by adding another boiler to their fleet--it is time to pause and take a deep breath. It is one thing if you are changing fuels, quite another if you are just adding to your total steam generation capacity...

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Week of 2 May 2016: Energy is always political
Week of 2 May 2016: Energy is always political

As we start Energy Trends month here at Paperitalo Publications, I want to make sure those of you with a few less years of experience than I have understand that energy is probably the most concomitant political and scientific subject you will ever face...

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Week of 25 April 2016: The safest mill
Week of 25 April 2016: The safest mill

If adding things makes a site more hazardous, taking them away should reduce the hazards. The problem is, that over time, we get used to the hazards around us and pay no attention to them until we encounter them in an accident-causing situation...

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Week of 18 April 2016: When safety is used by top management to set an example
Week of 18 April 2016: When safety is used by top management to set an example

Last week's column was titled, "Does Senior Management cause Safety Issues?" This week, I want to report on two incidents of which I have direct knowledge where safety missteps by plant managers got them fired...

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Week of 11 April 2016: Does Senior Management cause Safety Issues?
Week of 11 April 2016: Does Senior Management cause Safety Issues?

There are times when the demands of management, which I'll admit include demands to conduct all work in a safe manner, sometimes force us to forget safety and push on to achieve the business operational objectives. Further, there is often a fine line when one is ascertaining how to proceed. Nearly everything we do has a dangerous component to it...

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Week of 4 April 2016: Kicking off Safety Month
Week of 4 April 2016: Kicking off Safety Month

It is Safety Month at Paperitalo Publications. Let's start off by understanding two things: (1) serious, sometimes fatal accidents occur in our mills today, this is not something that happens in the past or somewhere else and (2) what we tell our fellow employees, through words, deeds and actions is extremely important to conducting operations in a safe manner.

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Week of 28 March 2016: The greatest of these is love
Week of 28 March 2016: The greatest of these is love

No matter the department, people who love their jobs and care for the assets are the best inside-the-fence chance your mill has at succeeding.
This goes double for maintenance.

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Encouraging Innovation in the Workplace
Encouraging Innovation in the Workplace

Every type of organization should encourage employees to be innovative. To accomplish this, the business must be willing to take risks. Innovation is an on-going process; thus the risks associated with it are also continuous in nature.

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TPP: Partnership or Protectionism
TPP: Partnership or Protectionism

For the forest, pulp and paper industry, net benefits from the TPP are difficult to identify.

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Week of 21 March 2016: More on Boneyards and more
Week of 21 March 2016: More on Boneyards and more

We humans have a propensity for collecting things; it is in our nature. There is an entire industry that has developed in the last three or four decades to cater to this mental disorder--the self-storage industry. You drive by self-storage units all the time--how many of them do you think hold contents whose value equals just one year's rental on the unit? Just because we are in the corporate world does not mean we do not make poor decisions about keeping junk.

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Week of 14 March 2016: From whence comes Maintenance Personnel?
Week of 14 March 2016: From whence comes Maintenance Personnel?

In decades past, in the United States, engineering students came off the farm. It was often a first step up for farm family children to go to engineering school. I was a classic example. I left the farm and became a mechanical engineer. Today, entry level personnel, even if they are trained engineers, often do not have the practical background we used to have...

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Week of 7 March 2016: How to know if a mill is well maintained
Week of 7 March 2016: How to know if a mill is well maintained

You will never know if a mill is well maintained if you follow the mill's "tour route"--you know, the route they keep clean and in great shape for executives, board members and customers. Didn't know that mills have "tour routes"? Have I got some hot property in Florida for you! In a mill that is in really bad shape, you won't have to go to the places I am going to tell you about, for they, that is those in charge, will never let you get there. Thus, the first clue you are in a poorly maintained mill is if you run into resistance to a full blown tour...

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Week of 29 February 2016: Communications
Week of 29 February 2016: Communications

Over my career, the best operating mills and companies I have seen have had very open communications. In these systems, there is a culture encouraging communications between departments and between mills. Conversely, the worst I have seen have been those with a fortress mentality, both internally to a site, between departments and externally to the site, between mills. The worst I have ever seen was in a company making grades in declining markets. The mills saw each other as every bit as big a competitor as the mills actually belonging to competitors...

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Week of 22 February 2016: Transportation on your site
Week of 22 February 2016: Transportation on your site

In some cases, I have seen mills go to great lengths to negotiate strong contracts for their long-haul freight, only to ignore what was happening on their own property, perhaps because of the location of their mills. You can't do much about the location of your mill, if you happen to have arrived after the grand opening. But you might be able to do something about the shuffling of trucks, containers and rail cars about your site...

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Week of 15 February 2016: I've been workin' on the railroad!
Week of 15 February 2016: I've been workin' on the railroad!

Railroads could advance a lot further in serving their customers--in our case, pulp and paper mills and their customers...

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Week of 8 February 2016: The Red Ball Express
Week of 8 February 2016: The Red Ball Express

When the Allies invaded France in June of 1944, they knew they would have to conquer transportation problems if they were to be successful in reaching their objective. Starting on 24 August 1944 and running until 16 November 1944, the Red Ball Express operated 5,958 vehicles and moved 12,500 tons of freight each and every day from the coast of France to the front lines.

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Week of 1 February 2016: Transportation--taking your clues from trucks
Week of 1 February 2016: Transportation--taking your clues from trucks

Where will we see automation next? Driverless trucks. They are less than five years away, folks. You can take it to the bank. The question is, will you be ready for them in your mill?

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Week of 25 January 2016: When Capital Projects Fail
Week of 25 January 2016: When Capital Projects Fail

Failure takes many forms--the budget was too low, the schedule was wrong, training was poor, markets were not as predicted and on and on and on. However, I have never seen a project fail badly if it had a good design basis...

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Australasian Pulp & Paper in 2015: More pain but perhaps some gain
Australasian Pulp & Paper in 2015: More pain but perhaps some gain

As we do annually, this column reviews how the pulp and paper industry in Australia and New Zealand has fared for the Australasian business fiscal year to 30 June.

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Week of 18 January 2016: Assets--the intended results of Capital Projects
Week of 18 January 2016: Assets--the intended results of Capital Projects

I once worked for a company that was proud of its capital projects and how the completion of such projects added to the assets of the company. The next company I worked for was proud of its return on investment (ROI) and had a philosophy of investing as little as possible in capital projects, for such investments drove down the ROI. This seems like a conundrum, but there are always other details that need to be explained to understand such matters...

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Control of Wet End Chemistry -- The
Control of Wet End Chemistry -- The "Holy Grail" of Papermaking

The desire to operate with well-defined and controlled paper machine wet-end chemistry is not new, but the topic seemed to attract increased attention beginning with the large scale conversion to alkaline papers. The conversion brought changes in fiber furnishes, fillers, retention aids, drainage aids, dyes and manufacturing methods, which resulted in the need for a better understanding of the entire wet-end operation.

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Week of 11 January 2016: Capital Projects are serious business--not fiction
Week of 11 January 2016: Capital Projects are serious business--not fiction

Capital projects consist of three elements--money, time, and space. Getting two out of three right is not too hard. Getting all three correct is like bowling a perfect game.

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Week of 4 January 2016: Welcome to January--especially those of you with new capital projects
Week of 4 January 2016: Welcome to January--especially those of you with new capital projects

A new year, and it is capital projects month on the Paperitalo Editorial Calendar. In my nearly forty-six years in this industry, I have seen capital projects from all sides. I have seen so many projects, from the truly frightful to shining examples, that I could write a book. In fact, I did. ... I want to start this month's columns with a slightly different slant. I want to begin by talking about the relationship between suppliers and owners.

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Week of 28 December 2015: Energy and Culture in your Mill
Week of 28 December 2015: Energy and Culture in your Mill

As we wrap up power and energy month here at Paperitalo Publications, remember this: unless energy prices change rapidly and drastically (either up or down), the actual practices of energy consumption in your mill are likely driven by your mill's culture more than any other parameter. Of course, this is true of nearly everything that happens in your mill, but it bears noting in particular as we look at energy consumption.

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Week of 21 December 2015: Understanding the scale of energy generation
Week of 21 December 2015: Understanding the scale of energy generation

Here in the pulp and paper industry, we have a difficult problem explaining our energy needs to the public. The scale of our facilities, the energy needs, just do not compute for the individual who is not regularly exposed to the scale of the business. This works to our detriment when the population puts pressure on the politicians. What to do about this?

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Week of 14 December 2015: Your 2016 Energy Budget
Week of 14 December 2015: Your 2016 Energy Budget

If you want to wring unpredictability out of your energy budget, you will push conservation no matter the price of your energy sources. Energy that you don't have to purchase (at any price) reflects energy costs that cannot destabilize your energy budget. It is as simple as that.

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Week of 7 December 2015: A modest start
Week of 7 December 2015: A modest start

Where can we use the force of gravity to eliminate energy costs?

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Week of 23 November 2015: Innovation can be bought
Week of 23 November 2015: Innovation can be bought

In fact, most of the time, that is exactly what large companies do. Earlier in this series I talked about the inertia of large companies and the inability for them to innovate. So, they do the next best thing--they buy it...

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What's in a name?
What's in a name?

Company names are zealously protected and for many companies the name has substantial value because the company name defines the brand or the product through which the company has become successful. It also defines the value of a company beyond its tangible assets; more than the loyalty of customers to the brand (the goodwill) and includes all that contributes to the success of the brand (such as creative personnel, patents, unique processes and products)...

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Week of 16 November 2015: Innovation is not fiction
Week of 16 November 2015: Innovation is not fiction

The problem is, good innovation often looks like fiction on the surface. So, challenge innovation--challenge what will make it work. If it is in contracts, challenge the legality. If it is in products, challenge the science. And if it is in services, challenge the psychology that will cause people to behave in the manner that will result in the outcome predicted...

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Paper Machine Production Increases Expose New Bottlenecks
Paper Machine Production Increases Expose New Bottlenecks

If you are in a market situation requiring more production of the current paper grades, it may be tempting to believe that simply speeding up the paper machine will be sufficient to accomplish the goal. After all, aren't all paper machines "over designed," meaning that they have a given amount of excess capacity built in them? This may be the case in some instances, but it does not mean that the machine will operate with the same efficiency in all speed ranges. Failure to understand this will lead to adverse surprises in the form of production upsets later.

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Week of 9 November 2015: Innovation vs. politics
Week of 9 November 2015: Innovation vs. politics

In our own industry, we are known for inertia. We are not known for innovation, in fact, innovation is almost discouraged. We are known for politics. If I took off my socks right now, I don't have enough digits on my hands and feet to count all the bad managers I know in positions of power in our industry. Politics wins...

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Week of 2 November 2015: Elusive Innovation
Week of 2 November 2015: Elusive Innovation

Innovation has its problems, both from the practitioner and the manager perspectives...

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Week of 26 October 2015: Quality, like safety, is a 24/7 job
Week of 26 October 2015: Quality, like safety, is a 24/7 job

You probably have heard it said many times, "Quality is an attitude." This is correct. Quality, safety and housekeeping all go together...

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Week of 19 October 2015: The Quality of...your LinkedIn photograph
Week of 19 October 2015: The Quality of...your LinkedIn photograph

Don't let your photo screen you out of a great opportunity...

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Week of 12 October 2015: The most important quality--dimensional
Week of 12 October 2015: The most important quality--dimensional

If you look around, you'll find dimensions are everything. Don't casually dismiss them when you think about quality...

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What Defines a
What Defines a "Quality" Organization?

Does your company have a high quality reputation? Virtually all companies have the goal of achieving that status. But why do some succeed while others are prone to making manufacturing mistakes, resulting in costly recalls and product rejects? Let's explore several of the facets of quality, and attempt to understand some of the methods which have been used to assure consistent product and operating control.

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Week of 5 October 2015: Quality Trouble
Week of 5 October 2015: Quality Trouble

Over the years, I have seen many attempts to obtain an advantage in markets by selling product based on quality. I have also seen many shenanigans as people try to short cut quality...

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Week of 28 September 2015: The most difficult management task is the most rewarding
Week of 28 September 2015: The most difficult management task is the most rewarding

I am often told by managers, "I can't get (fill in the blank) to do what I want done." Sometimes this statement highlights a training deficit. Sometimes it highlights a personality deficit. Sometimes it is a motivational issue. However, most often it is something else--these managers have not bothered to put themselves in the subordinates' shoes and look at the world from their point of view...

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Is it really the end of the paper world as we know it?
Is it really the end of the paper world as we know it?

Recently, I attended the 2015 Australasian Paper Markets Outlook Forum where one of the keynote speakers was Martin Glass from EMGE & Co. His is one the foremost global consulting companies in the field of graphic and communication papers. His message was powerful. If we think the rate of change over the last decade has been rapid, hold onto your hats for the next decade...

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Week of 21 September 2015: Managing the unmanageable
Week of 21 September 2015: Managing the unmanageable

Your subordinates came to you by one of three routes. You were promoted to be their boss, they transferred into your area of responsibility or they were hired in from the outside. How you treat them depends somewhat on how you acquired them...

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Week of 14 September 2015: It's management's fault
Week of 14 September 2015: It's management's fault

It is always management's fault, for by the very definition management is in charge. So whether your facility succeeds or fails, makes the best profit in its history, or is handing out notices that it is closing, it is management's fault...

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Paper Mill Meetings: Is the Time Consumed Justified?
Paper Mill Meetings: Is the Time Consumed Justified?

During my work career I can think of few activities that were dreaded more than the morning meetings...

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Week of 7 September 2015: Management is often the solution
Week of 7 September 2015: Management is often the solution

Unfortunately, management failures happen at all levels. Further, we often think we can solve them by buying something. Sometimes, as an alternative to spending money, we think we need to fire someone, or perhaps promote someone. Often the first thing we should do is simplify what we are doing and see if that is a solution...

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Week of 31 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, fifth week
Week of 31 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, fifth week

We would like your feedback on our first attempt at Corruption Month. We already have plenty of stories for next year. However, if you have any stories or any feedback, just email me at jthompson@taii.com. I'll be sure to keep them confidential.

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Week of 24 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, fourth week
Week of 24 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, fourth week

Any resemblances here to real people, places, institutions or events are purely coincidental. This is a work of fiction. Warning: this episode is quite graphic, especially toward the end. I tried to figure out how to tone it down, but in keeping with the flow of the story, I could not determine a way to do it. My apologies in advance if you are offended. We pick up where we left off last week, still in Chapter 5...

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Week of 17 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, third week
Week of 17 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, third week

Disclaimer: Any resemblances here to real people, places, institutions or events are purely coincidental. This is a work of fiction. We pick up where we left off last week, still in Chapter 4...

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Week of 10 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, second week
Week of 10 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, second week

Disclaimer: Any resemblances here to real people, places, institutions or events are purely coincidental. This is a work of fiction. Let's pick up where we left off last week, continuing in Chapter 4...

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Week of 3 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, first week
Week of 3 August 2015: Corruption Month 2015, first week

Disclaimer: Any resemblances here to real people, places, institutions or events are purely coincidental. This is a work of fiction. Let's pick up where we left off last week...

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Week of 27 July 2015: Getting started on August--Corruption Month
Week of 27 July 2015: Getting started on August--Corruption Month

We often talk about corruption in mills as a thing of the past. I can assure you it is a matter in the present. We have recent correspondence with readers who have told us very interesting stories of things they say are going on right now as you read this. All of this leaves us in a dilemma, for if we tell the stories we know as straight up reporting, we could be sued, called into court and so forth. How to get around this is a problem. Fortunately, I started a book on this subject a while back...

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Australian Plantations - Profit at any Cost
Australian Plantations - Profit at any Cost

The Roman Statesman Cicero is credited with the expression "as you have sown so shall you reap," and there are biblical variants in the Old and New Testaments. The expression has a powerful literal and figurative relevance to the Australian forestry industry...

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Safety: A Matter of Attitude and Awareness
Safety: A Matter of Attitude and Awareness

Some of the areas affecting safety are traditionally not discussed at length in most paper mill safety training programs. These include behavioral safety, work attitude, and awareness. In spite of the many excellent mill safety programs existing today, accidents still happen. Often, so much time is spent on complex safety matters that the more basic contributors are either completely ignored or fall through the cracks during training sessions.

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Week of 20 July 2015: Dimensions
Week of 20 July 2015: Dimensions

Probably once a month or so, I encounter a client who is having problems. Be it the width of paper rolls, the fit of a pipe, you name it, dimensions are a big problem. Many people seem to think that mere dimensions are beneath them, that having conquered calculus, such arithmetic is child's play. Let me tell you, it is not and dimensional mistakes, particularly on a construction site, are probably the largest cause of backcharges and overages. Face it: we live in a three dimensional world and everything has to fit...

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Week of 13 July 2015: The Board is coming--an introduction
Week of 13 July 2015: The Board is coming--an introduction

So, you have been informed that the board of directors, or other high ranking officials from headquarters, are coming to see your facility. The range of emotions at your site will range from snickers and sighs to people who are actually looking forward to this. May I suggest a neutral viewpoint be adopted? This is an occasion as important as any event in the life of any facility. It is somewhat akin to making paper--it is simply part of your duties, an important part.

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Week of 6 July 2015: Changing Cultures
Week of 6 July 2015: Changing Cultures

Whether it is a mill, a supplier or some other entity where a group of people gather to achieve objectives, culture matters. Getting it right is critical and difficult while getting it wrong is easy and disastrous. Fixing a broken culture is extremely difficult and sometimes nearly impossible. How do you know if you have a broken culture?

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Week of 29 June 2015: You ain't seen nothing yet!
Week of 29 June 2015: You ain't seen nothing yet!

I was taught long ago that one should build quality into a product, not inspect it in after it has been made. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? This is why I have always been troubled by the location of gauging systems on paper machines. Look at where they are: at the end of the machine, after the product is made. In the future, we may still have the old stationary gauges in their traditional locations, but I see something totally different right around the corner, perhaps as soon as in five years. What will it be?

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 Management Ability: A Learned or Inherent Skill?
Management Ability: A Learned or Inherent Skill?

During our careers many of us had the desire to advance into the management ranks, leading us to search for tools which could strengthen our ability to accomplish things through or by others. But having completed, not only graduate study courses in industrial management and participating in other individual programs intended to develop successful managers, I question the effectiveness of many of the techniques.

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Week of 22 June 2015: I don't believe it
Week of 22 June 2015: I don't believe it

Everything goes on in your mill, from the honest and upright to the scandalous and felonious. It all happens, and if you don't think it does, I have a shiny bridge over the East River in New York I would like to sell you...

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Week of 15 June 2015: The Topic of Cancer
Week of 15 June 2015: The Topic of Cancer

No, not the Tropic of Cancer--the topic of Cancer. This column is off topic---but it is on topic. It's entirely possible that some readers of this column will get the news, within the next couple of weeks, that they or someone they know has cancer. If it jolts them out of denial, it was well worthwhile for all of us to spend a week of column time on it.

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Week of 8 June 2015: Contradiction?
Week of 8 June 2015: Contradiction?

I received such a great comment in response to my past two columns that we'll devote this week's column to answering it.

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Week of 1 June 2015: Integrity First
Week of 1 June 2015: Integrity First

If you are looking for a foundation upon which to build your employment principles, integrity is the place to start. How many actions have you seen in your place of work, mill, supplier or elsewhere, where if people had acted with integrity all would be well? How many disciplinary issues have you seen, which, again, if people had acted with integrity, would not have even been necessary?

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Week of 25 May 2015: Are you going to follow the rules or get something done?
Week of 25 May 2015: Are you going to follow the rules or get something done?

There are people who feel constrained to follow the rules and there are those who see an opportunity for the company and exploit that opportunity for the benefit of the company ... Also, you might want to take our quiz this week, if you are interested in improving your career in your mill.

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PaperlinX Unlinks
PaperlinX Unlinks

In many ways PaperlinX is a metaphor for the industry as a whole but it also provides a salutary lesson for companies that embark on a transformation strategy that requires very deep pockets and a compelling business model.

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Week of 18 May 2015: Report: AUVSI Convention in Atlanta
Week of 18 May 2015: Report: AUVSI Convention in Atlanta

When it comes to robotic and cutting-edge technology, where do we stand in the pulp and paper industry?

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Effectively Troubleshooting Papermaking Problems
Effectively Troubleshooting Papermaking Problems

Troubleshooting can be an exciting and rewarding part of the papermaking experience, but it is a time consuming and costly function. Consequently, the primary objective must be to eliminate as much process variation as possible, in order to minimize defects in the finished product.

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Week of 11 May 2015: Unique vs. Weird
Week of 11 May 2015: Unique vs. Weird

I am often telling anyone who will listen that there is a fine line between being "Unique" and being "Weird." Unique is attractive, weird is repulsive. Rush right over to the unique side, stay away from the weird. Don't be weird unless you are a rock star. It certainly won't work in the pulp and paper industry...

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Week of 4 May 2015: How to innovate
Week of 4 May 2015: How to innovate

The advantage children have over us older folks is they don't know what can't be done. Take a group of 40- to 50-year-old papermakers and put them in a room. Ask them to come up with new ways to make paper. If someone dares raise their hand and proffer a suggestion, it will be batted down by the rest of the crowd before they can complete three sentences. Experience and legacy investments prevent innovation. This industry is certainly loaded with both, but there are ways around these barriers...

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Week of 27 April 15: Where to start
Week of 27 April 15: Where to start

A person new to the industry was recently talking to me about a personal training plan for learning the ins and outs of manufacturing paper. Of course, the plan included a few short courses, reading some training materials and watching some videos. Then the discussion turned to self-designed on-the-job training. I asked where in the process was the starting point. The answer was at the wet end, more precisely at stock prep, and moving through the process. I challenged this...

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Week of 20 April 15: When everyone seems to be against you
Week of 20 April 15: When everyone seems to be against you

First, be absolutely sure you are correct in the path you are taking. Test this several ways. Checking with people you trust who are not directly involved in the outcome of what you are attempting to do is one of the best ways. Hint--these people are usually called mentors. Once you are confident of the path, move to a plan of action...

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Facing the Challenges of New Product Marketing: A Case Study
Facing the Challenges of New Product Marketing: A Case Study

Any company introducing a totally new product must be prepared to react quickly to unexpected problems. Although many traditional methods are available to assist in product marketing, these have to be adapted to the specific situation...

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Week of 13 April 15: Being Thorough
Week of 13 April 15: Being Thorough

In our mills, how much work, especially in maintenance, is caused by a lack of thoroughness? My wild guess is probably something in neighborhood of 25%. How many accidents are caused in our mills by lack of thoroughness? In the "Safety Show '15" on Pulp & Paper Radio International, I can think of several accidents we described that were the result of not being thorough. So how do we teach thoroughness?

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Week of 6 April 15: Benchmarking
Week of 6 April 15: Benchmarking

The best benchmarking I have ever seen is this: benchmark yourself against running flat out, 24/7. This should always be the goal, nothing else should count. Why benchmark yourself against your competitors? Are you telling me your goal is to become just as good as (not better) than your competitors? Some goal! What if your competitors aren't very good?

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Week of 30 March 15: Stop doing Maintenance!
Week of 30 March 15: Stop doing Maintenance!

Sometimes we get so caught up in doing maintenance on an existing asset that we cannot see that there is a better way. Sometimes we are trapped by the accountants and finance department--the old assets are still on the books at a ridiculously elevated value and cash is too tight to do things right. Nevertheless, you should raise a stink...

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Week of 23 March 15: Do we need ladders and platforms?
Week of 23 March 15: Do we need ladders and platforms?

It is time to stop playing chutes and ladders in our mills. This is not a game--lives have been lost and there is a potential for more lives to be lost on these dangerous structures. Start seriously evaluating every ladder and platform on your site today.

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Uncoated Freesheet in Freefall
Uncoated Freesheet in Freefall

Australia manufactures about 0.6% of the world's uncoated freesheet (UFS) paper, an amount almost insignificant in the more than 53 million metric tons globally consumed each year. It was therefore surprising to see Australian Paper (owned by Nippon Paper) named and shamed as one of the companies accused of dumping into the US market.

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Week of 16 March 15: Maintenance Malfeasance starts at the Top
Week of 16 March 15: Maintenance Malfeasance starts at the Top

If you are a CEO, I suspect you obey religiously all maintenance and recall notifications you receive for your Mercedes, Jaguar, or Tesla. Why don't you treat your operating assets with such care? Why do you let your mill operators get by with lousy maintenance practices? It couldn't be because you are afraid it will affect your bonus, could it?

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Maintenance from a Papermaker's Perspective
Maintenance from a Papermaker's Perspective

When I began my career in the paper industry, maintenance time was viewed essentially as a mill cost which should be minimized. After all, the time spent in making repairs reduced the output from the paper machines, and the same jobs often were repeated over and over, due to incorrect procedures or the use of makeshift materials. In fact, some mill superintendents refused to shut down the machines unless absolutely forced to do so by equipment failures.

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Week of 9 March 15: Do we require Managers or Technicians? Part II
Week of 9 March 15: Do we require Managers or Technicians? Part II

Two weeks ago we talked about the attributes of the person who fills the top job in a large pulp and paper company. This week, we are going to tumble a few rungs down the ladder to the role of the production manager...

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Week of 2 March 15: Maintenance Month
Week of 2 March 15: Maintenance Month

I have seldom ever seen managers, at the top or at the production level, who give enough credit to maintenance. A well-maintained facility is a dream to operate; a poorly maintained facility loses money, has poor morale, and is a safety nightmare...

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Week of 23 February 15: Do we require Managers or Technicians? Part I
Week of 23 February 15: Do we require Managers or Technicians? Part I

I hear lots of discussions these days along the lines of "what is wrong with this industry is it is run by a bunch of MBAs that don't know anything about pulp and paper." I will agree that the industry is run by a bunch of MBAs that don't know anything about pulp and paper but I will not agree that that is what is wrong with this industry...

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Week of 16 February 15: You are surrounded
Week of 16 February 15: You are surrounded

Yes, pulp and paper is alive and well and everywhere...

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Product Development Concept Alternatives
Product Development Concept Alternatives

How can smaller companies and others with limited resources develop and supply competitive products? Let's examine a few possibilities to consider in this regard...

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Week of 9 February 15: Forty years is long enough
Week of 9 February 15: Forty years is long enough

Four decades ago, I went through some training that affected my view of everyone. I will not presume to be able to distill that intensive training and forty years' application experience into one Nip Impressions column, but I will give you some key introductory points.

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Week of 2 February 15: Two stupid comments and a complaint
Week of 2 February 15: Two stupid comments and a complaint

As we reported on Pulp and Paper Radio International this past Monday morning, last week, Governor Paul LePage of the State of Maine, said "[Verso] get out of the State of Maine." ... I have heard politicians make stupid statements before, but this ranks right up at the top.

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Week of 26 January 15: Get a grip, folks
Week of 26 January 15: Get a grip, folks

We will be going slightly off topic this week, unless your affiliation with the pulp and paper industry requires you to spend a lot of time on airplanes as I do...

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Tissue: A Growing but Challenging Australasian Market
Tissue: A Growing but Challenging Australasian Market

The year 2015 is shaping up as a very interesting year for the Australasian tissue sector.

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Week of 19 January 15: Resources
Week of 19 January 15: Resources

When I observe employees in mills today casually discussing problems, I see them behaving in much the same way as we did forty years ago. They seem just as lost on where to turn for help, just as confused on the path out of the current dilemma, just as mixed up when seeking a verifiable answer to a question. This astounds me...

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Product Life Cycle Analyses: Are Results Meaningful?
Product Life Cycle Analyses: Are Results Meaningful?

Numerous problems become apparent when relying on various life cycle methods...

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Week of 12 January 15: You need an RPA Policy Now
Week of 12 January 15: You need an RPA Policy Now

RPAs are not in the future any longer. I plan on owning a serious one before the end of the month myself. By serious, I mean one that can carry a payload of one or two cameras. Don't worry, I will not be bringing it to your mill--yet...

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Week of 5 January 15: Confederacy of the Dunces
Week of 5 January 15: Confederacy of the Dunces

There is a book called "Confederacy of the Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. The book was published in 1980, eleven years after Toole committed suicide. It is set in New Orleans, and centers on a coterie of quirky individuals who essentially see the world as they want to see it. Of course, this is cockeyed by a normal metric, hence, the "confederacy of the dunces." I find the overarching theme of this book applicable nearly everywhere...

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Week of 29 December 14: Be Safe
Week of 29 December 14: Be Safe

I think there are more opportunities for accidents in pulp and paper mills this time of year as compared to any other. Why? Despite fewer participating than in the past, this is still the prime season for shutdowns around the world...

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Week of 22 December 14: When you want something...
Week of 22 December 14: When you want something...

In this season of the year, we are often reminded of children, sitting on Santa Claus' (or Father Christmas') lap asking for things. We are amused by this, for it shows a child's greed and a lack of finesse on their part. We enjoy seeing these attributes laid naked for what they are. There are a couple of other places where one can see these same attributes, however, that are quite surprising and show us such tactics are not limited to the infant mind...

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Week of 15 December 14: Christmas Presents for the Geek in your life
Week of 15 December 14: Christmas Presents for the Geek in your life

Here are my recommendations for this year...

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Are Traditional Training Methods Obsolete?
Are Traditional Training Methods Obsolete?

It is my opinion that mills should embrace the advantages of technology training, but should not completely abandon all the traditional techniques.

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Week of 8 December 14: Real Leadership
Week of 8 December 14: Real Leadership

This is a short but powerful column...

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Week of 1 December 14: What if you are a follower?
Week of 1 December 14: What if you are a follower?

We hear and read many pieces of advice on how to be a leader, how to develop your leadership skills and so forth. Seldom, if ever, have I seen anything on being an excellent follower. Why is this?

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Week of 24 November 14: Your temper can kill your career
Week of 24 November 14: Your temper can kill your career

An ill-tempered disposition is mostly self-defeating unless one aspires to a career as a pirate. Although, they have not been completely eradicated, pirates' numbers are small and their lifespans short. So, we'll assume you have other aspirations, perhaps even as a pulp or paper mill manager. I can almost guarantee that if you exhibit a "short fuse" and an angry temper, you'll not make your goal...

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Australasian Pulp & Paper in 2014: Is there any good news?
Australasian Pulp & Paper in 2014: Is there any good news?

Annually at about this time of the year we look back at how the pulp and paper industry in Australia and New Zealand has fared for the business fiscal year, which in Australasia is the year to 30 June.

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Week of 17 November 14: Don't single out thought leaders
Week of 17 November 14: Don't single out thought leaders

Instead, make everyone a thought leader, at least part time. So, how do we make everyone a "thought leader?" It is really quite simple...

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Rethinking Environmental Concerns Associated with Paper Manufacturing
Rethinking Environmental Concerns Associated with Paper Manufacturing

To illustrate how the North American paper industry's environmental progress can be used to counter many environmental objections, consider the following information...

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Week of 10 November 14: Free paper mill sites?
Week of 10 November 14: Free paper mill sites?

At 432 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York, a new building is under construction. It will be 1,396 feet tall. The top penthouse apartment has already been sold for $95 million. Couple this with idea we promulgated last spring at the Light Green Machine® Institute of the vertical paper machine. The idea is simple, yet revolutionary--build a paper machine standing on its head, forming at the top, winding at the bottom...

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Week of 3 November 14: The Strange Phenomenon of Work Expanding to fit the Time
Week of 3 November 14: The Strange Phenomenon of Work Expanding to fit the Time

If you work in production, as a majority of the readers of this column do, there are parts of your day dictated by the rhythm of production. Yet even in a production setting, there are still portions of your day in which you have some freedom as to pace. You might want to work on these...

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Week of 27 October 14: Messes Part Two--fixing your own mess
Week of 27 October 14: Messes Part Two--fixing your own mess

Last week we talked about inheriting messes. This week we will talk about fixing one you created. This is tougher...

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Week of 20 October 14: Messes Part One--Inheriting a Mess
Week of 20 October 14: Messes Part One--Inheriting a Mess

This is a subject we covered over a decade ago in this column. But we have many newer readers and the rest of us likely have forgotten what I said on the subject. It is worth going over again, and there are some fresh ideas to discuss, as well...

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Week of 13 October 14: Exploiting a trend/providing a service
Week of 13 October 14: Exploiting a trend/providing a service

If you don't think Ebola is going to spread widely and rapidly, I have a bridge to sell you in New York. As long as Ebola remains a contact-transmitted (not airborne) virus, the pulp and paper industry has an opportunity to help contain this disease.

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The Future of Newsprint, Publication and Fine Paper Machines
The Future of Newsprint, Publication and Fine Paper Machines

Actually, the issue should be stated, "Will these paper machine designs as we know them today, survive in the future?" While some may later conclude this discussion borders on fiction or is based on conjecture, hopefully a few thought-provoking "truisms" will be recognized.

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Week of 6 October 14: Using tools carefully
Week of 6 October 14: Using tools carefully

When I was a child, my dad taught me about guns and fire, and how they could be used for good or they could be misused. He never allowed me to have a BB gun--he thought they were ambiguous--is it a toy or a weapon? Like BB guns, we have some ambiguous tools today, too. And these tools can be used for good or they can be misused. I am speaking of Facebook and LinkedIn. Are they toys, weapons, or something else?

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Week of 29 September 14: Derailed
Week of 29 September 14: Derailed

When you run into vile behavior at work (or anywhere else), don't be intimidated. The person hurling invectives at you is most likely more afraid of something than you should be of them...

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Week of 22 September 14: Be all that you can be
Week of 22 September 14: Be all that you can be

Now, I will admit that everyone is not cut out to "be all that you can be." In the next breath, I'll express my belief that more are cut out to do this than actually do it, however. And I think we should promote this goal more than we do...

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Australia - the Lucky Country
Australia - the Lucky Country

Be it by luck or planning, the rivers of wood are again flowing as hardwood plantations in particular mature at a rapid rate and need to find a market.

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Week of 15 September 14: Quality work
Week of 15 September 14: Quality work

If you will take a simple step with all of your work, your quality will go up, guaranteed. This will work even if you have been doing the same thing for a very long time...

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Week of 8 September 14: A disorder affecting most daily
Week of 8 September 14: A disorder affecting most daily

I know because I have been there--you probably have, too. It's that place where When One Thing Goes Wrong, Everything Goes Wrong (WOTGWEGW).

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Roll Cover Evolution
Roll Cover Evolution

In the not too distant past, roll covers were considered a commodity by many papermakers...

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Week of 1 September 14: Getting Started
Week of 1 September 14: Getting Started

First impressions matter, so let's examine this important topic from both the newbie's and manager's perspectives.

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Week of 25 Aug 14: New Management Tool
Week of 25 Aug 14: New Management Tool

I predict some companies will soon be using this tool on their company-issued phones despite its being designed for use by parents and teenagers. It may be effective for companies, but it will mask underlying management problems. Let's look at it from both sides...

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Week of 18 Aug 14: Maturity
Week of 18 Aug 14: Maturity

After 64 years of stumbling and bumbling about, I think I am becoming a mature adult in my thinking (and yes, there will be many that disagree). And I don't think this was a gradual thing, it is something that has only hit me in the last few years. The good news is that I am having fun with it. My admonishment to you is don't wait so long...

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Week of 11 Aug 14: Harry's
Week of 11 Aug 14: Harry's

Harry's means business for the packaging industry. If you are not familiar with Harry's just go to harrys.com. Yes, I'll give them a free plug. We also discuss safety this week...

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Week of 4 Aug 14: More on Government Influence
Week of 4 Aug 14: More on Government Influence

You may be very involved in your mill’s business. You may think you understand all the business aspects from raw materials to markets.  Yet, unbeknownst to you, there are always outside forces trying to find a way to influence your business, sometimes for the better, sometimes not...

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Pressing Thoughts
Pressing Thoughts

Let's examine a few wet press related considerations with the goal of identifying water removal opportunities...

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Week of 29 Jul 14: The folly of subsidies in a for-profit world
Week of 29 Jul 14: The folly of subsidies in a for-profit world

Government subsidies (as well as tax rates, regulations and so forth) are uncertain because they are not set by markets, but are set by shifting political winds.  Competitive markets as a price setting function are as reliable as gravity.  Government mandates, ones that extract money, ones that provide money are not...

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Week of 21 Jul 14: A competitive advantage for suppliers
Week of 21 Jul 14: A competitive advantage for suppliers

I have been dealing with suppliers for decades, and suppliers keep behaving in the same manner. That manner is this: they simply have a “tin ear” when it comes to being cognizant of paper machine downtime. I saw it happen again last week, but I can tell you stories that are decades old. In fact, I think I will...

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The end of an era or a new beginning?
The end of an era or a new beginning?

There was more than a touch of nostalgia, but also a sense of inevitability, when Georgia Tech announced, without fanfare, that the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (IPST) would become The Renewable Byproducts Institute (RBI).

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Week of 14 Jul 14: People vs. Science and Engineering
Week of 14 Jul 14: People vs. Science and Engineering

Scientific results and engineering results must be studied carefully and analyzed many ways in order to ascertain their veracity.  I fear in the world of today, we capriciously slap the words “science” or “computer analysis” on endeavors which need much further study.  Sometimes this is done through ignorance, sometimes maliciously. 

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Week of 7 Jul 14: Lying to yourself
Week of 7 Jul 14: Lying to yourself

We all do it, and I think more people are harmed by lying to themselves than are harmed by lies told by others...

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Week of 30 Jun 14: That can't be
Week of 30 Jun 14: That can't be

I have never seen an attitude that has led to so much failure in so many fields as that reflected by the title of our column this week.  Life, love, career, home, you name it — an attitude of refusing to believe a sequence of events that might happen is responsible for a great deal of personal and corporate misery. A few examples may illustrate the issue.

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Week of 23 Jun 14: Attitude
Week of 23 Jun 14: Attitude

I have decided the most important attribute to consider when evaluating employees is to divide them into “givers” and “takers.”

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Week of 16 Jun 14: The future of transportation
Week of 16 Jun 14: The future of transportation

Let's take a brief look at the history of transportation, and examine its future, including driverless trucks...

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Week of 9 Jun 14: Lesson learned again
Week of 9 Jun 14: Lesson learned again

The folks in the state of Maine are once again learning the lesson learned so many times by other communities.  That lesson is this: pulp and paper mills have a useful life, and eventually, that life is over...

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Week of 2 Jun 14: Still, no one prepares...
Week of 2 Jun 14: Still, no one prepares...

I will go out on a limb and say that the first pulp and paper mill attack by a Remotely Piloted Aircraft will be within the next 18 months to two years. You must start to formulate a plan—now...

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Week of 26 May 14: What about ink?
Week of 26 May 14: What about ink?

While our communications paper companies continue to look hard at finding ways to produce their products more economically, perhaps the biggest savings of all has been missed—how to make cheaper inks...

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The Rising Sun Shines Down Under
The Rising Sun Shines Down Under

Australasia is now inextricably part of the global scene...

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Week of 19 May 14: A real advantage for paper
Week of 19 May 14: A real advantage for paper

While we at Paperitalo Publications strongly support the printed word, we recognize that electronic publications have certain positive qualities.  It is not lost on you, smart reader, that Paperitalo Publications publishes nothing on paper, except books.  Yes, we like the challenge—exclusively publishing electronically to the pulp and paper industry. However, there is one area that is developing into an area for serious discussion concerning the printed word.  That is in the area of young children, children under 3 or 4 years old. Evidence is building that allowing these young children excessive access to smart phone and tablets may be quite detrimental...

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Week of 12 May 14: Energy is always the question; the problem is discerning the answer
Week of 12 May 14: Energy is always the question; the problem is discerning the answer

In my four plus decades in this business, there has been one constant amongst all the variables.  That constant is: What should be our energy source?  In virgin pulp mills, the recovery boiler has been a steady contributor.  However, for supplemental thermal energy, or for thermal energy in mills without a pulp mill, history shows the answer is the flavor of the month. Let’s step back even further for a moment...

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Week of 5 May 14: I don’t think like you do
Week of 5 May 14: I don’t think like you do

The reality is none of us think alike. In fact, if you are a senior manager, you’ll want people of all kinds of flavors. Just don’t make the mistake of putting them in the wrong position in your organization...

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Week of 28 April 14: I guess we’ll just leave the machine down until morning...
Week of 28 April 14: I guess we’ll just leave the machine down until morning...

The recent news from France is that work emails are banned after 6 p.m.  Left unspecified, apparently this does not apply to some jobs.  Let’s hope the exemptions include the pulp and paper industry, unless you are so competitive you wish to knock off your French competitors by any means possible. This situation is indicative of a problem confronting employers since the beginning of the industrial revolution.  That problem is this—how do we get workers to exhibit and perform as entrepreneurially as they did when they were peasants down on the farm?

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Week of 21 April 14: The Most Valuable Attribute
Week of 21 April 14: The Most Valuable Attribute

Given that you lead a legal, moral, ethical life (I’ll fire you on the spot if you do not), the most valuable attribute I see in employees in any setting is the ability to get things done.  And, yes, we can add all sorts of qualifiers to this—on time, on budget and so forth.  However, stripped to its bare essentials, the most coveted quality in the workplace is the ability to get things done...

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Week of 14 April 14: LGMI Vertical Concept has people up in the air
Week of 14 April 14: LGMI Vertical Concept has people up in the air

A couple of weeks ago, a comment I made on the Light Green Machine Institute Weekly newsletter excited paper makers around the world. I proposed that we flip the paper machine on end, head box at the top, winder on the ground floor. Let's explore this topic in greater detail...

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Week of 7 April 14: The Lessons of Growing Older
Week of 7 April 14: The Lessons of Growing Older

Why do we make life so difficult?  If you think about it, mostly our own inventions complicate our lives. Life is simple.  Why isn’t yours?  

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Week of 31 March 14: Being Competitive in Today's World
Week of 31 March 14: Being Competitive in Today's World

Being competitive starts with the people who work for your firm.  A close second is the culture of your company.  Let’s talk about both of these.

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Week of 24 March 14: The Alpha and Omega
Week of 24 March 14: The Alpha and Omega

What if we can say the luxury goods market is completely bookended by paper products?  What if tissue and newsprint are the Alpha and Omega of luxury goods?  This is a story we should be running with—the luxury goods for everyone, regardless of income, are those made by our wonderful pulp and paper industry.

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Has Australia got too much of its forests
Has Australia got too much of its forests "locked up?"

Recently, the Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, threw a grenade into the national political debate by declaring that too many of Australia's forests are “locked up” and vowed to set up a new advisory council to support the timber industry.

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Week of 17 March 14: App frugality
Week of 17 March 14: App frugality

Every time I see a new app, I have to try it out.  Yet, even worse than wasting my own time, I have a tendency to forward them to my employees.  If I don’t get this habit under control soon, I’ll have to hire an employee just to make up for the time I and my current employees waste trying to save time with new apps.  All of this is caused by my urge to be efficient. You may have a similar problem.  I’ll share with you the ways I propose to deal with it.

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Week of 10 March 14: Are you where you are?
Week of 10 March 14: Are you where you are?

If you are not where you want to be, I suggest you find a way to get yourself there.  Why be miserable?  I can attest to you, at the age of 63, that a 40-year career goes by in the wink of an eye.  Get yourself to a place you want to be.

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Week of 3 March 14: Outernet
Week of 3 March 14: Outernet

Folks, the innovations are coming fast and furious this year.  I’ll predict they will keep coming fast and furious, too...

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Week of 24 February 14: Barcodes are obsolete
Week of 24 February 14: Barcodes are obsolete

Amazon Flow is a game changer in many ways. What does this do for all packaging? My challenge is for us as an industry to become proactive, not reactive to change.  For instance, now that the Amazon Flow technology is out of the bag, how can we help them exploit it throughout the entire product chain?  

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Week of 17 February 14: More on resumes
Week of 17 February 14: More on resumes

I am a safe place to try out your resume.  I have looked at and worked on enough resumes that it just might be possible that I know what works...

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Week of 10 February 14: A collision of events, once again
Week of 10 February 14: A collision of events, once again

With developments in technology, I believe that retail and office space will to start to disappear in very rapid numbers. What does this mean for the pulp and paper industry?

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Week of 3 February 14: Country Risk
Week of 3 February 14: Country Risk

Should we open our mills to more scrutiny? I think so...

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Week of 27 January 14: Energy, Environment and Human History
Week of 27 January 14: Energy, Environment and Human History

The next time a rabid environmentalist gets in your face and talks about you, as a paper industry professional, destroying the earth, tell them you’ll be happy to follow their example as soon as they strip to their birthday suit, move to the Amazon, and adopt a diet of raw fish...

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Orora Group – Back to Basics
Orora Group – Back to Basics

A look at Orora, Amcor, Pact Group ... and a bit of history.

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Week of 20 January 14: An industry not lacking in surprises
Week of 20 January 14: An industry not lacking in surprises

Having spent the last forty years in pulp and paper, I’ll be the first to tell you the pulp and paper industry has been a surprise a minute. The most recent surprise has been the announcement that Verso is planning to acquire NewPage and what that has done to the PM40...

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Week of 13 January 14: Flying Packages
Week of 13 January 14: Flying Packages

All the technology exists right now to make this happen. Here is a chance for a paper industry centric company to become a real high tech leader recognized by the general population. How about it?

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Week of 6 January 14: Vetting headhunters
Week of 6 January 14: Vetting headhunters

Great people make great companies.  And like it or not, headhunters often stand between you and great people.  Set high expectations and build a long term relationship with a headhunter that is looking out for you.

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Week of 30 December 13: Get up and get moving
Week of 30 December 13: Get up and get moving

There is an old phrase of indeterminate origin, in which I will substitute one word for our lesson here: “The road to failure is paved with good intentions.” If you are going to do something, for goodness sake, follow through and do it.

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Week of 23 December 13: On the 13th Christmas
Week of 23 December 13: On the 13th Christmas

Nip Impressions is a teenager this Christmas. Let’s go back and look at some of the highlights, shall we?

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Week of 16 December 13: Critical help for Courtland, Alabama (IP) Employees
Week of 16 December 13: Critical help for Courtland, Alabama (IP) Employees

Often, I help people with their resumes and job interview skills individually.  In this case, we are going to have to do it in a mass training forum right here, right now.

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Week of 9 December 13: Galloping Regulations
Week of 9 December 13: Galloping Regulations

I used to use the term “creeping regulations” but no more—they are galloping now.  As I reported in PaperMoney® on Tuesday, the EPA announced last week it is looking at over 130 new regulations.  Other government departments in the US and elsewhere seem to be ramping up their regulation writing machines as well.

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Week of 2 December 13: The continuing personnel shortage
Week of 2 December 13: The continuing personnel shortage

Despite the overall employment rate in developed economies remaining stubbornly high, when it comes to trained technical professionals, especially in the pulp and paper industry, a shortage seems to exist worldwide. How did we get in this situation, which seems especially difficult in the United States?

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Week of 25 November 13: A Fiduciary Crime
Week of 25 November 13: A Fiduciary Crime

It is the responsibility of everyone in a leadership position, all the way through the board of directors, to make sure investments are well thought out.  Many day-to-day decisions can be corrected.  Facility location, design, and specifications are permanent.  They can cripple a site from day one and lead to an early demise.  These mistakes are fiduciary crimes...

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Week of 18 November 13: Beware of Teams
Week of 18 November 13: Beware of Teams

I am not talking about teams with assigned rolls, such as baseball, football, or, papermachine production teams.  I am talking about ad hoc teams put together to accomplish a specific task...

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Week of 11 November 13: Clear Communications
Week of 11 November 13: Clear Communications

We must communicate clearly and effectively, good news or bad, to our subordinates and superiors.  We must listen clearly and with focus to matters told to us.  And we must practice this all the time...

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Week of 4 November 13: Coal Concerns
Week of 4 November 13: Coal Concerns

If you have not been following closely, it is apparent upon examination that the current US administration is solidly focused on shutting down coal-powered boilers used for any purpose.  Your mill likely does not have a coal-fired boiler, but if it does, it is in the cross-hairs of the EPA.  Yet, even if your mill does not have a coal-fired boiler, it is likely your mill’s electrical supply has at least some portion supplied by coal-fired generating capabilities...

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Week of 28 October 13: Contracting
Week of 28 October 13: Contracting

The area which I have often thought would make the most sense to contract, yet is done only rarely, is maintenance stores.  There are several companies which do at least a partial job of providing these services, but I am not aware of any company that provides a full-service maintenance stores solution...

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Week of 21 October 13: Preparation
Week of 21 October 13: Preparation

There are many things that are a surprise, the seasonal change is not one of them.  It happens every three months and the September and March ones bring the most changes...

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Week of 14 October 13: Why LinkedIn is important to you
Week of 14 October 13: Why LinkedIn is important to you

Add a little insurance to your family’s livelihood.  Invest some time in becoming fluent in LinkedIn...

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Week of 7 October 13: Race and Gender
Week of 7 October 13: Race and Gender

It amazes me today to see what little adoption of certain principles regarding race and gender has occurred in the nearly forty years since I was introduced to them. I am especially surprised how far behind major companies who have obviously hired many people of color and many women are as compared to my own experience...

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Week of 30 September 13: Treat your suppliers with respect
Week of 30 September 13: Treat your suppliers with respect

Bottom line, suppliers and their representatives likely need more attention than you are giving them if you want to take advantage of what they have to offer you.  And it is a two way street—they will move mountains for you if you are in trouble, if you have treated them with respect. If you haven’t, you will not have that phone number you need at two in the morning...

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Week of 23 September 13: Advice for students?
Week of 23 September 13: Advice for students?

Will a pulp and paper science student in the United States today interested in pulping processes (not papermaking) be able to complete a normal, 40-year career in the pulping sector in the United States? I think the answer is a resounding, “No.”

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Week of 16 September 13: Maintenance Progress?
Week of 16 September 13: Maintenance Progress?

While we have developed and acquired all sorts of gadgets and techniques to improve maintenance, primarily by reducing downtime, especially emergency downtime, we still haven’t done all that well...

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Week of 9 September 13: Terminating with dignity
Week of 9 September 13: Terminating with dignity

With the annual termination season, December, less than 90 days away, it is time to talk about this...

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Week of 2 September 13: The folly of the Life Balance Concept
Week of 2 September 13: The folly of the Life Balance Concept

No one striving for life balance will ever reach the top of their profession.  No one striving for life balance will ever rise to a high level in any company...

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Week of 26 August 13: Phony Professional Phriends
Week of 26 August 13: Phony Professional Phriends

During your career, you will (and I have) run into many professional phonies.  Sales people are near the top, but you’ll find internal candidates in your business, too.  These are people who feint interest in your personal life to gain some sort of favored intention with you...

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Week of 19 August 13: Perspective
Week of 19 August 13: Perspective

For all of us, how we perceive ourselves and how the viewing public, i.e., anyone looking at us, perceives us is often quite different.  I suspect I am not even telling you something you don’t know, but it is something you forget daily...

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Week of 12 August 13: Action, not words
Week of 12 August 13: Action, not words

Words inspire and are a call to action.  However, at some point action must be taken...

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Week of 5 August 13: Impossible until inevitable
Week of 5 August 13: Impossible until inevitable

For some reason, no one thinks their employer can shut down, no one thinks they can lose their job.  I have speculated before that it is apparently some sort of human mental defense mechanism that creates this denial.  It truly is impossible until it is inevitable...

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Week of 29 July 13: Thank you for spreading the word...
Week of 29 July 13: Thank you for spreading the word...

Over the years, Paperitalo Publications has had many firsts, both in ideas and in delivery, and like football teams, we have been gearing up for the season of our lives this year. If you like what you see, if you like to hear about innovations up to three years before the legacy organizations have a clue as to what is going on, we ask for your help...

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Week of 22 July 13: Where is the passion?
Week of 22 July 13: Where is the passion?

I have to admit, I miss the good old days when people screamed, yelled and threw things when activities or production were not proceeding according to plan...

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A week is a long time in politics
A week is a long time in politics

It is said that a week is a long time in politics, and the weeks since my last column have comprehensively demonstrated just that. The interval also demonstrated that economists are not much better at identifying the future than the rest of us...

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It’s déjà vu all over again
It’s déjà vu all over again

The shape of the Australian industry by year end will indeed look very different than it started the year, but the new son of Amcor will look much more like Amcor of 20 years ago and just might be the catalyst for a revived industry, especially if the economy shows renewed confidence as a result of the election outcome...

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Australasian Pulp & Paper - 2013 In Review
Australasian Pulp & Paper - 2013 In Review

It is again that time of the year when we look back at how the pulp and paper industry in Australia and New Zealand has fared for the business fiscal year, which in this part of the world is the year to June 30, 2013...

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Week of 15 July 13: What is your responsibility for know how?
Week of 15 July 13: What is your responsibility for know how?

The whole idea of employees lacking the curiosity to explore ways others are doing things or seeking new ways of doing things is just so foreign to me that it leaves me flabbergasted...

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Week of 8 July 13: Work Thugs
Week of 8 July 13: Work Thugs

A good friend recently related problems their spouse is having at work.  Two slackers who work in the same department have apparently decided to attack this spouse for actually being productive and doing a proper job.  The slackers have been there over ten years and this newbie of two years’ experience in the company is making them look bad.  So, in today’s climate, where it is hard to find another job, what do you do?

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Week of 1 July 13: Technological Advancement Roars On
Week of 1 July 13: Technological Advancement Roars On

Resting on the same old curricula, slightly updated, is not going to suffice to prepare leaders for our industry in the mid 21st century.  And face it—the graduates of today will likely be running the industry in 2045-2060.   We need more specialized paths to create a crop of graduates that will be out in front of the roar of technology marching on... 

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Week of 24 June 13: The danger in believing your own press…
Week of 24 June 13: The danger in believing your own press…

Sometimes it is called, “drinking your own bathwater.”  In general, it is about thinking you are great, important and all knowing.  It always blows up. 

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Week of 17 June 13: Two Sides must be doing cartwheels
Week of 17 June 13: Two Sides must be doing cartwheels

If you are not familiar with Two Sides and its President and COO, Phil Riebel, you should be.  Phil and this group are doing yeoman’s work to educate the public on their choices between electronic and paper information delivery.  Thanks to someone we never heard of before this month, we think it just got a lot easier for Phil to make his arguments when it comes to bank statements, credit card statements and bills... 

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Week of 10 June 13: Destroying a brand
Week of 10 June 13: Destroying a brand

Recent events seem to suggest we can, in real time, watch a retail brand being destroyed right now... 

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Innovation or Desperation
Innovation or Desperation
The paper industry in Australia continues to face a number of challenges...
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Week of 27 May 13: Over and Over and Over
Week of 27 May 13: Over and Over and Over

The curse of all businesses is killing problems and killing them dead.

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Week of 3 June 13: What are you afraid of?
Week of 3 June 13: What are you afraid of?

Over the years, it has been interesting to watch the fear level of employees... 

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Week of 20 May 13: Fiduciary Malfeasance
Week of 20 May 13: Fiduciary Malfeasance

I have seen many a good mill killed by poor maintenance...

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Week of 13 May 13: MAT
Week of 13 May 13: MAT

We have covered some other acronyms in this column before.  LOC stands for Lean, Orderly and Clean. LME stands for Legal, Moral and Ethical. This week, we want to introduce a third and state (hopefully) that if you follow all three acronyms, life will be good indeed. MAT stands for Maintained, Accountable and Trained...

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Week of 6 May 13: The Dreams of professional sales people
Week of 6 May 13: The Dreams of professional sales people

…and why complying with them can serve you well.

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Week of 29 April 13: Earplugs
Week of 29 April 13: Earplugs

I believe strongly that it is our dealing with the little things, like earplugs, that sets the tone for dealing with the big ones...

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Week of 22 April 13: Their schedule, not yours
Week of 22 April 13: Their schedule, not yours

Effective managers understand being effective.  Big surprise, eh?  More importantly, being effective does not necessarily mean wiping your to do list clean as fast as possible, especially when it comes to managing other people, superiors or subordinates. 

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Week of 15 April 13: Do sports teach us to cheat as managers?
Week of 15 April 13: Do sports teach us to cheat as managers?

Taking a condition, the foul in basketball, and using it as an offensive weapon sends a very wrong message to society. That message is this: If you can’t make it a legitimate way, in this case by making baskets, it is OK to cheat, up to a point, to gain an advantage. In my lifetime, I have seen this played out over and over again in business. Can’t make it legitimately? Cheat. 

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Week of 8 April 13: Are we overly sensitive about confidentiality?
Week of 8 April 13: Are we overly sensitive about confidentiality?

Are we incurring costs but gaining little in our quest to be confidential?

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Week of 1 April 13: History repeats itself
Week of 1 April 13: History repeats itself

Look around, are you working in a facility that meets the standards you would expect in a doctor’s office? 

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Week of 25 March 13: Going and Coming—implications for the pulp and paper industry
Week of 25 March 13: Going and Coming—implications for the pulp and paper industry

The world of tomorrow is not the world of today or yesterday.  If you are going to stay on top of your game, you will embrace it and be a leader, no matter your paper grade...

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An obituary for two icons
An obituary for two icons
This is not quite the column that I had intended to write. Recent events, one expected and one unexpected, call instead for an obituary for two icons of the Australian industry.
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Week of 18 March 13: Decline of Western Civilization?
Week of 18 March 13: Decline of Western Civilization?

Probably not, but an interesting thesis I have for you this week.  As we reported on Pulp & Paper Radio International this past Monday morning, there were two announcements of tissue and towel converting plants shutting down this past week.  One was a Clearwater facility in Thomaston, Georgia.  The other is Kimberly-Clark’s Delyn Plant in Wales which converts paper towels. It is somewhat rare, anywhere in the world, and especially in the western world, for tissue and towel facilities to completely shut.  However, here we have two examples...

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Week of 11 March 13: Water, water everywhere...
Week of 11 March 13: Water, water everywhere...

Our theme for the month of March at Paperitalo Publications is water usage. So, I thought I would start off with the wild and theoretical and then here, and in our other publications during the month (do you know we now have nine other publication issues during the month besides Nip Impressions and PaperMoney?) we would move towards the practical as the month goes along.

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