Week of 11 November 2019: Sources of Innovation

Many years ago, when I purchased a motorcycle, I wanted the equivalent of a "cruise control" for it. I shopped around and found this clever little mechanical device that fits on the right handlebar and gently locks the accelerator into position. With the flick of a handy little lever, you could turn it off. My cousin, a machinist, saw this and said, "I can copy that." I didn't let him. I think inventions should belong to the originator in perpetuity (I think we should still be paying royalties to the descendants of the inventor of tables and chairs--marvelous inventions in and of themselves). At least that is the way I used to think...

Patent Applications and Patents

Airmaster Aerator L.L.C. receives new patent

The United States Patent Office awarded Airmaster Aerator L.L.C. patent number 10,301,202 B2 on May 28, 2019. The title of the patent is "System and Method for Aeration by Air Infusion." The inventor is listed as Dean A. Caldwell, DeRidder, LA. Caldwell is the CEO of Airmaster Aerator.

Latest IDC Survey: Customers Are on the Move to SAP S/4HANA

Business innovation goes hand in hand with business process innovation. Intelligent enterprises connect business processes end-to-end for better outcomes.

[Adv.] Advanced Coil

(Adv.) SAP offers you an easy direct link to their breaking developments

'Bible business has really gone soft': Philly printer to lay off 174, shut plant by Christmas

An enterprise that printed more than a billion Bibles since its founding during the Civil War says its Northeast Philadelphia plant will be shut by Christmas.

Paper Industry International Hall of Fame dinner set for 3 Oct in Appleton, Wisc.

The 25th annual dinner event is hosted by the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame, which is located inside the Paper Discover Center on the Fox River in Appleton.

Where is Jim this week?

As I travel, I am always looking for someone to go to dinner with, share a barbeque sandwich lunch and so forth.

A visit to Advanced Coil Technology

I just love to visit our clients. Today (13 May 2019), I was visiting Devon Barnes, President of Advanced Coil Technology, LLC in Owatonna, Minnesota. Advanced Coil makes liquid-to-air coils for any application.

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Verso agrees to sell Jay, Stevens Point mills for $400 million to Pixelle

Pixelle Specialty Solutions has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire specialty paper mills in Jay ("Androscoggin"), ME and Stevens Point, WI from Verso Corporation. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2020.

Lawsuit alleges Quad misled investors over last 21 months

The lawsuit, filed last week in the U.S. District court for the Southern District of New York, seeks to establish a class action case against Quad for anyone who bought shares between Feb. 21, 2018 and Oct. 29, 2019.

Log truck driver killed in crash

Deputies are investigating a deadly crash involving a log truck Friday morning.

Bulgaria takes a step toward certified forests through PEFC endorsement

Bulgaria has become the latest member to achieve PEFC endorsement of its national forest certification system. The PEFC General Assembly voted for the endorsement of the Bulgarian system in a postal ballot.

Tolko closing Kelowna, B.C. mill forever

On Friday morning, Nov. 8, managers somberly gathered at the Tolko office in Kelowna to call 140 workers one by one to tell them the lumber mill will close forever Jan. 8.

Södra will extend production stoppages at its sawmills during the Christmas and New Year period

The stoppages are expected to reduce production by 30,000 cubic metres.

Georgia-Pacific opens $135 million state-of-the-art lumber facility in Warren County, Georgia

The new facility currently adds more than 80 workers to the existing workforce, employing a total of 179 full-time employees.

PCA to build recycling facility at Wallula mill

The company said it will add 350,000 tons per year of OCC pulping capacity at its Wallula, Wash. mill, which currently produces predominantly virgin linerboard and medium, materials used in containerboard production.

SIG to acquire Visy Cartons in Australia

SIG has reached agreement to acquire Visy Cartons Pty Ltd from VisyPak Operations Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Pratt Consolidated Holdings Pty Ltd, for AU$70m (US$48.2m), subject to customary conditions being met.

Quad Broadens Its Commitment to Sourcing Sustainable Wood Fiber, Announces Founding Membership in Forests in Focus

Quad/Graphics, Inc. announced that it is a founding member of Forests in Focus, a sustainability initiative from GreenBlue, an environmental nonprofit dedicated to the sustainable use of materials in society, and the American Forest Foundation (AFF), a conservation organization that works with family landowners in the United States.

Flambeau River Papers in Park Falls sold to Niagara Worldwide

It's unclear how many jobs will be restored when Niagara Worldwide takes over.

West Linn paper mill reopens as Willamette Falls Paper Co., with 125 employees

The newly formed Willamette Falls Paper Co. quietly restarted two months ago and is now trying out new classes of paper made from pulp and agricultural waste instead of wood.

UPM closes paper machine 2 in Rauma

The reduction of personnel is 179 (159 permanent and 20 temporary contracts not prolonged).

Fire at Louisiana-Pacific Corporation facility in Hanceville, Ala.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Shakeup at the top: BillerudKorsnäs appoints Lennart Holm as acting CEO

The Board of Directors of BillerudKorsnäs AB has appointed the current Chairman of the Board, Lennart Holm, as acting CEO from November 5, 2019. Petra Einarsson leaves as CEO with immediate effect.

Driver injured when tractor-trailer rolls near Verso mill in Jay, Maine

The cab landed on a guardrail and the load of sawdust spilled down an embankment.

Papermaking leader Jeff Reese passes away

Longtime International Paper and Georgia-Pacific papermaker Jeff Reese passed away Wednesday, 30 Oct. 2019. He was 56.

WestRock closing Newark, N.J. facility; 114 could lose jobs

WestRock is closing its Newark plant, potentially putting more than 100 employees out of work.

Atos and Stora Enso join forces to bring sustainable automated new retail solutions to market

This new service is based on the concept of "Intelligent Cabinets", which are RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enabled e-kiosks designed for on-the-go purchasing using smart phones or standard card payment.

UPM shows its support to the magazine publishing industry

UPM Communication Papers is the headline sponsor of the 42nd FIPP World Media Congress on the 12th to 14th November in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Enviva breaks ground on wood pellet export terminal in Mississippi

Enviva broke ground on new marine export terminal in the Port of Pascagoula's Bayou Casotte Harbor, Mississippi. The ceremony marks the beginning of construction of the $90 million terminal.

Kruger Products Becomes First Company to Be Certified ISO 50001 by the Bureau de normalisation du Québec

Kruger announced that its Kruger Products' Gatineau Plant was recently certified ISO 50001 for Energy Management.

Domtar Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend And Announces An Increase To Its Share Buyback Program

The company also announced that its Board of Directors authorized an increase of $300 million to Domtar's share buyback program.

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!

New Fujifilm Technology At Clemson University's Sonoco Institute Advances Learning, Prepares Students For Industry Needs

Students working in the Clemson University Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics can now output prototypes faster and on a wider range of materials than ever before thanks to a gift from Fujifilm, which includes the Acuity Select 26 digital UV flatbed press and the Illumina LED Retrofit System along with a three-year commitment including training and maintenance support.

Graphic Packaging International Wins Paperboard Packaging Council's Package of the Year Award

Graphic Packaging International won the Package of the Year award for a four-pack Wicked Weed basket carrier at the 2019 Paperboard Packaging Council's carton competition, held on Oct. 25 in Minneapolis.

Conifex Timber completes the sale of Fort St. James sawmill in Canada

Conifex Timber Inc. has closed its previously announced transaction with Hampton Lumber for the sale of its Fort St. James sawmill and associated forest license.

Sappi successfully concludes its acquisition of the Matane Mill in Quebec Canada from Rayonier Advanced Materials

Sappi Limited announced that all conditions precedent relating to the acquisition of the Matane high yield hardwood pulp mill in Quebec Canada from Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) have been fulfilled and closing has been completed.

Interview with UWSP Paper Science and Engineering Senior Austin Jackson

Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with Austin Jackson, a senior in the program, and we asked him a few questions about his experiences at UWSP.

Packaging Corporation of America donates $1 million to Miami University

Gift will go toward supplementing endowed scholarships.

Q&A with N.C. State Paper Science and Engineering Junior Michael McKenzie

A total of 208 students are enrolled in the N.C. State Paper Science and Engineering program, and Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with Michael McKenzie, a junior in the program and we asked him a few questions about his experiences at N.C. State.

The Light Green Machine Institute

Ideas you can use now.

Testing...

I’ve been working with kids preparing for the ACT/SAT for over 10 years. Through this time, I’ve come to some conclusions. I hope you find them of interest.

Capital Arguments for October 2019

Check out TALOtech groups on LinkedIn

The purpose of the TALOtech groups on LinkedIn is to provide a convenient forum for people working within the manufacturing part of this industry to share technical and operating related dialog to promote safe and competitive operations.

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.

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.

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.

Contributing to the Circular Economy: The Paper and Wood Products Industry

The paper and wood products industry's efforts to promote sustainable forest management, do more with less in the manufacturing process and recover products for recycling form the foundation of our contributions to the circular economy.

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September 2019

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