Prestigious award presented annually to most outstanding technology development
Aikawa Iron Works, headquartered in Japan, was awarded the prestigious Sasaki Award for its developments of FINEBAR® refiner plate technology. The Sasaki prize is given once a year to the company demonstrating the most outstanding technology development.
Shinichiro Kondo, Chairman of the Board of Japan TAPPI, presented the award to Takeshi Kanazawa, Director Vice President of Aikawa Iron Works, at a ceremony on May 26, 2011.
In presenting the award, Aikawa was cited for “developing a refiner plate that not only saves refiner energy, but also improves paper strength and refiner plate life. This has contributed to the development of the industry’s refining technology and has also made a great contribution to the Japanese pulp and paper industry.”
The FINEBAR® patented design is manufactured using precise techniques which achieve extremely thin bars and fine grooves. The result is the ability to refine fibers in low-consistency applications with ultra-low intensity – saving energy and enhancing paper qualities.
FINEBAR® plates are manufactured, marketed, and supported outside of Japan by Aikawa’s subsidiary, AFT.