Ian Melin-Jones

Ian Melin-Jones

Marketing activation specialist Konica Minolta Marketing Services (KMMS), announces a new partnership with The Aaron Group of Companies. Effective immediately, the partnership will see the businesses combining their offering to deliver more streamlined and lucrative results for new and existing clients.

The partnership will provide both companies with an enhanced ability to produce marketing materials around the world, capitalizing on combined print industry acumen. The timeframes of print production projects will be significantly reduced through The Aaron Group’s direct access to paper mills and suppliers. Similarly, the cost of projects will fall as third-party roles are brought in-house.

2018 07 27 113639Current clients of The Aaron Group will now have a breadth of additional services on offer to them through KMMS. As leaders in global marketing activation, KMMS will work with new and existing clients to offer a 360-degree service from multi-channel management and delivery through to customer insight, creative production and agency services.

Harris Atkins, KMMS CEO North America, said: “We are thrilled to bring The Aaron Group into the KMMS family. Our global reach and client base demands the best in print procurement, and this alliance adds to our ability to activate effective marketing across channels, at pace, with great efficiency.”         

Gene Aaron, Chairman of The Aaron Group, said: “The Aaron Group looks forward to all of our business partners enjoying the many benefits of this new streamlined, technologically advanced and extremely diversified team. We are not just focusing on paper and packaging for today and tomorrow but are looking towards the future of both organizations in an ever-changing retail environment.”

Citing Voith capabilities and technology leadership, Green Bay Packaging has announced a landmark contract award that tasks Voith with providing a complete packaging production line. The new PM 4 will be installed at Green Bay Packaging’s location in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA.

The family-owned paper and packaging producer Green Bay Packaging awarded Voith an order for a 300 inch (7.62 m) wide production line for testliner. The order includes an effluent treatment plant, BlueLine stock preparation, WEP, XcelLine paper machine with a design speed of 3,940 ft/min (1,200 m/min) and a VariFlex Performance winder. The package also includes paper machine clothing, a seven-year Total Roll Management contract for several machines, and Papermaking 4.0 products.

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“Partnering with a family-owned company whose North American headquarters is in Appleton, Wisconsin, Green Bay Packaging is advancing its commitment to positively impacting the local economy and becoming a more sustainable producer. We appreciate Voith’s ability to get this advanced paper machine fully operational on a condensed timeline to help meet our customer demands,” said Will Kress, President and CEO of Green Bay Packaging.”

“Voith is proud of this historic project, and we are eager to continue our strong partnership with Green Bay Packaging,” said Martin Jauch, President Business Line Projects, Voith Paper North America.

The contract is of a breadth and scope previously unseen in the United States papermaking industry as a complete mill order has never before been sourced from a single manufacturer. Voith is the region’s only manufacturer capable of providing components for such a complete installation. The construction of the mill will be handled by Miron Construction Co, Inc., while KSH will supply the engineering, targeting a start-up in early 2021.

Simec Group signs the agreement for the sale of the shares

Fabio Perini S.p.A. and NARA S.r.l. (Simec Group) have completed the transfer of all the investments in Engraving Solutions S.r.l. to Fabio Perini S.p.A. which already held 70% of the company's shares.

The consolidated industrial partnership between the two groups will remain active in the future for a better customer satisfaction and will continue to innovate following the needs of the market.

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Engraving Solutions was founded in 2003 thanks to the union of intentions of Fabio Perini and Simec Group, a leader in the production of rolls with surface machining for different application sectors. Thanks to the know-how and technological excellence of the two companies, it immediately distinguished itself in the market for its ability to develop new designs and to support the customer in the study of engravings for embossed products in the Tissue sector.

More than 4,000 rolls already produced, the creation of over 12,000 embossing graphics solutions and 15 patents active all over the world, are the assets of Engraving Solutions. Currently, 20 employees work at the Lucca plant. Among the most successful products at the international level, we mention the Softop, PP-Evo, 4D, and Pixel.

"This acquisition is in line with our growth strategy 2025 and strengthens our positioning on the Tissue Area business market - says Oswaldo Cruz, CEO of Fabio Perini S.p.A. - Engraving Solutions is an important and strategic resource for our tissue companies that will benefit from this consolidated experience and will be able to provide increasingly customized and innovative solutions to maximize the added value of our customers' finished products ".

“This experience - states Laura Della Torre, Member of the board of Simec Group - has made possible the exchange of knowledge between the parties involved and has enriched the background and the specific know-how of the sector. Simec Group has also been able to focus on other segments, strengthening its production assets and nowadays it is a leading company thanks to the wide range of applications available in its product portfolio”.

Fabio Perini S.p.A. with its five production sites in Italy, the United States, Brazil and China, it is the only company, on a global scale, capable of producing complete lines of tissue production, integrating converting and packaging, offering exceptional advantages in controlling the entire production process, optimizing performance, maximizing the quality of the finished product and reducing operating costs. An extraordinary value for customers who find solutions for their activities in a single partner.

The new way of interpreting Industry 4.0 has led Fabio Perini S.p.A. to define new solutions to manage the machines, lines, and production, processes, and activities that set the world of Digital Tissue™. All this helps to have intelligent structures that allow maximizing the production efficiency of the individual machines, the complete lines and even more the effectiveness of the production sites.

Today Fabio Perini companies have a total of 150,000 square meters dedicated to research, development, and assembly of machinery with the Bologna site exclusively devoted to packaging solutions. A total of around 1,100 employees, investments in R&D equal to 7% of annual turnover and 1,000 patents active internationally.

Sappi has just announced further progress in the development of its biorefinery capacity with the confirmation that it will construct a demonstration plant to further scale up its novel Xylex® technology for the production of Xylitol and Furfural. The plant will be located adjacent to the existing sugars and lignin extraction plant at Ngodwana Mill. It should be operational early in 2019. Pending successful results and further approvals it is anticipated that Sappi may construct commercial Xylitol and Furfural plants adjacent to our mills in the USA and South Africa.

sappi logoCommenting on the decision Sappi CEO Steve Binnie said: "We are very happy with the progress being made by our biorefinery team, as well as with the value we are deriving from the acquisition and integration last year of the key biorefinery technologies and expert staff from Plaxica. Biomaterials and biochemicals are integral to Sappi’s strategy of extracting maximum value from wood fibre, our natural and renewable resource. We have taken a significant step towards generating meaningful revenue from this new business segment."

Louis Kruyshaar, EVP for Sappi Biotech, explained: "Sappi’s biorefinery plans are focused on building a sustainable, profitable business from the manufacture and sale of food ingredients, materials and chemical intermediates derived from the C5 sugars produced as a co-product of our dissolving wood pulp production, and from the lignin produced in our global pulp production."

The combination of Sappi’s operational excellence, the proposed co-location of the commercial plants at existing mill sites delivers strong integration synergies, and the cost advantages offered by Sappi’s scale and the Xylex® technology mean that Sappi will have a globally competitive cost base for sugars and xylitol and furfural production.

Turning to the products which the demonstration plant will provide a platform for, Kruyshaar said: "Xylitol is a high value sweetener with exciting growth prospects - it is a low-calorie sweetener which has positive dental properties and produces no insulin response, so is suitable for diabetics. Furfual is a versatile green industrial chemical derived from C5 sugars with a diverse range of derivatives".  

A quick overview of the development of Sappi’s sugars extraction capacity:

 In 2016 Sappi announced it would invest in demonstration capacity at its Ngodwana Mill in South Africa to extract hemicellulose sugars and lignin from its dissolving wood pulp (DWP) line for eventual beneficiation to higher value products

  • In 2017 this plant, built in partnership with Valmet, was commissioned. After operating for 12 months to demonstrate the extraction of C5 sugars from DWP production, the plant has exceeded all efficiency targets for cost, cycle time and yield.
  • Later in 2017 Sappi acquired the patented Xylex® technology for the hydrolysis and clean-up of these C5 sugars, as well as to produce a valuable lignin stream.
  • In April 2018, Sappi sanctioned a scale-up demonstration plant for the Xylex® technology to be located alongside the existing sugars plant at Ngodwana Mill. The plant will be commissioned in the first calendar quarter of 2019.
  • This plant will enable the demonstration of technologies for the production of Xylitol and Furfural.
  • Following successful commissioning of the Xylitol process, Sappi’s strategic intent is to enter the Xylitol value chain with a world-scale production plant.
  • As regards Furfural, sugars extraction from our DWP assets combined with our Xylex® and Furfural capabilities will allow Sappi to pursue various partnerships in the furan chemical value chain. The furan markets are showing strong market pull for new investments due to growth as well as replacing older and smaller unsustainable assets

Toscotec has successfully renewed its ISO 14001 certificate and EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) registration for the twelfth consecutive year since 2006. It thereby confirms its long-standing commitment to eco-sustainability, starting from its own environmental performance.

In 2005, Toscotec began procedures to evaluate its internal processes according to the strictest international standards of environmental protection. This entailed undergoing an articulate and audited procedure, which led to the the draw up of an environmental management system and a three-year plan. Specifically for EMAS, the Italian supplier also issues an annual report, examined by private and public bodies, including external auditors and EMAS national Competent Body ISPRA.

As a result, back in 2006, Toscotec became the first Italian supplier of tissue and paper machinery to obtain both the ISO 14001 and the EMAS registration and to this day, it remains the only one in Italy.

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Toscotec strives to step up the eco-efficiency of its operations on an annual basis. In this view, EMAS is a guarantee vis-à-vis the community and the market at large, as it ensures a comprehensive set of corporate behaviours with environmental impact is kept under serious scrutiny.

Andrea Marzaro, Toscotec’s Operations Director (COO), affirmed, “Toscotec is working towards a continued and tangible improvement of its environmental performance, on a voluntary basis. Full compliance with Italian laws and regulations is the minimum prerequisite for us. We are determined to go the extra mile, pursue the highest environment standards and achieve excellence. Eco-sustainability and environmental protection are our core values and as such inspire our operations. Energy reduction, in its widest sense, is a big part of it”.

In recent years, Toscotec has partly redesigned its layout to become a fully integrated and compact production base, thereby optimizing its manufacturing efficiency. Inspired by lean production, it streamlined its logistic operations and achieved a concrete reduction of power consumption, due to the rationalization of handling and transportation processes.

Toscotec’s headquarters currently include eight workshops, four of which dedicated to the pre-assembly of tissue and paper & board lines. Pre-assembly is one of the cornerstones of Toscotec’s quality guarantee. It aims to reduce the time, the energy and the costs of the erection at the mill and therefore achieve the performance guarantees in a shorter period. 

Andrea Marzaro also pointed out “With respect to renewable energy, since 2011 we have been generating electric power from solar energy. In 2011, we implemented the first installation of solar panels on the roofs, covering an area of approximately 1,250 m2 and generating up to 190 kWh electricity, which we give back to the grid. Phase two was carried out in 2012, across 600 m2, with an output of 100 kWh. Phase three is currently underway”.

Toscotec is committed to protecting the environment at local level through its operations, and globally through the design and manufacture of its cutting-edge technology. The Italian manufacturer manages both direct environmental aspects - pertaining to its own operations, like waste, emissions, use of raw materials, energy and water resources, etc. - and indirect aspects.

With respect to its indirect environmental aspects, Toscotec’s Technical Director, Paolo Raffaelli pointed out, “through our advanced design and manufacturing process, we have achieved a significant reduction of the environmental impact generated by our machinery and process, confirmed by field data and positive customer feedback. Our engineering approach aims to enable paper mills to improve their overall performance, by reducing the need of fresh water, electricity and thermal energy, and minimizing their atmospheric emissions, including noise”.     

From TT SYD and TT SteelDryers, to Energy Saving tissue lines, to TT SAF (Short Approach Flow) and TT DOES (Drying Optimization for Energy Saving), Toscotec is the leading supplier of technology specifically designed for energy savings and with view to this, it is extensively investing in R&D and innovation.

A.Celli Paper celebrates with great satisfaction the start-up of three E-WIND® winders for tissue, installed in Indonesia for the customer Asia Pulp & Paper (APP).

In March, a set of new generation E-WIND® T200 winders was installed at APP’ s Perawang mill in Indonesia.

The start-up and subsequent running-in all went smoothly, with the customer’s complete satisfaction. It is one of many other successful business machinery equipment partnership through the years that A.Celli Paper is achieving with the world-wide based International Group.

The three new generation winders, being a partial delivery of a larger sizeable order currently under delivery e/o installation, consisting of two E-WIND® T200 winders, a calender and Slittomatic® automatic knives positioning system, and an additional E-WIND® T200 winder.

With this project, A.Celli Paper has offered the customer a giant leap in quality for meeting high and ambitious production targets to increase and strengthen its presence in Indonesia and through the whole Asia.

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About Asia Pulp & Paper
Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), part of Sinar Mas, is a trade name for a group of pulp and paper manufacturing companies in Indonesia and China. APP is responsible for delivering quality products to meet the growing global demand for tissue, packaging and paper, with an annual combined pulp, paper, packaging product and converting capacity of over 19 million tons per annum. On any given day, APP’s products find their way into the hands of consumers in various branded forms from all over the world.

Ensuring supply chain integrity and commitment to the Sustainable Roadmap Vision 2020 are crucial to APP’s operations.

Learn more about APP’s path to operational excellence by reading our Sustainability Reports and Forest Conservation Policy at www.asiapulppaper.com

Investments Will Increase Release Liner Paper Capacity for Pressure Sensitive Markets

Verso Corporation (NYSE: VRS) has just announced that it will make strategic investments in its Androscoggin Mill in Jay, Maine, focused on technology upgrades that will increase the release liner paper capacity of its No. 4 paper machine. Made over the next 18 months, these investments will better position Verso to meet the growing needs of pressure sensitive laminators worldwide.

verso logo 2018"The Androscoggin Mill and its No. 4 paper machine have a rich history of manufacturing specialty products," said Verso's President of Graphic Papers Mike Weinhold. "When enhanced with these technology upgrades, the No. 4 paper machine's six-meter width, technical capabilities and fully integrated pulp platform will be particularly well suited to support the growing release liner market. Additionally, these investments advance Verso's strategy to reposition 100 percent of the Androscoggin Mill's production to serve specialty paper and packaging markets."

The investments will be spread across two project phases which include technology upgrades in pulping and refining systems, stock flow piping and paper winding capabilities. The first project phase is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2018 with completion of the second project phase expected in 2019.

Verso's release liner and pressure sensitive label paper portfolio includes over 60 highly engineered paper grades made across four Verso U.S. mills. Verso specialty papers are shipped worldwide and backed by an unmatched level of technical and customer service.

To learn more about Verso's specialty papers, please visit versoco.com/specialtypapers or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ZSL finds lack of transparency in tropical forestry sector restricts monitoring of corporate commitments

Efforts to monitor and manage the impacts of the tropical forestry sector are being hindered, due to many companies failing to accurately disclose where they operate – leaving biodiverse forests at risk of unsustainable exploitation. This is just one finding of an in-depth evaluation of forestry companies, published today on 18 July 2018 by ZSL (Zoological Society of London).

In assessing 50 of the world’s most significant tropical timber and pulp producers, ZSL’s SPOTT (Sustainability Policy Transparency Toolkit) found that most are failing to publish accurate maps of their operations. With 2017 the second worst year on record for tropical tree cover loss, the forestry sector must now move to publish maps that support independent monitoring of corporate commitments targeted at addressing risks to forests.

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ZSL’s SPOTT assessments cover timber and pulp producers with combined land holdings of over 350,000 square kilometres, an area the size of Germany. In the latest annual assessments, only eight companies were found to publish clear and comprehensive maps of their forestry operations, while 27 companies disclosed incomplete information. A further 15 companies do not provide any suitable maps of their operations, meaning the location of over 45,000 square kilometres – or over six million football pitches – of forestry operations remains unclear.

To increase accountability, the tropical forestry sector should freely publish digitised maps that allow the exact locations and boundaries of their operations to be identified. Certification schemes such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for Endorsement of Forestry Certification) should also take steps to encourage the publication of certified companies’ mapped boundaries.

Chris Eves, ZSL Forestry Officer said: “A lack of spatial data pinpointing where forestry companies are operating makes it difficult for third parties to fully assess their impacts on the world’s remaining tropical forest. Certification schemes including the FSC and PEFC have a vital role to play in ensuring forest products are sustainably sourced. They can lead the way by making the publication of such information a requirement.”

As the only forestry sector assessment of its kind, SPOTT scores companies against over 100 environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators that measure company transparency. Issues covered by the assessments include biodiversity conservation, greenhouse gas emissions, land conflicts, and labour rights. The 2018 results emphasise the pressing need for improved transparency across the board: on average, companies scored just 31%. Only five of the 50 companies assessed, demonstrated higher levels of transparency (scoring more than 66%).

Other key findings from the 2018 SPOTT assessments include inadequate commitments to conserve biodiversity within company concessions, putting Critically Endangered species such as the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) at risk. Over a third of forestry companies assessed by ZSL lack a full commitment to conserve biodiversity, whilst over half are failing to disclose whether they have set aside any of their land for the benefit of wildlife. 

Robert-Alexandre Poujade, ESG Analyst at BNP Paribas Asset Management, said: “Responsible investors and banking institutions are increasingly aware of the impact that unsustainable commodity production can have on forests globally. Tools relying on satellite imagery are already proving crucial in tracking deforestation, but the loop can only be closed when companies publicly disclose the exact location of their operations.”

A summary of the latest SPOTT timber and pulp assessments can be found here: www.spott.org/timber-pulp-summary. Full details of all 50 timber and pulp producers assessed on SPOTT can be found here: www.spott.org/timber-pulp

SPOTT (Sustainable Palm Oil Transparency Toolkit)

Developed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), SPOTT is an online platform supporting sustainable commodity production and trade. By tracking transparency, SPOTT incentivises the implementation of corporate best practice.

SPOTT assesses commodity producers and traders on the public disclosure of their policies, operations and commitments related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. SPOTT scores companies annually against sector-specific indicators, allowing them to benchmark their progress over time. Investors, buyers and other key influencers can use SPOTT assessments to inform stakeholder engagement, manage risk, and increase industry transparency. For more information, visit www.SPOTT.org

ZSL (Zoological Society of London)

Founded in 1826, ZSL (Zoological Society of London) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity whose mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. Our mission is realised through our ground-breaking science, our active conservation projects in more than 50 countries and our two Zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. For more information visit www.zsl.org

Steel Yankee dryers have been operating since 2000, and in recent years, they have become the dominant trend in the tissue industry. At present, the estimated number of steel Yankee dryers in operation worldwide is almost 400 units.

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However, to this day, there aren’t any official guidelines regulating their safe operation, proper inspection and maintenance. The National Board Inspection codes for pressure vessels (such as ASME, PED, CSEI, JIS etc.) regulate the design and construction of steel Yankees, but their domain ends with the delivery. End users often demand that SYD checks and services be performed according to TAPPI’s standards, pointing to the need for an internationally recognized set of guidelines.    

In 2015, Toscotec first put forth the idea of creating an official set of standard practices for steel Yankee’s operations. TAPPI has since entrusted the Yankee Dryer Safety and Reliability Committee - Steel Yankee Subcommittee with the task of creating a new TAPPI TIP (Technical Information Paper) dedicated to Steel Yankee Dryers. In parallel, Toscotec has played a key role in helping update the TAPPI reference book Guidelines for Safe Operation and Condition Assessment of Yankee Dryers, which includes both updated contents for cast iron Yankees and steel Yankees. These publications are expected to become available in 2019.

Toscotec North America’s Lead Technical Service Analyst, Troy Kapalczynski is Chairperson of TAPPI’s Steel Yankee Subcommittee. As he explained, “the subcommittee is composed of manufacturers and end users who collaborate to expand the knowledge of Yankee dryers and address key questions about what and how procedures should be done in order to safely operate, properly control and maintain one of the most important equipment of a tissue mill. We are working to give end users the answers they need to optimize their operations”.

Riccardo Pierini, Toscotec’s Customer Care & Yankee Dryer Service Manager, added, “The subcommittee runs a peer-reviewed, highly specialized and technical project. Specifically for steel Yankees, we addressed issues such as inspection guidelines and principles, non-destructive examinations, routine and non-routine inspections, warm-up and cool-down procedures, and boiler water chemistry. In addition, we also developed maintenance and repair practices among other operating and reliability guidelines. These are all fundamental questions for Yankee managers worldwide”.  

As the leading supplier of steel Yankee dryers worldwide, Toscotec is the leading provider of content for TAPPI’s Steel Yankee Subcommittee. In this respect, Toscotec North America’s Area Engineering Manager, Alessandro Rocchiccioli pointed out, “We have 18 years of experience in the design, manufacture, and operation monitoring and service of steel Yankee dryers. With over 200 references, we have TT SYD running across the globe under a wide range of different environmental, pressure and operating conditions. We want to share this experience with the entire tissue industry, because the market has confirmed that steel Yankees are the future and, as an industry, we need a clear regulatory framework, as cast iron Yankees had back in 1992”.  

For more information about TAPPI's Steel Yankee Subcommittee, visit: 

http://www.tappi.org/Divisions-Committees/Tissue/Yankee-Dryer-Safety-and-Reliability-Committee/

German papermaker Progroup AG has chosen Voith’s XcelLine machine concept for its flagship greenfield plant, Propapier PM 3 GmbH. The site is scheduled to open in 2020 in Sandersdorf-Brehna in the northwest of Leipzig.

  • High performance XcelLine concept as decisive factor to receive contract
  • New PM 3 will produce 750,000 tons of testliner and corrugated medium annually
  • Start-up planned for 2020

voith logo 2013Progroup contracted with Voith in July to deliver PM 3, a 10,000 millimeter wire width machine with an annual production capacity of 750,000 tons of testliner and corrugated medium. Voith will supply the feeding system, BlueLine stock preparation; reject system, paper machine with hood and process air system, hall ventilation, reel spool transport system and winder. The new machine will have an operating speed of 1,600 meter per minute.

Voith Paper was selected because of the outstanding performance of its XcelLine machine concept, as well as the proven BlueLine stock preparation, clothing and roll covers, VariFlex XL winder, and mechanical roll service.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the Propapier PM 3 plant in early 2019 with completion slated for the second half of 2020. Together with Progroup’s nearby facilities in Burg and Eisenhüttenstadt, the containerboard manufacturer will have a total annual production capacity of approximately 1.85 million tons.

About the Company
Voith Paper is a Group Division of Voith and the leading partner and pioneer in the paper industry. Through constant innovations, the technology group is continually optimizing the paper manufacturing process and paving the way for resource-saving production. Thanks to Papermaking 4.0, paper manufacturers can interconnect their equipment in an optimum way and increase their competitiveness through the effective and secure use of generated data. With Servolution, Voith Paper offers its customers tailored service solutions for all sections of the production process.

Voith is a global technology group. With its wide range of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 19,000 employees and earns 4.2 billion euros in sales. It has locations in over 60 countries and is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.