Ian Melin-Jones

Ian Melin-Jones

TAPPI Presents Leonard Fiore with Process Control Division Technical Award 2018 

An expert engineer from AMETEK Surface Vision, a world leader in automated online surface inspection solutions, was presented by TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry), with a prestigious technical award at its recent PaperCon event in Charlotte, NC.

Senior Hardware Engineer Leonard (Lenny) Fiore received the 2018 Process Control Division Technical Award, which is presented annually by TAPPI in recognition of outstanding contributions to paper industry science and technology.

2018 05 23 213737from left to right): Paul Durocher, Chair TAPPI Board of Directors, ; Leonard Fiore, Senior Hardware Engineer AMETEK Surface Vision; and Larry Montague, TAPPI President & CEO

Mr. Fiore has spent more than 40 years in the pulp and paper industry, starting in 1977 with Foxboro, and been involved with web-based monitoring and inspection for the past 25 years. He is responsible for many important design and technical developments for the paper sector and is named as an inventor on six US patents.

In presenting the award, the TAPPI Awards Committee noted Mr. Fiore’s exceptional accomplishments throughout his long paper industry career and his involvement in the development of landmark products and systems. Those include Champion video capture view, rheometer automation design, Sartell quality information control system, roll diameter prediction and AMETEK Surface Vision’s SmartAdvisor® web monitoring and inspection system, with its incorporation of high-definition cameras and board redesign.

“This award is a thoroughly deserved recognition of Lenny’s technical skills and achievements. Those include his integral role on the team that designed and developed AMETEK Surface Vision’s innovative SmartNet® scalable quality control solution,” commented Marius Westermann, AMETEK Surface Vision Business Manager.

“It acknowledges the dedication and expertise of Lenny and many others at AMETEK Surface Vision, who have made us a world leader in our field.”

Smart Solutions for integrating the processes of the tissue value chain presented at Valmet Tissue Making Days 2018

During Valmet Tissue Making Days 2018, Valmet, Fabio Perini and Elettric80 disclosed new digital solutions to implement the “ideal smart factory” resulting from the cooperation of three market leading companies.

The conference has been hosted since 1983 by Valmet, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp & paper industries. This year Valmet has involved Fabio Perini, leading company in the converting & packaging industry, and Elettric80, specialized in creating automated solutions for FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) as partners for the event.

It has been three days of sharing ideas, technologies and market trends with the key tissue players and producers from all over the world.

From left: Jenny Lahti-Samuelsson, Manager Global Tissue Technology, Valmet -  William Nelson, President of Elettric80 Inc & Elettric80 S de RL – Kent Nika, Valmet and Oswaldo Cruz, Fabio Perini CEOFrom left: Jenny Lahti-Samuelsson, Manager Global Tissue Technology, Valmet - William Nelson, President of Elettric80 Inc & Elettric80 S de RL – Kent Nika, Valmet and Oswaldo Cruz, Fabio Perini CEO

The event theme, T-Evolution – Transforming Tissue Together, focused on the transformation of the business environment and how Industrial Internet and digitization are leveraging new strategies and solutions to satisfy the Customers.

Valmet, Fabio Perini and Elettric80 are three individual companies, part of a unique value chain. They work as separate entities but can at the same time be integrated into one System. They are individually strong, worldwide established companies, but can make the difference within a tissue factory meeting the customers’ needs.

“To continue to develop this industry we have identified and created new solutions with a more holistic approach. This is a proof that working together with our partners and utilizing the data from end to end can bring greater value for both the tissue industry and the development of new sustainable solutions” says Jenny Lahti-Samuelsson, Manager Global Tissue Technology at Valmet.

“The complexity of the market - Oswaldo Cruz, Fabio Perini CEO, comments – calls for cooperation between companies like ours in supplying customers with solutions enabling them to go beyond their business objectives: improve overall equipment efficiency, maximize production output, look after environment sustainability, focus on safety and optimize overall cost, as well as a general and transversal efficiency, attainable only through integration”.

"Elettric80 has totally changed the way of designing tissue factories, offering one of the most efficient and safe solutions available around the world that is able to respond quickly to customers’ needs and to changes in the market - says William Nelson, President of Elettric80 Inc & Elettric80 S de RL-. The solutions by Elettric80 cover the entire value chain because they enhance the reliability and safety of the entire plant as well as of the entire business life cycle. The results are a significant increase in factory efficiency, total traceability of handled products, significantly reducing spaces, maximum safety and cost-effectiveness. We work in close partnership with our customers around the world to solve the logistical challenges of the tissue industry; we do not offer our customers a single product, but solutions that are tailor-made, scalable, modular and efficient.

Valmet, Fabio Perini, Elettric80: how process integration happens

Product optimization, throughout machine digitization, starts right at the beginning of our ecosystem. The journey of the fibres from pulp to a dried tissue sheet is long and every step of the journey is important.

Through the Valmet Advantage NTT machine all the parameters used to transform the fibers into a tissue web and the characteristics of the dried paper, are collected and controlled for immediate corrective actions. The wet end system is measured and controlled by a variation of different Valmet Analysers. Every centimetre of produced tissue is monitored for quality, by the Valmet DNA system, carrying all information on the jumbo roll’s excellence and flaws: chemicals used, softness and eventual damages.

The Advanced Balance Control system (ABC) provides optimal and automatic balance control of hood and air system for any production range, boosts productivity while minimizing energy consumption, allows remote control of the parameters and enables a direct connection to Valmet experts for remote diagnostics on the drying process.

When Jumbo rolls are stored and ready to be transformed on the conversion lines, an Elettric80 LGV Elephant system machine collects the right reel from the warehouse and takes it towards the Fabio Perini converting line. Elettric80’s Smart Decision Maker - the “decision making” logic that oversees all the logistic operations and material movements inside the factory- reads and collects all the information transmitted by Valmet.

The main systems by Elettric80 and BEMA, the second company specialising in the manufacture of products that perfectly complete the Elettric80 value chain, designed according to the tissue customer’s needs are: a wide range of LASER GUIDED VEHICLES (LGVs); WOODPECKER pallet control system; DRAGON palletizer; SILKWORM stretch wrapper; ROBOTIC LABELLER and SMART STORE warehouses. SMART BOX is a unique, sturdy, modular and extremely efficient solution. Within a 12m x 7.5m space, it combines palletizing, stretch wrapping and labelling in a flexible and compact layout. SMART BOX offers multiple advantages such as high efficiency, reduced accumulations, low maintenance costs constant over time.

The reel is automatically loaded on the new Fabio Perini Smart Unwinder (chuckless and crankless) with intelligent features, that allow to optimize manpower and prevent injuries.

The next step is embossing: the Fabio Perini CATALYST smart embosser can change both steel rolls in just 10 minutes, without an overhead crane, thanks to its exclusive technology. Saving time helps to improve production and optimize cost, confirming that “Less is more”. The Active Exchange System allows adding or removing the steel rolls from the warehouse while the machine is running, granting flexibility and versatility.

The Fabio Perini 179AX LOG SAW is able to change the Log Saw blade automatically, with no operator access inside the machine, thanks to its 5-slot warehouse feeding an automatic system that is able to change the worn blade in less than 3 minutes.

More than 80% of machine downtime saving and 100% Reduction of Operator Intervention, during changeover procedures, can be attained thanks to the Fabio Perini A6T Wrapper with the Trolley One Touch.

Throughout the whole production cycle, a factory is an assembly of complementary processes performed by different machines, each performing very unique activities. We may say that a factory, in many ways, is like an orchestra, each machine being like a musician creating its own sound, and all the coordinated sounds resulting in music.

The whole process is managed centrally by a single software platform developed by Elettric80, named SM.I.LE80 (Smart Integrated Logistics), which ensures a "direct link" between systems and production processes, and the optimal and effective management of all internal and external plant operations: from incoming raw materials to complete warehousing and shipping management.

Buckman, a global company that specializes in innovative chemical and smart solutions for the pulp and paper industry, will introduce ECHOWISE™, its newest non-invasive technology, at PulPaper in Helsinki, Finland. On 30 May, Buckman’s Mark Conyngham will discuss the advanced process control that ECHOWISE brings to the pulp and paper industry. The presentation will take place at 12:30-13:00 at the Forest Stage in the Exhibition Area.

2018 05 22 110336

In addition, Junai Maharaj, Buckman’s CEO, is serving on the Business Forum’s Leading Change panel on 29 May at 15:30-16:25, and Buckman’s Rob Miller will present on the topic of “Predicting the impact of wood fibers processing using fluorescent carbohydrate binding modules” on 29 May from 13:45-14:00 in the Future Square.

Please visit Buckman’s booth 6e20 to learn more about its innovative chemistries, like Vybrant® enzymatic technologies for pulp brightness, Maximyze® enzymatic fiber refining, Busperse® 2454 deposit control, Oxamine® for paper mill influent and Recovery Boiler Advisor for leak detection.

PMP (Paper Machinery Producer) announced the selection and appointment of Greg Welcher as PMP's new Director Pulp & Paper Business - North America.

logo pmp passion“Greg’s paper industry experience provides PMP with a valuable asset and makes our North American team much stronger.” Rocky Matuska – General Manager PMP Americas.

Greg Welcher brings more than 34 years of experience in the pulp & paper industry and has been involved in paper machine equipment design, research, and commissioning throughout his career.

“PMP Group has a well-respected equipment brand name and I am excited to join the PMP Group and look forward to helping grow the North American business segment.” Greg Welcher – Director Pulp & Paper Business – North America

Kemira, a global leader in the manufacture of high quality wet strength resins, supplied under the FennoStrength name, celebrates the one-year anniversary of the best-in-class manufacturing site located in Villatuerta and known as the Estella site. The celebrations took place on May 17th, 2018 with customers and government officials joining the event.

Logo slogan below kemiraStrength technologies, including wet strength, are critical in manufacturing paper and board and the strength chemical market is growing. The market also demands for high performance differentiating technologies as well as compliance with stricter environmental regulations. Kemira has consistently been investing into the development of new strength technologies and into modern manufacturing sites, most recently in wet strength resin production at Äetsä, Finland (2015), in dry strength resin production at San Giorgio, Italy (2015) and last year at Estella (2017).

"This anniversary marks an important milestone for Kemira - says Mr. Tommi Kankkunen, VP of Manufacturing. Thanks to a multi-million investment and dedicated efforts from R&D, this state of the art facility with a large production capacity now produces a highly efficient wet strength resin."

Kemira's investments in manufacturing are complemented by investments in R&D, resulting in a successful outcome for the new wet strength offering. "We are proud to announce first deliveries of high solids wet strength resin in response to the current market demand. And in anticipation of the upcoming E.U. regulatory restrictions, lowering the limit of adsorbable organic halides (AOX) in the effluent, a new low AOX FennoStrength resin was developed with first deliveries taking place already in June," reports Dr. Vladimir Grigoriev, Sr. Manager, Applications & Marketing.

After recent developments, the Estella site now offers a complete portfolio of wet strength resins with dedicated lines also for the latest product generations geared towards the most stringent regulatory profiles. Moreover, high performance Yankee coating adhesives are also produced at the site. "A focus of the Estella site," adds Mr. Roberto Zulian, Director of Tissue Sales, "is also directed towards the demands of the tissue industry, which include the needs for creping adhesives. The new R&D developments in this area and established manufacturing at Estella have addressed the tissue industry wishes for a complete Yankee coating portfolio with the most up-to-date regulatory profile. We are well positioned now to deliver our customers the strength aids and Yankee coating technologies they desire."

"We are excited about the one-year anniversary, says Mr. Anibal Cermano, Site Manager. This investment demonstrates a strong commitment to our customers and partners. We appreciate the support given by the local authorities in the surrounding communities and the Navarra Government."

PulPaper18logopvm600px

PulPaper, PacTec and Wood&Bioenergy on 29–31 May represent the cornerstones of an international event for the forest industry, including an exhibition and extensive programme. In the event, approximately 500 companies ranging from forest industry giants to small start-up businesses will meet. Throughout the fair, there will also be various programmes in three different seminars and on three stages for information briefings. In total, about 100 experts will take the stage at the event.

The event for forest industry is created round PulPaper, and it has gained also international attention. Almost 130 international companies from over 20 countries are participating in the event. The seminar presenters with the longest journey will come from North America and Japan. The trade fair also expects visitors from various continents. In addition, many representatives from international media will come to the trade fair.

Start-ups help in taking digital leaps and in meeting the challenges of the circular economy

A total of 25 start-up businesses will be present at the trade fair, and all of them have developed solutions to the problems of circular economy and demands posed by digital leaps, to mention but a few. The start-up businesses offer innovations, for example, for recycling bio-ash and using wood as a raw material for various products. In addition, the businesses have developed tools to better utilise industrial internet and knowledge, to support strategic decision-making by means of artificial intelligence, and to exploit augmented reality, i.e. AR, in packaging industry in order to increase customer loyalty.

Information briefings provide a snapshot of the latest innovations in the industry

PulPaper’s exhibition area, Future Square, will offer free information briefings with themes in accordance with the trade fair days. On Tuesday, companies give short presentations about their new products and services. On Wednesday the floor will be given to forest companies, and on Thursday, the programme will be directed to students in the industry.

The forest companies will bring their directors, who will then talk about innovations, responsibility and brand new possibilities for the packaging industry. Timo Heikka, the Director of Biorefinery Unit at Stora Enso, will tell more about Stora Enso’s recent investments. Issues relating to responsibility and circular economy will be covered by Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Metsä Fibre, as well as Saila Kettunen, the Director of Barrier Board at Kotkamills. Berry Wiersum, the Director of Sappi Europe explains, how innovations are now an integral part of the company’s operations. The programme also includes ideas concerning the future of the packaging industry in terms of new materials and digitalisation.

Pitching for the forest industry innovation contest

On Thursday, the semifinalists of the innovation contest aimed for the university students in the field of forest industry will take the Future Square stage with prepared pitches of their work. The innovation contest is named “Wood U Make It Happen”, and the goal is to select the best ideas with new approaches to the challenges in forest industry, as well as to the most common megatrends, such as population growth and environmental challenges.

Based on the pitches, the jury selects the finalists. The jury includes top experts in the field of bioeconomics, and the chairperson of the jury will be Maija Itkonen, founder of Gold&Green Foods. The first prize is EUR 10,000, second prize EUR 5,000, and the third prize EUR 3,000. The winners will be announced at the end of the year during the centennial celebrations of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.

  • The semifinalists in the contest represent a broad representation of various universities throughout Finland and also of many different approaches ranging from services to forest cultivation, as well as materials made from totally varied parts of the wood. This highlights the variety in innovation, and also the inspiring new prospects for using the wood in different ways, says jury chairperson Maija Itkonen.

PulPaper, PacTec and Wood & Bioenergy are events with a wide-ranging focus on the forest industry. They will be held at Messukeskus in Helsinki on 29–31 May 2018. PulPaper is an international forest industry event that includes an exhibition, seminars and other programmes, an evening programme and visits to Finnish mills.

In addition, the PulPaper Conference (30–31 May), Business Forum (29 May) and 3D Printing of Biomaterials (29 May) events will be organised in connection with the event (an admission fee is charged). An evening party for industry professionals will be held on 30 May. Free information briefings will be held in the exhibition area daily. Visits to Metsä Group’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill and Kotkamills’ board mill will be organised on 31 May and 1 June.

www.pulpaper.fi  #pulpaper

Valmet has upgraded its Tissue Technology Center in Karlstad, Sweden, to give the world's tissue producers a wider variety of technical solutions and configurations to support the demands of tissue making today and tomorrow. It will also provide new ways to utilize the Industrial Internet and advanced automation solutions to bring new insights about tissue production, as well as to give more detailed analysis, and information about the end-product quality.

The Tissue Technology Center is a unique resource for cultivation and realization of ideas, innovations and verifying new technology or machine configurations. It is used for both Valmet's own development and customer trials. Recently the center celebrated its 1,000th customer trial. The pilot center is also utilized by pulp, chemical and clothing companies supplying to the tissue industry.

"The upgraded pilot center can offer a renewed and even more flexible pilot machine to support our customers in their ambition to develop solutions that will take this industry to the next level. It can easily be adjusted to cover tissue making processes for conventional, textured and structured grades" says Karl-Johan Tolfsson, Manager, Tissue Technology Center, Valmet.

Tissue Pilot in Karlstad SwedenTissue Pilot in Karlstad Sweden

Tools to monitor and improve quality, runnability and efficiency

The current quality control systems on the pilot tissue machine have been replaced and complemented by the Valmet IQ quality management system. The new system contains online non-nuclear weight, moisture and softness measurements. It also includes two Valmet IQ Scanners and a dilution profiler with cross-direction control. Machine direction controls integrate fast responding wet end process and dry end feedback controls to achieve increased performance in tissue quality control. Valmet IQ Reporting provides users easy access to production and history data.

"With the renewed quality management system, we are able to get faster and more accurate information. The addition of the web monitoring and inspection system also enables the monitoring of the visual end product quality that was not possible before," says Marko Toskala, Director, Quality Management Systems, Automation, Valmet.

The Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System records video images of crucial events in the process, such as web breaks, tail feeding and defects triggered by the IQ Web Inspection System. Recorded images are available for playback, enabling operators to quickly find the origin of the event and correct the problem. This shortens downtime after breaks and improves runnability. Optimized machine efficiency delivers fast payback on investment.

The upgrade includes stock preparation and wet end measurement solutions providing tissue makers with new tools to improve quality, runnability and efficiency. The Valmet Wet End Analyzer (Valmet WEM) combines all relevant wet end variables for a total wet end management solution. Measured variables include charge, chemistry (pH, temperature, conductivity and redox), total and ash consistency, total and ash retention and ash content, all in one analyzer. A Valmet Fiber Image Analyzer (Valmet FS5), designed for routine paper mill laboratory and laboratory research, offers a comprehensive set of automated fiber measurements and the possibility to make the information easily available and useful.

Information about Tissue Technology Center

Tissue Technology Center provides access to a full sized, flexible pilot machine, a well-equipped and organized paper and fiber testing laboratory as well as wide technology and process expertise. The Center can also provide support from a wide network of know-how in the field of tissue making, such as pulp, chemistry, felts, wires, belts, creping etc. The pilot machine and auxiliary systems are designed and equipped for full flexibility to meet the tissue makers' every need.

The Tissue Technology Center is located in Karlstad, Sweden with Valmet's technology resources near at hand.

Arjowiggins Graphic, the leading manufacturer of environmental and specialist paper solutions, is collaborating with automatic screen printing machine manufacturer, INO, and digital printing system manufacturer Ricoh to demonstrate the print performance of their DigiPeel HD papers at this year’s FESPA Global Print Exhibition.

One year since the product was launched at the same event, the qualities of DigiPeel HD will be displayed through live demonstrations on the INO semi-automatic screen printer machine VS6 500 and the Ricoh Pro C7100x. The demonstration will be supported by an exclusive viewing of a promotional video showing (below) the value of DigiPeel HD for industrial digital printing on textiles.

argo print

Arjowiggins Graphic’s DigiPeel HD has been designed to create the best results for industrial textile printers and garment manufacturers. Using heat transfer, with both cold and tepid peel to ensure smooth easy release, DigiPeel HD is ideal for printing logos and images onto textiles using digital press and screen printing. Full colour printing capabilities create photo realistic printing results with optimal reproduction of original colours, whilst the use of gang run printing customisation and no pre-printing or drying time create a much faster transition between jobs and efficient production. An added benefit, when screen printing on the INO automatic screen printing line with its optical registration, is that it enables the backing to deliver a precise and high quality print.

Fabienne Cocheteau, Specialities Marketing Manager of Arjowiggins Graphic says: “A year since we launched DigiPeel HD, we’re delighted to be able to demonstrate the product’s performance using INO’s screen printing machine and Ricoh’s digital press, validating the product on some of the most advanced digital and screen printing technology available on the market.

At FESPA we have been able to demonstrate the quality of the product. Designed to provide the flexibility and full colour brought by digital printing as well as the soft touch and washability resistance given by screen printing, our DigiPeel HD papers are the best paper solution for textile printers, graphic digital printers and garment manufacturers.”

Södra’s next major ad campaign will show that being a hero doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be as simple as actively choosing products from sustainably-managed forests - because consumers who make sustainable choices are heroes. Like previous campaigns, this latest initiative from Södra, recently nominated for the marketing award “100 Wattaren” in Sweden, seeks to be different and to make people sit up and think.

2018 05 18 111918By highlighting that products and services from the forest are environmentally sustainable, the “Act of a hero” campaign (#actofahero) is a counter message to those who try to make paper consumers feel guilty (“don’t print this e-mail” etc). This campaign applauds good behaviour and turns informed consumers into heroes.

“The campaign doesn’t put fibre-based products up against other materials. Its core message is simple: When (not if) you consume, choose a product based on a sustainably-managed forest raw material – that’s an act of a hero!” says Linda Ottosson, Communication Manager at Södra Cell.

Södra recognises the need to communicate the environmental credentials of pulp and paper further downstream in the value chain. That’s why the principal aim of #actofahero is not only to market Södra’s offering to its customers but also to reach its customers’ customers, and to some extent consumers.

“Communicating downstream in the value chain is new and exciting, and to ensure that the message hits home we have chosen to work with two important customers in the tissue and specialty paper segments, respectively. They connect us with their key stakeholders, who are brought in as additional target groups in the campaign,” explains Marcus Hellberg, Marketing Director at Södra Cell.

“The main channels for the campaign will be Södra’s own website and social media channels. But we are asking everybody – customers, colleagues and members – to be part of the campaign by helping to spread and share our material,” adds Ottosson.

Visit www.sodra.com/hero and share your stories!

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Södra, Sweden, to supply a bio-methanol cleaning and purification plant for Södra’s pulp mill in Mönsterås.

The bio-methanol treatment plant supplied by ANDRITZ is designed to produce 5,000 tons of bio-methanol per year. The plant is a key part of a new process producing sustainable bio-methanol from renewable raw material. Bio-methanol can be used in shipping, for example, as a stand-alone fuel, as well as for the production of biodiesel (RME), as an additive in petrol, or as a raw material in the chemical industry. The methanol produced is compliant with the IMPCA Reference Specifications for merchantable methanol. Start-up of the plant is scheduled for the third quarter of 2019.

Rendering of the ANDRITZ bio-methanol plant to be supplied for Södra’s pulp mill in Mönsterås, Sweden. © ANDRITZ Rendering of the ANDRITZ bio-methanol plant to be supplied for Södra’s pulp mill in Mönsterås, Sweden. © ANDRITZ

The global methanol production is in the order of 80 million tons per year and is generated mostly from fossil raw materials. In the chemical wood pulping process, methanol is formed as a by-product that contains many impurities. This raw methanol is purified to a merchantable bio-methanol, which is chemically identical to fossil-based methanol. The bio-methanol generated contributes towards reducing the amount of fossil greenhouse gas emissions.

The current target of the European Union is to have 10% of the transport fuel of every EU country coming from renewable sources, such as biofuels, by 2020. The new EU Renewable Energy Directive 2 currently in preparation will significantly increase the share of advanced biofuels by 2030. “If Sweden is to achieve the fossil-free climate targets, there must be viable alternatives to the fossil-fuel products that are currently available. The investment in the new bio-methanol cleaning and purification plant contributes towards reaching this target. It is also a major part of Södra’s own strategy to be totally fossil-free by 2030,” said Henrik Brodin, Business Development Manager Energy of Södra.

“We are pleased to help Södra in achieving their sustainablilty targets with our innovative products and technologies. This is further proof of our excellent cooperation and partnership with Södra,” says Kari Tuominen, President and CEO of ANDRITZ Oy, Finland.