Displaying items by tag: Domtar Corporation

Domtar Corporation have just announced a plan to optimize fluff pulp manufacturing at its Plymouth mill. The streamlining measures will strengthen the mill's position in the global fluff pulp markets.

dom logoThe restructuring, which is expected to be completed by mid-2017, includes the permanent closure of the small pulp dryer and idling of related assets, in addition to a workforce reduction of approximately 100 positions. The streamlining process will also right-size the mill to an annualized production target of approximately 380,000 metric tons of fluff pulp. The Plymouth mill will continue to produce LighthouseTM Fluff, the benchmark grade for high-quality fluff pulp.

"This action at Plymouth along with the start-up of fluff pulp production at Ashdown will optimize Domtar's fluff pulp manufacturing network and strengthen our position in the growing fluff-pulp market," said Domtar President and Chief Executive Officer John D. Williams. "We remain committed to the Plymouth mill, where we have made significant investments in the past several years. These changes will prepare the mill for long-term, sustainable success."

Fluff pulp is bleached softwood cellulose fiber used worldwide in absorbent applications such as baby diapers, feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products.

About Domtar

Domtar is a leading provider of a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication, specialty and packaging papers, market pulp and absorbent hygiene products. With approximately 10,000 employees serving more than 50 countries around the world, Domtar is driven by a commitment to turn sustainable wood fiber into useful products that people rely on every day. Domtar's annual sales are approximately $5.3 billion and its common stock is traded on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges. Domtar's principal executive office is in Fort Mill, South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.

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Domtar Corporation's short documentary, A Portrait on Paper, earned three Telly Awards. The 36th annual Telly Awards honor the finest film and video productions, attracting more than 12,000 entries from five continents. Domtar's inspirational short video received a Silver Award for Best Corporate Image; a Bronze Award for Best Creative Director; and a Bronze Award for Best Editing

"The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video," said Linda Day, executive director of the Telly Awards.  "Domtar's accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production."

Domtar's short documentary, A Portrait on Paper, highlights the life of a 20-year employee from the company's Marlboro Mill in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Part of Domtar's Paper Made Here program, this film demonstrates how North American paper companies, like Domtar, positively impact the lives of North American workers, their families, and their local communities.

"We are thrilled and honored that A Portrait on Paper was recognized with three Telly awards," said Paige Goff, Domtar's vice president of sustainability and business communications. "Our Paper Made Here program was launched to share our story about how Domtar is making a difference in the lives of our employees and the local communities in which we operate across North America, and we are proud to see that this film resonates with so many people."

The employee story shared in A Portrait On Paper is just one of thousands within the North American paper industry. The North American paper industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, and Domtar alone provides nearly 9,000 jobs across North America.

Watch the Domtar film that earned three Telly Awards here, and visit Domtar's website to learn more about Paper Made Here, the program that inspired this award-winning short documentary. To find out more about the Telly Awards visit www.tellyawards.com.

About Domtar
dom logo
Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products, including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of our business is a network of world-class wood fiber-converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulp. The majority of our pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer and manufacturer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice®, EarthChoice® and Xerox® Paper and Specialty Media. Domtar is also a marketer and producer of a broad line of absorbent hygiene products marketed primarily under the Attends®, IncoPack® and Indasec® brand names. In 2014, Domtar had sales of $5.6 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 9,800 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.

SOURCE Domtar Corporation

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dom logoDomtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) has announced significant updates to The Paper Trail®, its award-winning interactive tool that helps customers trace the impacts of their paper purchases. The totally renovated site includes social and economic information in addition to environmental data, broadening the meaning of sustainability. It represents Domtar's belief that businesses should operate transparently, pulling back the curtain on their operations and the resulting impacts.

With the latest additions, The Paper Trail (www.domtarpapertrail.com) now showcases the people and places behind the products, featuring stories and photos from all 13 of Domtar's North American mills. The tool assesses Domtar's community investments by tracking charitable donations and volunteer efforts, such as recycling programs or educational initiatives. It also demonstrates the paper industry's impact on the economy, as Domtar employs nearly 9,000 people across the United States and Canada. In doing so, The Paper Trail helps both businesses and consumers understand the holistic impact of their purchases.

"Since first introducing The Paper Trail in 2011, our thinking has continued to evolve regarding what sustainability encompasses," said Paige Goff, Vice President of Sustainability and Business Communication. "The new site embraces all three legs of the 'sustainability stool' by assessing not only our environmental footprint, but our social and economic impact as well. It demonstrates Domtar's commitment to the towns we operate in - not only as an environmental advocate, but also as a driver of community initiatives and a creator of thousands of jobs."

The Paper Trail provides gate-to-gate impact estimates for Domtar products across five environmental categories: fiber, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water, renewable energy and waste. It provides relevant context by illustrating how Domtar compares to the rest of the industry in these categories and, importantly, highlights areas for improvement in addition to showcasing what Domtar is doing well.

"The Paper Trail illustrates many of the complex issues we carefully consider when evaluating opportunities to improve our performance," said Brian Kozlowski, Senior Manager, Sustainability Performance Optimization. "We've used the tool to display mill sustainability data in an interesting and interactive way - and we're inviting the public to come along on the journey."

In addition to providing social and economic data, The Paper Trail also:

  • Includes an expanded list of responsibly produced paper grades, representing the entire EarthChoice® Product Line
  • Displays histories, pictures and stories from all 13 of Domtar's North American pulp and paper mills
  • Offers users personalized impact report options with broader sustainability information, including topics of interest such as bleaching processes used and tree species utilized
  • Is optimized for use on all smartphone, tablet and desktop devices
  • Uses Google Maps to create a geographic trail to the closest mill that produces a select paper grade

With these improvements in place, The Paper Trail offers a clear and complete answer to the question "where does my paper come from?" It goes beyond environmental data to show customers how their purchase of North American paper can create a positive ripple effect on local communities.

"We can't always promise perfection, but we believe our customers deserve transparency. That's a promise we will always deliver - and it's the reason we created The Paper Trail in the first place." said Goff. "Now, consumers can also take pride in the fact they're helping to drive philanthropic efforts and create jobs across North America when they purchase from Domtar."   

About Domtar  
Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of its business is a network of world class wood fiber converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulps. The majority of its pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice® and Domtar EarthChoice®. Domtar is also a leading marketer and producer of a broad line of absorbent hygiene products marketed primarily under the Attends®, IncoPack and Indasec® brand names. In 2013, Domtar had sales of $5.4 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 10,000 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.

SOURCE Domtar Corporation

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dom logoDomtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) has announced that its Board of Directors has approved a $160 million capital project to convert a paper machine at the Ashdown, Arkansas mill to a high quality fluff pulp line used in absorbent applications such as baby diapers, feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products. The planned conversion is expected to come online by the third quarter 2016 and will allow for the production of up to 516,000 metric tons of fluff pulp per year once the machine is in full operation. The project will also result in the permanent reduction of 364,000 short tons of annual uncoated freesheet production capacity in the second quarter of 2016.

"The fluff pulp conversion project at the Ashdown mill is an important step in advancing our strategy to generate $300 to 500 million of EBITDA from growth businesses," said John D. Williams, Chief Executive Officer. "We are expanding our presence in a growing business that will allow us to support our top-tier supplier position with some of the world's largest producers of absorbent hygiene products. Once completed, Ashdown, together with our Plymouth mill will provide a platform to further strengthen our leading position as an effective producer of high quality fluff pulp with nearly one million tonnes of total production capacity."

Commenting on the reduction of papermaking capacity, Mr. Williams added, "The conversion of the paper machine in 2016 will further help balance our supply with our customers' demand. In the interim, the flexibility of the two remaining paper machines at the Ashdown mill allows us to take measured steps to adjust our paper production while selling papergrade pulp."

The conversion work is expected to commence during the second quarter of 2016 and the fluff pulp line is scheduled to start-up by the third quarter 2016. The cost of conversion will be approximately $160 million of which $40 million is expected to be invested in 2015 and $120 million in 2016. The Company will also invest in a pulp bale line that will provide flexibility to manufacture papergrade softwood pulp, contingent on market conditions.

The aggregate pre-tax earnings charge in connection with this conversion is estimated to be $117 million which includes an estimated $114 million in non-cash charges relating to accelerated depreciation of the carrying amounts of the manufacturing equipment as well as the write-off of related spare parts. Of the estimated pre-tax charge of $117 million, $3 million relates to estimated cash severance, employee benefits and training. Of the estimated total pre-tax charge of $117 million, $9 million is expected to be recognized in the fourth quarter of 2014 and $108 million is expected to be incurred during 2015 and 2016.

As a result of the fourth quarter decision to convert the nature and use of line A64 of the Ashdown Pulp and Paper mill, the carrying amount of the assets of the Ashdown mill is being tested for impairment and may result in a write-down during the fourth quarter of 2014. The carrying amount of such assets was approximately $813 million at November 30, 2014.

About Domtar 
Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of its business is a network of world class wood fiber converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulps. The majority of its pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice® and Domtar EarthChoice®. Domtar is also a leading marketer and producer of a broad line of absorbent hygiene products marketed primarily under the Attends®, IncoPack and Indasec® brand names. In 2013, Domtar had sales of $5.4 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 10,000 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com .

Safe Harbor
The statements in this release regarding our conversion plans with respect to our Ashdown facility are forward-looking statements.  Actual results could differ materially for a number of reasons, including demand and price for fluff products, the availability of the parts and equipment for the conversion of the mill, the cost and availability of raw materials, and the other factors that impact our business generally. 

SOURCE Domtar Corporation

INVESTOR RELATIONS : Nicholas Estrela, Director, Investor Relations, Tel.: 514-848-5555 x 85979; MEDIA RELATIONS : David Struhs, Vice-President, Corporate Communications and Sustainability, Tel.: 803-802-8031

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2014-10-30 065513 domtar 7242Domtar Corporation has announced  the election of Domenic Pilla to its Board of Directors. Mr. Pilla currently serves as President of Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada's leading pharmacy and beauty retailer, with sales of over $11 billion, and more than 52,000 employees across 1,400 retail locations; he has held this position since 2011. Shoppers Drug Mart is a unique and independent operating division of Loblaw Companies Limited.

Under Mr. Pilla's leadership, Shoppers Drug Mart underwent a significant business transformation that led to impressive financial performance. Mr. Pilla attributes a customer-centric and results-driven approach to his successful track record of implementing business efficiencies. Prior to 2011, he served as President of McKesson Canada, a leading provider of health care services.

"We're extremely pleased to add Domenic to our Board," said Robert J. Steacy, Domtar's Chairman of the Board. "His experience and skills will be a valued addition to our Board as we continue to implement our key strategic initiatives."

"Domenic's extensive leadership experience in the retail and institutional health care markets will play an integral role in advancing our company's strategic growth in the personal care segment," said John D. Williams, Domtar's President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Pilla is a graduate of McGill University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He serves as Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Cancer Research Society and is a member of the Board and Chair of the HRCC for the Princess Margaret Cancer Center Foundation. He is a member of the Ivey Council for Health, Innovation, and Leadership; and also a Governor of the Marie-Clarac Hospital Foundation.

About Domtar Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of its business is a network of world class wood fiber converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulps. The majority of its pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar(®), Lynx(®) Opaque Ultra, Husky(®) Opaque Offset, First Choice(®) and Domtar EarthChoice(®). Domtar is also a leading marketer and producer of a broad line of absorbent hygiene products marketed primarily under the Attends(®), IncoPack and Indasec(®) brand names. In 2013, Domtar had sales of $5.4 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 10,000 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.

SOURCE Domtar Corporation

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dom logoDomtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) accepted the Environmental Strategy of the Year Award and the Innovative Printing and Writing Campaign of the Year Award at the Pulp and Paper International (PPI) Awards 2014 held on October 8 in Boston, Massachusetts. The PPI Awards are held each year to recognize the achievements of companies, mills and individuals in the pulp and paper sector.

For the Environmental Strategy of the Year, Domtar's Windsor Mill was chosen for its steadfast dedication to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, energy use and waste, as well as championing the use of raw materials sourced from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified sources.

"This award recognizes that we are leaving a legacy of sustainable development and caring in our community. Caring is one of Domtar's core values, and that means being a responsible corporate citizen," said Eric Ashby, Domtar's Windsor General Manager.

The Innovative Printing & Writing Campaign of the Year recognized Domtar's Paper Fun Truck initiative. This whimsically decorated truck visited schools, businesses, retirement communities and even a Los Angeles area beach to show how paper remains fun and valuable. The Paper Fun Truck is part of Domtar's PAPERbecause campaign, which uses humor and facts to debunk myths about the paperless society.

"Paper is an important part of our daily lives, both professionally and personally. We are pleased that Domtar has had success in telling compelling stories about the products we make, which has impacted our entire industry," said Paige Goff, Domtar's Vice-President of sustainability and business communications.

About Domtar 
Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of its business is a network of world class wood fiber converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulps. The majority of its pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice® and Domtar EarthChoice®. Domtar is also a leading marketer and producer of a broad line of incontinence care products marketed primarily under the Attends®, IncoPack and Indasec® brand names as well as baby diapers. In 2013, Domtar had sales of US$5.4 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 10,000 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.  

SOURCE Domtar Corporation

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Domtar is proud to be the Montreal Chamber Orchestra's Season Partner for the 2012-2013 Discovery Concert Series. We invite classical music lovers of all ages to join us.

Also on the program: Symphony no. 1 in C Majour, op 21 by L. van Beethoven, Couleurs by Louis Babin, Petite Suite by Claude Debussy and Symphony no.1 in E-flat Major, KV 16 by W. A. Mozart.

For further information or to schedule interviews with the concert conductor and/or soloist, interested individuals and media can contact Mona Awad, MCO Executive Director, at 514-871-1224 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About the soloist Georde Gao is considered as one of the most exciting, innovative and respected erhu masters today. His performance on April 16 marks his first appearance with the Montreal Chamber Orchestra.

About the conductor Born in Montreal, Wanda Kaluzny started her musical studies with lessons in piano and organ. She began her conducting career at the age of 11 when she assumed the position of organist and choir director at the Holy Cross Parish in Montreal, a position she held for eight years. A year later at the age of twenty, she founded the Montreal Chamber Orchestra making her at the time, the youngest and only woman conductor of a professional Orchestra. Kaluzny's conducting studies include working with Stefan Stuligrosz in Poland and with Charles Bruck at the Pierre Monteux Memorial Foundation in the United States. She toured in Europe as Maestro Bruck's assistant and also guest conducted in North America and Europe. In April 1990, she was the first woman to guest conduct the Baden-Baden Symphony in Germany.

About the Montreal Chamber Orchestra The Montreal Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1974 by its Artistic Director and Conductor, Wanda Kaluzny. Under her leadership the MCO has earned a reputation for excellence and has achieved international recognition: Korean tour including a television broadcast (1990-91); tour of Southeastern U.S.A. (Nov 1990); tour in California invited by Columbia Artist Management (Mar 1992). The MCO was also honored to be the first Canadian Orchestra featured in two PBS programs produced by Vermont Public Television, which included the memorial concert entitled "Requiem for September 11". The Montreal Chamber Orchestra can be heard on the compact discs Suites for Strings and Cinématique.

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More than 400 people have helped build the $250 million biomass power plant that now towers over Business Highway 51 and the Wisconsin River, and their months of hard work have the project on schedule to begin generating power late this year.

domtar biomass

When the facility opens, a parade of 50 to 75 semitrucks every weekday will keep the plant’s boilers stoked with treetops and branches that will create steam and electricity. In addition to producing clean energy, the new site will improve air quality by reducing overall emissions from the Domtar paper mill by about 30 percent, according to a Domtar and We Energies informational handout.

That parade of trucks loaded down with 300,000 to 500,000 tons of wood debris referred to as biomass will come from forests within a 75-mile radius and will employ dozens more people, including Jeff Plunkett, fiber procurement manager for Domtar.

Plunkett is in charge of buying wood materials for the paper mill and new biomass facility. He said he has a growing list of local contractors lined up to provide the wood waste, though he declined to name any.

“This gives an opportunity for the forest products industry for an additional outlet for their material,” Plunkett said. “It will open up potential new markets for people who want to get into the wood waste business  and market it instead of burning or putting it in a landfill.”

In November 2008, the company began talks with We Energies to develop an alternative energy source, and the partnership was announced in September 2009 for a new biomass plant to be built at the Domtar Rothschild site. Since its introduction, the project has divided village residents and faced opposition because of its hefty price tag. Construction began in August 2011.

Rick Graap, owner of Graap Logging in Merrill, has supported the biomass facility since it was first proposed. He hopes to have a contract later this year as one of the biomass material providers for the new facility, and already has about 25,000 tons of tree tops and branches stored in north central Wisconsin.

Graap said he plans to hire about two to three new employees to drive trucks, should he contract with Domtar and We Engergies. He will also hire two other employees to operate in the woods.

“I’m excited not only for myself but also for the raw forest products industry in the state,” he said. “When you diversify markets, it strengthens the industry in any business. Not to mention all of the other related tire and parts companies that will benefit from this amazing addition to central Wisconsin.”

Once the facility is in full operation, the plant will employ about 30 full-time workers. About 60 percent of the steam will drive a turbine to create electricity for We Energies, a Milwaukee-based energy company. The remaining steam will be used inside Domtar’s Rothschild mill, which employs 400 people.

While Domtar will continue to buy electricity from Wisconsin Public Service Corp., the new 50-megawatt biomass facility will supply 100 percent of the mill’s steam, used to create the high-pressure, high-temperature environment necessary to convert wood chips to pulp and to dry paper after it is made, said Craig Timm, a Domtar spokesman.

Before the plant opens late this year, many parts need to be prepped and tested, including the biomass boiler, the fuel-handling system and steam blows. Testing the biomass boiler ensures boiler pipes are welded properly and can withstand required pressure. The steam blows push steam through pipes to clear dirt and debris that accumulate during construction, and the fuel-handling system includes conveyor systems and the truck unloader.

Published in Energy News
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Wednesday, 03 April 2013 17:30

Where Power Meets Paper

Nestled along the Wisconsin River within the town of Rothschild, Wis., sits Domtar’s paper mill. Built over 100 years ago it serves as one of the region’s largest employers. Considered an area landmark, its presence now is perhaps more marked than ever, with the gradual but seemingly overnight construction of a 50-MW biomass cogeneration plant.

Reaching a skyscraping 265 feet at its highest point, the facility is a new addition to the landscape that residents across the river have been able to watch grow over the past couple of years, a result of years of partnership, permitting and meticulous planning. The bustling construction site—active even through the harsh winter months—is described by Craig Timm, manager of Domtar’s public affairs, as “its own little city.” Having reached peak construction last fall, with around 500 workers on site any given time, the plant is now in the final stretch of construction.

Reflecting on the four-year development process, Domtar and We Energies are enthused—and proud—to share their experiences in working together toward a common goal, but at the same time having completely different backgrounds and objectives.

Project Pieces

dom pic1Terry Carroll, asset manager for We Energies, says that the idea for the project emerged when the utility was exploring ways to meet the state renewable portfolio standard, which requires 10 percent of electric sales from renewables by 2015. “We had one major wind project at the time and were looking at others, but realized that we needed some diversity, so we started looking at biomass,” Carroll says. “Where would it make the most sense, and who would make a good partner? In terms of procuring biomass, papermaking or lumber product companies are already doing that.” 

After We Energies contacted the Pulp and Paper Products Council to gauge potential for a partnership and explain what the company was hoping to do, Domtar responded to the request. From that point on, the two businesses became dedicated partners and began the project, groundbreaking of which occurred in June 2011.

As Domtar already possessed expertise in feedstock procurement, one of the typical key project puzzle pieces was already in place. “We already do business [in sourcing wood fuel], had a small biomass boiler, and a pulping operation that utilizes logs,” says Jim Freiberg, Domtar project manager. “It made sense for us to partner as the fuel procurement agent, and in terms of our financial interests, this would give us the opportunity to manufacture our product at lower costs, utilizing steam from the plant.”

At the time, Domtar was utilizing three aging pieces of steam generating equipment that were destined for replacement in the near future, according to Freiberg, so the opportunity arose in perfect timing for the papermaker.

The power facility will use around 500,000 tons per year of woody biomass material, according to Carroll, which will come ready-to-burn from Domtar’s fuel yard, or will be shredded or chipped off site by suppliers. All fuel will arrive in trucks—about 75 loads per day—and be delivered to one of three receiving stations, where trucks will back into a covered truck tipper and be tilted to release fuel onto the conveyor system. Air in the unloading station is drawn under a vacuum to filter, minimize and suppress airborne dust, and then vented through a 110-foot chimney attached to the truck-unloading baghouse filter.  “We have a number of neighbors close by, residences across the street, so all of our biomass handling system is enclosed to keep noise and dust at a minimum,” says Carroll.

Enclosed conveyors transport the fuel to the storage building, also completely enclosed, where about five to seven days’ worth of fuel is stored, according to Carroll. There, an automatic loading system will scalp fuel off the pile, pull it up to another conveyor, and send it into the boiler building. “There we have a modest amount of storage, an hour or less, before it’s fired into the boiler,” he says.

The Metso circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler is housed in a 190-foot boiler building, replacing three old boilers—one biomass-fired, and two old gas boilers, and is accompanied by a natural gas auxiliary boiler. “Since the [biomass] boiler undergoes periodic outages a couple of times per year, Domtar needs a backup supply of steam,” Carroll explains. The CFB boiler, coupled with a state-of-the-art emissions control system, will reduce Domtar’s previous emissions by roughly 30 percent. Designed with the U.S. EPA’s Boiler MACT rules in mind, the project’s timing was ideal for planned compliance.

The two-section cooling tower was deployed to eliminate discharge of heated water into the Wisconsin River, and the one selected for the project possesses a plume abatement technology that minimizes water vapor, which is often mistaken for air pollution. At above freezing temperatures, the plume normally will not be visible—if it is, only as a fine mist and will usually dissipate within 30 feet of the top of the tower.

Right now, all major components of the project are in place, so it’s just a matter of connecting and testing them. According to Boldt Construction Project Manager Myron Wagner, getting some of the massive equipment pieces in place required a lot more planning than one might suspect.

Construction Perspective

For jobs requiring movement of extremely heavy equipment, which Wagner says are referred to as “large or major picks,” Boldt uses precision lifting, a complex engineering method used to map out a lift from beginning to end. “The major picks are all engineered, meaning we bring an engineer out with special software, enter in heights and angles and everything is predetermined, right down to the size of chokers and shackles we have to have,” Wagner explains. “One of these picks could be as many as 50 pages of engineering.”

There isn’t room for error with these kinds of lifts, Wagner adds, as some of this equipment is 50 or 100 tons. “You have to get it right the first time; you don’t get a second chance. And on this particular job, we had a couple of interesting picks. For instance, for the steam drum, we had to use two 350-ton cranes at one time.”

Wagner says this specific project has been unique in that it’s essentially been many smaller projects put together. “At any time, we’re working in probably seven or eight different major areas.  At the same time, that’s been a little challenging, because we’ve been building a powerhouse on a paper mill site, which are [paper mill sites] generally very tight areas, and this one is no exception.”

Domtar has to ship its product out, typically having 50 to 80 trucks coming in and out each day, and that has to happen without disturbances. “That’s been tough for us,” Wagner admits. “When we start working in a new area, we have to find a new spot for them to park 50 or 80 trailers. So far though, we’ve managed to do that, and we’re proud we haven’t disrupted their business.”

On where the project is currently, hydro testing of the boiler was recently completed, one of the project milestones. “We put water in it and pressurized it to 1.5 times its operating pressure, which in this case was 2,800 psi, and we held that for a length of time to prove there were no leaks, and that was successful,” says Wagner. “The next milestone will be to complete the gas pass—the flu gas that moves through the stacks goes through a number of gyrations to get there—so we can fire this thing up, put fuel through it. Hopefully that’ll happen in early June.”

 Initially the plant will be fueled on gas until any kinks are worked out, then biomass will be added. Wagner estimates the entire testing period could last up to two and a half months.

On what the big priority has been as general contractor of the project, Wagner says safety has been No. 1, followed closely by schedule and budget. “We always want everyone here to go home the same way they came,” he adds.

And being a good neighbor has also been important, an aspect that Freiberg and Carroll also highlight.

Good Neighbor

About 90 percent of the labor on site has been hired locally by Boldt, which is based in Appleton, Wis., either within the county or the state. “That’s always a goal of ours, but this local community has been exceptional,” Wagner says. “We have been very fortunate having our craft laborers being very knowledgeable about what they’re doing. “

He adds that We Energies spared no expense to cut down on sound or dust, making sure neither reaches nearby residents or businesses, and that Boldt also tries to source as many building materials locally as possible.

And, of course, on top of job creation, in a town of just under 5,300 people, a big construction project means money in the pockets of local goods and services business owners.

In turn, the good neighbor attitude has been returned by the community. “Members [of the community] have been great,” Timm adds. They, and elected officials on all levels, labor unions, chambers of commerce…they’ve been right along with us during this whole process.”

source: biomassmagazine.com

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Domtar Corporation, one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of paper in North America, has signed, through its operating subsidiaries, an agreement to acquire Xerox's paper and print media products business in the United States and Canada.

"The Xerox brand is well regarded in the paper markets it serves," said John D. Williams, Domtar's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This deal brings together Xerox's branded papers with Domtar's already comprehensive paper offering and will allow us to better serve our customers."

While Xerox does not manufacture paper, the company has long distributed through its brand name a broad range of coated and uncoated papers and specialty print media including business forms as well as carbonless and wide-format paper. This business will now become part of Domtar's pulp and paper segment, and Domtar will market and distribute Xerox-branded paper and print media.

"As Xerox broadens its business to focus more on services and innovative document technology, we saw an opportunity for our paper business clients to be better served by a leader in the industry," said Frank Edmonds, senior vice president, Xerox Global Paper and Supplies Distribution Group. "It's an across-the-board win.  Xerox benefits through a trademark licensing agreement with Domtar; Domtar adds a well-regarded brand to its portfolio; and our respective clients get a simplified, 'one-stop' experience through Domtar's extensive offerings and distribution network."

Xerox will continue to manufacture, sell and support its broad range of consumables, such as toner and ink, and Xerox Replacement Cartridges.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2013, subject to customary closing conditions. Until the close, Xerox customers may continue to order paper and media through Xerox Supplies sales representatives, Xerox inside sales centers, or online at www.xerox.com.

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