Ianadmin

Ianadmin

Thursday, 19 January 2012 14:30

Obey optimises bioenergy yield

Obey optimises bioenergy yield: A proven way of boosting the energy value of wooden biomass

Since the global increase in energy use is showing few signs of slowing down, sustainable energy solutions have to be developed. For this reason, the energy of biomass has to be used more widely and more efficiently. In forests all over the world a huge amount of logging residue is left lying idle and the bioenergy unused. This could be changed by using Obey, a procedure for optimising bioenergy yield, based on long, Nordic traditions.

walki biomass cover 2

Obey is a procedure for maximizing the energy yield of wooden biomass used for energy production. Protecting the energy harvest from rain and snow is an important part of the procedure.


Obey is an acronym for “Optimising the bioenergy yield”, referring to biomass used for producing energy. Walki, the leading producer of technical laminates and protective packaging materials, has a long experience of close co-operation with the forest industry and is familiar with the advantages that the procedure behind Obey brings. In order to promote the efficient use of wooden biomass globally, Walki is now launching the website www.obeyinfo.com.

 “Obey is about using the full energy potential of logging residue and the trees cut down when thinning out forests. The first step is to let the residue and trees dry in the forest before they are chipped and transported. It’s a law of nature that the energy yield increases significantly if you completely dry the material before burning it, compared with burning damp wood,” says Walki’s Arno Wolff, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Technical Products.

A complete procedure for sustainable energy yield

Obey embraces the entire procedure of harvesting, handling and using wooden biomass in a sustainable way. An important fuel for energy production is logging residue: the parts of trees that are left behind after the trunks have been taken by the paper industry or to sawmills. The other source consists of thin trees that have been cut down to provide room for more profitable trees to grow. According to Obey, these trees and parts of the trees are left to dry at the logging site for three or four weeks before they are collected. This allows free and environmentally friendly solar energy to dry the wood effectively, and leaves and needles not needed for energy production drop off, providing nutrients for the forest. Subsequently, the wood is stacked where the sun and wind can dry it further.

“If the stacked wood is protected from rain and snow with a suitable cover it will stay dry and not lose the attained energy value. Moreover, the wood will be easy to handle since it remains ice-free. Walki’s covering material Walki-Biomass Cover has been developed exactly for this purpose. Since it is made mainly of fibre-based paper it can be chipped and burned together with the logging residue,” Arno Wolff says.

Another step in the Obey procedure is to chip the wood close to the stacking site in order to minimise transport volumes and thus reduce the energy needed for transportation. If the biomass is dry, transport efficiency is boosted further since trucks can be filled without exceeding weight limits (no water is transported). Furthermore, by storing only dry biomass, decay is avoided.

“To retain biofuel’s competitive edge, it should be utilised as close to the harvesting site as possible. This is also favourable in terms of local employment,” Arno Wolff says.
 
Biomass from the forest is the future

If Obey is implemented step-by-step, the amount of energy obtained from biofuel can be significantly increased. The most important consequence of this is that large amounts of fossil energy can be replaced with renewable energy.

“Biomass is the most significant of the renewable energy sources in use, and forest bioenergy is by far the largest source, with the best potential to grow. Compared to many other bioenergy sources it provides for good net energy output, in other words, processing doesn’t cause energy loss. Furthermore, the conflict of whether biomass should be used as fuel or as food can be avoided when using wood,” Arno Wolff says.
Metso will supply Mälarenergi’s combined heat and power plant (CHP) in Västerås, Sweden, with the world’s largest recovered fuel fired boiler. The new boiler with a fuel input of 167 MW will utilize circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology and it will serve as a base unit to meet the disctrict heating power needs of Västerås and Hallstahammar municipalities. Metso’s delivery will account for about 30 per cent of the approximately EUR 300 million modernization project of the CHP plant.

The modernization is a significant investment for the city of Västerås as the existing CHP plant is in need of a comprehensive upgrade.The principal fuel for the new boiler will be recovered fuel prepared from municipal waste, and the new boiler also has possibility to burn biofuel. Compared with current boilers, the new system will give the plant a more flexible fuel mix.

“The modernization is an important investment for Mälarenergi and the city of Västerås, as well as for our customers,” says Kenneth Jönsson, President, Mälarenergi AB. “The investment will give us a greater fuel mix flexibility. We chose Metso because they fulfilled our requirements regarding price, technology, availability and experience.”

The  modernized CHP plant will be commissioned in the middle of 2014. The order is included in Pulp, Paper and Power’s first quarter 2012 orders received.

Mälarenergi is owned by the city of Västerås and provides electricity, district heating and cooling with related services to customers in Västerås Municipality as well as in surrounding regions. The company also sells electricity to private and corporate customers throughout Sweden. Mälarenergi has about 570 employees and net sales of about EUR 340 million.
Buckeye Technologies Inc. has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell the assets and ongoing operations of its Merfin Systems converting business to National Tissue Company, LLC. Merfin Systems, located in King, North Carolina, is a converter of towels, tissue and napkins which it sells along with proprietary paper product dispensers into the away from home market. It sells these products through selected distributors concentrated in the eastern U.S. and Canada. National Tissue is a privately owned converter located in Cudahy, Wisconsin. National Tissue markets and sells its broad product line primarily through small and mid-sized distributors located in the Midwest.

National Tissue’s President, Mike Graverson, said, “Merfin is an excellent fit and will complement National Tissue’s core business. Merfin brings their proprietary dispensing systems and other product extensions to our basic offering. Adding a second and expandable operating location is a big step in our strategic roadmap.”

Buckeye’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Crowe said, “We are pleased that our employees in King are now partnered with a strategic industry player. While it has not been a core business for Buckeye, we have been pleased with our 15 year ownership of Merfin Systems. We believe this opens up new horizons for this fine company, and enables Buckeye to deploy the proceeds into its strategic operations.”

“We expect to incur non-cash goodwill and fixed asset impairment charges of about $4 million in the October-December 2011 quarter. The sale along with associated liquidation of working capital is expected to generate approximately $6 million in cash.”

Buckeye, a leading manufacturer and marketer of specialty fibers and nonwoven materials, is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The Company currently operates facilities in the United States, Germany, Canada, and Brazil. Its products are sold worldwide to makers of consumer and industrial goods.

Certain matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, financing, markets, products, services and prices, and other factors. For further information on factors which could impact the Company and the statements contained herein, please refer to public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Buckeye Technologies Inc.
The Quebec government is attempting to help mill owners and the workers reach an agreement that will re-open White Birch Paper Co.'s Stadacona newsprint mill, Canadian Press reported Jan. 17.

The Stadacona mill in Quebec City has been closed since December, and White Birch said the closure will be permanent following the union's rejection of its final offer.

According to Canadian Press, Sam Hamad, Quebec's economic development minister, met with company president Christopher Brant in Montreal. Hamad then said a solution to the mill closure will be reached between its owner and the workers.

But, Canadian Press says, Quebec's Natural Resources Minister Clement Gignac said taxpayers won't be put on the hook to keep the facility open, suggesting the private sector would have to make major investments to re-open the doors.

Thursday, 19 January 2012 12:30

Södra reduces price of softwood pulp timber

"This price reduction is a reaction to the prevailing demand, and there is plenty of raw material available at all Södra pulp mills," said Håkan Svensson Director of Forestry at Södra.

The 16th of January Södra reduced the price of its softwood pulp timber by SEK 25 per m3sub. This price reduction is also applicable to the pulp timber element of its storm range. The price of all hardwood pulp timber ranges will remain unchanged for the time being, however.

"This price reduction is a reaction to the prevailing demand, and there is plenty of raw material available at all Södra pulp mills," said Håkan Svensson, Director of Forestry at Södra.

A contract adjustment concerning small sawn timber and hardwood and softwood pulp timber will be taking place at the same time. As of 1 February, customers will be given the opportunity to use the applicable price for these ranges at the time of contracting.

"This adjustment will make it easier and clearer for forest owners to work out what price they will receive for their timber, and it will give us better sale options than before, and that is why this change is logical," concluded Håkan Svensson.

The new softwood pulp timber price is SEK 300 per m3sub, while the price of hardwood pulp timber will remain at SEK 350 per m3sub.
Thursday, 19 January 2012 12:00

Hydrocycloning System for European Mill

pc-rsNoss will supply a hydrocycloning system to a mill in Europe. The system start-up is scheduled for April 2012.

The Noss system consists of a RADISCREEN-C protection screen followed by a 5-stage PERICLONE system. The system is designed for a production of 460 BDMTPD of bleached chemical pulp.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT HYDROCYCLONING SYSTEM
PERICLONE is an energy-efficient bank system used for a great variety of applications in the pulp and paper industry covering a wide consistency range.

Due to its innovative design PERICLONE ensures high separation efficiency at low operating costs guaranteeing high operational reliability as well as easy handling during inspection and maintenance.
Brighter, sharper and cost effective color copying will soon be added to consumers’ benefit from Double A. Double A and the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), signed a research collaboration agreement this morning to focus on nanotechnological analysis of toner impact on paper, the results will be brighter, sharper and lower toner costs per color copy print. Signing for NANOTEC was Prof. Sirirurg Songsivilai, Executive Director and Mr. Thirawit Leetavorn, Senior Executive Vice President for Double A.

“Our commitment to office paper consumers is to continue to innovate and to bring the best in office paper quality at a fair value. Double A’s collaboration with NANOTEC is an example of our continued efforts to be at the forefront in technology that enables best quality printing for consumers of Double A. We believe this research will benefit consumers with brighter, sharper and lower toner costs for their colour copying needs”, revealed Mr.ThirawitLeetavorn, Double A senior executive VP.

“One of NANOTEC’s mandates is to work on research projects that involve private sector input” said Prof. Sirirurg Songsivilai. “The research collaboration we are under taking will utilize the expertise of Double A as a major marketer of pulp and paper products, and NANOTEC’s research capabilities in nano coating and formulation.”

Double A and NANOTEC will conduct a 6-month research program to develop the properties of Double A paper and improve its overall performance from printing, copying, scanning to any related products and services by using the capabilities of nanotechnology to analyze the relationship between structure and property of paper and the interaction of toner and paper in nano scale. The goal is to better understand both the physical and chemical changes and develop a better paper that has a sharper colour and brighter copy to meet the various demands and high standards of customers.

Mr.Leetavorn added “Consumers today are more aware of the different quality paper available in the market and their demand for high quality paper is increasing due to the growth of technological advancement. They are calling for the paper that does not jam, can be used in

multi-function printer, and can bring out the great colours and other god qualities, of which Double A paper can meet these requirements”.

Double A is continuously searching to expand through product offering and geographically. Since the world is a global community, word of Double A’s quality quickly spreads and the consumers’ demand for premium quality paper is there which DoubleA aims to fulfill. Double A will continue to bank on Research and Development (R&D) and innovation to create a better paper and a better environment for everyone.

Researchers from NANOTEC and Double A have been working “informally” in the past. This signing ceremony will make the partnership formal.
Fortress Paper Ltd. ("Fortress Paper" or the "Company") (TSX:FTP) is pleased to announce that it has ramped up production of dissolving pulp at its Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill to approximately 60% of final targeted capacity since it announced production of dissolving pulp had commenced on December 5, 2011. The ramp up of production continues substantially as planned and we expect meaningful improvements in the short term followed by smaller productivity gains as we approach our targeted production capacity. Our dissolving pulp is meeting customer specifications and after aggregating inventory, customer shipments commenced in the final week of December.

Chad Wasilenkoff, Chief Executive Officer of Fortress Paper, commented: "We are extremely pleased with the speed at which the ramp up of dissolving production is proceeding at our Fortress Specialty Cellulose Mill and are focused on achieving our planned production capacity as soon as possible. With the shipment of our first orders, we have demonstrated our ability to successfully produce dissolving pulp that meets the stringent specifications of our customers."
SCA has for the seventh year in a row received the Product of the Year / Товар года award in Russia for Zewa toilet paper. SCA has also been awarded for the first time for the Zewa handkerchiefs. This success goes line in line with sales increase for both product categories.

“We are especially proud to receive this prestigious award in the hanky category, as this is a relatively new category for the Russian consumers,” explains Peter Steiner, Marketing Director at SCA for consumer goods in Eastern Europe. “In 2011 the volume market share of hankies, our distribution in Russian cities and sales grew significantly”, says Olga Gutnikova, Brand Manager for handkerchiefs and facial tissue at SCA.

Individual packs & better visualization

One of the recipes for the growth was to introduce individual pack sales of Zewa hankies. By allowing the consumers to buy just a single pack we encourage them to try the new product so that they can buy the entire package if the product meets their expectations.

Another factor is the visualization in the stores. ”We created several colorful dispensers which helped to attract consumers’ attention and place the product in cross-categories such as hankies for kids next to the Libero diapers,” says Victoria Gushina, Head of the SCA trade marketing team in Russia.

Focus on premium products

During 2011 primary focus has been shifting the consumers’ preferences towards the more premium Zewa Deluxe 3ply toilet paper. SCA’s national promotional campaign “For those who want more!” to support Zewa Deluxe tissue proved to be really successful. Not only it increased the sales volume of 3-ply toilet paper Zewa Deluxe but also it strengthened the consumer brand loyalty to Zewa”.
The Product of the Year award

Among the winners of the Product of the Year / Товар года award in other FMCG categories were Unilever, Schwarzkopf, Coca-Cola. This famous rating of the consumer preferences appeared at the end of the '90s.

This award is given in the product categories that are frequently purchased at the retail chains. To select the finalists the independent rating agency tracks the demand dynamics throughout the year based on ComCon and Nielsen data and other research companies; researches the representatives of the key retail chains.