JAN BOTTIGLIERI What are the factors sparking modern developments in paper chemistry? Where might these innovations lead us? We’ve all heard that “necessity is the mother of invention.” In other words, innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it is sparked by demand. Perhaps, then, it’s fortunate that papermakers are beset by demands from all sides. End users who want improved ...

…in case you missed it in TAPPI’s weekly electronic newsletter MANUFACTURERS American Paper Bag LLC will establish corporate headquarters and a manufacturing plant in Sugar Notch Borough, PA. Catalyst Paper Corp. reports that recapitalization and privatization of the company have been implemented and are now effective. The successful completion of the recapitalization improves the company’s financial strength and reduces its ...

Jan Bottiglieri [email protected] At some point in my childhood, I became fascinated with the periodic table. I liked the friendly way it looked, as if each square were a nametag showing its element’s one- or two-letter nickname. It was ordered, but not symmetrical, which appealed to both sides of my brain. I remember staring at that table, trying to learn ...

Customer Alignment meetings bring suppliers and mills together. When things are in alignment, they run smoothly—it’s a necessity for great performance. That’s the idea behind ASPI’s Customer Alignment Initiative. Each fall, the ASPI Customer Alignment meeting is hosted by a leading pulp, paper, or packaging company, which gives attendees a stellar opportunity to engage with a major customer in a ...

SAMANTHA GEIER                                          It’s not unusual to hear praise for the achievements of veteran workers; often, these workers are provided with prestigious awards and their accomplishments are noted in respected places and publications. Of course, such    successes have typically taken many years to ...

HANNAH ZHAO After experiencing a three-quarters-long price roller coaster, the global recovered paper market now has to face another potential storm: a big change in Chinese recovered paper import policy. The China General Administration of Customs announced the National Sword 2017 program in February to crack down on illegal solid waste imports. National Sword 2017 did not catch much attention ...

MARK RUSHTON Decades ago, graphic paper was a powerhouse, with global demand growth consistently outpacing growth in GDP. Clearly, things have changed. Paper360° Senior Editor Mark Rushton spoke with RISI’s John Maine, an industry-recognized expert for global printing and writing paper markets, to learn about what the future may hold for graphic paper. RUSHTON: Can you give us a brief ...

MATT ELHARDT, FISHER INTERNATIONAL China and the United States are the two biggest containerboard markets in the world, accounting for 50 percent of the world’s total production of the grade between them. Yet China’s capacity has grown rapidly since 2007 (about 10 percent per year), while that of the US has remained fairly flat (Fig. 1 tracks capacity trends for ...

The papers summarized here are from the April 2017 issue of TAPPI Journal and the May 2017 issue, featuring peer-reviewed content from TAPPI’s 2016 PEERS conference. TAPPI Journal is an online publication of relevant and timely peer-reviewed research delivered via email and free to all TAPPI members. To receive TAPPI Journal, join TAPPI at www.tappi.org.  APRIL NANOTECHNOLOGY Novel thin functional ...

MURRAY ELLIS One of the most rewarding and enjoyable parts of my career in the pulp and paper industry has been the opportunity to investigate and solve problems. The problem-solving process means that you are discovering, adapting, and generating new information to address the problem at hand. In simple terms, you are acquiring knowledge in the pursuit of a solution. ...