Trendspotting

Leaders at nine US universities weigh in on partnerships, innovation, and current research. COMPILED BY JON KERR, EDITED BY JAN BOTTIGLIERI James Bond wouldn’t be James Bond without his cool gadgets—the cutting-edge tools that keep the bad guys guessing. Of course, the movies never show us how Q develops those amazing technologies. Our guess is that Q has graduate students. ...

KATHLEEN M. BENNETT “Excellent—we have detailed, action-focused roadmaps. Time to take a road trip!” That was Kapstone’s Fritz Paulsen, chair of Agenda 2020, celebrating the release last spring of five technology pathways to increased sustainability and efficiency in pulp and paper manufacture and to new opportunities in cellulosic nanomaterials. At the time, Paulsen and Agenda 2020 Executive Director David Turpin ...

The scientific method hasn’t much changed in hundreds of years—yet in the pulp and paper industry, the method of actually getting science done has changed significantly in the past decade or two alone. Beth Cormier has spent 30 years in the paper industry, most in a research and development capacity; she is now vice president-R&D, innovation for Sappi North America. ...

Meet Doyle Simons, President and CEO, Weyerhaeuser Doyle Simons counts on efficiency and work traits for a bigger Weyco REIT as the firm exits pulp and paper. GREG RUDDER When Doyle Simons took over at Weyerhaeuser, described by one insider as a “stodgy” company, he came to dramatically change things, traveling from his small-town Texas and Temple-Inland executive roots to ...

JAN BOTTIGLIERI At the end of each year, the Paper360° team likes to remind readers why the industries served by our publication are truly special. While our companies and products contribute to global commerce, health, energy, technology, education, home environments, and more, it’s our people who truly make us proud. Here are a few examples. Wake Up and Dream Diane, ...

Partnerships can help speed scale-up and ensure that our industry is getting the most value from cellulosic resources. TONY DUNCAN Millions of tons of cellulose are under-utilized every year. When biotechnology company Circa Group was set up in 2006, its founders wanted to build on their lengthy experience in the Australian and New Zealand print and paper industries to establish ...

The forest biorefinery is more than just an idea—we have evidence that it’s coming. One key is to look at the relationship between the technology and the way a region values its biomass. BEN THORP, HARRY SEAMANS, AND MASOOD AKHTAR The US corn ethanol industry processes more than 15 billion gallons of corn ethanol each year. The US biodiesel industry ...

With a focus on technology improvement, Agenda 2020’s research roadmaps are helping chart a course for the bioeconomy. KATHLEEN M. BENNETT “We’re on the MOVE!” Fritz Paulsen, Kapstone Paper’s research and development manager and chair of the Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance’s board of directors, opened the all-members’ meeting at Auburn University last March with that comment. In 2016, Agenda 2020 ...

What opportunities do industry leaders see in the biomaterials arena? How does a commitment to sustainability make good business sense? As part of its “full-circle” look at the emerging bioeconomy, Paper360° caught up with the keynoters at two upcoming events with programs focused on biomaterials and sustainability: TAPPI IBBC (International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference), and TAPPI PEERS (Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, ...

As usual, the annual comprehensive list of the industry’s biggest players has some changes—but expect more in future years as M&A scuttlebutt heats up. MARK RUSHTON, GRAEME RODDEN The usual suspects again occupy the top 10 spots in our annual ranking—by sales of pulp, paper, converting, and merchandising materials (PPCM)—of public companies in the pulp and paper industry. For the ...