below please find a selection of the latest news from the world of pulp and paper.

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ipw news

LD Celulose S.A., a joint venture between Duratex and Lenzing group, awarded Pöyry, part of AFRY, with an EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management) assignment for the BOP (Balance of Plant) of the plant that will have the capacity to produce 500,000 tons of dissolving pulp per year and will represent an investment of US $ 1.3 billion. The services provided by Pöyry, part of AFRY, include interconnections between all process areas, turbo generators and steam distribution systems, the water cooling center and other complimentary systems.

Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, BillerudKorsnäs has decided to postpone this year’s PIDA, the Packaging Impact Design Award arranged by BillerudKorsnäs and leading design colleges. This is to prevent the spread of the infection during the events and to ensure that all contenders have equal conditions when entering the competition.

ABB has launched a new range of color-coded sensors that makes it easy to choose and manage the optimal pH measurement solution. The application driven designs are categorized into three groups: the entry-level 100 series for   cost-effective measurement in general process applications; the high-performance 500 series for harsh industrial applications; and the 700 series for specialist applications. This makes it simple for users to select, own, and operate the pH sensors best suited to their needs.

Valmet will supply the 300th Valmet Paper Lab automated board and paper testing laboratory to Papierfabrik Palm's (Palm) Aalen-Neukochen mill. In total, Valmet will deliver three Valmet Paper Labs to the company’s Descartes mill in France and Wörth and Aalen-Neukochen mills in Germany. Valmet Paper Lab delivers accurate and rapid measurement results that are used either as a quality stamp for the end-product or for the board machine operation optimization.

Cepi, the European paper industry association, and its members across Europe would like to pay tribute to their employees guaranteeing continued production of essential products and to all transport operators ensuring deliveries across Europe.

“During the COVID-19 crisis, governments and companies are having to make difficult choices, balancing people’s safety with economic livelihood. ABB is committed to supporting both: protect people, while helping businesses to stay operational during these challenging times,” said Peter Terwiesch, President Industrial Automation, ABB. “Remote services and digital solutions can make a major contribution to keep people safe, production running, and critical supply chains and economic livelihood preserved.”

The new products have been fully developed, the trade fair stand is planned and the teams are looking forward to meeting customers and other interested parties – occasions enough for Sappi to put into practice a virtual trade fair instead of the real interpack 2020. On www.sappi-interpack.com the globally active company will present a wide range of new products and its comprehensive existing portfolio of packaging and speciality papers to the audience from 6^th to 31^th May.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Mayr-Melnhof Karton to supply a Vertical Screw Thickener (VST) dewatering system for the RMP (Refiner Mechanical Pulp) process at the mill in Frohnleiten, Austria. Start-up is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020.

Mondi is committed to playing its part to produce important supplies and components during the COVID-19 outbreak. As a global actor in packaging and paper, Mondi's Personal Care Components team has found a way to convert a production line at its Gronau plant in Germany to manufacture soft, elastic straps which are now being used for face masks and used by medical professionals and consumers globally.

Due to the increasing spread of Covid-19 in Europe and the uncertainty associated with this, Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH and the association ZELLCHEMING e.V. have jointly decided to cancel the ZELLCHEMING-Expo in Frankfurt am Main. The event was originally scheduled for 24 –25 June 2020 and will be held again next year.

Tissue & Paper Bangkok, the combination of the two long-standing brands of Asian Paper and Tissue World, which was originally scheduled to be staged in June 2020, will now be held at BITEC, Bangkok on 9 - 11 September 2020.

Valmet introduces a renewed Valmet IQ Quality Management System for pulp, tissue, paper, board, and converting industries. The renewed system lets papermakers optimize quality through the entire value chain from fiber to finished product, enabling improved process performance and increased savings through the process.

bio-fibre news

Cepi, the Confederation of European paper industries and its members across Europe, strongly support the initiative of Pascal Canfin, Chair of the Environment Committee at the European Parliament, to launch a European alliance for a Green Recovery. Cepi joins 180 political decision-makers, business leaders, trade unions, NGOs, and think tanks who have come together to create the alliance.

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, has awarded AFRY the engineering services assignment for the new sawmill in Rauma as well as project management and engineering services assignment for the new bioproduct mill in Kemi. The key objectives of these investments are increased environmental efficiency and fossil free operations by utilising advanced technology and a high level of digitalisation. Metsä Fibre and AFRY started the pre-engineering of Metsä Fibre’s investments, totalling approximately EUR 2 billion, in the spring of 2019.

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, has completed the first-phase preparatory work as part of the pre-engineering of the Kemi bioproduct mill in the Kemi mill area on schedule in January. The second phase will begin in early April. The purpose of the preparatory work is to enable the construction of the mill and a smooth start for the related earthworks. The investment decision will be made earliest at the autumn 2020, and the construction of the mill is expected to begin right after that.