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

ipw news

With its full-line supplier approach, Voith Paper strengthens its position as partner of choice for extensive rebuilds and customized optimization projects. Shifting consumer demands, tougher environmental regulations and ongoing supply chain issues with raw materials have combined to create a perfect storm in the paper industry. To remain competitive in unprecedented conditions, papermakers around the globe are relying on Voith to modernize their existing paper production lines, undertake comprehensive grade conversions or upgrade their current assets in the market.

Mondi has opened a new ISTA-certified laboratory at Mondi Bupak in Ceské Budejovice (CZ). The laboratory offers various transport performance tests, including ISTA 6 certification testing for packaging. In addition, Mondi’s laboratory is an approved member of the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS) and hence a partner of choice for testing Amazon’s Tier 1-3 compliant packaging (FFP, SIOC and PFP)¹, which is a market standard of the online retailer for reducing packaging volume in eCommerce logistics.

Metsä Group is hiring nearly 1,000 summer employees for the summer of 2022 for a wide range of positions with responsibility. Summer jobs in units across Finland provide a comprehensive overview of the forest industry, as well as an opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge of a specific production unit, business operation or Group function.

Andritz has successfully started up the first Andritz Compact Press wash press at BillerudKorsnäs’ Gruvön mill located in Värmland, Sweden. Final acceptance was received in September 2021.

The new ZELLCHEMING Conference “Cellulose Based Materials - From Science to Technology” reflects the growing importance of a bioeconomy strategy based on renewable raw materials. Cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls and thus the most abundant organic compound worldwide, will play a key role in the future. Therefore, the potential of cellulose-based materials and materials will be the focus of the event from June 26-29, 2022, at the RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC) in Wiesbaden.

Since December 1^st, 2021, Björn Bemelmans has joined the Management Board of Heimbach GmbH as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He succeeds Werner Dilly, who will leave the company at his own request on December 31^st, 2021, after 6 successful years as Managing Director.

Mondi launches IQ Extralight. The new opaque paper solution is produced at Mondi Neusiedler, Austria, and targets the uncoated premium segment in opaque paper for inserts of medications and cosmetics, operating manuals, catalogues, directories or legal text application. IQ Extralight offers an excellent printability, folding performance and is developed for both web and sheet-fed offset printing.

The Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box Ibi facility in Spain has started the production of bags with a new and more sustainable thermo-laminated metallised film – M-Compact 77. Thanks to the thermo-lamination technology, which bonds individual films together through exposure to heat without using the adhesives that are required for classic lamination, production of M-Compact 77 is more environmentally friendly and resource efficient. Smurfit Kappa has achieved a 12% bag weight reduction and 7% less CO₂ emissions.¹

With its digitalization and automation portfolio Papermaking 4.0, Voith Paper is an international innovation driver in paper production. The technology company now has more than 300 digital installations worldwide. The numerous references prove how digitalization continuously optimizes the production process in terms of efficiency, sustainability and quality.

Fredrik Davidsson (52) has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Digital and Process Performance and a member of the Global Executive Team at Huhtamaki as of June 1, 2022 at the latest. He will report to President and CEO Charles Héaulmé and will be based in Espoo, Finland.

Valmet and CMPC have finalized the agreement of which Valmet and CMPC signed a letter of intent in September 2021. According to the agreement, Valmet will deliver key technology and automation for CMPC’s BioCMPC project. The target is to modernize and increase the production capacity of the Guaíba pulp mill’s line 2 from 1.5 million ADt/y (air dry tonnes per year) to 1.85 million ADt/y. The upgraded mill is expected to start operation in the fourth quarter of 2023.

bio-fibre news

Valmet’s new Pretreatment BioTrac pilot facility was started up at Valmet’s Fiber Technology Center in Sundsvall, Sweden. The purpose of the investment is to strengthen Valmet’s research and development capabilities within the field of biomass pretreatment and to respond to new market demands for bioenergy, biofuels, and biochemicals.

The 4evergreen alliance shares its first insights of research into different aspects of the fibre-based packaging value chain, in an unique industry wide attempt to increase the recycling rate of fibre-based packaging.

Andritz has successfully completed the start-up of a pressurized refining system supplied to Biyang Huifeng Wood Industry Board Co., Ltd. at its MDF production plant in Biyang, Henan province, China. With the new system, the customer is capable of processing poplar wood chips as raw material. The heart of the new system is the Andritz 54-1CP refiner, which features high energy efficiency. The scope of supply also included a maintenance-friendly 20” discharger with the latest C-feeder concept, a compensator and a proven 20” ribbon feeder.

Last week, the European Commission revealed the proposed changes to its 2013 EU Waste Shipment Regulation. The Regulation controls both imports and exports, of both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, within the EU and to third countries outside the EU. The existing Regulation had set the rules to ensure potential adverse effects on the environment and public health caused by shipments of waste are avoided. With this proposal, the Commission intends to strengthen those rules.

The theme of the forest industry’s PulPaper 2022 is Building tomorrow’s bioeconomy. The PulPaper event, which is free of charge for professionals in the field, will host presentations by forest industry companies on Future Square as well as the PulPaper Conference and the Green Economy Business Summit, both of which are paid events. In the exhibition area, companies in the forest industry meet their clients and present their products. PulPaper 2022 will be arranged on 29-31 March 2022 at Messukeskus Helsinki.