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

ipw news

Since the beginning of 2021, Grupo Gondi has been producing light recycled corrugated base paper with its PM 7 at the new Papel y Empaques mill in Monterrey. As a full-line supplier, Voith supplied the entire production line, including the BlueLine stock preparation system; the XcelLine paper machine; and MCS, DCS and QCS automation solutions. For the green field project Grupo Gondi also relied on the OnCare.Health and OnCare.Asset digital maintenance solutions from Voith's Papermaking 4.0 portfolio.

Mondi has created a fully recyclable packaging solution for Warmhaus, a Turkish producer of radiators and boilers for home heating. The new Monocorr Box is made of 100% recyclable corrugated board, including the inserts that cushion the packaged products. The previous Warmhaus packaging used expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam inserts, which have low recycling rates throughout Europe and generally end up in landfill or incineration facilities after disposal.

ABB today released the findings of a new global study¹ of international business and technology leaders on industrial transformation, looking at the intersection of digitalization and sustainability. The study, “Billions of better decisions: industrial transformation’s new imperative,” examines the current take-up of the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and its potential for improving energy efficiency, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and driving change.

International technology group Andritz has received an order from ICT Poland to deliver two heat recovery chains for the PM12 and PM14 tissue machines at its mill in Kostrzyn. Start-up is scheduled for 2022. The heat recovery chains will be supplied by Andritz Novimpianti and include a PrimeDry YES Yankee Ecosteam system that produces high-pressure steam by utilizing exhaust air from the Yankee hood. This steam is used directly as motive steam for the Yankee, thus reducing energy costs and CO₂ emissions.

Valmet will supply an IQ Quality Control System to Papeterie Le Bourray in France. The new system will replace the aging old third-party system and will be installed on tissue machine TM 3 at the company’s mill in Saint-Mars-La-Brière, North West France. The target is to optimize production and improve the end-product quality. The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the fourth quarter 2021. The delivery will take place in November 2022.

Toscotec will participate in the 30th International Conference and ExpoAcotepac 2022 organized by the Colombian Association of Technicians of the Cellulose, Paper and Cardboard Industry (ACOTEPAC) from 16th to 18th February in Cali, Colombia.

SCA has appointed Andreas Ewertz as its new CFO. Ewertz has worked at SCA since 2017, where he has been responsible for investor relations and served as head of business control for business areas Publication Paper and Pulp, respectively. Ewertz, who will become a member of SCA group management, will take up the position as CFO on May 1, 2022.

Voith Paper appoints Dr. Michael Weiss, most recently Vice President Business & Research, as Chief Technology Officer and member of the Management Board. He started in his new role on February 1, 2022, succeeding Frank Opletal, who is going into well-deserved retirement after 38 years at Voith Paper. In his role, Dr. Michael Weiss reports directly to Andreas Endters, President & CEO of Voith Paper.

International technology group Andritz has successfully started up a PrimeFlow AT headbox with dilution control at the Casalino Carta Srl. mill in Rocca Grimalda (Alessandria), Italy. The aim of the rebuild was to improve the basis weight profiles and formation of the PM1 packaging paper machine, which has a production speed of 305 to 570 m/min and a width of 2.9 m at the pope reel.

In the last months of 2021, Cepi, the European confederation of the paper and pulp industry, has welcomed a new member, CSAOSZ, the Hungarian Association of Packaging and Materials Handling. CSAOSZ represents more than 70 members in all types of packaging and from across the entire packaging value chain, from machine producers to distributors, including packaging material manufacturers and recyclers.

bio-fibre news

Metsäliitto Cooperative, the parent company of Metsä Group, has divested its entire holding in Finsilva Oyj, i.e. approximately 20 percent, to Dasos Capital Oy Ltd's forest fund. Contracts between Metsä Group and Finsilva related to wood trade and forest services continue unchanged.

Wood fiber costs for pulp manufacturers have gone up in practically all countries covered by the WRQ over the past year. In the 3Q/21, the Softwood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) was at its highest level since 2014, 8.1% higher than the 3Q/20. The most significant price increases have occurred in Western Canada, US South, Latin America, and Oceania.

UPM Raflatac continues its efforts to lead the label industry into a net-zero carbon emission future. The company raises its climate ambition to accelerate its journey towards being the world's first label materials company beyond fossils. In practice, this means increasing the use of certified fibers and traceability of biobased materials, fostering reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and developing innovative products and services that help brand owners take positive climate action and go beyond their climate goals.

For the second time in a row, the speciality viscose fibre manufacturer Kelheim Fibres was awarded a place on the podium at the Cellulose Fibre of the Year Awards. The concept for sustainable menstrual underwear made from Kelheim’s functionalised speciality fibres achieved third place. Kelheim Fibres thus emerges from the competition as the most innovative fibre manufacturer.

Stora Enso is investing EUR 8 million to double its production capacity of formed fiber in Europe. With new machinery in Hylte, Sweden, Stora Enso will meet the increasing demand for formed fiber. The investment further strengthens Stora Enso’s position as a leading provider of renewable materials that replace fossil-based ones.

Cortec^® Corporation is pleased to announce that its S-8 corrosion inhibitor additive for food-can processing has been awarded the USDA Certified Biobased Product label! S-8 is now able to display a unique USDA label that highlights its percentage of biobased content and signifies its qualification to meet mandatory federal purchasing requirements under the USDA BioPreferred^® Program.