below please find a selection of the latest news from the world of pulp and paper. And don't forget to visit our new LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. We look forward to a lively exchange.

ipw news

Toscotec will supply several TT SteelDryer cylinders for two paper machines at the facilities of two confidential manufacturers in North America. The projects are slated for completion in 2022. By replacing the mills’ existing cast iron cans, the new TT SteelDryers will boost the drying capacity of the paper machines and lead to a significant production increase.

ABB is launching their new KPM KB2 Ranger Model, a sheet break detection device that is invulnerable to paper jams, color and grade changes for the highest uptime with the lowest required maintenance. As the latest addition to ABB’s KPM Sheet Break Detector portfolio, this non-contact optical sensor will prove particularly important for paper or board producers making frequent grade changes or colored papers.

Bringing technological goals in energy supply, conversion and storage together along with paper making technology for creating novel cost effective technical materials: The green energy transition drives ambitious goals around the globe to reach green deal targets in decarbonization of overall economic fields. Green Hydrogen is one of the key strategic substances for energy carrying, retaining and storing as also for coupling the overall economic fields out of the gas section with each other (Gas-to-Power, Gas-to-Heat, Gas-to-Mobility, Gas-to-X).

Stora Enso has entered into an agreement to divest its two sawmills in Russia. The Company’s Nebolchi and Impilahti sawmills will be divested to local management. In addition, the divestment includes Stora Enso’s Russian forest operation which through its harvesting supplies wood to the sawmills. Stora Enso’s assessment is that due to the uncertainties in the Russian market, local ownership and operation can provide a more sustainable long-term solution for these business operations and the employees working there.

International technology group Andritz condemns the invasion in Ukraine that has resulted in devastation of infrastructure and loss of human life and is voicing and lending support to the Ukrainian people. Against the background of the continuing acts of war in Ukraine and the international sanctions imposed, Andritz has suspended all its new business in Russia for the time being.

The dramatic humanitarian emergency caused by the war in Ukraine has mobilised so many solidarity projects. Fedrigoni Group has entered the field to provide support to the Ukrainian citizens, both those still in their country under bombardment and those who have managed to escape and are now scattered over the bordering countries or Italy.

In March 2021, Papresa, a southern European manufacturer of newsprint, commissioned Voith with the resource-efficient grade conversion of PM 5 from newsprint to testliner and corrugating medium at its Rentería mill in Spain. In March 2022, one year after the order was placed, the PM 5 successfully went into operation and will henceforth enable significantly more efficient and sustainable production of packaging papers. The production of newsprint will be maintained on the mill’s PM 6 machine.

The 30th annual International Munich Paper Symposium (IMPS) will once again meet on May 23-25, 2022 in Munich, Germany. Paper and board professionals will come from near and far to present the latest technological advancements and exchange ideas. Emtec Electronic will be on site to present technical solutions to optimize resource use.

Thomas Ott, 54, has been appointed CEO of the Flexible Packaging and Engineered Materials business units at Mondi earlier this year. Born in Vienna, Thomas looks back on an impressive international career, including time spent in Italy and the USA. He began his career at Mondi in 1995 as a financial controller and took on leading positions in various business sectors in the following years. His last job was with the packaging manufacturer Amcor in Switzerland.

At the upcoming FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 (31 May to 3 June) in Berlin, specialty papers manufacturer Sappi will be showcasing its extensive portfolio of coated and uncoated dye sublimation papers, containerboard and silicone base papers. At Europe’s most significant trade fair for screen and digital printing, large-format printing and textile printing, visitors to stand 4.2-D20 will have an opportunity to see for themselves the many qualities and diverse applications of Sappi’s papers.

European Tissue Symposium (ETS) will be present at this year’s edition of RAI/Interclean, being held in Amsterdam from 10-13 May. Interclean Amsterdam is one of the largest professional cleaning communities in the world, welcoming manufacturers and professionals in the cleaning and hygiene industry from around the globe.

Toscotec will rebuild the forming and press sections of PM1 at Cartonificio Sandreschi’s paper mill in Villa Basilica, Italy. Cartonificio Sandreschi had previously installed on PM1 several custom-made TT SteelDryers of 2,000 mm diameter to replace its existing cast iron cans. With this new order, the Italian cardboard manufacturer taps Toscotec for a complete rebuild, scheduled for the third quarter of 2022.

The BlueLine OCC stock preparation unit customized by Voith for paper manufacturer Papierfabrik Palm recently started operation. The facility in Aalen in the southwest of Germany is regarded as one of the largest and most advanced systems worldwide. As a result of the new stock prep system, Palm will now be producing testliner and corrugated cardboard base paper even more sustainably.

Huhtamaki has decided to initiate the process to divest its operations in Russia. This follows an earlier decision to stop all investments in Russia at the outbreak of the invasion of Ukraine. Huhtamaki considers that the current evolution of the situation and the long-term outlook in Russia will prevent the realization of its growth strategy and long-term ambitions in the country. Huhtamaki will continue to prioritize investments that capture the significant growth opportunities in the rest of the world, in line with its global ambitions and 2030 Strategy.

Due to continuing high cost and volatility in raw materials, energy and transportation Sappi Europe will be forced to increase its prices to its European customers by 8% from 15 May. This is in addition to previously communicated increases.

bio-fibre news

Huhtamak announces a “first-to-market sustainable innovation” for the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Huhtamaki's Push Tab^® blister lid is mono-material PET and free from aluminum. It is designed to meet the stringent safety requirements of highly regulated pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging and provides the industry with a more sustainable alternative to traditional push-through blister packaging.

Timo Lehesvirta, M.Sc., biologist, has been appointed Metsä Group's Leading Nature Expert. His task, which is completely new at Metsä Group, includes ensuring that Metsä Group's strategic targets for safeguarding nature’s biodiversity are achieved and developing and implementing projects in his area of responsibility with various stakeholders.

The growing importance of a bioeconomy strategy based on renewable raw materials is clearly reflected in the program of the Zellcheming Conference - Cellulose-Based Materials. The great potential of cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls and thus the world's most abundant organic compound, will be addressed in 24 scientific and technical presentations by internationally renowned speakers.