News

Creating a new renewable biomaterial research environment of global significance

KCL, Helsinki University of Technology and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland will start to share their renewable biomaterial processing research systems.

This will create a globally significant comprehensive entity comprised of a couple of dozen pilot systems and hundreds of laboratory-scale research devices. The device cooperation will promote the R&D projects of the research parties and other forestry sector parties. The objective is to improve profitability of operations and obtain investment savings as well as improve the competitive ability of the forest industry in the future. Read more >>

 

 

New Energy from Paper & Pulp: Biorefineries & Black Liquor

Emerging biomass markets will significantly strengthen demand for wood fiber in the South, driving prices higher for forest products as the United States turns to alternative fuels for energy, according to a study released Monday by Forest2Market.

The new demand will be fueled by wood-burning power companies that produce and sell electricity to public utilities, as well as an increasing amount of wood pellets that are exported to European energy markets. The development of new facilities that turn biomass into cellulosic ethanol for transportation fuel will also impact the forest products industry. Read more >>

 

 

New Energy from Paper & Pulp: Biorefineries & Black Liquor

Opportunities abound for forest, paper and pulp industry to play a leading role in the development of second-generation biofuels, such as gasifying refining so-called “black liquor” – the oily liquid residue produced in pulping wood to produce paper – to produce both bio-synthesis gas and liquid fuel.

Progress has been relatively slow due to a variety of factors, however, including the challenge of instilling a new industry mindset and culture geared towards innovation and R&D as opposed to one focused on cost-cutting to compete in commoditized markets. Managements can take a big step in direction by taking a holistic perspective of their forest, pulp and paper resources as integrated biorefineries, according to a growing number of industry participants, researchers and analysts. Read more >>

 

 

Partnership to study ways of turning biomass into biofuel

The University of Regina, Saskatchewan Forestry Centre and Canadian Green Fuels are joining forces to find ways of turning forestry waste and other biomass into the next generation of biofuels.

Specifically, the partnership will be looking at "biomass gasification'' or "the use of wood products to create energy,'' Metz said.

"The forestry businesses need to embrace change. Changes are occurring in the forestry industry that have little to do with the traditional markets for lumber, pulp and paper,'' she said. Read more >>

 

 

UPM Raflatac's RFID Tags Help Confirm Food Origins, Supply Chain and Freshness

UPM Raflatac's RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags help retailers ensure that their assortment of food supplies available are safe, and that all phases of the supply chain have been handled in accordance with adopted and accepted regulations. RFID tagged products can be monitored throughout the supply chain i.e. from origin, production and transport to point of sale. This helps avoid cases where package markings do not correspond with reality regarding for example origin of the products. Moreover, UPM Raflatac’s tags can highlight the date of expiry with fresh consumables. Read more >>

 

 

Puusta vaikka sukkahousuja

Öljyn kallistuminen antaa lisää vauhtia metsäteollisuuden innovaatiohankkeisiin. Puusta kun voi periaatteessa tehdä liki kaikkea, mitä öljystäkin.

– Puupohjaisten materiaalien etuna on, että ne voi kierrättää, ja kierrätetylläkin tuotteella säilyy vielä polttoarvo, Metsäklusteri Oy:n toimitusjohtaja Christine Hagström-Näsi sanoo. Read more >>

 

 

Sonoco and IPICO introduce RFID technology to paper industry

Sonoco, one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, and IPICO Inc. today announced the availability of the world's first RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enabled core solution specifically designed for the paper industry.

Using IPICO's dual frequency technology, the new fiber cores allow customers to automatically identify, track, and locate paper rolls at any point in the supply chain. Read more >>

 

 

Momentum behind forest, paper and packaging deals set to continue driven by sustainability trends: PwC report

Total forest, paper and packaging (FPP) deal values increased to US$27.6bn in 2007, up US$1.9bn on 2006, according to the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Branching Out report.

Deal values reached US$11.8bn in the first quarter of 2008, although the outlook for the rest of this year is more uncertain. Private equity has continued to play a key role in deals particularly in North America. New dealmakers have also emerged on the scene, such as New Zealand’s Rank Group. Yet the main deal story is the lack of significant – and urgently needed – consolidation deals in Europe. The FPP industry is at the heart of the drive towards sustainable development and we are seeing new investment trends reflecting this. Read more >>

 

 

Researchers gather in Finland to accelerate development of bioactive paper

Researchers working to develop inexpensive paper that can destroy, deactivate and detect deadly pathogens, such as salmonella and SARS, will share their expertise with the world as the first ever international conference on bioactive paper kicks off next week in Espoo, Finland. More than 80 science, industry and government representatives, including a 25-member Canadian delegation, will meet in the city northwest of Helsinki for the conference, which runs from June 24-26, 2008 Read more >>

 

 

Asian Technology Center inaugurated

China is expected to become the world's leading paper manufacturer in the very near future. The production of paper and board in China will increase by about 5% per year and consumption will nearly double from its level in 2005, when it was a little below 60 million tons, by the year 2020, estimates Ronald Kwan, Head of Kemira Group’s Asia Pacific region. Also, the demand for water treatment solutions is growing. Read more >>

 

 

New Type of Paper Won’t Let You Just Rip It Apart

This newspaper is printed on paper made from cellulose fibers obtained from wood pulp. The fibers are fairly large, on the order of tens of micrometers wide, and the resulting paper is fairly weak — pull on it and it tears easily.

Researchers in Sweden and Japan have developed a much stronger paper, made from much smaller fibrils of cellulose. This “nanopaper,” they report in the journal Biomacromolecules, has a tensile strength greater than that of cast iron. Read more >>

 

 

Kemira and European Investment Bank (EIB) signed EUR 100 million research and development loan agreement

Kemira Oyj and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed today on June 6, 2008, a EUR 100 million 12-year research and development loan agreement. Loan can be raised within 18 months after signing.

The European Investment Bank has evaluated and granted the loan to support the research, development and innovation activities of the Kemira Group during the years 2008−2011.
Kemira’s long term collaboration with universities, institutes of technology and research institutes combined Group’s own research centers’ development projects form foundation of R&D activities in areas like customer solutions for forest industry, formulation science, water treatment and nanotechnology. Read more >>

 

 

Metso advances in biofuels with acquisition of LignoBoost

The acquisition supports Metso’s profitable growth strategy and opens an interesting biofuel business opportunity within pulping processes.

"We see great value in getting a process with such high future expectations. It complements our present solutions offering in an excellent way. LignoBoost has the best chances of being further commercialized for industrial applications in a global company such as Metso", says Lennart Ohlsson, President of Metso Power. Read more >>

 

 

New Research Report from Energy Business Reports Discusses Biomass to Biofuels Market Potential

Like wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy, biomass produces fewer emissions than its fossil fuel counterparts. After fossil fuels, biomass is the most widely used fuel in the world, according to a new research report from Energy Business Reports.

Scientists are exploring the advantages of biomass energy as an alternative energy source as it is renewable and free from net CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions, and is abundantly available on earth in the form of agricultural residue, city garbage, cattle dung, firewood, etc. Read more >>

 

 

Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen brought out Finland forest industry at the lunch hosted by Vice-President of Brazil José Alencar Gomes da Silva

 

Finland is a land of forests. We have a high level of knowledge both relating to research in the area of forestry as well as the commercial use of our forests in a sustainable way. Forestry, therefore, offers great possibilities for bilateral co-operation between our nations.

Brazil is also a key player in the field of bioenergy. Brazil has long traditions from the 1970?s in this area. I have been impressed by the level of Brazilian expertise and research. In this context I am pleased to note that the Finnish Academy of Science and its Brazilian counterpart CNPQ this week here in Brasília have signed an agreement regarding joint research projects, including bioenergy. Read more >>

 

 

SMART Papers breaks ground on $30 million energy project

SMART Papers has begun construction on a new $30 million high-efficiency energy co-generation facility at its manufacturing center here that marks an important first for the North American papermaking industry. By early 2009, SMART Papers will produce all of its own power and begin a transition to 100% cellulosic biomass fuel. By late 2009, all products will be fully carbon neutral and produced 100% fossil fuel free, company officials said. Read more >>

 

Metso engages in collaboration with MIT

Metso has launched collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the top universities in the United States, and has joined its time-honored Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). According to Metso’s Marko Hakovirta, Vice President, Environment, Quality and Technology, Metso’s strategic goal is to tap into the entire global innovation system. ”At the moment, our R&D activities are still concentrated in the Nordic countries, particularly in Finland,” Hakovirta notes. Read more >>

 

Paper industry calls on the Commission to implement the strategies outlined in its Communication for the forest-based sector

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) welcomes the publication of the Communication on forest-based industries which formalises a clear strategy for the growth of
the forest based sector in Europe and recognises the importance of the sector in contributing to
the mitigation of climate change and in the production of renewable energy. The clear need for
efforts to increase the amount of biomass available for bio-energy in order to avoid conflicts of
uses by different biomass sectors has now been clearly recognised. Read more >>

 

UPM strongly supports the goals of METSO programme.

UPM supports the goals of the new action plan finalised for forest biodiversity in Southern Finland. The company considers the preservation of biodiversity as a key part of sustainable forest management.

”METSO 2008–2016 is an important step towards creating acceptable and established methods for protecting forest biodiversity,” says Timo Lehesvirta, Environment Manager for UPM Forest. ”We want to participate in the creation of a new operating culture where nature protection is a normal and conflict free part of sustainable forestry.” Read more >>

 

European Commission addresses challenges of forest-based industries.

The European Commission has today adopted a 19-point plan to address the challenges facing forest-based industries, which are adapting to deal with increased global competition, climate change and energy and wood supply availability. Important competitiveness challenges cover innovation, access to non-EU markets and high energy and transport costs. Moreover, the access to and availability of new and recovered raw material at competitive prices and the strategic role of this sector in limiting climate change are issues which need to be addressed specifically in order to provide the right framework conditions within which this industrial chain can prosper and grow. Furthermore, and in particular in the woodworking and printing sectors, the dimension of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) is especially relevant. The communication is part of the Commission's integrated industrial policy consisting of horizontal and sectoral measures.. Read more >>