Features Research & Innovation
What’s New… (August 01, 2003)

CONTRACTS

ANDRITZ CHOSEN AS VERACEL’S MAIN SUPPLIER

ALPHARETTA, GA — Andritz was selected to supply the complete Fiberline — from the digester to finished bales of market pulp — as well as the White Liquor Plant for the Veracel greenfield kraft pulp mill on an EPC basis. When completed in mid-2005, Veracel will be the largest single-line market pulp mill in the world at 900,000 admt/a. Veracel is a joint venture between Stora Enso Oyj and Aracruz Celulose S.A.

The Veracel Mill, now under construction near Eunapolis in Brazil’s Bahia state, will produce bleached eucalyptus (plantation) market pulp. The schedule is 22 months from contract to mill start-up. Andritz will be responsible for Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) for the Fiberline, White Liquor Plant, and Pulp Drying/Baling Plant.

The new Fiberline from Andritz will be the world’s largest. It will produce 900,000 admt/a of high-brightness (ISO 92), high-strength eucalyptus pulp.

CHEMICALS

VULCAN AND KEMIRA JOINT VENTURE

HELSINKI, FINLAND — The deal between Kemira and Vulcan Materials Company on the pulp and paper chemicals business has been closed. The sales value of the business is $80 million US, and the final agreed price was $43.5 million US. The deal includes the following product lines: emulsion polymers, defoamers, wet and dry strength resins and a variety of custom manufactured products.

PARTNERSHIP

VOITH PARTNERS WITH BASF

HEIDENHEIM, GERMANY — The suppliers of paper technology and paper chemicals signed a long-term agreement for strategic alliance.

For paper finishing, the agreement between Voith Paper Holding GmbH and BASF provides for conventional coating trials to be conducted mainly at the BASF Ludwigshafen’s paper technical center, whereas machine optimization and new technology trials will take place at the Voith site in Heidenheim.

WASTEWATER

PAQUES, USFILTER SIGN LICENSE AGREEMENT

WARRENDALE, PA — Paques bv and USFilter have signed an exclusive license agreement encompassing three of Paques’ biological wastewater treatment technologies.

Paques anaerobic technology is used worldwide to treat high strength biodegradable wastewater, producing energy-rich biogas as a byproduct, which can be used for steam or power generation. Aerobic technologies complement the anaerobic treatment process, enabling treated water to be discharged directly into the environment.

ACQUISITION

STPA LAB SERVICES FOR P&P INDUSTRY

BALTIMORE, MD — Sheppard T. Powell Associates, a water treatment consulting firm providing services since 1921, recently acquired the former staff and facilities of Powell Labs Ltd. STPA now can directly provide laboratory services for metallurgical, deposit, and water analyses to our clients in the power, pulp and paper, HVAC, and other industries.

LESS RISK

NAS REJECTS DIOXIN REGULATION

CHICAGO, IL — A recent article in Environment & Climate News reports that after decades at the top of the list of “deadly chemicals” decried by liberal environmentalists, dioxin’s risk has been found to be too small to merit new government regulations.

The article states that, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), common-sense dietary balance, rather than restrictive government regulation, should guide people in reducing their intake of dioxin.

The NAS report culminated a decade-long dioxin assessment first begun by the Environmental Protection Agency, but then transferred to the NAS after other federal agencies questioned EPA’s impartiality and commitment to sound scientific principles.

CONVEYORS

SUPER B: CONSISTENCY, SUPER-CONCENTRIC

WINFIELD, AL — Super B Conveyor Idlers have consistency roll-to-roll and the geometry of the roll shell is super-concentric. They also incorporate a specially designed low-drag triple seal design. In combination, these features ensure long-life and economic operation in the tough operational environment of pulp mills, paper mills, and woodyards.

Super B Conveyor Idlers are manufactured by Continental Conveyor & Equipment Co.

EXPANSION

EMERSON SERVICES NETWORK

AUSTIN, TX — Emerson Process Management has announced the forming of North America’s largest network of instrument and valve service centres. Built on the service of Fisher, Rosemount, Rosemount Analytical, and Micro Motion field devices, the integrated network delivers predictive diagnostics and servicing of all makes of field devices. It provides customers with a single contact for assistance across North America, offering complete resolution of maintenance problems at a local level.

From over 50 locations in North America, employing more than 650 engineers and expert technicians using diagnostic capabilities, instrument and valve services support the process industry with responsive service. The service workforce is growing worldwide to support Emerson’s global product installed base.

BEARINGS

NTN EXPANDS FACILITIES

MISSISSAUGA, ON. — NTN Bearing Corp of Canada Ltd is expanding its current facilities to help meet customers needs. Official groundbreaking ceremonies for NTN’s new Canadian corporate head office and distribution centre was held at the construction site last June.

The new corporate head office will be a two-storey, 70,000 square foot building that will include a state-of-the-art warehouse management system. The distribution centre will be designed to support national distribution of all NTN products across Canada and will employ a new order selection system that will fill customer orders with high-tech speed, efficiency and accuracy. The new facility is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

ADHESIVES

NEW REPULPABLE SPLICING TAPE

GLEN ROCK, PA — Adhesives Research, Inc., global supplier of repulpable splicing tape technology for the pulp and paper industry, announces the addition of ARclad 0101 to its extensive line of repulpable splicing tapes.

ARclad 0101 is a double-faced, aqua-green, high-performance premium repulpable splicing tape that has been designed to have excellent adhesion to hard-to-adhere paper and paper-board grades for flying splice applications, including off-machine coaters.#text2#