Ahead of the Curve

Prisma finds application for biomass waste lignin

15 Feb 2017 CORTNEY ROARK Using feedstock that includes locally-sourced switchgrass, a Knoxville, TN company has developed technology that produces high-value applications from lignin. The company’s CEO, Adam McCall, Prisma Renewable Composites, was interviewed recently for a story in the Knoxville News Sentinel.

China’s paper industry: Adjusting to change

08 Feb 2017 MARK RUSHTON This article first appeared in the March/April issue of Paper360°, TAPPI’s member magazine

Getting the most from safety inspections

01 Feb 2017 JAY SHELLOGG I enjoyed reading Graeme Rodden’s article “Know the State of Your Emergency Showers” in the Jan/Feb issue of Paper360°. I read it with a since of urgency, and reached out to a colleague of mine, Carlo Odoardi, to help me write this response

New report looks at Second-Generation Biofuels

25 Jan 2017 What challenges will the future bring for producers of second-generation biofuels? Could Brexit effect biofuel production in the UK or elsewhere in the EU? Which statutes currently regulate biofuel production in the US, and what are the EPA target goals?

Knowledge and involvement: One young professional’s story

18 Jan 2017 Working as a corrugated professional was not top-of-mind for Josh Reich when he first attended Ohio University as a candidate for a B.B.A. in Marketing and Sales. But it definitely was by the time he completed his M.B.A. in 2015. That’s because between his sophomore and junior years he took a summer job at Greif in Massillon, OH. He’s never looked back.

Transparent CNF has wide range of applications

11 Jan 2017 For one Japanese pulp and paper company, the future of cellulose nanofiber material is clear… as in, literally transparent. As reported recently by Nikkei Asian Review, in 2017 Oji Holdings will begin mass production of a lightweight, plant-derived cellulose nanofiber (CNF) material that can replace carbon fiber in a range of applications, including auto manufacturing, aircraft, and organic light-emitting diode displays. The material will be produced as a thin sheet that Oji claims “has high transparency equivalent to glass, regardless of wood pulp materials.”

Uncertainty Clouds the Market in a Volatile World

04 Jan 2017 GRAEME RODDEN Note: This excerpt from the cover feature of the 2017 January/February issue of Paper360° is offered as a special preview to AOTC readers.

5 ways to support the pulp, paper, and packaging industries in the New Year

21 Dec 2016 If you are an Ahead of the Curve reader (and judging from the fact that you’re reading this now, it seems that you ARE) you probably work within the pulp, paper, or packaging industry. Your professional life is dedicated to making or selling pulp, paper, printed materials or packaging (or supporting those who do), and every day on the job you’re working toward a secure and sustainable future for your company and your industry. You believe in the important contributions that paper and packaging have made to human culture, health, safety, and quality of life around the world.

Could plastic bag bans hurt paper?

14 Dec 2016 Producers of paper bags may cheer the idea of banning thin plastic grocery bags. Thousands of them seem to clutter streets and flutter from tree branches in many metropolitan areas, and banning bags made from non-renewable plastic seems like it would be a boon for proponents of sustainable paper bags. Yet in some areas, the bans and fees are including paper bags in what some are calling “regulatory overreach.”

Sustainable fuel takes flight

07 Dec 2016 Alaska Airlines recently became the first to fly jets fueld by alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) made from sustainable US corn. The two flights departed from Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport and flew to San Francisco International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington (DC) National Airport using ATJ fuel produced by Gevo, Inc. Alcohol-to-jet biofuel was approved for use by ASTM International in March 2016, and is the first aviation biofuel to be certified and approved since 2011.