COMPETENCE IN PAPER

Newsletter

April 2022

From the association

Dear members and friends of ZELLCHEMING,

in the working group Internal & External Networking, the first steps have been taken to improve transparency in the technical committees, to leverage synergies, and to define the path towards targeted, joint work in the 14 ZELLCHEMING technical committees.

The goal is to make the expertise shared and consolidated in the technical committees (FA) accessible to a broad audience inside and outside the association - and thus also to increase the attractiveness for potential new and young members.

We will therefore develop a kind of "fitness" program to target the upcoming generation. The group that has taken on this task also includes students from Darmstadt, Dresden, Karlsruhe and Munich.

At the same time, we expect the sharpened focus on compliance with European competition rules to have a positive impact on horizontal communication, as all meetings in the association can now be comprehensively documented and the information processed and distributed accordingly. In addition, we want to improve networking through the presence of an FA member in a technically related FA (e.g. RECO to COAT). In this way, not only is a topic of importance to other committees identified at an early stage, but a flow of information in both directions is also initiated. Furthermore, more guests who can provide impetus should be invited to the meetings and, last but not least, standardized keywords should be extracted from the minutes and presentations so that a quick search is available for all members.

Philosopher and communication scientist Paul Watzlawick established the principle that you cannot not communicate. Every behavior, verbal or nonverbal, contains a message. Therefore, a great opportunity lies in the fact that all of us who bear responsibility in the association live our commitment and carry the knowledge gained into the world!

Kind regards and stay healthy!

Gerrit Lund
Head of the "Internal and External Networking" Working Group

Meeting of the ZELLCHEMING Main Committee

On March 24, 2022, the ZELLCHEMING Main Committee met for its traditional spring meeting. 25 colleagues participated in the video conference. The chairman of the main committee, Prof. Dr. Markus Biesalski, together with the chairman of the association, Dr. Ernst-Ulrich Wittmann, and Petra Hanke, managing director of ZELLCHEMING Service GmbH, provided information about the current focal points of the ZELLCHEMING association and ZELLCHEMING Service GmbH

As described in the introduction, internal and external networking are at the top of the association's agenda. Other focal points are the revision and implementation of the association's compliance rules, the development of new communication channels for greater transparency in the association's work, and the strengthening of young talent for the association and the industry. 

Dates

• 26-27 April 2022
  Meeting Technical Committee Papermaking
• 28 April 2022
  Meeting Technical Committee Plant Engineering and Energy
• 28 April 2022
  Meeting Technical Committee Mechanical Pulping
• 10 Mai 2022
  Meeting Technical Committee Pulp and Paper Testing

From society & industry

Cepi: Call on the European Commission to reconsider approach to renewable bio-based products

In a press release, Cepi, the Confederation of European Paper Industries, has underlined how the unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine has become a dramatic wakeup call to strengthen the European Union’s energy security and to build its strategic autonomy.

In this context, the forest fibre-based industry offers readily available solutions to address the serious shortcomings of Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. In its communication, the European Commission focused on reducing Europe’s dependence on energy imports, Cepi explained and emphasized that access to affordable clean energy was paramount to keep operations in its sector going.

“For months, the pulp and paper industry has been enduring high energy prices, which are skyrocketing in the recent days. Therefore, the long-overdue actions at both national and EU levels to secure the industry’s future in Europe remain critical. Decisionmakers must also realise that Europe needs to address its dependence not only on energy imports, but also on fossil-based materials. The European economy can further minimise its fossil fuel needs by tapping into the potential of bio-based value chains to substitute carbon-intensive materials. To further build the resilience of the European economy, we call on the European Commission to reconsider its approach to renewable, bio-based products”, Cepi pointed out.

In dramatically changing circumstances, Cepi called on the Commission to update the Forest Strategy adopted last July and make it an indispensable part of the EU’s geopolitical strategy. Europe should finally tap into the full potential of forests, forest-based products, and sustainable forest management practices to reduce its dependence on fossil materials, it concluded.

From the membership

Voith's OnPerformance.Lab: optimized grade change at Hamburger Containerboard

OnPerformance.Lab (OPL) experts from ZELLCHEMING member Voith and Hamburger Containerboard have achieved 35% faster grade changes, optimized length profiles and more stable processes on PM 1 at the Spremberg production site.

Hamburger Containerboard, a member of the Prinzhorn Group, produces around 340,000 tons of paper each year on its PM 1. The line produces white uncoated and coated papers as well as gypsum board with basis weights between 120 and 180 g/m2.

The remote optimization started with the collection of all relevant process and machine data of PM 1 in order to develop possible solutions for increasing the efficiency of the plant. Subsequently, the OPL experts discussed the phenomena occurring on the machine with all project stakeholders, refined models, adjusted controller settings and suggested program changes in the customer control system.

"Thanks to their comprehensive expertise as well as their holistic approach, the OPL experts defined individual and reliable recommendations that stabilized our process and ultimately led to a significantly shorter grade change time. The cooperation ran easily, flexibly and smoothly throughout the entire period. Just like with a colleague - only remotely," explains David Wötzel, Engineer Automation QCS, Hamburger Rieger GmbH in Spremberg. "It was essential for us that the optimization measures did not disrupt the daily routine or the processes in the plant. We were able to implement them whenever it fit into our schedule. You simply notice that OnPerformance.Lab is staffed by experts who know how complex the paper manufacturing process is and which solution approaches are individually suitable."

We are happy to welcome new members again this month!

We welcome to the ZELLCHEMING association:

• Viktor Hahnemann (Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart / Verpackungstechnik)
• Regis Houze (ADM Slovakia, s.r.o.)
• Marcel Jez (Papierfabrik Meldorf GmbH + Co. KG)
• Tobias Keplinger (AustroCel Hallein GmbH)
• Petra Wollboldt (AustroCel Hallein GmbH)

From the technical committees

ZELLCHEMING Technical Committee for Recovered Paper Utilization (RECO): New chairman and deputy chairman

The RECO Technical Committee sees itself as an international platform for the exchange of views on the secondary raw material of recovered paper, from its collection through stock preparation to the manufacture of new paper products. It provides a forum that goes far beyond the recycled paper processing industry and considers the further processing of papers containing recycled fibers (e.g., corrugated board production), the supply industry (chemicals and mechanical engineering), the disposal industry, as well as the relevant research institutes, colleges and universities, and associations and interest groups.

The Technical Committee deals with all questions concerning the collection of paper for recycling, the production of marketable recycled paper grades, and technical and technological issues of recycled paper preparation. In addition, legal requirements and political developments concerning the subject of paper recycling and the use of recycled paper stock in the production of paper and board are dealt with within the scope of the technical committee's activities. The technical subcommittee "Recycling Technology" (TECH), which deals with the topics of deinking and sticky contaminants, reports to the Technical Committee.

After Andreas Faul officially resigned as chairman of TC RECO, Jörg Wagner has now been elected as the new chairman. The role of deputy chairman was taken over by Jochen Pfirrmann. The task of the secretary is now sitting with Tamas Kordsachia.

Jörg Wagner, new chairman technical committee RECO

The association ZELLCHEMING thanks Andreas Faul for his commitment and his great work! We would also like to thank Jörg Wagner, Jochen Pfirrmann and Tamas Kordsachia for their commitment and wish them every success for the tasks ahead!

ZELLCHEMING Technical Committee Microbiology: Biofilms have priority

At the recent meeting of the Technical Committee Microbiology (MBIO), Dr Kerstin Keppler, head of the Technical Committee, presented the thematic priorities that emerged from surveys in the form of a ranking:

• Biofilms: Formation, species involved, successful control strategies.
• Legionella in cooling towers and wastewater: interesting facts about Legionella and their occurrence in industrial environments
• Pathogenic microorganisms in the paper mill
• Microbiological contamination of air in paper mills
• Additives (starch / synthetic polyacrylamides) and microbiology: How much can additives spoil in paper mills? How does this affect processes?
• Interpretation of the limits of BfR XXXVI/ correlation with existing measurement methods
• Measurement errors and interpretations with physical/chemical/microbiological methods
• Glossary of microbiology / microscopy as an aid for non-biologists.

"Particularly topics related to pathogens including Legionella are in the foreground," Kerstin Keppler summarized. "In addition, the classic topic of biofilm is of interest. Here, a thematic connection can be seen, so that topic groups can be worked on together."

Possible formats for work results were also discussed. In this context, the classic book form was classified as no longer up to date; it is likely to be replaced by flyers, newsletters, continuous leaflets, etc.

The Microbiology Technical Committee deals with all aspects of microbiological problems in paper and pulp production, including raw material production (including pigments, starch).
 
The members of the Technical Committee Microbiology come from the paper industry, the supply industry and from specialist research institutes. What they all have in common is their knowledge of microbiological problems and how to solve them. Water cycles and raw materials are equally considered. Top microbiological issues are agreed upon by the members of the technical committee, examined in a variety of ways and evaluated, while always maintaining the link to practice. Experts from related fields of activity are always welcome at the meetings, whether they are employees of companies that implement and optimize microbiological detection methods or representatives of committees that establish specialist microbiological methods in guidelines and other legal requirements.

The group is interested in a professional exchange of knowledge and open to all innovations in the exciting field of microbiology.

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