COMPETENCE IN PAPER

Newsletter

January 2024

From the association

Meeting ZELLCHEMING Main Committee

Dear members and friends of ZELLCHEMING,

The most recent meeting of the ZELLCHEMING Main Committee last week was not only very well attended, with more than 20 participants following the meeting online, but the discussions and exchanges were also particularly active and result-oriented in the best sense of the word.

The agenda included an overview of the association's activities, measures to strengthen internal and external communication in order to make the work of the association and its technical committees more visible, as well as the next target points in connection with the strategic focus on sustainability.

Participants Main Committee virtual meeting

The list of activities underscored the vibrancy of the association: Six Technical Committee meetings have been held in the past four months, with five more scheduled through April. In addition, three regional group meetings were held in the second half of the year, with up to 40 participants in attendance.

Many of the association's meetings were illustrated with pictures and details during the main committee meeting, which shows that the strengthening of communication is already bearing fruit. The goal set for this year - to publish an article for at least one meeting per technical committee or regional group - seems to be within reach.

The core task of the ZELLCHEMING association - to support the paper and pulp industry in playing its role in the circular bio-economy - is also becoming clearer: The participants at the main committee meeting agreed that all technical committees will submit a statement by April on how they will specifically address the issue of sustainability. Within the framework of the ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2024 it will again be the opening topic (keynote & panel discussion) and the General Assembly will report on the current status, including an updated mission statement of the association in this regard and the presentation of a program committee for the planned lecture series for the ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2025.

We are very pleased with the dynamic start of the year and the initiative of the association.

ZELLCHEMING Conference Cellulose-Based Materials

Although the board of ZELLCHEMING decided last fall not to hold another "ZELLCHEMING Conference - Cellulose-Based Materials" in combination with the ZELLCHEMING Expo 2024 in Wiesbaden this year, the topic of cellulose and cellulose-based materials is and will remain firmly anchored in our technical committee and in the work of the association.

"We would like to make it clear once again that this decision was made from a purely economic point of view," explains Helga Zollner-Croll. "As an association, we had to make a substantial contribution to cover the costs of the 'ZELLCHEMING Conference - Cellulose Based Materials', which will take place for the first time in 2022. Against this background and in the current overall context, the financial risk for the second event planned for this year was simply considered too high. In addition, there are other topics and formats that are considered to be forward-looking and are also currently in an economic start-up phase.

ZELLCHEMING will actively support the International Paper Physics Conference (IPPC) 2024 in Wuppertal on a technical and communicative level. The conference is jointly organized by Jaan-Willem Simon (University of Wuppertal), Markus Biesalski and Samuel Schabel (Technical University of Darmstadt) and will take place from September 30th to October 2nd in Wuppertal. The aim is to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of recent developments in the physics, chemistry and technology of pulp and paper. This forum is intended to serve as a platform for exchange between the various scientific disciplines, but also to facilitate networking between science and industry.

In memoriam

On January 3, 2024, our long-time member Jürgen Evers passed away at the age of 87. He left his mark on Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel (PKV) for decades and was actively involved in the planning and development of PKV until the very end. A papermaker through and through, he was dedicated to his company and the paper industry with heart and soul.

From 1963 to 1979 he worked as plant manager at the Zanders fine paper mill, and in 1980 he became managing director of PKV. In Varel, together with Hellmut Barthel and Günter Dieball, he laid many of the foundations from which PKV can now move forward into the future. Commitment, responsibility, independence and foresight were some of his guiding principles - easily recognizable, for example, in his committed decisions for energy efficiency and the economical use of fresh water. Under his leadership, PKV set industry standards in both areas.

In "his" paper industry, Jürgen Evers was always active and committed beyond the boundaries of his company. He has been a member of the ZELLCHEMING association since 1961 and was active in several ZELLCHEMING technical committees:

• Technical Committee Environmental Issues 1976-1987
• Technical Committee Paperboard Technology 1981-2019
• Member of the working group "Noise" of the Technical Committee Plant Engineering and Energy 1985-1987
• Technical Committee Paper Making 1989-2019

In 2001, he was awarded the badge of honor for 40 years of membership in ZELLCHEMING, and in 2011, he was awarded the Eugen-Lendholt_Medal for his life's work and the badge of honor for 50 years of membership in ZELLCHEMING.

For 26 years he was Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Packaging and Corrugated Board Papers Association and a member of the Board of Directors. Jürgen Evers was also a member of the Research Council of the Verband Deutscher Papierfabriken (VDP) from 1990 to 2002.

Although he retired from the management of PKV in 2005, Jürgen Evers remained involved in the company's current events and strategies as a shareholder. As a board member and chairman of the Gertrud and Hellmut Barthel Foundation, he created and shaped a broad support network in the areas of environmental protection, education, teaching, research and preservation of historical monuments.

With Jürgen Evers we have lost an impressive personality and a pragmatic technical expert with vision, who was also concerned about sustainability issues. We have lost a sincere, likeable person, guided by firm principles, a role model and a leading figure for many others.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.

New ZELLCHEMING members

We are pleased to announce that we have added nearly 60 new members to the association in 2023, including 53 individual members and an additional 6 corporate members (including 3 startups)!

Among the new members we have welcomed to the ZELLCHEMING association in recent weeks are:

• Tim Gaiser, Baiersbronn Frischfaser Karton GmbH
• Paul Ludwig Schickel, Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart
• Dr. Marisa Silva, onCyt Microbiology AG
• Jan Stöpel, LAGOTEC GmbH
• Samuel Wüthrich, onCyt Microbiology AG

Good reasons to join ZELLCHEMING

Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Wulf, Head of Technology & Maintenance, Industriepark Nienburg

• What role does the paper, pulp or fiber-based industry play for you/your company?

  For me personally, this plays a very important role. I started my professional career in 1987 at the Institute of Mechanics at the University of Hannover, and after holding a number of other positions, I joined Mercer Stendal in 2003. I worked there in various roles until the end of 2020 and have been Head of Technology since 2014.

  This makes this very interesting role my longest professional assignment in which I have been able to actively contribute to various successes for Mercer Stendal. This started before the plant was commissioned with challenging and lengthy claims management and later led to the production record of 680,000 tons per year that still stands today. The second steam turbine project was also a major milestone for Mercer's sustained success during this time, which was implemented very effectively.

  During this time, I was also able to establish a close working relationship with the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences and supervised more than 20 theses, mostly as a second examiner, which enabled me to recruit suitable young engineers for Mercer. This was made possible by several years of part-time work as a lecturer, various presentations at conferences, and collaboration on a textbook on maintenance by Professor Harald Apel.

  Today, I work as head of technology and authorized signatory at Industriepark Nienburg, a subsidiary of FLEXSYS. The technology department includes project and maintenance services as well as media supply for various companies at the site.

• What made you decide to become a member of ZELLCHEMING?

  I have been an active member of the ZELLCHEMING Plant Engineering and Energy technical committee since 2004. After moving to the basic chemicals industry (FLEXSYS is a supplier to the tire industry), I realized that there is still a lot of overlap with the pulp and paper industry. These include occupational and plant safety, maintenance, project management, obsolescence management, and sustainable energy supply.

  After the Technical Committee expressed its support for my continued involvement, I did not hesitate to facilitate the continuation of the collaboration by becoming a personal member.

Dates

• 2 February 2024
  Papermakers' regulars' table of the VPM regional group West
• 19 March 2024
  Meeting Technical Committee Recovered Paper Utilization (RECO)
• 21 March 2024
  Meeting Technical Committee Chemical Additives (CHAD)
• 11 April 2024
  Meeting Technical Committee Pulp and Paper Testing (DATA)
  Meeting Technical Committee Paperboard Technology (PBTC)
• 16 April 2024
  Meeting Technical Committee Paper Making (PMAK)
• 18-20 June 2024
  ZELLCHEMING-Expo

From the office

Promising start to the ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2024!

In the fourth week of the calendar year, almost 80 exhibitors have already confirmed their participation or reserved stand space. This means that around 1,600 sqm of the space in the RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC) has already been booked: This corresponds to an occupancy rate of 85% and is seen as a very positive signal!

"We are pleased about this development, not least in view of the still tense economic situation, which is affecting the vast majority of companies," explains Petra Hanke, Managing Director of ZELLCHEMING Service GmbH. "At the moment, only about 15 percent (about 325 sqm) exhibition space is available. We are sure that in the end we will not only be able to offer a very good and comprehensive range of products and services throughout the entire exhibition area, but that we will also be able to further expand our range of topics".

The early bird rate for exhibitors is still valid until February 2, 2024!

ZELLCHEMING Career Day continues to grow and develop

Last year, the premiere of the ZELLCHEMING Career Day on the last day of the Expo was one of the highlights, and a further boost for the innovative format is expected in 2024.

What is it about?

The ZELLCHEMING Career Day is:

• An attractive platform for presenting career opportunities and job profiles in companies of the pulp and paper industry;
• It is thematically limited to technical-professional aspects and job profiles, and the presentation of the content is tailored to the needs of the target group;
• Career Day relies on low-threshold contact opportunities (live and online);
• and is based on a large partner network with the most important educational institutions, partners and sponsors in the industry.

The ZELLCHEMING Career Day includes numerous elements that directly involve young talents in the topic: For example, an oversized social media wall that illustrates the sustainability and diversity of the pulp and paper industry and serves as an impressive background motif for posts. There will also be a paper rally, where companies from the industry and their topics will be on the agenda, as well as a stage program featuring lectures and presentations with reports from the field.

Impressions ZELLCHEMING Career Day 2023

The ZELLCHEMING Career Day offers the core target groups - students and trainees - direct and uncomplicated access to companies in the pulp and paper industry. This gives the young talents the opportunity to get to know different representatives of the industry (manufacturers as well as suppliers) and to get a first impression.

Universities, educational institutions, personnel service providers, institutes, companies, associations or other organizations act as partners and sponsors. In particular, companies involved in the production of paper, board or pulp can take advantage of the opportunity to present their company, locations and job profiles and to get in touch with young talent in the industry.

The following participation options are available:

• Participation in the information spot
• Company and logo listed as part of the Paper Stars social media wall
• Presentation of job profiles as part of the conference program
• Organization of workshops, career coaching, CV checks, etc.

You can find all the details about CAREER DAY in our Fact Sheet Sponsoring. If you have any questions, please contact Petra Hanke or Cornelia Gembus.

From the technical committees and regional groups

Meeting technical committee Pulp and Paper Testing (DATA)

The ZELLCHEMING Technical Committee for Pulp and Paper Testing (TC DATA) met on November 29 at ABB in Heidelberg.
 
The agenda included the planning of future activities on the topics of sustainability/digitalization, transdisciplinary cooperation and digital product passport - challenges for the industry.
 
Mr. Falk Friedrich is a new member of the technical committee - welcome!

The members of TC DATA at ABB in Heidelberg

Furthermore, Rosario Othen, the youngest committee chairman in the association's history, and Dr. Jörg Padberg, a new deputy chairman, were elected for the next three years. Harald Meitinger was re-elected as secretary. We would like to congratulate Mr. Othen and Mr. Padberg and wish them every success!
 
A big thank you goes to Dr. Heinz Joachim Schaffrath and Olav Dau for their many years of leadership and deputy leadership of TC DATA. They will continue to contribute their knowledge and experience to the technical committee.

Joint Annual Meeting of the Regional Groups North of VPM and ZELLCHEMING

The joint annual meeting of the Northern German regional groups of VPM and ZELLCHEMING took place on November 10th at the Barsbüttel site of the Thünen Institute for Wood Research. The event on "Alternative Fiber Sources for Paper Production" was a great success. The program offered a diverse mix of insights into innovative approaches, reports from the industry and presentations of research projects.

Thomas Wischeropp, Chairman of VPM Regional Group North, welcomed the participants and emphasized the current relevance of the topic: "Rising raw material prices and a steady decline in recovered paper quality in recent years make it necessary and attractive for many paper manufacturers to look for alternatives. In addition, consumer awareness and demand for sustainable solutions, e.g. in the packaging sector, has increased enormously. Regional approaches using sustainably available resources are therefore very popular. After the welcome, Dr. Fokko Schütt from the Thünen Institute for Wood Research led through the program. After the presentations, the participants had the opportunity to get an impression of the laboratories and the technical center at the Barsbüttel site before going to dinner together.

Group photo of the participants of the regional group meeting

Joint Annual Meeting of the Regional Groups South of VPM and ZELLCHEMING

The regional groups South of ZELLCHEMING and VPM met on November 10th for a joint meeting at JRS J. Rettenmaier & Söhne in the Holzmühle in Rosenberg.

The evening before, about 30 people met for dinner at the Ellwanger Brauereigasthof and Hotel "Roter Ochsen". This allowed them to network and discuss current issues in a relaxed atmosphere.

The theme of the conference was "Occupational safety, funding opportunities and ideas for saving energy". There were lively discussions on all topics among the 40 or so participants. After lunch in the company canteen, there was an opportunity for a tour of the plant, which was attended by 35 interested people.

We would like to thank the company J. Rettenmaier & Söhne as the main sponsor of the regional group meeting and the companies Villforth Siebtechnik GmbH, AGRANA Starch GmbH and Wolf Heilmann - produkte für die papiererzeugung for sponsoring the evening event.

Participants of the meeting of Regional Group South

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