Week of 8 December 2025: DEI is at least fifty years old--more like 75

One might look to the date President Harry Truman integrated the military, which was July 26, 1948, which resulted in the last all black unit being disbanded in 1954. The military, being specialists at managing human resources (after all, they have to convince people to take a bullet, the most challenging of tasks), likely implemented their own form of DEI starting July 27, 1948.

Is AI Revolutionizing Quality Control in Manufacturing?

In an article from Quality Magazine, it states that the "convergence of automation and quality is redefining how manufacturers detect defects, maintain standards and continuously improve processes."

The Intersection of HR and when Wisdom Looks Like Instinct

While researching for my writing, I was poring over a stack of HR materials when I came across a highly popular LinkedIn article on the subject. It was spectacularly out of touch - in fact, the advice would've invited eye rolls in every paper mill and been tossed in the garbage, it was so impractical.

Cellulose and Silicon

The paper manufacturing industry has relied upon human-to-machine interaction for hundreds of years. It was sight, sound, smell, feel, and off-line lab tests that drove control moves in the process. I even heard old-school machine tenders tasting paper samples to determine ash content long before the crucibles came out of the oven. Anyone remember back tenders beating the reel with a stick to find hard and soft spots correlating to caliper profiles? If necessary, the subsequent control moves usually involved a human pushing buttons or turning dials or physically messing with valves and actuators. Decades of personal experience drove hiring and promotion decisions to make sure those operator instincts were finely tuned. Meeting production goals depended upon it.

From Ambition to Action: Setting Meaningful Environmental Targets in the Pulp, Paper and Packaging Industry

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance is increasingly measured by how well companies define and meet internal environmental targets. For the pulp, paper, and paper-based packaging sectors, setting clear and credible goals is no longer optional - it's essential.

MQTT

Since Industry 4.0 is the connectivity of industrial operations through the Internet, the means of communication matters a lot. Security and performance were built into proprietary systems of the Industry 3.0 era, but in Industry 4.0 there are no guarantees and these concerns need to be addressed through careful network design.

[Adv.] Wieland

(Adv.) SAP offers you an easy direct link to their breaking developments

ISA's Automation.com Gets an Upgrade, Refreshing Its Digital Experience

The International Society of Automation (ISA) -- the leading professional society for automation -- has relaunched its news publication for the global automation community, Automation.com, with a refreshed design and improved site navigation based on ISA technical content topics. This upgrade offers a more modern look and feel with advanced search capabilities and more intuitive topic organization.

AF&PA Calls on EU to Address Non-Tariff Trade Barriers Following Proposal to Delay EUDR Implementation

EUDR continues to pose a critical trade risk for U.S. paper manufacturing.

Read the monthly Industree 4.0 newsletters here

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Fiber Processing

Steam and Condensate Chronicles

Where is Jim this week?

As I travel, I am always looking for someone to go to dinner with, share a barbeque sandwich lunch and so forth.

Miami student receives Paperitalo Publications endowed scholarship

Natalie Lang, left, is shown receiving the Paperitalo Publications endowed scholarship from Jim Thompson, at the Miami University Paper Science & Engineering Foundation Meeting, April 8, 2025. Natalie will be a sophomore in the fall.

UPM, Sappi to Form $1.7 Billion Graphic Papers Joint Venture

The transaction would create a more efficient, adaptable and sustainable graphic paper business. It would create a structurally competitive cost base and supply security for the European and global customers.

Packaging Corporation of America to shut down machines in Washington, affecting 200 jobs

Packaging Corporation of America announced that it will permanently shut down the No. 2 paper machine (W2) and kraft pulping facilities at its Wallula, WA containerboard mill. PCA will continue to operate the No. 3 paper machine (W3) and recycled pulping facilities at the mill.

Roseburg Forest Products closes Weed, California facility, consolidates operations in Oregon mills

Roseburg Forest Products announced that it has ceased operations at its Weed, Calif., veneer plant as of Dec. 3, 2025. The company is consolidating veneer production at its Oregon mills, where it has installed new, highly efficient veneer equipment. The move strengthens Roseburg's long-term competitiveness in engineered wood and softwood plywood markets.

UPM plans to increase its growth focus through streamlined business portfolio

UPM is a material solutions company with world-class businesses in growth markets. With the intended graphic paper Joint Venture between UPM and Sappi announced today, UPM aims to position the communication paper business for continued value creation for its customers in a way that benefits UPM shareholders. Assuming the Joint Venture is formed, UPM would achieve a stronger growth profile, improved margins and leverage, with no direct sales exposure to the declining European and North American graphic paper markets.

Canfor Corporation to acquire Canfor Pulp

Canfor Corp currently owns approximately 54.8% of the issued and outstanding Canfor Pulp Shares.

Emergency crews respond to fire at Georgia-Pacific in Hosford, Florida

A fire has been reported at Georgia-Pacific in Hosford early Wednesday, Dec 3.

Domtar announces permanent closure of mill in Crofton, B.C.; Hundreds of Vancouver Island mill workers lose jobs ahead of Christmas

Domtar pulp mill in Crofton to close, leading to 350 job losses.

UPM discontinues label materials production in Nancy, France

The change will impact 79 employees.

Conifex Timber to shut down Mackenzie sawmill for a month; new biofuel project makes progress

The curtailments will begin on December 15th and is expected to reduce production by 13 million board feet.

New-Indy fined for violating South Carolina pollution regulations

The $7,000 fine was documented in October 2025, though state regulators said the mill later demonstrated compliance with an air pollutant limit.

Fire damages exterior wall, some electrical components, at Tolko Lakeview in Williams Lake

3 apparatus, 1 command vehicle and 25 firefighters responded and were there approximately 6 hours with an additional hour of cleanup afterwards.

Metsä Group restarts Joutseno pulp mill and curtails Rauma mill for one month

Metsä Group will restart its Joutseno pulp mill on 8 December 2025, ending a production shutdown that began in June. Concurrently, the company will initiate an approximately one-month production curtailment at its Rauma pulp mill, starting 15 December 2025, with a gradual restart scheduled from 7 January 2026. The adjustments are a response to current market demand for long-fibre softwood pulp.

Rengo subsidiary starts new heavy-duty corrugated packaging plant in Goch, Germany

Rengo Co., Ltd. has announced the start of operations at a new heavy-duty corrugated packaging plant for its subsidiary TRICOR Packaging & Logistics AG in Goch, Germany.

Essity AB Announces Strategic Reorganization of Business Areas

Effective January 1, 2026, Essity's business areas will be as follows: Health & Medical, Personal Care, Consumer Tissue and Professional Hygiene. The new business areas reflect the organizational change being made to accelerate the company's growth rate and more rapidly achieve its financial targets.

Drax to cease operations at Williams Lake pellet plant by end of 2025

The closure will affect 30 employees.

Metsä Fibre may lay off all workers at four sawmills for 90 days

Metsä Fibre may temporarily lay off all personnel at its Lappeenranta, Rauma, Renko and Vilppula sawmills in Finland for up to 90 days between January and June 2026.

Crews battle fire at BiOrigin Specialty Products facility

Aerial trucks were used to fight the fire, including on the rooftop area, that police say started in a paper machine when particles overheated and ignited. Crews worked against high winds for several hours to put it out.

Mondi opens new kraft paper machine at mill in Czech Republic

The installation is one element of a €400m ($463.8m) investment program to boost capacity at the mill.

Sealed Air Set for $4.5 Billion Loan Backing Clayton Dubilier & Rice Buyout

Clayton Dubilier & Rice is moving forward with a $4.5 billion leveraged loan to facilitate its acquisition of Sealed Air (SEE), as part of a $7.9 billion debt arrangement. This financing, one of the largest recent buyout deals, includes both USD and euro-denominated loans.

National Gypsum Donates $1 Million to Advance STEM Education

National Gypsum has donated $1 million to be shared across 40 schools and nonprofits in the United States and Canada as part of its annual NGC Giving program. Now in its fifth year, the initiative supports organizations that provide science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning opportunities in the communities where our associates live and work.

Metsä Group's new map service helps address biodiversity in forestry

Metsä Group has developed a new digital service for its owner-members, a nature value map, which makes it possible to consider biodiversity more accurately in forest management.

Greif Named to America's Most Responsible Companies 2026 List for Seventh Consecutive Year

Greif has been included on the list every year since its inception, underscoring the company's long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and strong corporate governance.

Canada and U.S. postpone international trade data release initially planned for December 4

Statistics Canada postponed the releases of Canadian international merchandise trade and international trade in services data due to the earlier shutdown of the U.S. federal government.

LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Naturals Collection™ Siding Portfolio Earns Innovation Award From BUILDINGS Magazine

LP Building Solutions (LP), a leading manufacturer of high-performance building products, today announced that its LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Naturals Collection™ siding portfoliohas been selected as a winner in the 2025 BUILDINGS Magazine Product Innovation Awards. This annual program highlights noteworthy developments in commercial building materials and technologies.

Magnera Introduces Innovative Solution for Healthcare and Beyond, Focusing on Safety and Sustainability

Magnera, a leading supplier of advanced material solutions, today announced the launch of its next-generation solution for nonwoven textiles. Magnera's proprietary innovation delivers fluid repellency needed by healthcare professionals and other industries without the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Canfor Pulp Announces Amendment to Existing Credit Facility

Under terms of the amendment, the Company granted security to Canfor Pulp's lenders and obtained a waiver of its financial covenants for the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2025 (the "Covenant Relief Period"). During the Covenant Relief Period, the Company is subject to a minimum liquidity test of $10 million, effectively reducing its operating loan facility from $160 million to $150 million.

Södra: Cooperatives strengthen the Swedish economy

A new report from Svensk Kooperation shows that cooperative enterprises in Sweden have increased their turnover by 27 percent over the past decade and now account for around ten percent of GDP. Södra is one of the largest players, contributing to a resilient and sustainable forestry sector - where members have influence and share in the value created.

International Paper Secures DuPont™ Cyrel® Quality Assured Platemaker Accreditation for Seventh Consecutive Year

The accreditation was awarded to the company's flexo plate division in Beaverton, Oregon, USA, following rigorous evaluation of its platemaking processes against DuPont's standards for consistency and quality.

Georgia-Pacific makes pair of educational donations aimed at strengthening future professionals

Georgia-Pacific has announced two significant educational investments aimed at strengthening the pipeline of future industry professionals.

Metsä Group to establish its own PEFC certification group in 2026

Metsä Group will establish its own PEFC forest certification group in 2026, enabling its bonus members and contract customers to certify their forests under the company's management. The move is designed to strengthen the system's profile and ensure a continued supply of PEFC-certified wood to its mills by taking direct responsibility for compliance.

Stora Enso announces early redemption of entire EUR 500 million 2026 bond

The bond will be redeemed on 19 December 2025.

Miami University Paper Science & Engineering Foundation names Mike Lopane as new executive director

Mike will assume the Executive Director's role on January 1, 2026 with the retirement of our current Executive Director, Dr. Gary Rudemiller. Gary has been in this role for eight years now, and we wish him well in his retirement.

Interview with University of Maine senior Justin Pelletier

The University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation was incorporated in 1952 by 12 UMaine graduates financially supporting and preparing well-educated engineering students for careers in the pulp and paper and allied industries. Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with senior Justin Pelletier. We asked him a few questions about his experiences at UMaine.

Student Spotlight: Tatum Havard of Georgia Tech

Paperitalo Publications was able to interview Tatum Havard, and we asked her a few questions about her experiences at Georgia Tech.

Student Spotlight: Caleb Breining of Western Michigan

The Western Michigan University Paper Technology Foundation is a 501(c)(3) corporation founded by industry leaders in 1958. The mission of the corporation has been and continues to be to support the Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering at Western Michigan University. Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with Caleb Breining, who is a junior in the program. We asked him a few questions about his experiences at Western Michigan.

Student Spotlight: Levi Arnold of Syracuse

Paperitalo Publications interviewed senior Levi Arnold and we asked him about his experiences at Syracuse.

Interview with UWSP Paper Science and Engineering Junior Troy Knutson

Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with Troy Knutson, a junior in the program, and we asked him a few questions about his experiences at UWSP.

Student Spotlight: Jacob Kanuk of Miami University

The Paper Science & Engineering Foundation at Miami University was founded in 1960 through the donations of several local paper mills and corporations who wanted to ensure the education of future paper engineers. The foundation continues to actively work with students in the paper science and engineering program at Miami University. Paperitalo Publications was able to catch up with senior Jacob Kanuk. We asked him a few questions about his experiences at Miami.

Student Spotlight: Eilee Keske of Minnesota, graduating in Spring 2025

At the University of Minnesota, the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering discovers and teaches solutions for the sustainable use of renewable resources and the enhancement of the environment. Eilee Keske is a student in the program, and she shares some of her experiences at Minnesota.

The Light Green Machine Institute

Ideas you can use now.

Capital Arguments for October 2025

Check out TALOtech groups on LinkedIn

The purpose of the TALOtech groups on LinkedIn is to provide a convenient forum for people working within the manufacturing part of this industry to share technical and operating related dialog to promote safe and competitive operations.

Energy & the Environment News

Your contributions are welcome in this department, regardless of point of view. A few criteria--if you send us a copyrighted piece, also provide a permission to publish statement from the owner. We will not publish overtly political pieces or anonymous pieces.

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Volatility in the OCC/wastepaper market, trends in the recovered fiber and sustainable packaging markets

We welcome Myles Cohen, founder of Circular Ventures, LLC, to discuss the volatility in the OCC/wastepaper market, plus trends in the recovered fiber and sustainable packaging markets.