Tour the Paper-Making Process at Pixelle Specialty Solutions™
Summary
TLDRPixel Specialty Solutions, with a century of expertise, offers a diverse range of specialty papers and customized solutions. Their integrated mills in Pennsylvania and Ohio combine sustainable forestry practices with innovative papermaking processes, utilizing both hardwoods and softwoods to produce high-quality paper products. The company's commitment to environmental responsibility is evident through their transition to natural gas, minimizing carbon emissions and reducing their environmental impact. A tour of their facilities showcases the papermaking process, from sustainable forestry to the production of paper, highlighting their dedication to continuous improvement and customer service excellence.
Takeaways
- 🌲 Pixel Specialty Solutions is a leading supplier of specialty papers with over a century of experience.
- 🏭 The company operates fully integrated pulp and paper mills in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, and Chillicothe, Ohio.
- 🌳 Pixel is committed to sustainable forestry and has invested over 100 million dollars in transitioning from coal to clean burning natural gas to reduce carbon emissions.
- 🔍 Certified foresters at Pixel work closely with landowners to ensure responsible timber harvesting and minimal environmental impact.
- 🪵 Timber is classified into softwoods and hardwoods, with different grades used for various applications such as furniture, pallets, and paper.
- 🌿 The Pennsylvania mill was one of the first to achieve triple chain of custody forestry certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.
- 🔄 In the wood yard, logs are debarked, chipped, and screened to isolate wood fibers for the pulping process.
- 🔧 The pulping process involves separating cellulose fibers from lignin using heat and chemicals in a digester.
- 📜 The paper-making process refines the pulp, blends in fillers and dyes, and then the mixture is spread onto a moving wire mesh to form a sheet of paper.
- 🔄 The paper is then pressed, dried, and undergoes quality checks with high-tech scanners that can detect minute defects.
- 📦 Finished paper is prepared according to customer specifications, packaged, and shipped, with capabilities to convert rolls into various sheet sizes.
Q & A
What is the core business of Pixel Specialty Solutions?
-Pixel Specialty Solutions is a leading supplier of specialty papers, with over a century of experience in crafting high-quality paper products and providing exceptional customer service.
Where are Pixel's fully integrated pulp and paper mills located?
-Pixel's fully integrated pulp and paper mills are located in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, and Chillicothe, Ohio.
What is the significance of Pixel's tour through the papermaking process?
-The tour is designed to showcase Pixel's commitment to continuous improvement, environmental sustainability, and the innovative use of technology in their papermaking process.
How does Pixel Specialty Solutions demonstrate its commitment to sustainable forestry?
-Pixel has a long-standing commitment to sustainable forestry, being the first to develop sustainably managed forests in Pennsylvania and Maryland, and investing over 100 million dollars to transition mill operations from coal to clean burning natural gas.
What is the role of certified foresters in Pixel's forestry operations?
-Certified foresters assist with individual tree selection and thinning, work closely with private landowners and developers for responsible timber harvesting, and provide expertise to minimize environmental impacts during harvesting.
How does Pixel differentiate between softwood and hardwood during the wood classification process?
-Pixel differentiates between softwood and hardwood based on the type of tree leaves; hardwoods have leaves, while softwoods have needles.
What is the purpose of the pulping process in papermaking?
-The pulping process is used to separate cellulose fibers from the lignin, which is the substance that holds the fibers together, in order to produce pulp for papermaking.
Why is a uniform chip size important in the pulping process?
-A uniform chip size is important because it increases the yield and quality of wood fiber produced during the pulping process.
What is the purpose of bleaching in the papermaking process?
-Bleaching is used to brighten the fibers, turning them from their natural brown color to white, which is necessary for the production of printing and writing papers.
How does Pixel Specialty Solutions ensure the quality of its paper products?
-Pixel uses high-tech scanners to detect variations in face weight, moisture, caliper, opacity, brightness, and physical defects in the paper at high speeds and wide widths, ensuring a high-quality product.
What is the significance of the triple chain of custody forestry certification achieved by Pixel's Pennsylvania mill?
-The triple chain of custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification signifies that Pixel's Pennsylvania mill adheres to strict environmental and social standards in its forestry practices.
How does Pixel Specialty Solutions support its customers with logistics and supply chain visibility?
-Pixel has invested in FourKites, a supply chain visibility platform, allowing customers to track their shipments in real-time with updates every 15 minutes and alerts for unexpected delays.
What is the final step in the papermaking process before the paper reaches the customer?
-The final step in the papermaking process is the finishing area, where paper is prepared according to customer specifications, packaged, and shipped as finished rolls or sheets.
Outlines
🌲 Introduction to Pixel Specialty Solutions and Sustainable Forestry
Pixel Specialty Solutions is introduced as a leading supplier of specialty papers with over a century of experience. The company prides itself on crafting high-quality paper products and providing exceptional customer service. The script takes the viewer on a tour of the paper-making process, highlighting the company's commitment to sustainable forestry and environmental responsibility. Pixel's paper-making process begins with trees, emphasizing their dedication to sustainable forestry practices, being the first to develop sustainably managed forests in Pennsylvania and Maryland. They have invested over 100 million dollars to transition from coal to natural gas, reducing carbon emissions. The script also explains the difference between hardwoods and softwoods and their respective uses in paper production.
🏭 The Paper Making Process from Wood to Pulp
This paragraph delves into the paper-making process starting in the wood yard, where logs are unloaded, debarked, and chipped. The process differentiates between hardwoods and softwoods, which are handled separately to isolate wood fibers for the pulping process. The chips are screened for uniform size, with undersized chips and other waste used as biofuel. Pre-cut chips are also used, bypassing the wood yard operations. The pulping process begins in a digester, where wood chips are cooked with white liquor to dissolve lignin, separating cellulose fibers. The resulting pulp is washed and undergoes oxygen delignification and bleaching to achieve a white color suitable for paper products.
📄 Paper Production: From Pulp to Finished Sheet
The paper production process is detailed, starting with refining the pulp to create a blend of softwood and hardwood fibers, which are mixed with fillers and dyes to improve the paper's characteristics. The blend, known as furnish, is spread onto a moving wire mesh to begin forming the paper sheet. Water is drained off through gravity and vacuum, and the paper sheet is pressed and dried to reduce moisture levels. Additional treatments like starch application can be used for a smoother surface. High-tech scanners monitor the paper for quality, and the finished paper is wound onto large spools, then slit and rewound for easier transportation and further processing.
📦 Finishing and Shipping of Paper Products
The final paragraph covers the finishing area where paper is prepared according to customer specifications and shipped as finished rolls. The rolls are wrapped for protection and labeled before being transported to the customer. Excel has implemented a supply chain visibility platform, allowing customers to track their shipments in real-time. The company's nationwide reach and broad product portfolio, along with experienced customer service teams, ensure efficient delivery and satisfaction. The script concludes by emphasizing Pixel's long-standing heritage in papermaking and their commitment to being a supplier of choice for customers.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Specialty Papers
💡Customer Service
💡Sustainable Forestry
💡Pulp and Paper Mills
💡Environmental Footprint
💡Forestry Certification
💡Pulping Process
💡Bleaching
💡Paper Machine
💡Finishing Area
💡Supply Chain Visibility
Highlights
Pixel Specialty Solutions is a leading supplier of specialty papers with over a century of experience.
The company is passionate about crafting high-quality paper products and providing exceptional customer service.
Pixel operates fully integrated pulp and paper mills in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, and Chillicothe, Ohio.
They offer a diverse portfolio of specialty products and highly customized solutions.
Pixel combines paper and print with interactive technology for a unique customer experience.
The company has a long-standing commitment to sustainable forestry and environmental protection.
Invested over 100 million dollars in transitioning from coal to clean burning natural gas to reduce carbon emissions.
Certified foresters assist with individual tree selection and work closely with private landowners for responsible timber harvesting.
Pixel's Pennsylvania mill was one of the first to achieve triple chain of custody forestry certification.
The papermaking process begins with tree classification into softwoods and hardwoods based on leaf type.
Timber is graded into different sections for various applications such as furniture, pallets, and paper production.
The wood yard is where logs are debarked, chipped, and screened for uniform size, crucial for pulping.
Bark and other residues are used as biofuel, generating 40% of the mill's electricity.
The pulping process involves separating cellulose fibers from lignin using a digester and white liquor.
Oxygen delignification and bleaching are used to brighten fibers and minimize environmental impact.
Pulp refining shortens and frays fibers to create contact points for easier connection and intertwining.
Blending softwood and hardwood fibers with fillers and dyes produces papers with a range of physical characteristics.
The paper machine extracts water from the furnish to produce a dry sheet of paper, traveling at high speeds.
High-tech scanners monitor paper quality, detecting even the smallest defects at high speeds.
Finished paper rolls are slit, rewound, and prepared according to customer specifications for shipping.
Pixel has a nationwide reach with warehouses for next-day service on stock items and a broad product portfolio.
The company's heritage in papermaking spans over 150 years, with ongoing investments for long-term success.
Transcripts
welcome to pixel specialty solutions a
leading supplier of specialty papers
with over a century of experience here
at pixel our people are passionate about
crafting the finest paper products and
take pride an unparalleled customer
service whether it's our diverse
portfolio of specialty products or
highly customized solutions pixel has
the experience and technical
capabilities to meet your growing
demands and it all happens at our fully
integrated pulp and paper mills in
Spring Grove Pennsylvania and
Chillicothe Ohio I invite you to explore
our paper making process as we combine
paper and print with interactive
technology to deliver a truly unique
experience your journey will take you
through our Woodyard into our pulp mill
and across a paper machine that
stretches more than four football fields
in length throughout the tour you'll see
how our commitment to continuous
improvement has helped minimize our
environmental footprint and position the
company for long-term success we hope
you enjoy your tour and we thank you for
your time welcome to pixel
the paper making process begins with
trees in our long-standing commitment to
sustainable forestry as the first to
develop sustainably managed forests in
Pennsylvania and Maryland are
established policies and procedures
ensure that we conduct business in a
manner that protects the environment and
reduces energy consumption natural
resource consumption and waste in
support of this commitment we have
invested over 100 million dollars to
transition mill operations from coal to
clean burning natural gas to reduce
carbon emissions and further minimize
our environmental footprint in the
forests our certified foresters assist
with individual tree selection and
thinning and work closely with private
landowners and developers to ensure the
responsible harvesting of timber they
also provide expertise to help minimize
impacts on the surrounding environment
when harvesting trees timber is
classified into soft woods and hardwoods
a simple way to identify the difference
is to remember that hardwoods have
leaves while soft woods have needles
when inspecting a hardwood tree such as
oak maple and ash the tree is divided
into three sections or grades based on
diameter the first grade is referred to
as Vanir Vanir is obtained from the
widest section of the tree and used to
produce furniture flooring and cabinetry
the second grade called low grade spans
the midsection of the tree and is used
to produce shipping pallets railroad
ties and rough cut timber frames for
barns
the third and final grade spans the
upper section of the tree diameters
between 4 inches and 12 inches this
grade is called tough wood and it's used
to make paper soft woods on the other
hand such as pine and spruce are divided
into two sections for grades the first
grade is called construction lumber and
is used for decking boards two-by-fours
for homes and treated lumber the second
grade is classified as both wood and is
used to make paper for those requiring
forestry certification our pennsylvania
mill was one of the first to achieve
triple chain of custody forestry
certification in the u.s. from the
Forest Stewardship Council the
sustainable forestry initiative and the
program for the endorsement of forest
certification today both mills offer
forestry certifications across our broad
portfolio of products for more
information or to obtain copies of our
forestry certificates please visit pick
Cellcom
[Music]
in an integrated pulp and paper mill the
process of making paper begins in the
wood yard here
what is unloaded debark chipped and
screen wood is delivered to the mill in
two forms as logs known as round wood
and as pre-cut chips during unloading
all round wood is separated and stacked
into softwood and hardwood piles so that
wood fibres can be isolated later in the
pulping process trees with needles such
as pine and spruce are stacked in the
softwood pile while trees with leaves
such as oak maple and ash are stacked in
the hardwood section round wood begins
its journey on a long conveyor belt and
it makes its way towards the debarking
drum as it drops in the drum logs
tumbled together until the bark is
stripped holes in the drum allow the bar
to fall and be reclaimed for use as an
environmentally friendly biofuel logs
continue their journey as they are fed
into an industrial chipper where they're
converted into 1 inch by 1 inch square
chips in a matter of seconds chips are
then sent through a screening process to
remove any irregularly sized chips a
uniform chip size is important later in
the pulping process because it increases
the yield and quality of wood fiber
produced during screening undersized
chips and sawdust are removed and sent
to a power boiler along with bark from
the debarking drum where they are used
as biofuel to generate clean burning
electricity to power the mill as well as
residential houses in fact 40% of the
mills electricity comes from this
biofuel to help supplement the demand
for wood pre-cut chips are delivered in
trucks
these chips bypass the Woodyard
operation as they are unloaded and sent
directly to screening here trucks are
tilted on a steep 60 degree angle to
expedite the unloading process once
screen chips remain separated and are
transferred into hardwood and softwood
piles where they wait to enter the
pulping process now that round wood has
been chipped and screen chips can enter
the pulping operation so that cellulose
fibers can be separated from the lignin
or gluey substance that hold the fibers
together
[Music]
the pulping process begins in the
digester where wood chips are
transported on a conveyor belt to either
a batch or continuous digester chips
along with white liquor are fed into the
top of the digester as the mixture makes
its journey downwards liquor is heated
to 170 degrees Celsius to begin the
cooking process under pressure and heat
the white liquor dissolves or digests
the lignin that holds the individual
cellulose fibers together several hours
later this process is complete the
result is a massive fibers called pulp
pulp from the digesters along with spent
cooking chemicals now called
black liquor are sent to the washing and
screening area so the black liquor and
undigested wood such as knots can be
washed away from the pulp
at this stage an additional process
known as oxygen delignification occurs
this process uses oxygen and white
liquor along with steam to remove any
remaining lignin and extract some color
from the pulp so that less chemicals are
needed during bleaching next pulp enters
the bleaching area to be brightened
bleaching occurs in multiple stages as
it takes the fibers from their natural
brown color called brown stocks to white
today most US Mills use elemental
chlorine free or ECF chemicals for
bleaching a more environmentally
friendly process without bleaching all
printing and writing papers would look
like a brown grocery shopping bag and
would not be suitable for use in books
business forms envelopes and other
printing papers the fibers are now ready
to make paper until now everything is
focused on producing the pulp needed to
make paper now we're ready to refine the
pulp blend in the fillers and dyes and
send the mixture or furnish through the
paper machine in its simplest form a
paper machine is like a giant oversized
dryer extracting water from the furnish
to produce a dry sheet of paper paper
machines can be as small as a bowling
alley or as long as four football fields
paper traveling at speeds up more than
5,000 feet per minute
for nearly 60 miles per hour shown here
is the chief located in Chillicothe Ohio
the first step in our paper making
process is to refine the pulp in
refining pulp fibers are shortened and
frayed to create additional contact
points with the fibers to more easily
connect and intertwine because softwood
fibers are long they will naturally have
more contact area thereby imparting
strength to the finished sheep hardwood
fibres however are short allowing them
to pack closer together creating bulk
smoothness and opacity blending these
fibers together in specific proportions
provides the ability to produce papers
with a wide range of physical
characteristics it is for this reason
that soft woods and hardwoods have been
isolated throughout the entire process
for the first time hardwood and softwood
fibers are pumped into a blend chest
where they are finally mixed together
along with fillers such as clay calcium
carbonate and titanium dioxide to
improve surface and optical properties
other chemicals may also be added
including sizing agents to control the
penetration of liquids and optical
brighteners and dyes to enhance visual
properties this blended mixture of fiber
and additives is called the furnish
the furnish flows from the blend chest
into the head box and been onto a moving
wire mesh called the foreign ear section
when the furnish hits the wire mesh it
is approximately ninety nine and a half
percent water and one-half percent fiber
filler and additives as this mixture
travels across the rotating mesh water
drains under simple gravity to help
remove additional water improve fiber
formation and avoid to sidedness a top
wire former is used to suction water
from above the mesh as the intertwined
fibers reach the end of the ford Rainier
they hit one more dewatering device
called the couch roll before lifting for
the first time as a solid sheet of paper
at this point the newly formed paper is
85% water the wet paper passes through a
series of rollers and felts called the
press section reducing moisture levels
to roughly 65 percent it Ben travels
through a series of dryer cans each
filled with steam heat from the steam
drives off additional water resulting in
a final moisture profile of about four
to five percent water along the way
starch can be applied as paper passes
the Desai's press starch helps fill
microscopic ridges in the paper and
provides a smoother surface for enhanced
credibility in fine printing and writing
papers as paper reaches the end of the
machine it passes through high-tech
scanners that look for variations in
faces weight moisture caliper opacity
brightness and physical defects like in
the scanning system on the chip is so
exact that it can spot a single hole the
size of a pin across a 300 inch width
web of paper traveling 40 miles per hour
and it can tell you where in the
finished role that is located so it can
be removed as paper reaches the end of
the Machine it is wound onto a large
steel spool capable holding over 15 tons
when the spool reaches capacity the
resulting roll of paper called a log
roll or jumbo roll is slit into smaller
sections and rewound unto thick
cardboard cores so it can be transported
more easily to the wrapping station or
to other locations in the mill for
further processing
[Applause]
[Music]
in the finishing area paper is prepared
according to customer specifications
packaged and shipped as finished rolls
leave the paper machine they are
transported to a packing station where
they receive a watertight poly wrap or a
moisture resistant craft wrap at the
craft wrapping station rollers spin the
paper and apply the wrap fluted
cardboard covers are placed against each
side of the roll while spinning the
edges are folded and glue is applied
thin cardboard caps called end caps are
carefully pressed onto both sides using
heated steel plates the roll receives a
finished label and is ready for
transport to the customer for customers
requiring sheeted product we have the
ability to convert rolls into a wide
variety of sizes shown here are white
canary and pink carbonless rolls as all
three unwind the paper enters the
sheeter where a rotating blade cuts the
paper and stacks them into reams the
reams take a journey across conveyor
belts where they receive a moisture
resistant wrap and product label finish
dreams are then packaged into cartons
and shipped to the customer
in the shipping department rolls are
carefully loaded onto trailers using a
specialized clamp truck capable of
grabbing lifting and if necessary
rotating rolls without damaging the
paper to help improve visibility and
increase safety all clamp trucks are
affixed with blue lights that can easily
be seen around corners and in
high-traffic areas to help improve on
time delivery and enhance customer
communications excel has invested in
four kites the largest supply chain
visibility platform with over 4 million
GPS electronic logging devices across
all modes of transportation with four
kites customers can easily track their
shipments 24 hours a day seven days a
week with information updates every 15
minutes the platform can even provide
alerts when unexpected delays occur in
transit
in addition Excel has a nationwide reach
with warehouses across the country able
to ship over 90% of the US with next day
service on stock items all this is
backed by one of the broadest product
portfolios and experienced customer
service teams located on-site
at each mill
at pixel we have a proud heritage of
papermaking that spans more than 150
years our continued investments in the
business that positioned us for long
term success that could strive to be
your supplier of choice thank you for
taking the time to tour our facilities
we hope you enjoy the tour and we look
forward to your continued support
[Music]
you
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