retrospective
CTP’s ANNUAL REPORT
# 2010
\ FEATURE PAGE 10
Green carbon
technology’s answers to society’s questions
\6
GENERAL RESEARCH
PROGRAMME
Nine steps forward
\22
DEMONSTRATORS
Palpable progress
\37
OVERVIEW
Highly productive 2010
Promising 2011
\ PREFACE
,,
Erik Orsenna
© Éric Lefeuvre
Writer and economist.
Member of the Académie Française
I remember meeting a man in Montreal
last February. The chairman of the Canadian
forestry industry federation (and therefore
a man of authority), he was speaking
to local papermakers. They were anxious: what was to become of them with
the crisis facing the newspaper industry? He spoke to them at length about
trees. He said that they were under-used treasures. He said that trees could
give more, much more than at present. He said it was just a question of asking,
and to ask them, we had to get to know them better. In a word, he announced
a fantastic biomass research programme.
I am pleased – and hardly surprised – to see that Grenoble is not to be outdone.
I have been working for more than a year now on a book on paper, forests,
recycling, the circular economy, etc. I am convinced, on the basis of the many
contacts and trips I have made recently, that green carbon is one of the most
promising new frontiers. And most necessary. And I am also certain, on the
basis of my experience, that Grenoble will be the primary driving force for
progress in Europe in this field. Take a careful look at this visionary report
from the CTP. It is a passport to a future that is not only dynamic but also
more effectively controlled.
annuAl rEport 2010 \ 3
\ SUMMARY
6\9
\ EDItoRIAL
General research programme
Nine steps forward
A vehicle for innovation
Affirming our position on research projects
10\21
8\
Special report
A vehicle for innovation
Green carbon, technology’s answers to society’s questions
22\23
Palpable progress
12\13
Wood, a practically infinite resource
24\26
28\31
Demonstrators
In brief
Success Stories
Stickies, successful adhesive removal
Technidyne chooses Techpap
Reconciling inkjet, quality, price and recycling
32\33
Portrait
34\35
Events
The year of convergence
Will 2010 be remembered only as the year the crisis ended? A crisis that nevertheless made us aware of the fragility of a system based
on fossil fuels and of the need to use biosourced, recyclable and recycled materials. All of which highlights the advantages of biomass
and green carbon in sustainably managing raw materials.
Green carbon was a subject that the CTP promoted extensively in 2010. The main event was the conference organised on 6 July at the
Maison des Polytechniciens in Paris on the initiative of the professional federations, in particular Copacel. It was extremely fruitful and
provided an opportunity to send a clear message to our scientific and industrial partners and to the public authorities that the CTP is
able to understand the broad trends running through society and translate them into major projects of general interest, sources of
innovation, etc. And, with demonstrators to prove the point, put forward pertinent, viable and effective solutions for the future.
In this context, the CTP felt it was necessary to prepare for battle, clarify its vision, and give even more meaning to its activities. What
are the challenges, how can be take them up, what are our strengths and what skills will we need tomorrow? One answer to these
questions was to organise our research into nine Strategic Action Priorities (SAPs) that correspond to the major trends in society familiar to industrialists and provide a road map for our colleagues.
The CTP’s latest major projects (A3Ple, Peps, the Carnot PolyNat Institute, etc.) are based on the idea of getting our partners to commit
themselves to affirmative scientific action. The aim is to draw together the expertise that already exists near the CTP, at the CEA,
CERMAV, FCBA, Grenoble INP-Pagora, LGP2, LCIS, IMEP, 3SR, the Rheology Laboratory, etc. These initiatives are motivated by the desire
for convergence between fundamental research, applied research and trends in society and by that of recognising strategic processes,
which emerged on conclusion of the industry’s annual congress. This convergence is found in all our projects, whether they concern
new materials, printed electronics, the functionalisation of packaging or recycling, illustrating our determination to go even further, to
act as an effective vehicle for innovation. What if this year when the crisis ended was quite simply the year of convergence?
If, as Louis Pasteur once said, luke only smiles upon the well-prepared mind, 2010 seems to have shown that the CTP was in this favourable
disposition: making green carbon a sustainable asset for industrial papermakers, converters and printers… “Innovate for the future!”
A partnership focused on monitoring and research
Main events of 2010
36\37
Results
18\19
Biomass, brimming with energy
32\33
Max Braha-Lonchant
Organisation chart
2010 was an excellent year, 2011 is full of promise
Key figures
38
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Easy access, useful information
retrospective \
Published by the Centre Technique du Papier Domaine Universitaire - BP 251 - 38044 GRENOBLE - Cedex 9 - FRANCE
Tél. +33 (0)4 76 15 40 15 - Fax +33 (0)4 76 15 40 16 - E-mail : [email protected] - www.webCTP.com
Publications manager: Gilles Lenon \ Chief editor: Sandrine Poncet-Pappini \ Editorial staff: CTP, Adncom
\ Writers: Corinne Bardou, Jean-Marie Baumlin, Christian Bermond, Pascal Borel, Max Braha-Lonchant, Bruno
Carré, Alain Cochaux, Fabien De Barros, Thierry Delagoutte, Anastasia Delattre, Perrine Demengeon, Martine Déroche,
Guy Eymin Petot Tourtollet, Éric Fourest, Mélanie Gervais, Florence Girard, Jérôme Grassin, David Guérin, Frédéric Guillet,
Richard Jeanpierre, Païlan Joury, Armand Klem, Mohammed Krouit, Ludivine Lefranc, Claire Molin, Klaus Moller,
Sylvie Moreau-Tabiche, Véronique Morin, Christophe Neyret, Jérôme Noyelle, Erik Orsenna, Michel Petit-Conil,
Paul Piette, Philippe Ritzenthaler, Jean Ruiz, François Julien Saint-Amand, Daniel Samain, Matthieu Schelcher, Davy
Soysouvanh, Christophe Tréhoult, Fabienne Vercelli, François Vessière \ Layout and page make-up: Adncom \
Photos: Alexis Chezière, Hervé Martin, Fotolia, CTP \ Illustration: Roger Brunel.
Gilles Lenon
CTP director
Jérôme Grassin
CTP chairman
annual rEport 2010 \ 5
\ GENERAL RESEARCH PRoGRAMME
nInE StEpS forward
In 2010, the CTP focused
its research effort on nine
Strategic Action Priorities
(SAP) that create economic
value and contribute towards The CTP is reinforcing its ability to innovate by setting four key objectives, broken down into 9 Strategic Action Priorities (SAP).
a sustainable future.
Nine steps forward, or nine
Objective 2
roadmaps handed over to Objective 1
Diversifying the range of lignocellulosic products
Satisfying society’s requirements by developing
the CTP’s experts… to keep and materials by creating new markets
renewable, functional and interactive products
aiming for intelligent
innovation. SAP 1: Lignocelluloses chemistry
SAP 3: Health and safety applications
«It is important that we stay
focused on the demands of
industry and the expectations of
society, that we anticipate
change» points out Véronique
Morin, Director of research at
the Ctp. «Our future is based on
these nine priorities: they are the
roadmap for our Research and
Development teams and define the
resources we need to use. All our
projects relate to one or other of
them. In parallel, we are thinking
hard about the human resources
we require. Research is no longer
simply a matter of “development”.
It has a strong partnership aspect,
with engineers having to join
forces with the best scientists and
succeed in persuading them to
work together»
Lignocellulosic materials such as wood are an abundant and
renewable source of fibres, whose properties differ depending
on their origin and morphology. Obviously, these fibres are
widely used in the papermaking industry. But they, as well as
certain wood compounds, deserve greater attention in a
context of sustainable development and increasingly scarce
fossil fuels. Because of this, the CTP and its partners in InTechFibres are working to improve fibre manufacturing processes
and extract and reuse certain useful molecules such as hemicelluloses, lignins and bioactive substances. Other projects
concern the development of new fibre properties obtained by
chemical/biochemical grafting and the optimisation of treatments needed to free the cellulose microfibrils that form fibres.
These advances give the materials remarkable multi-scale
properties in numerous applications.
SAP 2: BioBased materials
Given the need to combat global warming and the predicted
shortage of fossil resources, the context for biosourced materials
is very favourable. Lignocellulosic fibres consist of biopolymers (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) that have particularly
attractive properties (biodegradability, mechanical strength,
lightness) and this offers the CTP good prospects for developing composite materials reinforced by fibrous elements
and lignocellulosic materials for sustainable housing (as a
low-permeability insulant). This is an opportunity for the industry to diversity by finding other outlets for lignocellulosic
fibres and their by-products (deinking foams, etc.), which
should enable lignocellulose, as a source of green carbon, to
conquer other sectors: automobiles, building construction,
agriculture, and why not electronics and medicine in the future!
There has been a huge increase in the use of papers and
nonwoven materials in the health and safety field over the past
20 years. Using cellulose fibres to make tissues, introducing
them into the production of nonwoven materials and developing
their properties for usage (mechanical strength, softness, absorption, etc.) are ways of supporting the sector’s growth while
strengthening its position in relation to the expectations of
both society and industry. One of the CTP’s key concerns is to
optimise the treatment of fibres in order to expand their field
of use.
SAP 4: Packaging of the Future
The packaging sector is undergoing major changes. Packaging must be less bulky, easier to recycle, biodegradable, and
give consumers more and more information while being produced faster and faster, if possible from biosourced materials.
Cellulose offers remarkable prospects for growth and the CTP
is taking an active part in developing solutions to make paper
and board packaging increasingly competitive: lower grammage, improved barrier properties and mechanical strength in
humid atmospheres, improved functionality, etc.
SAP 5: Printed electronics & Smart paper
Paper and board are fundamental to an extremely important
range of markets including newspapers, magazines, ticketing,
packaging, etc. To take just the last example, 320 billion articles
are used each year in Europe. Packaging must fulfil traditional
protection requirements while making products easier to transport and store. The constraints of sustainable development,
particularly via social and economic demands, require new
functions such as automatic, remote identification, fraudproofing, better quality control and traceability of goods, etc. at
the lowest possible cost, with a guarantee of recyclability. Printed electronics will eventually be able to offer all these functions.
They are the point of convergence of electronic function design,
functional inks and traditional printing and transformation
processes. Several CTP projects include sensory, analytical,
memorisation, communication and energy functions… all of
them printed.
Objective 3
Objective 4
SAP 6: New value for recovered papers & boards
Recovered paper accounts for more than half of the fibre resources used in papermaking world-wide. And this proportion
is set to grow, especially for making higher-quality papers
(magazines, copying paper, wood-free coated paper, etc.).
However, several hurdles need to be overcome in order to ensure that recycling is an attractive long-term option. Greater
use, for example, means increasing the volume of paper collected, often to the detriment of its quality. Other hurdles include difficulties in recycling certain papers or the cost of
producing recycled pulp. Lastly, there are stringent whiteness
and cleanliness requirements to be met if recycled fibres are
to be introduced into high-quality papers. The CTP is therefore looking into ways of simplifying the recycling process by
incorporating new technologies, improving the quality of recovered papers via eco-design, lowering production costs via
greater selectivity in eliminating contaminants and reusing
recycling by-products.
SAP 8: Printed communication
As a communication medium, paper today vies with electronic
media. The volumes of graphic paper have been falling in
structural terms for several years. New ways of thinking and
creative concepts are called for in order to develop new graphic papers and optimised production processes. The CTP is
keeping a close eye on changes in printing processes and
publishers’ requirements. We must continue to improve the
existing qualities of printed media while striving to eliminate
recurrent printing defects and keep abreast of changes in
processes. By monitoring technological and marketing developments and paying attention to publishers’ requirements,
we will be able to invent new papers. The aim is to give new
impetus to paper as a small carbon footprint medium by developing hybrid printing processes, especially for magazine papers.
Optimising the use of raw materials for sustainable
management of green carbon
SAP 7: Water - Energy
New social, environmental and economic requirements are
making it more necessary than ever before to develop integrated production processes and methods guaranteeing
better performance in terms of energy efficiency and water
use. Changing national and European regulations are calling
for the progressive introduction of state-of-the-art techniques for producing pulp, paper and board. Production sites
are regularly encouraged to limit the quantities of water
they use and reduce the impact of their discharges. Higher
energy costs and the system of carbon emission quotas are
encouraging industries to consume energy more sparingly.
Research and innovation are thus necessary in three areas.
The first is that of reducing the impact of papermaking
processes on water resources. The second involves developing energy eco-efficiency in order to reduce their carbon
footprint and dependence on fossil fuels, including the recovery of heat and energy from the biomass and by-products.
The third aims at developing and evaluating environmental
management methods in order to obtain certification for
eco-compatible products and production facilities.
Increasing the competitiveness of paper and board
production, processing and printing sites
SAP 9: Industrial performance
To cope with international competition, in particular from countries with low labour costs,
the papermaking industry has introduced a
continuous performance improvement procedure. The CTP is stepping up its research
with the introduction of new capabilities for
measuring, supervising, modelling and predicting industrial processes. The aim is exploit
the potential of production facilities to the full
by optimising the three crucial aspects of economy (using the cheapest raw materials), efficiency
(producing more with less) and quality (satisfying
customers’ requirements). Another major challenge for tomorrow’s production plant will be to develop its adaptation
capability and flexibility in order to meet consumers’ demands for new, customised products with a higher value
added. To assist our partners as they embark on the
constant search for innovation, we propose to introduce
new optimisation and decision-aid tools and knowledge
management and engineering systems.
Véronique Morin,
directrice R & D
6 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 7
a vehicle
for innovation
our position on
research projects
© Fibria
The CTP’s General Research Programme in 2010
still featured the major projects initiated over
the past three years, reflecting a sense of continuity
that does not conceal the Centre’s determination
to keep moving ahead…as it heeds the demands
of industry and society and replies to invitations
InTechFibres
to tender.
Environment and Sustainable Development
This programme concentrates on providing greater assistance by CTP experts on
pulp, paper and board production sites. Efforts focus on the priorities identified at
mills, which are based on precise objectives and intended to ensure that the activity
remains competitive. Preferring a multi-site approach, the CTP focuses on a series
of production sectors with similar research requirements. Projects draw on the range
of skills available at the CTP. The aim is to develop the technical and scientific
knowledge needed to integrate new technologies and help improve production in
keeping with national and international regulations.
Recycled Fibres
affirming sur des
40% of the CTP’s budget is State-funded via the General Research
Programme. The remaining 60% is broken down into three almost
equal shares: CTP innovation contracts with French and international
companies, private-sector contracts and services for customers,
and public-sector contracts in the form of replies to calls for tender…
including those of the 7th Framework Programme (2008-2013).
This programme helps industries in the wood-forest-pulp sector to make the most
profitable use of the diversity of lignocellulosic material in their processes and products, both today and for the future. The laboratories involved in InTechFibres alongside the CTP, in particular the “New Materials” unit of the FCBA, but also Grenoble
INP-Pagora and soon the CNRS-CERMAV, ensure continuity between fundamental
and applied research. They offer the various players facilities for simulating industrial applications. The aim is to innovate in the production of mechanical and chemical pulps in order to reduce production costs and environmental impacts on a
lasting basis. Innovation entails designing new products and improving the quality
of existing ones. InTechFibres looks for uses that add greater value to lignocellulosic
materials and their derivatives.
«To have any chance of winning a European project, there need to be “lines” in the programme into which we can fit”, explains assistant research director François JulienSaint-Amand. “These programmes are defined on the basis of proposals elaborated by
the 36 European Technology Platforms, such as the FTP 1. The FTP calls on industries
working in the sector and on European research institutes (EFPRO 2 for the paper sector),
including the CTP, to define priority research topics. The FTP proposes these topics to the
European Commission in order to prepare the various calls for proposals in the context
of FP7 3. These technology platforms, initiated during the FP6, have gradually enabled
industrial requirements to be more effectively met.
The strategic agenda published by the FTP in 2006 and the FP7 work Programmes have
enabled the CTP to score some fine successes with innovative and ambitious projects».
Product Quality and Development
1) Forest-based sector Technology Platform
2) European Fibre and Paper Research Organisation
3) 7th Framework Programme
With the development of chromatogenic grafting, surface treatments including microand nano-objects and evaluation of the potential of cellulose microfibrils, functional
lignocellulosic materials offer a wide range of possibilities for existing or emerging
markets such as biosourced packaging, printed electronics, etc. Furthermore, the
TekLiCell technological platform, supported by the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF) and Rhône-Alps regional authorities, has enabled the CTP to invest in
new chromatogeny and atmospheric plasma surface treatment equipment. Moreover,
by combining expertise in materials and electronics, this partnership opens up perspectives for reaching beyond the strictly papermaking field, obtaining innovative results and moving on to industrial applications. The programme envisions the products
of the future and how they will be used.
FoCuS on
\ GENERAL RESEARCH PRoGRAMME
Four European projects
BoostEff
This is the logical follow-up to EcoTarget (FP6), which demonstrated the possibility of making papers requiring less
raw material and energy by using stratification. Our Swedish
counterparts at Innventia, which is coordinating BoostEff,
have developed a technology for preventing multiple layers
from mixing. The CTP is contributing to the deinking, fractionation, curtain coating and printing aspects. The project
began in summer 2010 and is scheduled to end in May 2013.
A3PLE
This intelligent paper project addresses one of the “fibrebased” R&D issues in the European Programme. The aim is to
produce labels and posters incorporating sensor (gas, temperature), optical display, memory and energy (battery) functions.
The partners include the CEA (battery and sensor aspects), a
Portuguese laboratory (display with electrochromic inks and
memory) and industries. The CTP is acting as coordinator.
DemoWood
Funded by the French Ministry of Agriculture via the WoodWisdom-Net programmes, this project is being coordinated
by the FCBA technology institute. Its aim is to recover and
reuse wood from building demolition operations to produce
mechanical pulps, panels and energy.
LignoDeco
Funded by the European Union, this joint European-Brazilian
project involving the CTP aims to find innovative biotechnological solutions for deconstructing clonal eucalyptus and elephant grass to produce special grade pulps and biofuels. The
CTP was chosen on account of its expertise in the area of
lignocellulosic fibres and is responsible for validating the
processes on its pilot installations.
Two French projects
PEPS
This project, co-financed by the ANR, focuses on printed
electronics for tomorrow’s secure packaging materials.
Approved in 2010, it began in 2011. It is being carried out
in partnership with two specialist laboratories and two
industrial establishments and is coordinated by the CTP.
Ozoflot
The underlying idea of this other ANR project, coordinated
by Grenoble INP-Pagora, is to replace air with ozone in
the flotation deinking process, which will have positive
effects on flotation efficiency and on pulp and effluent
quality.
Recycling is a key activity for the future. That is why it is progressing so quickly and
moving in new directions. The CTP’s expertise in this field has long been recognised. It
is put to good use in many projects. New, more advanced technologies have been introduced in papermaking to optimise existing practices. The topics dealt with in this
programme range from improving technologies and processes to eliminating contaminants. They also deal with the reduction and better reuse of waste, improvement of
fibres and end products and lastly the development of specific sensors.
Véronique Morin, R&D Director
and François Julien-Saint-Amand, assistant R&D Director,
responsible for European projects
8 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 9
\ SPECIAL REPoRt
Green
carbon,
technology’s answers
to society’s questions
Growing global awareness of inexorable fossil fuel depletion, the need to combat climate
change, and ever-stricter chemicals market regulations (REACH Directive) are driving
the emergence of sustainable alternatives. Economic, social and industrial growth models
must be reinvented in order to manage and deploy green technologies. The global
economic crisis of 2008-2009 gave the sceptics proof that we are living in a finite world.
And that cutting our consumption of non-renewable raw materials and introduce systematic
recycling is a matter of urgency. Could biomass resources – and their extraordinary green
carbon reserves – be the solution to bring the “easy fossil fuel” era of the past century
to a close?
We must hence learn to use these “green carbon” resources, which, unlike fossil
resources, are renewable and available in huge quantities. This means recovering
biomass, diversifying the uses of wood and its derivatives (fibre, lignin, hemicellulose,
micro- and nanocrystalline cellulose), replacing oil-based products (plastics, fuels, etc.)
with bio-sourced, recyclable, recycled products whenever possible, and implementing
far-reaching greenhouse gas emission reductions by optimising processes and transport,
reducing consumption, etc. Far from putting the brakes on this transformation, the recent
economic and financial crisis has renewed economic players’ drive to move towards
a green economy based on highly diversified markets (plastics processing, construction,
textiles, automobile, packaging, healthcare), some of which are growing fast (ICT1)
while others are just emerging (green flexible electronics, smart materials, etc.).
The CTP and its partners are designing technological solutions that will be rolled out
in the very near future. We bring you a preview of some of them in this special feature.
1) Information and Communication Technology
10 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 11
\ SPECIAL REPoRt
GREEN CARBoN
Wood,
a practically infinite resource
Producing paper pulp is a well-known form of green carbon recovery. But the biorefining concept is opening up numerous
new recovery channels beyond the paper and board sector. Here are a couple of examples...
Hemicellulose and lignin recovery
Cellulose, which represents 40% of the weight of wood, is the most abundant natural
polymer on earth. “The CTP is also studying the possibility of recovering other wood
compounds, such as hemicelluloses and lignin”, explains Michel Petit-Conil, manager
of the Process-Pulps and Functional Fibres STU and InTechFibres unit coordinator.
“They are a source of new polymers for our paper additives or for plastics chemistry
applications. Therefore, to boost the potential for biorefining in pulp production plants,
the HemiCell project is studying ways of using hemicelluloses as stiffening agents to
replace starch in the production of certain papers”.
Black liquor (solubilised lignin extracted from the fibre during cooking) is widely
recovered as fuel in pulp mills, but also has other potential uses. Its high adhesive
strength makes it an interesting constituent of fibreboard or particleboard. Combined
with tannins, themselves extracted from wood bark, it would make an excellent
substitute for urea-resin adhesives, which are sources of formaldehyde emissions. This
is the challenge facing the Panneaux Verts (“Green Panels”) project involving the
FCBA1, ADEME2, LERMAB3 laboratory and a number of industrial firms.
The PIPAME study
The PIPAME (from the French acronym for Interministerial Centre for
the Forecasting and Anticipation of Economic Transformations) study,
launched in February 2010, considers plant chemistry one of four
gateways for developing sustainable chemistry. France’s forests are
growing constantly, and stepping up efforts to harness their potential
is a means of improving the wood sector trade balance. Wood is
a renewable, eco-friendly raw material that meets the demands
of sustainable development. How can we make better use
of this capital between now and 2020?
12 \ annual rEport 2010
An alternative to biocides
Another asset of wood is the natural antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial properties of
molecules present in bark, knots and stumps, which generally play no part in the papermaking process. The idea being developed in the BioExtra project, funded by the
FUI4, is to use these as substitutes for biocides. This would involve equipping pulp mills
with an additional stage to extract these compounds, the molecules of which could
then be recovered by the paper machine to control mildew, or used by chemists for new
applications in fields such as cosmetics and pharmacology.
FoCuS on IntechFibres
Plant biomass is a renewable resource representing some 180 billion tonnes of solid
content. Mankind uses less than 5% of this resource for food, buildings, clothing and
commodities production. Wood is widely reused to produce paper and board. Numerous
wood cellulose derivatives are also used in the food and textile industries (carboxymethyl
cellulose, cellulose acetate – commonly known as rayon, man-made silk or viscose), as
are lignocellulosic extracts of wheat, flax and hemp.
An active partnership
InTechFibres, a partnership between the CTP, the FCBA
institute of technology, and Grenoble INP-Pagora, is developing
its skills in the fields of fibre functionalisation, cellulose
micro- and nano-object production and green chemistry.
A number of research projects have been launched to recover
lignocellulose fibres and certain molecules contained in wood
such as hemicelluloses, bioactive substances and lignin.
To strengthen these skills, negotiations are well underway
to integrate the CNRS-CERMAV5, a neighbour of the CTP,
as the consortium’s fourth partner. This will add fundamental research to its range of competencies and enable
it to study sustainable new uses of lignocellulose materials.
To find out more: www.intechfibres.com
1) French Institute of Technology for the Forest-based and Furniture Sectors
2) French Environment and Energy Management Agency
3) Laboratory of Wood Science
4) Single Interministerial Fund
5) Plant Macromolecule Research Centre
annual rEport 2010 \ 13
\ SPECIAL REPoRt
GREEN CARBoN
new properties,
new uses
FoCuS on tekliCell
Oil is not an unlimited resource. And yet, since its derivatives
are simpler and ever cheaper to produce, they are omnipresent in
packaging, commodities production, the car industry and
construction. So what if, to comply with sustainability requirements,
the alternative was to make greater use of green carbon?
Gradually to roll out new green packagings (from functional
cellulose fibres to bioplastics) and new composite materials with
mechanical properties enhanced by plant fibres, to restore the
rightful place of biosourced materials in industrial applications?
These were some of the CTP’s key research topics in 2010.
A technology showcase
The priority for 2010 was to gain a greater understanding of
how companies – SMEs in particular – are evolving, and
meetings were held with some fifty printing and processing
firms in the Rhone-Alps region. In light of the questions
raised by many SMEs regarding the technological developments they are facing, TekLiCell instigated a series of specific
training sessions comprising short theme-based modules.
A collective operation focusing on innovation was also put
together in order to help them define their strategic positioning,
coupled with assistance to gear their innovation policies to
the needs of their markets.
TekLiCell also expanded its technology showcase with product
and process demonstrators, in particular the CTP’s new chromatogenic pilot line, financed with the aid of the Rhone-Alps
region’s FEDER fund and inaugurated in November 2010.
To find out more: www.teklicell.com
14 \ annual rEport 2010
As strong as plastic,
as biodegradable as paper
Moist or greasy products in a paper packaging? The idea is conceivable, if the properties
of the paper can be modified to make it hydrophobic or oleophobic. Along with widening
the scope for using paper, this is a goal for the CTP’s Nanotechnologies and Functional
Surfaces STU, managed by David Guérin: “The chromatogenic chemistry and atmospheric plasma pilots recently set up on the TekLiCell platform are the outcome of a long
partnership between CNRS-CTP and AcXys-CTP. Chromatogenic chemistry, which was
invented by Daniel Samain, consists in grafting very small quantities (0.5 g/m2) of
fatty acid chlorides on to cellulose to obtain a material that is waterproof but breathable, a sort of paper “Gore-Tex®”. Depositing thin layers using atmospheric plasma
also opens up a wealth of new functions for paper”.
These two technologies are implemented in-line, using a dry process, at a nano-scale,
with no solvents to eliminate and reduced energy consumption. They open up new fields
of application: imagine an alternative to the polyethylene film used in horticulture, a
rain-resistant corrugated cardboard box, papers with antimicrobial, antifungal or fireresistant properties, etc. Lastly, plasma treatment offers a means of improving the
adhesive strength of a surface and hence using less glue. In short, the outermost layer
is modified in order to graft on functions similar to those of plastic, while keeping the
core qualities and biodegradability of paper!
Bioplastics find their rightful place
Back in 1870, the Hyatt brothers, who were printers, invented celluloid, a biosourced
polymer based on cellulose nitrate mixed with camphor, and used it to manufacture
billiard balls. In 1920, certain Ford T car parts were made using soy proteins. So there’s
nothing new about using biomass-based polymers to replace ivory or oil-based
products…
“But they are coming back into fashion”, says Mohammed Krouit from the Deinking
Processes STU. “We are looking for ways to use the polymers present in wood. Firstly in
complex packagings, by replacing the polyethylene layer with bioplastics based on
renewable polymers (cellulose, proteins, starch). And secondly in the production of
composite materials with mechanical properties strengthened by cellulose fibre”. They
have the advantage of being much lighter than the usual fibreglass, and fibre/material
adhesion is improved by mechanical treatment (dry refining) or chemical treatment
(grafting/functionalisation).
Industrial ecology:
by-products from one industry,
raw materials for another!
The papermaking industry recycles more than 70% of its production. It removes the
inks and some of the minerals from the recovered papers, mainly through deinking
processes. An estimated 3.5 million tonnes of deinking sludge is produced each year in
Europe, and mainly used for agricultural purposes given its benefits for land improvement.
In spite of its low energy efficiency and substantial treatment cost, it is sometimes
co-incinerated to generate power. It is already being used instead of polystyrene as a
porosity-enhancing agent in brick and tile production, and the search for new recovery
channels has driven the CTP to investigate uses in other industrial sectors. Incorporating
this sludge, foam or ash into composite materials is the goal of the Matrec project. Its
initial screening tests involving polyethylene and/or polypropylene blends are promising:
mechanical properties are enhanced in comparison with the equivalent talc-loaded
materials produced for the automobile and construction industries, at a lower cost.
Other potential industrial applications
Nowadays, a car contains 40 to 50 kg of lignocellulose fibres in its door fittings, bonnet
insulation, seats and fabrics. Soon more and more wood derivatives are likely to be used
in dashboard and tailgate composites, reinforced with nanocyrstalline cellulose (NCC)
to improve their performance. These new lignocellulose materials have promising properties: they are being studied by the CTP and FCBA in the framework of the Sunpap
European project and are opening up new potential uses in various industrial sectors.
The role of green carbon is also set to increase in house
construction, with cellulose wadding being used for
insulation. Biosourced and renewable (based on recycled
newspapers), it protects against the cold just like rock
wool, but also against the heat. All that remains is to
replace the boron salt (which makes the cellulose wadding
rot-proof and fire-resistant) with an – ideally – biosourced
additive. A subject for a future CTP project.
annual rEport 2010 \ 15
\ SPECIAL REPoRt
GREEN CARBoN
a biosourced
material that’s
recyclable
& recycled
About 10 million tonnes of paperboard are
produced each year in France. Nearly seven
million are recovered, six million of which are
used to make new paper products. The recovery
rate has increased from just over 44% in 1998
to more than 70% in 2010. The paperboard reuse
rate (60%) is higher than that of other materials:
42% for steel, 38% for glass, and just 8%
for plastic (figures from 2008 ADEME* report).
Recycling has developed considerably in the past
15 years, thanks to selective waste sorting
and the creation of Eco-Emballages. In 2006,
France began exporting recovered paper.
Paperboard is the most commonly recycled material in France, at a rate of 60%. This
percentage is increasing steadily, but it varies widely from one paper grade to another so there is still substantial room for improvement. 85% of corrugated and flat
cardboard and 77% of newspaper is recycled, but the figure drops to just 15% in the
case of copy papers – photocopies, magazines and other high-brightness papers.
“This is due to the shortage of this grade on the market, because office paper is still
only collected on a small scale – just 300,000 tonnes out of a potential 1.4 million,
according to the 2008 ADEME report”, explains Bruno Carré, manager of the CTP’s
Deinked Pulps, Wet-end Chemistry STU. “The very strict quality criteria for copy papers
are also a real technological challenge that must be overcome if we are to improve
the reuse rate for this grade. The research work carried out at the CTP in recent years
is producing some pertinent solutions. Lastly, the rapid developments in printing
technologies are making the product life cycle more complex and, in some cases,
giving rise to new recycling problems. For example, ink jet printing has expanded fast
in offices, because it is considered more “green”. Indeed, these inks use water as a
solvent during printing. But we have a paradox here, because industrial deinking
processes are only capable of eliminating hydrophobic inks, and water-soluble inks
are difficult to treat. So today we need to encourage the eco-design of inks, an area
of the CTP’s expertise that ink and printing press manufacturers can put to good use”.
Whereas fossil fuel-based products are difficult to recycle, green carbon-based fibres
can be recycled five or six times. But this is not enough if the society of tomorrow aims
to achieve 100% recycling. So a balance must be struck between recycled material
and virgin wood fibre. For example, 50 to 100 billion tonnes of cellulose are synthesised
naturally each year, making it the most abundant polysaccharide on earth. We must
learn to preserve all the “green carbon” resources that are readily available and can
be recycled rapidly in an organised consumer society. The papermaking industry
plays a vital role in this virtuous circle.
Sorting, eco-design,
deinking processes
New technologies
and new concepts
The CTP does not focus only on the present; it also draws up longer-term, ground-breaking
projects to keep pace with future transformations… For example, the Centre’s teams
are optimising processes for increasing the deinked pulp content of high-quality
copy papers, the use of which is certain to increase. Other alternative technologies
are being evaluated to keep abreast of future developments, such as enzyme treatment
during recycling and the grafting of specific groupings to functionalise recycled
fibres and improve their mechanical properties (durability, etc.). Lastly, a number of
new concepts are being studied, from optimising production by eliminating surface-active
agents – and managing the associated air problems (the object of a recent patent) –
to biorefining recycled papers. The latter study is examining all the possibilities for
recovering recycling process effluent, in cement making, road construction, biocomposites, etc. New markets are opening up to us!
The CTP is involved in various projects aimed at improving raw material quality while
reducing sorting costs. The Tri+ and Sortit projects, for instance, are developing
sensors capable of recognising contaminants in the different paperboard grades
recovered. They are also used to assess their quality and quantify their variability.
Other projects are examining the issues of deinking, new printing methods and problems
related to coated papers. The eco-design of inks and adhesives is a key concern, with
the aim of eliminating these compounds more effectively. The Centre’s experts have
already identified a number of solutions. Lastly, simplifying the deinking process is still
a major area of work with the goal of improving efficiency and reducing production costs.
* French Environment and Energy Management Agency
annual rEport 2010 \ 17
\ SPECIAL REPoRt
GREEN CARBoN
A pulp mill is a model biorefining plant, since it
separates out cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin,
the main constituents of biomass. Paperboard
production is a fine example of biomass recovery
in itself, but it is not the only one. The paper
industry proved very early on that it was also
capable of harnessing its energy resources:
by using black liquor as a fuel in mills and
developing the use of biomass for energy. Today,
half of the paper industry’s energy needs for steam
production are met by harnessing biomass.
Even though the paper industry recovers biomass on a large scale, both the sector and
the government are keen to take this even further. How? By expanding recovery:
upstream, to bark and other wood waste that is not of sufficient quality for making
paper, and downstream, to effluent treatment sludge. The scope of the CTP’s activities
in the energy field includes such actions, in particular in the form of two gas production
projects at paper mills.
Produce syngas
from forest biomass
The first of these projects, Gazif, is examining ways to produce gas from biomass using
thermochemical processes. “The aim is to produce syngas, a second-generation fuel,
of a sufficient quality to be injected into the distribution network and used by motor
vehicles”, states Frédéric Guillet, manager of the Sustainability: Water, Air, Energy STU.
“Bear in mind that this gasification process can only become established if we treat
more than a hundred thousand tonnes of wood. So we need to be sure of taking all the
biomass recovery channels into account. Papermakers who embark on this type of operation will have to mobilise much larger quantities of biomass materials at their sites
than they would if they were producing pulp and/or paper alone, but they will be able to
use the various by-products from the process and from water treatment. In addition,
one might imagine incorporating biorefining processes to extract certain molecules for
use in the papermaking sector (hemicelluloses) or in cosmetics, for more complex processes”. The Gazif project, started up in 2010, ties in with the larger Gaya project,
which is backed by ADEME and coordinated by GDF Suez.
18 \ annual rEport 2010
Biomass
brimming
with energy
… and biogas with sludge
Even though the sludge obtained from treating papermaking effluent is recovered in
agriculture or cement making, it still represents a considerable cost. The Methasludge
project aims to do better, by transforming some of this sludge into gas at the papermill
using anaerobic methanisation. The first test results are promising. There are multiple
benefits: limiting waste production, recovering energy on-site as heat, or generating
and selling electricity. Frédéric Guillet explains: “Before we reach this stage, we are
carrying out laboratory tests in order to find out which products have the best methaneproducing capabilities, how much methane the paper industry is capable of producing,
and the type of site where sludge treatment could be envisaged at a competitive cost.
A specific aim of this project is to widen the range of by-products that can be used. The
sludge contains a lot of fibres, but very little nitrogen – which would improve methanisation. Other sectors, such as the food industry, have nitrogen in their by-products,
hence the idea of synergy by opting for co-methanisation.”
\ SPECIAL REPoRt
GREEN CARBoN
paper,
a medium for printed electronics
The last chapter of this special feature on green carbon looks at
current research into an area that might seem to have very limited
scope: printed electronics. And yet its range of applications
will be extremely broad and it will answer a number of society’s
questions, from protecting against WiFi waves to optimising
logistics flows. This field of activity is expected to generate even
higher turnover than silicon-based electronics! For the CTP
and its partners, the aim is not to compete head-on with silicon
– the Centre is a member of the Organic Electronics Association –
but to propose high-performance solutions offering original
functions using papermakers’ large-format printing processes
and a biosourced medium. While the physical approach
is the same, the production methods are very different.
For the past two years the CTP has been studying industrial uses of printed electronics,
especially those using large-format printing or depositing processes. Guy Eymin Petot
Tourtollet, manager of the Sensors – Modelling and Data Processing STU and in
charge of this field, explains: “To develop this type of electronics we used the plastic
substrate for its barrier properties, its transparency (beneficial for “lighting surface”
applications) and its surface state. Now we are beginning a new phase involving
breaking down the technological barriers and fully harnessing paper’s specific resources.”
Sense, analyse,
store, communicate
“Its variable thickness and its porosity make it suitable for producing micro-batteries, while its fibrous structure gives it data storage capabilities. Our demonstrators
are paving the way for “smart” paper offering sensory functions – built-in sensing,
signal analysis, data storage, communication – while supplying the energy needed
to make everything work. We are developing sensors (to detect impacts, brightness
and gas), transistor technology-based data storage, low-energy, low-voltage display
devices, and also radiofrequency systems to recover the energy released by a mobile
phone, relay antenna, photovoltaic power supply, etc. In the past, the qualities required of printed packagings were simple: protect, identify the product, make it easy to
transport. Today’s key requirements are traceability and interaction: the packaging
must be capable of indicating whether the goods were delivered intact and, if not,
the stage at which the damage occurred, reporting the release of a volatile substance from a tainted food, providing a means of interacting with digital media, etc.”
An emerging industrial sector
Silicon-free and low-cost
The CTP has been developing RFID-tagged packagings for more than two years in
partnership with industry through the Decarte project, which has now reached the
demonstrator stage. “The aim is to reduce the cost of RFID systems by incorporating them
into the cardboard production process”, explains Paul Piette, manager of the Printing
Technologies and Printability STU. “We have applied for a patent for the technologies
that now enable us to produce an antenna based on conducting inks – the Decartag –
at a cost of five euro cents. The chip are remote, and still made of silicon, but we hope
to develop printed chips in the future.”
Ever-greener applications
What is the link between printed RFID and green carbon? Reduced carbon emissions,
of course! Printed on the primary packaging, the Decartag offers a range of environmental benefits: better logistics tracking, better stock management, new possibilities
in terms of stocktaking, detection of products nearing their expiry dates to reduce
unsold goods and waste, etc. RFID technology leads to savings and enables lean
manufacturing to be implemented. But that is not the only advantage of the Decartag:
printed on primary packaging, this inexpensive system delivers pertinent consumer
information to the point of sale. The messages printed on today’s packagings are
difficult to read (covered in small print) or incomplete (making very limited use of
Braille). The Decartag could solve the conundrum of providing more information without
increasing packaging weight. By scanning the tag with their mobile phone, consumers
could obtain information such as whether a product is compatible with their diet, or
about a distributor promotion… and the partially sighted could listen to it. The CTP is
working on the Decartag-mobile link in collaboration with electronics and communication
institutes. Prototypes are operational, so mass production is just around the corner!
As you can see, printed electronics answers some social and economic questions,
and large-format production opens up the prospects for many more developments.
There is no lack of projects, from forgery detection to ticketing – adding fun applications
to travel passes, for instance. But the most advanced achievement in this emerging
industrial sector is Metapaper, a cellulose medium with conducting printed repeated
patterns capable of filtering the electromagnetic waves emitted by a mobile phone or
a WiFi device. This new type of wallpaper will be the first such application to reach
the industrial stage. Others will follow: papers with battery, photovoltaic, lighting or
data storage functions, and packagings that communicate via RFID tags.
20 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 21
\ DEMoNStRAtoRS
palpable
progress
In our job, there is nothing like touching
– or looking in detail at – the results
of a new development. With its 2010 Annual
Report, the CTP presents four “demonstrators”
that bear witness to the know-how it has developed
in association with its partners.
Bamboo
Chromatogeny
Printing tested
by the CTP
Now paper can be exposed to water
Since 1983, the CTP, and especially its Douai
section, has built up considerable expertise in
the area of printability on industrial presses.
The CTP’s measurement capability in the field
of printing quality includes skills in paper and
ink development and the essential know-how
inherent to the printing trade. In addition to
carrying out these industrial and laboratory
activities, the CTP’s printability team conducts
projects in conjunction with the other STUs in
the fields of offset, rotogravure, flexography,
inkjet and laser printing.
The test form offered as a bookmark with this
2010 annual report is a demonstrator of printing
quality on Conqueror Bamboo Print Excellence Natural White 250 g/m2, a new bamboo
fibre-based paper developed by Arjowiggins
Creative Papers. The CTP also carried out all the printing tests for this papermaker’s
new Bamboo and Print Excellence papers in the Conqueror range.
Metapapier
Areas free of electromagnetic disturbance
The huge explosion of wireless communication technologies (mobile phones, Wifi, WiMax,
Bluetooth, RFID) has led to a proliferation of electromagnetic waves, against which it
is necessary to provide protection. Faraday cages of course offer some protection, but
the solution, which also filters communications from emergency teams, is expensive
and difficult to use.
Today, the CTP and its partners the IMEP1 and LCIS2 laboratories and manufacturer
Ahlstrom are offering a high-performance paper able to filter up to 30 dB regardless of
incident wave angle, and even 60 dB when laid in two layers a few millimetres apart.
This easy-to-use, biosourced, recyclable and functional wallpaper creates areas free of
electromagnetic disturbance in concert halls, hospitals or bedrooms. It can also help to
protect data and prevent incidents from affecting the operation of networks and associated equipment.
Chromatogeny is a chemical grafting process that makes papers and boards waterrepellent without changing their structure. In 2010, with funding from the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Rhône-Alps regional authorities awarded to
the TekLiCell platform, the CTP started up a pilot unit – the only one of its kind in the
world – for deploying this breakthrough “cleantech” on an industrial scale.
The alliance between the CTP and BT3 Technologies, a start-up created by the CNRSCERMAV and managed by Daniel Samain, who invented the process, aims to exploit the
CNRS’ patented technology and the CTP’s patented paper-board applications. The two
partners thus offer a complete ranges of services to assist industrial papermakers at
all stages of development of products using
this process.
Recycled Fibres
An innovative 100% recycled paper
What type of paper do you think was used to print the inside pages of the 2010 annual
report that you are holding at the moment? Does its quality make you think of classic
offset paper? Well, you are wrong. It is 100% recycled, 100% deinked. This new paper
is the result of collaboration between numerous experts from the CTP and a new ecoresponsible Grenoble company, Vertaris. We share a common ambition, that of making
maximum use of recovered fibres derived from selective household and industrial
waste collection, a veritable “urban forest” on our doorstep…
The challenges facing Vertaris and the CTP teams are to increase brightness and improve
final cleanliness in order to produce top-quality papers that are 100% recycled.
1) French Institute of Microelectronics, Electromagnetism and Photonics
2) French Lab for Design and Integration of Systems
22 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 23
\ IN BRIEF
Chemical
characterisation
by FTIR microscopy
In recent years, the CTP has developed
techniques for characterising polymers,
particles and paper surfaces. The main
procedure used to do this is FTIR1 microscopy. The device identifies the chemical nature of any deposits, particles
or defects on the paper. It can work on
areas measuring only a few tens of micrometres across. It also produces surface maps that highlight chemical heterogeneities on the paper surface. A quick
way of getting to the heart of the matter…
easily within reach.
The Monitor
scores a hit
The advent
of chip-less
printed RFID
Following the sale of three sensors in Spain
and one in France, a fifth Monitor was sold
in the United Kingdom to ensure even more
stringent control of incoming raw materials. As the price of raw materials continues to rise, paying the right price for recovered paper and board is a major concern
for our customers. This sensor takes just a
few seconds to determine the moisture
content and quantity of unwanted material
in bales of recovered paper. With a payback
period of just 2 to 6 months, this fine piece
of equipment is a particularly profitable
investment.
RFID is a method of identifying documents
or products that requires no direct or visual
contact. It works even over long distances
and through opaque materials. However,
its wider deployment is hampered by various
economic, technological and social factors. To overcome these hurdles, the CTP
and its partners – including the LCIS
laboratory – with support from the ANR
and Rhône-Alps regional authorities, are
working on the development of a new
family of low-cost RFID labels requiring
no microchips. Potentially, these tags,
which are obtained by printing all the com-
ponents directly on to paper or board media,
can be used for an unlimited range of identification and authentication purposes.
Which opens the door to markets estimated
to be worth several tens of billions of euros!
Reducing the impact
of additives
on WWTPs
The CTP developed various laboratory tests
during the Addistep project (2008-2010)
to quantify the impact of papermaking
additives on wastewater treatment plants
(WWTPs). These tests are used to screen
effluent and identify additives liable to
impair a plant’s operation. A method was
also proposed for simulating the fate of such
additives by taking into account changes
in their activity. The results of this work
help industrial customers to make better
choices and use additives more wisely in
their machines. The CTP is proposing a new
project, Addistep2, in 2011 to continue work
on this subject. The aim is to strengthen
collaboration between additive suppliers and
papermakers in order to validate a methodology for checking that the products available
on the market have no impact on WWTPs.
Did you say
“flushable”?
What on earth is flushability? It is the ability
of a substance to enter the waste water
circuit without causing problems… and hence
its compatibility with sanitary installations.
The CTP’s Flushability laboratory began
work in autumn 2010. To date it is the only
independent laboratory in Europe to perform
tests to determine the flushability of nonwoven
hygiene products using methods recommended by the INDA2 and EDANA3. The laboratory occupies two floors, one reserved for
testing the transit of materials in toilets
and pipes. This flushability activity propels
the CTP into a fast-expanding sector – the
nonwovens market – where the potential is
enormous.
Managing
your energy costs
Energy represents 10%-30% of production
costs in the pulp, paper and board industry.
It is possible to reduce energy consumption and thus save money. To assist its
industrial customers, the CTP has published a book on “Managing energy in
the pulp, paper and board industry”
(only in French), with the support of the
ADEME, the French Environment and
Energy Management Agency. It deals with
a series of issues, illustrated by diagrams,
concrete cases and examples with the corresponding figures.
It provides useful insights for managing
energy consumption. But this exhaustive and informative book is primarily a
valuable asset in drawing up energy
performance improvement plans!
2) International Nonwovens
and Disposables Association
3) European Disposables
And Nonwovens Assocation
1) Fourier Transform Infrared
24 \ annuAl rEport 2010
annuAl rEport 2010 \ 25
\ IN BRIEF
Protected area
Paris in May 2011, when groups of experts and plenary committees defended
the French papermakers’ positions in
the fields of pulp, paper, corrugated
board, tissue paper and tissue products.
Bar code reader
What archiving
standards?
Documents that are to be kept, including
paper media and printed papers, sleeves,
dividers and archive boxes, must comply
with various criteria defined in international and national standards. But how?
The CTP’s physical testing laboratory is
able to provide advice in following one of
the existing standards.
The physical testing laboratory has acquired
an Integra 9505 verifier to perform reading
tests on linear and 2D bar codes in conformity with standard ISO/IEC 15415. Decoding,
symbol contrast, modulation, axial and grid
non-uniformity, unused error correction rate
and absence of fixed reference point are evaluated in order to assign a grade in reading
test conditions.
Papermaking
machine
Authorized laboratory, quality monitoring
compliant standards The CEPI-CTS comparative testing service
ISO/TC6 has shown its confidence in the
CTP authorized laboratory by renewing
its accreditation to deliver brightness
standards for a further two years. The CTP
will continue to produce and measure nonfluorescent and fluorescent IR3 pads for
calibrating spectrocolorimeters in conformity with international papermaking
standards ISO 2470-1 and ISO 11475.
The CTP also took part in the ISO/TC6
meetings at the AFNOR headquarters in
monitors the performance of papermakers’ analysis machines. The test instruments and methods used in printing works
may also be checked using specially designed test papers. Instruments for measuring colour according to standard ISO 13655
are now part of the inter-laboratory testing
facilities. In the near future, it should also
be possible to monitor densitometers in a
similar way as part of quality assurance
procedures.
METAPAPIER
filters Wifi waves
Metapapier is a printed electronics application derived from research carried out by the CTP and its partners, the IMEP and LCIS laboratories
and manufacturer Ahlstrom. The demonstrator is in the form of a paper suitable for coating. Used as a wall covering, it protects a public
area (meeting room, concert hall, hospital, restaurant) or private premises against Wifi or GSM waves.
[email protected]
26 \ annual rEport 2010
rapport annuEl 2010 \ 27
Stickies
Successful adhesive removal
The Stickies project has produced impressive
results, with gains in productivity. One less
problem in producing recycled paper.
WHAT ARE STICKIES?
Thierry Delagoutte – They are the adhesive matter formed during the manufacture of
recycled paper. They cause breaks of the sheet of paper during manufacturing or defects
(holes) in the paper, resulting in lower productivity and quality. The aim of the Stickies
project is to understand why these deposits form and then to propose ways of eliminating the problem.
WHO IS TAKING PART IN THE PROJECT AND IN WHAT WAY?
TD – The Stickies project was accredited by the Fibres Cluster in 2006 and accepted
for funding by the FUI1. The provisional budget for the study amounts to more than �2.5m.
It is being subsidised by the FUI, the Lorraine regional authorities and various industries.
Six partners are involved: papermakers Norske Skog Golbey, which is sponsoring
the project, and Novatissue, chemicals supplier Kemira, the LERMAB and SRSMC2
research laboratories affiliated to Henri-Poincaré University in Nancy and associated
with the INRA and CNRS3 in the context of this project, and lastly the CTP. Through this
collaboration we have been able to adopt complementary approaches: data analysis
to look for the industrial parameters causing the phenomenon, physicochemical measurements on site and laboratory simulations to identify the mechanisms involved
and ways of controlling the problem. With the papermakers involved in the project we
were able to find out why stickies form, and discovered a completely new mechanism.
The parameters affecting the phenomenon were identified at Norske Skog Golbey’s
plant and brought under control.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS FROM THE ECONOMIC STANDPOINT?
Thierry Delagoutte
Armand Klem, stickies specialist with Norske Skog Golbey – Thanks to this project,
breaks caused by stickies has been reduced by 60% on our two machines, lowering
the cost of production losses by €1350k in comparison with the 2005 baseline situation! But we are not the only ones to benefit from the work carried out by the CTP
teams… others will profit too.
TD – Yes, several ways of limiting the phenomenon were studied, first in the laboratory
and then in industrial conditions in certain cases. The results of some of the tests
were applied in the papermakers’ industrial manufacturing processes. For example,
at Novatissue, the number of machine shut-downs for cleaning purposes was
halved, helping them to strike even in 2008. This helped persuade the Lucart group
to take over Novacare’s paper activity, thus saving 240 jobs.
1) Single inter-ministerial fund
2) Structure and Reactivity of Complex Molecular Systems
3) Institute of Agronomic Research, National Scientific Research Centre
technidyne
chooses techpap
It was at the 20th ATIP congress held
in Grenoble in November 2010 that Technidyne
Corporation and Techpap announced their
partnership. As of 1 January 2011, Techpap
is Technidyne’s exclusive agent in France.
Founded in 1974, Technidyne Corporation is the world reference for colour measurement. It provides the papermaking industry with quality control equipment, notably
the PROFILE/Plus™ automated paper testing system and Colour Touch™ colour
spectrophotometer. Based in the USA, Technidyne has exported to 55 countries since
1979. Its Canadian subsidiary Technidyne Inc. and network of agents cover 30 other
countries.
Accredited distributor and repairer
Techpap SAS is a subsidiary of the CTP, created nearly 15 years ago to market devices
and software derived from its research. This dynamic organisation has been highly
successful in selling on-line sensors and laboratory equipment for papermaking processes, due in no small part to the expertise of its team, its R&D and training services,
and network of twenty agents and distributors in Europe, the USA, Asia, etc. Eager to
improve its services on the European markets, Technidyne Corporation is committed to
boosting brand awareness and strengthening its ties with key suppliers, which is why
it chose Techpap in late 2010 to act as its official agent. Techpap thus becomes the
accredited, exclusive distributor and repairer in France for the complete range of Technidyne products.
FoCuS on tECHpap
\ SUCCESS StoRIES
Working hand-in-hand
The CTP regularly develops new software and equipment in the framework of its research activities. These are used to improve product
quality control or optimise pulp, paper and board production processes. The CTP’s subsidiary Techpap is responsible for selling these
products to the industry. The last few years have been particularly
fruitful. One especially notable development is a portable instrument
for quantitatively measuring Braille markings, to satisfy the requirements of new EU regulations introduced in 2010. It is also worth noting
the transfer of a solution for assessing pulp softness potential on-line
and in laboratory, and on-line tissue paper softness measurement on
machines. Techpap’s latest development is the Pulp Inspector, which
provides an additional modular system for automatically controlling
the pulp manufacturing and preparation process based on the production and automatic analysis of handsheets. Pulp samples can be taken
from on-line sampling points for continuous analysis, or manually for
laboratory analysis. Gravimetric concentration, colour, ERIC, brightness,
NIR measurement, fibre and drainage analysis (CSF)… all available in
real time!
Armand Klem
28 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 29
\ SUCCESS StoRIES
reconciling inkjet,
quality, price and recycling
With the SIPPA project, the CTP and
manufacturer UPM-Kymmene are laying the
foundations of a new range of competitive
inkjet printing products that take into account
the entire fibre life cycle.
Paper is facing competition from other media. With the advent of Internet advertising
and sales, customers’ behaviour is changing. To deal with this new situation, publishing
graphic chain must offer customised communication solutions at an acceptable cost,
using digital printing. This concerns more especially the TransPromo1 market, but
also those of labels, posters and packaging. Yet the majority of industrial digital
printing machines use colour xerography, a limited process in terms of production speed
and ink cost. The inkjet process also has major limitations: the availability of quality
papers to produce low-cost customised documents and recyclability of papers printed
with water-based inks. Special coatings of course offer solutions, but at what price!
The SIPPA project
This explains the importance that customers attach to research into the development
of low-cost high-speed inkjet papers (HSIP), a challenge the SIPPA project intends to
meet. The CTP is aiming:
• to determine paper characteristics in conjunction with customers,
• to design coatings and surfaces that meet the demands of new high-speed colour inkjet
printing machines,
• to develop coated or uncoated surfaces that ensure good print quality at the lowest price,
• to think in terms of “life cycle”, by studying the recyclability of documents printed with
industrial inkjet printers in paper recycling lines.
The means involved range from coating/pigmentation tests on formulations developed with
products made by the project’s industrial partners to printing with a selection of these
formulations on industrial presses, via an evaluation of ink spread and penetration on the
i-SpeedJet2 pilot specially developed by the CTP and equipped with an industrial print head.
Value creation
UPM is using this project to formulate new products, predict print quality and extend its
range of inkjet-compatible papers. The papermaker has also benefited from a training
course recently developed by the CTP with a view to gaining a clearer idea of the changes
taking place in the different markets. It must be admitted that the economic stakes are
considerable, if only on the European TransPromo market, which represents a million
tonnes and offers considerable economic potential. Without forgetting that the eco-design
of copy papers – and hence recycling – is a crucial question for the newspaper and
magazine sector.
1) “Transactional, promotional”: on-demand printing of newspapers and leaflets,
i.e. 10% of the European advertising market.
2) Single pilot able to predict high-speed inkjet print quality in industrial conditions.
30 \ annual rEport 2010
annual rEport 2010 \ 31
\ portrait
,,
The CTP is our reference
laboratory for quality control”
A partnership focused on
monitoring and research
When the market evolves and customers’ behaviour changes, you need to adapt
to the context by developing new ranges. Does a medium-sized converter have
the means to do so? Luquet & Duranton called on an external partner.
LUQUET & DURANTON SUPPLIES THE FILING AND ARCHIVING MARKET.
IS THIS SECTOR CHANGING, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS?
,,
offers. The CTP worked as consultant, providing advice and expertise on the technology and its use, but also training. It is also guiding us in our search for specific
materials or substrates with information that we would not find in the public domain.
Another topic of interest to us at the moment is exports. It is not easy to think about
exporting when you have 112 years’ experience of working exclusively in France!
However, the partnership with the CTP has brought us into contact with foreign research
centres and other international players, offering us the possibility of exporting the solutions that we are developing together. Lastly, the CTP is our benchmark laboratory for
quality control: we send them our media for conformity inspections.
Max Braha-Lonchant – Our role is to develop solutions with and for our customers
– public services, government departments, healthcare establishments – that meet
their filing and archiving requirements, and to help them keep pace with changes in
their profession. The sector is bearing the brunt of the digital revolution, one of whose
effects has been a significant modification in the way purchasing departments behave. This is the first trend. The era of long-term procurement contracts is over. We
now have to be more flexible and offer solutions that are able to evolve. At the same
time, technologies and media are also changing and our services and industrial
processes must adapt.
WHAT DO YOU APPRECIATE ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU DEAL WITH?
WHAT KINDS OF CHANGE DO YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS?
MBL – Their availability and open-mindedness. Their ability to get on our wavelength
and talk the same language. And to help us discover other ways of doing our work.
MBL – My associate Florent Emy and I are constantly thinking about the changes
taking place in our profession. We can see the limits of static media – paper. There
is a demand for them to become semi-active. For example, QR codes enable a printed
document to deliver updateable information. The medium is permanent but it
connects the user to a website, generates an email or SMS. Another trend is that the
medium itself is changing to offer new properties such as non-tearability. Cellulose
will remain the essential vector for filing and archiving. It is a noble, fully recyclable
material in step with sustainable development, which is not the case with plastic.
But we are keeping a close watch on the emergence of complex media combining
cellulose with other natural components or additives that offer new functions.
Max Braha-Lonchant
Co-Chairman
Luquet & Duranton
BY MONITORING OR R&D?
MBL – It is difficult for a processing company with only 60 employees to have its own
R&D department! One of our employees interfaces with the CTP, which has been
doing this for us over the past two years. The CTP actively monitors everything that
is happening in the field of cellulose media. And we reap the benefits. We could not
afford the resources to do it ourselves. Apart from the fact that finding a useful piece
of information in a technical journal is one thing; putting it into practice is quite
another. The CTP is able to help us incorporate a new application into our organisation. It is a genuine partnership; we rely on the CTP to carry out our R&D functions.
This is vital for an SME, as it is in this way that we can prepare the company for tomorrow’s technologies. Our only regret is that the public authorities provide so little
aid; this partnership is funded by our own resources, with the constraints and limits
that that implies.
WHAT OTHER ISSUES ARE YOU EXPLORING WITH THE CTP?
Luquet & Duranton
is family-owned company created in 1898.
Its two production sites are located at Annonay in the department of Ardèche,
a town with a long history of papermaking. Employing 60 people, the company
is managed by Florent Emy and Max Braha-Lonchant, who took over in January
2009. It is a converting company that produces articles for filing and archiving,
essentially for public services, government departments and healthcare establishments
(care centres, hospitals and clinics).
MBL – We have in fact been working on a QR code project that should be completed
in 2011. Our collaboration has given us a good idea of the possibilities this solution
32 \ annuAl rEport 2010
annuAl rEport 2010 \ 33
Main events
ACTRA, the association comprising the 10 technological centres in the Rhône-Alps region, presented its new website www.actra.fr during
its annual meeting held in Lyon on 20 April.
JunE
JulY \ auGuSt
SEptEMBEr
The CTP once again took part in
the Mondial des Métiers fair alongside all the players involved in the
paper and board sector. This 14th
show, open to the general public,
took place from 4 to 7 February
2010 in Lyon. It drew thousands
of visitors eager to find out more
about what we do. It provided an
opportunity to present the production and processing aspects
of our profession. Our stand featured a magnificent mural specially
created by pupils from the Lycée
Léonard-de-Vinci (Lyon - France).
The symposium on packaging paper
and board recycling co-organised
by the CTP and PTS on 30 and 31 March
2010 was a resounding success in
spite of the difficult economic situation. This 6th symposium, held in Grenoble, drew more than 60 participants
from various continents to discuss
today’s major recycling issues.
34 \ annual rEport 2010
oCtoBEr
CENTRES TECHNIQUES INDUSTRIELS
The professional organisations of the wood and paper industries came
together on 6 July 2010 at a conference held in the Maison des Polytechniciens in Paris on the theme of “Green carbon at the service of
new growth”. The CTP, a major R&D player that has made green carbon its main vector of innovation, was well represented. It presented
the various possibilities for using biomass in terms of diversification,
differentiation and competitiveness. Research and development work
on cellulose undertaken by French companies working in the sector will offer new development opportunities in the near future!
Following its highly successful participation in 2008, the CTP
once again attended the Packaging Exhibition in Paris from 22
to 25 November. This international event is held every two years.
On a stand shared with other players from the paper and board
packaging industry, the CTP successfully represented the value
of R&D to professionals from the packaging sector.
After the summer break, it is time for
professional and industrial activity
– and meetings – to resume. The
strategic committee of the TekLiCell
technology platform met at the CTP
while the CTP’s board meeting was
held in Grenoble on 16 September. The members then invited themselves to the CEA-Liten for a visit of the partner platform PICTIC1.
The ARDI and CTIs discussed “prospects in the field of sustainable
housing” on 24 September and visited the INES2 at the Savoie
Technolac site at Le Bourget-du-Lac near Chambéry.
1) Sheet-to-Sheet facilities for Printed electronics devices
2) National Solar Energy Institute
MaY
The CTP took part in the 2010 Carnot
R&D symposium in the framework
of the CTI network. This third run was
held in Lyon on 5-6 May. Organised
by AiCarnot, the event brings together
technological research organisations and companies. It features
round table sessions and lectures on a variety of topics. The CTI
network is a partner of this meeting. The CTP was one of the six CTIs
attending, in addition to the CTIs that are also Carnot institutes.
The CTP was a partner of the 63rd annual congress of the ATIP,
the crucial meeting of the French papermaking industry, held
in the World Trade Center, Grenoble, from 16 to 18 November
2010. A member of the congress organising committee, the CTP
took part in the various conferences that were held during the
two and half day event on the theme of “Green growth: technological innovations and opportunities, a fantastic chance for
the papermaking industry”. CTP experts presented the innovative projects on which they are working in collaboration with
industries…
In addition, the CTP’s new
chromatogeny pilot was
inaugurated on Tuesday
16 November 2010 during
the opening of the TekLiCell
technological platform. The
CTP has invested in this new
pilot line in the framework
of its TekLiCell platform
with the support of the ERDF
and Rhône-Alps regional
authorities. The pilot, installed
by papermaker Allimand, is used to perform tests and demonstrate the industrial feasibility of a new surface treatment process:
chromatogeny.
The PEFC organisation and monitoring committee met in Epinal on
26 October 2010 in the presence of Michèle Bouclier, CTP certification
officer, and Mr Marchesi, general secretary of PEFC France, as well
as representatives of the interested parties.
DECEMBEr
aprIl
teklicell.com
On 2 and 3 February 2010 the CTP
organised its research forum,
a valuable opportunity for the centre
and customers who have signed
CTPinnovation contracts to exchange ideas and discuss projects.
Our experts took stock of the projects implemented over the past
year within our four research programmes: Recycled Fibres, InTechFibres, Environment and Product
Quality.
MarCH
Following a campaign to photograph the equipment subsidised by the European Union (ERDF)
and Rhône-Alps regional authorities, the TekLiCell platform involving partners Grenoble INP,
the CTP and Grenoble INP-Pagora launched
its new website. A new resource for promoting
innovation.
The CTP also attended the Zellcheming exhibition for the third year
running. The annual meeting of the German pulp and paper chemistry
association, it was held in Wiesbaden from 29 June to 1 July. The CTP
and its subsidiary Techpap were there to meet representatives of
German industry.
FEBruarY
JanuarY
of 2010
The CTP’s stand in the French pavilion at the 7th Pulp and Paper
professional exhibition held in Helsinki, Finland, on 1-3 June 2010 was
a great success.
noVEMBEr
\ EVENtS
Along with seven other industrial technological centres from the
CTI network, the CTP was represented in the Rhône-Alps pavilion
at the Pollutec exhibition held in Lyon from 30 November to
3 December 2010. They presented the main ways of leveraging
energy and environmental optimisation at production sites, backed
up by a model of a plant created with support from the Rhône-Alps
regional authorities. This educational model illustrates various
solutions for improving the energy efficiency and eco-performance
of industrial companies.
annual rEport 2010 \ 35
Organisation
Pulp, Board and Paper Representatives
J. Grassin
A. Ayral
Y. Bailly
P. Bissière
G. Bontemps
J.-C. Doignie
P. Escaffre
B. Helle
J. Kubiak
H. Leydier
P. Renaud
R. Ruppel
chart
Chairman of the Board
Gascogne Paper
Norske Skog Golbey
Vicat - Papeteries de Vizille
Ex Tembec SaS
Ex Smurfit Kappa Group
Ahlstrom Brignoud
Cartonneries de Gondardennes
UPM Kymmene
Les Papeteries Emin Leydier
Arjo Wiggins Papiers couchés
Georgia Pacific France
ManaGInG DIrECtor GIllES lEnon
InDuStrIal SItES
InDuStrIal GroupS
P. Bauret
A. Deplanque
C. Fabiano
J.-J. Mazet
CGT
FO “papier-carton”
CGC
CFDT
Representatives from Allied Industries,
Universities and Research Organisation
P. Jacquet
J.-P. Queré
F. Rettmeyer
A. Serres
F. Vessière
French Ministry of Economy
Industry and Employment
Government Inspector
J.-A. Bouchand
French Ministry of Economy
Industry and Employment
Auditor
P. Mesnard
Director
Véronique Morin
Assistant Director
François Julien
St-Amand
DIrECtor FaBIEnnE VErCEllI
Packaging Eco-Design
and Recycling
Process-Pulps &
Functional Fibres
Alain Cochaux
Michel Petit-Conil
Sustainability:
Water, Air, Energy
Deinking Processes
Frédéric Guillet
Benjamin Fabry
Certification, Hygiene,
Food-contact, Health
Grenoble INP
Consultant
Allimand
Kadant Lamort
Vertaris
Government Commissioners
Y. Robin
M. Rohfritsch
D. Basset
rESEarCH&InnoVatIon
DIrECtor pHIlIppE rItZEntHalEr
Trade Union Representatives
Deinked Pulps,
Wet-end Chemistry
Michèle Bouclier
Bruno Carré
CA TECHPAP SAS 2010 = €1516k
BP 251 - 38044 Grenoble cedex 9
Tel. +33 (0)4 76 51 74 75 - Fax +33 (0)4 76 42 05 04
www.techpap.com
e-mail: [email protected]
The CTP met its commitments, especially in terms of turnover, which increased by 5% to nearly €11.5m, but also in regard to long-term orders,
which amounted to €7.5m.
2010 was an exceptional year for investments
Performance, Quality,
Standardisation
of Papers & Boards
Director
André Lemaître
135 employees
53
8
53
21
researchers
(including 8 PhDs)
The CTP’s ambitious investment programme was implemented in its entirety,
with substantial backing from the Rhone-Alps region and ERDF:
• chromatogenic chemistry pilot;
• plasma pilot;
• flushability laboratory;
• virtualisation of the centre’s 19 computer servers.
Broad prospects are opening up in 2011:
• a vast programme to improve accessibility of the CTP’s premises, backed by the AFPI1;
• ongoing modernisation of management resources (change of ERP2 system,
integrated management programme);
• on the operations front, a pilot cellulose microfibril production unit
office executives
research technicians
1) Association for Professional Training in Industry
2) Enterprise Resource Planning
other technicians
and office employees
Focus on the GRP
David Guérin
Printing Technologies
and Printability
Sylvie Moreau-Tabiche
Paul Piette
Product Quality
InTechFibres
Recycled Fibres
Environment
Sensors – Modelling and Data Processing
Director Guy Eymin Petot Tourtollet
turnover
Administrative and Financial Director
Perrine Demengeon
Quality
Michèle Bouclier
Communication
Sandrine Poncet-Pappini
Safety
Edouard Schoene
Documentation
Coralie Lefevre
Human Resources
Corinne Bardou
Computing Networks
Martine Favi
Alfredo Guembes-Dileo
Technical Section
Jean-Luc Guillouty
Scientific and technological Units ■
Support Services ■
36 \ annual rEport 2010
The CTP posted sound results for 2010 and achieved its annual objectives.
It is pursuing its ongoing innovation policy, which includes a highly selective approach to investment.
Nanotechnologies,
Functional Surfaces
PEFC/10-4-29
Experts & Partners
Subsidiary
2010 was an excellent year,
2011 is full of promise
Personnel as of 01/01/2011
ConSultanCY\DIaGnoSIS\SErVICES
BoarD oF DIrECtorS
\ RESULtS
Research & Development 73%
€11.5m
Consultancy
Diagnoses - Services
27%
General ResearchAssociate contracts
31%
General ResearchGovernment funding
38%
PararesearchGovernment funding
4%
annual rEport 2010 \ 37
\ WEB
Easy in, easy out
Klaus Moller, norske Skog applied research manager, coordinator
of external research via norske Skog subsidiary nSI Focus,
gives his view of the Ctp’s extranet.
« “I knew of the CTP’s extranet right from the moment it was created in 2008-2009,
but I left other people to work with it! I only began to use it myself at the beginning
of this year and now I use it all the time. It is really well structured, easy to access
and use. I especially like the Synthesis Pages, which are a sort of newsletter concerning
research projects that we are following. They give the initial objectives and state
of progress of the various projects. They are published regularly. In addition, the “text”
versions of the projects presented at the annual forums are very interesting and extremely
legible. Personally, I do not need specific details and I like consulting these documents,
which enable me to keep abreast of things. We have people who monitor specific details,
who are perfectly aware of the projects and provide their support to the plants in order
to apply the information they have received. The CTP is thus much more visible.
Your extranet provides the means of following your activity step by step and also
justifies the return on investment for the funding we provide the CTP each year!”
paperbase: a unique resource
Paperbase International is the fruit of a new cooperation initiative between
the CTP and two other major European research centres, Innventia of Sweden
and VTT of Finland. They have pooled their financial and human resources
to develop an on-line “papermaking” database available to the profession,
the only one of its kind in the world.
In 2010, the CTP worked in conjunction with subcontractor Pira International to
improve the quality of selection, indexing and summarising of the articles that
contribute to the database. Telephone and physical meetings were held in Helsinki
and Stockholm with Innventia and VTT to define the best ways of promoting and marketing
the database. Lastly, a survey was conducted among Internet subscribers to measure
their level of satisfaction.
PaperBase today contains over 200,000 entries, including numerous summaries. It is updated each
week and 8000 further references are added each year – all of which subscribers can order on-line.
38 \ annual rEport 2010
The cover of this report is printed on Curious Metallics Ice Silver
250 g/m2, manufactured by Arjowiggins Creative Papers and
distributed exclusively by Antalis in France.
www.curiouscollection.com
The inner pages of this report are printed on Vertapure 100%
recycled and certified offset paper. It is manufactured in France
from post-consumption papers obtained by selective household
and industrial waste collection.
www.vertaris.eu
Why not set sail
with the CTP?
\ Innovate for the future
Domaine Universitaire BP 251
38044 Grenoble Cedex 9 \ France
Tel. +33 (0)4 76 15 40 15
Fax +33 (0)4 76 15 40 16
www.webCTP.com