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ATLANTA-- March 21, 2002-- The Institute of Paper Science and Technology
(IPST) Business Development Executives (BDE) program was recently
recognized at the Augusta Newsprint Showcase for facilitating
a savings in energy of $1.4 million per year. The BDE program,
now in its fifth year, utilizes retired pulp and paper executives
to transfer technology from IPST and DOE to its member companies.
Ms. Denise Swink, Associate Deputy-Assistant Secretary at the
Department of Energy (DOE), said, "Our office partners with
the top industrial energy consumers to increase energy efficiency,
improve environmental performance, and boost productivity. We
were so impressed with the BDE program at IPST that we have encouraged
the other industrial sectors to create their own BDE programs."
Augusta Newsprint Company is part
of a joint partnership between Abitibi-Consolidated Inc.
and the Woodbridge Company Ltd. The mill, located in
Augusta, Georgia, produces up to 440,000 tons of standard
newsprint each year from southern pine and recycled newspaper
and magazines. A mandate by upper management to increase
energy efficiency by one percent per year over the next
five years resulted in a meeting between the Augusta
Newsprint Company and Dr. Dick Detrick, their BDE from
IPST.
An energy audit resulted in process
improvements such as a boiler blowdown heat exchanger,
consolidation of the mill's compressed air system, an
upgrade of the paper mill lighting, an upgrade of the
thermo-mechanical pulp transfer pump, a smart pump control
system, and replacement of the paper machine fan pump
motor. The total cost of these improvements was $1.7
million, and the annual energy savings from the implementation
of these technologies total $1.4 million. In addition
to the process improvements that have been installed,
the mill is considering a survey and repair of its steam
trap, additional pump projects, a fan/blower audit, and
a steam/condensate recovery project.
"Energy-efficient technologies
and practices tend to generate a wide range of additional
cost and environmental benefits," asserts Valri
Robinson, team leader for Forest Products in the DOE
Office of Industrial Technologies. "Our Industries
of the Future partnership with the forest products industry
has built a portfolio of close to 90 projects with total
cost-shared support of over $130 million. By working
together with the industry and individual companies like
Augusta Newsprint, we are ensuring that these public/private
investments in technology R&D will help to achieve
national energy goals and boost the competitiveness of
the industry."
The Augusta Newsprint Company joined
by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Institute
of Paper Science and Technology presented an Energy Showcase
on March 6 - 7. The Augusta Newsprint Showcase enabled
members of the pulp and paper industry to learn about
the innovative practices and advanced technologies the
company uses to save energy and reduce waste. Close to
200 industry executives, plant managers, technology experts
and engineers, national lab researchers, equipment suppliers,
local government leaders, and university students and
instructors participated in the one-and-a-half-day event.
The Energy Showcase included technical presentations,
exhibits, and a tour of the Augusta Newsprint plant,
where participants could see new technologies in action.
"We're pleased to have been selected
for this honor," said Bob Collez, General Manager,
Augusta Newsprint Company. "We've had a long-standing
interest in continuous efficiency improvements at Augusta
Newsprint, and it requires real commitment on the part
of everyone. I'm proud of the way all our employees have
stepped up to the plate. This event has helped us appreciate
the full measure of what we've been able to accomplish."
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