Many predicted a near end to the pulp and paper industry as soon as the world began going digital, and while today’s industry certainly looks a bit different than it did decades ago, it’s far from over. Instead, it’s working with technology to survive even a digital world where paper is sometimes an afterthought.

A Closer Look At the Largest Producers

While pulp and paper is still produced on every continent around the globe, there are a few countries that outrank all others when it comes to paper production. The United States, China, Japan, and Canada are more than half of paper production in the world, which currently sits at more than 400 million tons a year. Leading that charge is the United States, with more than 83 million tons of paper a year.

Flambeau River Papers LLC – A Komax Success Story

One of the many successful pulp and paper companies in the US is Flambeau River Papers, formerly Cross Pointe Paper. In 1987, they upgraded their bleaching plan to incorporate a chlorine-free bleaching process. The problem, though, was that that meant heating the stock during a transfer process. They installed an effective heating system, but it simply didn’t meet their needs in terms of cost. Flambeau had considered a static mixer heater, but rejected it because of the pressure drop. After they contacted Komax, though, they were convinced. We installed the STM direct steam injection unit that allowed the stock to pass through the unit while introducing steam at the same time. The process didn’t include a pressure drop, as so many others did, and it required minimal energy, saving the company quite a bit of cash.

Pulp and paper is moving forward, and at Komax, we’re doing what we can to help this essential industry survive.