Tom Pazdera has been named the new Vice President and General Manager of ND Paper’s Rumford Division. Pazdera brings three decades of experience with internationally recognized companies including International Paper, MeadWestvaco, Boise Paper and, most recently, as President and Unit Head of AV Terrace Bay, in Ontario, Canada, where he oversaw day-to-day operations of an 1,100 tons per day NBSK plant. “Tom brings incredible knowledge and industry experience that will prove instrumental in helping us create a new era of growth and success at our Rumford Division,” said ND Paper CEO Ken Liu. “Because beyond operations and management of our largest facility, Tom will also be critical in helping us execute the continued capital transformation program for the division and the company.” In addition to his background as a project engineer, Pazdera has guided business operations and management teams at several largescale paper manufacturing sites across the country during crucial turning points. “Tom is a proven leader of transformational organizations, because he brings the personable leadership as well as the technical knowledge to advance our operations during a critical time,” confirmed Michael LaVerdiere, ND Paper Executive Vice President and COO.

As part of the company strategy to invest and grow in the Electric Vehicle and Industrial Filtration markets, Ahlstrom-Munksjö has developed new capabilities to test gas adsorption performance at its Pont-Evêque R&D center in France. Investment has been completed to assist strategic, high-priority R&D projects to develop next generation molecular filters for fuel cell air intake filters, premium cabin air filters (for EV and ICE), and clean room environments. Gas adsorption performance is the primary technical feature of molecular filter media, with specific products designed to treat gaseous pollutants, thus decision was taken to have internal capability installed at Ahlstrom-Munksjö.

International technology group ANDRITZ has successfully started up one of the two PrimeLineTM W 2000 tissue machines delivered to Guangxi Sun Paper, China, for its mill in Beihai City, Guangxi Province. The second tissue machine (TM6) is expected to be started up by the end of this year. The tissue machine (TM5) has a design speed of 2,000 m/min, a working width of 5.65 m, and a capacity of 60,000 t/a. To enable energy-efficient production, it is equipped with a large suction press roll, an 18 ft. PrimeDry Steel Yankee with head insulation, and a re-evaporation system. For optimum end-product quality, forming fabrics and press felts by ANDRITZ Fabrics and Rolls were installed.