Paper Industry in India

The Indian Paper Industry is among the top 15 global players today, with an output of more than 6 millions tones annually with an estimated turnover of Rs. 150,000 millions. (approx. USD 3400 million). Paper Industry in India is riding on a strong demand and on an expanding mood to meet the projected demand of 8 million tones by 2010 & 13 million tones by 2020. A large number of expansion programme & expansion of capacities with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crores have been announced covering the various sectors like paper, paperboard, newsprint etc. The Indian Economy is progressing well and targeting 8%+ growth. The economic reforms coupled with the liberalized Government Policies, India today offers excellent business opportunity for investments. One of the first FDI Projects may come through the proposed Finnish proposal to set up a 400000 tpa capacity plant with an investment of US$240 million. The new millennium is going to be the millennium of the knowledge. So demand for paper would go on increasing in times to come. In view of paper industry's strategic role for the society and also for the overall industrial growth it is necessary that the paper industry performs well. Government has completely delicensed the paper industry with effect from17th July, 1997. The entrepreneurs are now required to file an Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum with the Secretariat for Industrial Assistance for setting up a new paper mill or substantial expansion of the existing mill in permissible locations. The Paper industry is a priority sector for foreign collaboration and foreign equity participation upto 100% receives automatic approval by Reserve Bank of India. Several fiscal incentives have also been provided to the paper industry, particularly to those mills which are based on non-conventional raw material. Capacity, Production, Raw material and Import There are, at present, about 515 units engaged in the manufacture of paper and paperboards and newsprint in India. The country is almost self-sufficient in manufacture of most varieties of paper and paperboards. Import, however, is confined only to certain specialty papers. To meet part of its raw material needs the industry has to rely on imported wood pulp and waste paper. Production of paper & paperboard during the year 2002-03(upto December, 2002) is 24.52 lakhs tonnes. At present about 60.8 per cent of the total production is based on non-wood raw material and 39.2 per cent based on wood.

Performance of the industry has been constrained due to high cost of production caused by inadequate availability and high cost of raw materials, power cost and concentration of mills in one particular area. Several policy measures have been initiated in recent years to remove the bottlenecks of availability of raw materials and infrastructure development. To bridge the gap of short supply of raw materials, duty on pulp and waste paper and wood logs/chips have been reduced. The capacity utilization of the industry is low at 60%. About 194 paper mills, particularly small mills, are sick and /or lying closed. Several policy measures have been initiated in recent years. Imports of paper and paper products was growing over the years. However, it has increased during 2001-02 after a fall in 2000-01. About 1,40,000 tonnes of paper was exported in 2000-01 mainly to the neighbouring countries. India's per capita consumption of paper is around 4.00 kg, which is one of the lowest in the world. With the expected increase in literacy rate and growth of the economy, an increase in the per capita consumption of paper is expected. Outlook The demand for upstream market of paper products, like, tissue paper, tea bags, filter paper, light weight online coated paper, medical grade coated paper, etc., is growing up. These developments are expected to give fillip to the industry. Indian paper industry needs the following for being globally more competitive. i. ii. iii. iv. v. Sustained availability of good quality of raw materials (forest based) and bulk import of waste paper to supplement the availability of raw materials. Adequate modernization of the manufacturing assests. Improvement of the infrastructure. Quality improvements and reduction in cost of production Import policy conducive for import of material, equipment, instruments, raw materials & technologies which are bearing of the quality and environment.

Based on the recommendations made in the Report and in consultant with the industry Associations, action plans are being finalized in consultation with other Ministries/Departments concerned. The Main Action Points proposed are as under: Infrastructure Improvements of key ports, roads and railways and communication facilities which will help the entire industrial sector including pulp & paper.

Raw Material (i) For Wood Based industry Revision of forest policy so that plantation can be raised by industry/Cooperatives of farmers/StateGovernment. Degraded forest land to be made available to the industry for raising plantations. (ii) For Waste Paper based Industry Import of waste paper at minimum import duty. Introduction of ecolabeling system where in products made from recycled fibre are rated higher than the products made form virgin fibre. Introduction of modern and effective collection and grading system. (iii) For Agro Based Industry Funds to be made available for technology upgradation for handling & processing of agro residue fibre, in small & medium scale industries. Government Policies Accelerated depreciation to partially mitigate high capital intensity. Allow duty free imports of new & second hand machinery/equipment for Technology Up gradation. Energy Policy Better availability & quality of coal. More uniform Energy Policy by States. The expanding Industrial Scenario calls for efforts to tackle related problems:
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Industry needs capital and technology. Since energy cost accounts nearly 25 per cent of cost of production there is an urgency to improve energy management and energy consumption. Quantum jump in production, called for by the demand projection is possible only by expansion of existing capacity and creation of additional capability. Upgradation of technology and new capacities also involve massive investment. Use of agro residues for preparation of pulp also throws up challenges like pollution control, recycling, use of cost effective technology for utilization of agro residues, etc.

Pulp and Paper Industry

Raw Material Preparation Wood based Mills - Selection of Chippers & Conveying Equipment:Chippers are one of the major consumers of power in a wood based paper mill. It is suggested that energy efficient, high capacity, chippers be selected. The unitisation of equipment (select only one high capacity chipper) results in obtaining good operating efficiency. Another factor to be seen in achieving optimum efficiency at chipper house is the optimal feed rate. To achieve the optimal feed rate, mechanised conveying to chipper is to be planned at design stage. This will result in better capacity utilisation of the chippers. Conveying of chips also consumes considerable energy. The different methods of conveying chips are pneumatic conveying, screw conveying or belt conveying. The most energy efficient chips conveying is through belt conveyor. During design stage consideration should be given for layout to minimise transportation. This will result in power savings in chipper house. Planning of belt conveying systems for chips transport will also reduce maintenance cost (due to lower wear and tear compared to pneumatic conveying systems) and reduce atmospheric emissions from chippers. During design stage, the paper mills should plan to burn chip-dust in the paper mill's power boilers. This will reduce consumption of purchased fuels in the paper mill's power boilers and eliminate environmental problems associated with chip-dust disposal.
Waste Paper based Mills:In countries like India, where there is a shortage

of conventional raw material, every effort should be made to encourage utilisation of waste paper. It can be either imported or indigenous.
Bagasse Processing:The general practice followed in the paper industry is

to carry out moist depithing in the paper mill. Instead, the following can be thought of at the design stage itself.
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Plan moist depithing operations at sugar mill instead of paper mill. Also, plan to compact the moist depithed bagasse at the sugar mill, before transportation to the paper mill. This will eliminate transportation of pith from the sugar mill to the paper mill, and also reduce the volume of bagasse to be transported to the paper mill. Plan for burning the pith, generated by moist depithing, in the sugar mill boilers. This will reduce the consumption of purchased fuels in the sugar mill boilers.

Plan a thickening system for pith generated at wet cleaning, and burn the thickened pith in the paper mill's power boilers. This will reduce the consumption of purchased fuels in the paper mill's power boilers.

Pulp Mill Pulping converts wood chips into fibres by the chemical reaction between lignin and the active chemicals in the cooking liquor. Extended Delignification Wood Pulping The advanced cooking process, with extended delignification based on displacement heating in batch digesters or continuous vertical digesters, has given good results. The benefits of such process sequences are multi-fold.
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Saves energy Energy recycling saves upto 75% of steam demand. The steam consumption can be brought down from 2.0 t/t of unbleached pulp to 0.65 t/t of unbleached pulp. Uniform and better pulp quality/properties, resulting in better machine runnability and efficiency Higher brightness levels can be achieved due to low kappa from digesters Considerable savings in bleaching chemicals, and less pollution

Non-Wood Fibres Continuous digesters may be planned for cooking non-wood fibres instead of using rotary spherical batch digesters. The following are the benefits realised by using continuous digesters.
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Uniformity in pulp quality Flexible production through controlled retention time Optimum heat economy Incorporation of cold blow system prevents damage to pulp fibres during blowing and eliminates the need for blow heat recovery system.

Washing Though washing is not a major consumer of energy, there still exists a scope for energy saving and environmental impact reduction. The suggested black liquor concentration leaving the washing section is 18% for wood pulp and 12% for agro residues. Some of the proven equipment in washing are
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Flat belt/wire washer Double wire press

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DD washer Twin roll press

The above are advanced types of washing equipment and have several advantages. Some of them are
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Less energy intensive when compared to conventional drum washing. Operate at higher pulp consistency levels; pulp enters at 3.0% consistency and leaves at 32% consistency. BOD and COD discharged with the pulp, is less. Hence, less bleach chemical is required and colour of the bleach plant effluent is significantly reduced. Increased black liquor solids concentration to evaporators and reduced steam demand in evaporators. The black liquor concentration at inlet to evaporators increases from 15% to 18%. Chemicals loss is only 10 kg/t of pulp when compared to 20 kg/t of pulp in conventional drum washing. These equipment operate with a dilution factor of 1.5 as against a dilution factor of 3.0 for conventional drum washers. Hence, water consumption is only 50% as compared to conventional drum washers. This increases the weak black liquor (WBL) concentration and results in substantial reduction in steam requirement in black liquor evaporation plant.

Hence, it is recommended that such energy efficient washing systems are installed, instead of conventional drum washers.

Types of Paper
Paper is often characterized by weight. The weight assigned to a paper is the weight of a ream (500 sheets) of varying "basic sizes", before the paper is cut into the size it is sold to end customers. Density of Paper:The density of paper ranges from 250 kg/m3 (16 lb/ft3) for tissue paper to 1500 kg/m3 (94 lb/ft3) for some speciality paper. Printing paper is about 800 kg/m3 (50 lb/ft3). Types of Paper
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Bank Paper Bond Paper Book Paper Construction Paper/ Sugar Paper Cotton Paper Electronic Paper Fish Paper (Vulcanized fibres for electrical insulation) Ink jet Paper Kraft Paper

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Laid Paper Leather Paper Mummy Paper Tyvek Paper Paper Towels Wall Paper Washi Wax Paper Wet and Dry Paper

Bank Paper Bank paper is a thin strong writing paper of less than 50g/m2 commonly used for typewriting and correspondence. Bond Paper Bond paper is a high quality durable writing paper similar to bank paper but having a weight greater than 50 g/m2.It is used for letterheads and other stationery and as paper for electronic printers. Widely employed for graphic work involving pencil, pen and felttip marker. It is largely made from rag pulp which produces a stronger paper than wood pulp. Book Paper A book paper (or publishing paper) is a paper which is designed specifically for the publication of printed books. Traditionally, book papers are off white or low white papers (easier to read), are opaque to minimize the show through of text from one side of the page to the other and are (usually) made to tighter caliper or thickness specifications, particularly for case bound books. Typically, books papers are light weight papers 60 90gsm and often specified by their caliper/substance ratios (volume basis).

Paper Properties and Uses

Used in a wide variety of forms, paper and paperboard are characterized by a wide range of properties. In the thousands of paper varieties available, some properties differ only slightly and others grossly. The identification and expression of these differences depend upon the application of standard test methods, generally specified by industry and engineering associations in the paper making countries of the world. Substance and Quantity Measurement Weight or substance per unit area, called basis weight, is a fundamental property of paper and paperboard products. From the first uses of paper in the printing trades, it

has been measured in reams, originally 480 sheets (20 quires) but now more commonly 500 sheets (long reams). The term ream weight commonly signifies the weight of a lot or batch of paper. Since the printing trades use a variety of sheet sizes, there can be numerous ream weights for paper having the same basis weight.

Papermaking
Chemical Pulping The purpose of a chemical pulping process is to break down the chemical structure of lignin and render it soluble in the cooking liquor, so that it may be washed from the cellulose fibres. Because lignin holds the plant cells together, chemical pulping frees the fibres and makes pulp. The pulp must be bleached to produce white paper for printing, painting and writing. Chemical pulps tend to cost more than mechanical pulps, largely due to the low yield, 40-50% of the original wood. Since the process preserves fibre length, however, chemical pulps tend to make stronger paper. Another advantage of chemical pulping is that the majority of the heat and electricity needed to run the process is produced by burning the lignin removed during pulping.Papers made from chemical wood-based pulps are also unhelpfully known as woodfree papers.

Mechanical Pulping There are two major mechanical pulps, thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and mechanical pulp. The latter is known in the USA as groundwood pulp. In the TMP process, wood is chipped and then fed into large steam-heated refiners where the chips are squeezed and fibreized between two steel discs. In the groundwood process, debarked logs are fed into grinders where they are pressed against rotating stones and fibreized. Mechanical pulping does not remove the lignin, so the yield is very high, >95%, but also causes paper made from this pulp to yellow and become brittle over time. Mechanical pulps have rather short fibre lengths and produce weak paper. Although large amounts of electrical energy are required to produce mechanical pulp, it costs less than chemical pulp. Recycled Paper Paper recycling processes can use either chemical or mechanical pulp. By mixing with water and applying mechanical action the hydrogen bonds in the paper can be broken and fibres separated again. Most recycled paper contains a proportion of virgin fibre in the interests of quality. Additives Besides the fibres, pulps may contain fillers such as chalk or china clay, which improve the characteristics of the paper for printing or writing. Additives for sizing purposes may

be mixed into the pulp and/or applied to the paper web later in the manufacturing process. The purpose of sizing is to establish the correct level of surface absorbency to suit the ink or paint. Drying After the paper web is produced, the water must be removed from it in order to create a usable product. This is accomplished through pressing and drying. The methods of doing so vary between the different processes used to make paper, but the concepts remain the same. Finishing The paper may then undergo sizing to alter its physical properties for use in various applications.Paper at this point is uncoated. Coated paper has a thin layer of material such as china clay applied to one or both sides in order to create a surface more suitable for high-resolution halftone screens. (Uncoated papers are rarely suitable for screens above 150 lpi.) Coated or uncoated papers may have their surfaces polished by calendering. Coated papers are divided into matt, semi-matt or silk, and gloss. Gloss papers give the highest optical density in the printed image. The paper is then fed onto reels if it is to be used on web printing presses, or cut into sheets for other printing processes or other purposes. The fibres in the paper basically run in the machine direction. Sheets are usually cut "long-grain", i.e. with the grain parallel to the longer dimension of the sheet.

Application of Paper
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To write or print on: the piece of paper becomes a document; this may be for keeping a record (or in the case of printing from a computer or copying from another paper: an additional record) and for communication.

Paper can be produced with a wide variety of properties, depending on its intended use.
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To represent a value: paper money, bank note, cheque, security (see Security paper), voucher and ticket For entertainment: book, magazine, newspaper, art, zine, For packaging: corrugated box, paper bag, envelope, wrapping tissue and wallpaper For cleaning: toilet paper, handkerchiefs, paper towels, facial tissue and cat litter For construction: papier-mch, origami, quilling, Paper honeycomb, used as a core material in composite materials, paper engineering, construction paper and clothing Other uses: emery paper, sandpaper, blotting paper, litmus paper, universal indicator paper, paper chromatography and Capacitor Dielectrics .

Formation Of Paper
Formed from wood pulp or plant fiber, paper is chiefly used for written communication. The earliest paper was papyrus, made from reeds by the ancient Egyptians. Paper was made by the Chinese in the second century, probably by a Chinese court official named Cai Lun. His paper was made from such things as tree bark and old fish netting. Recognized almost immediately as a valuable secret, it was 500 years before the Japanese acquired knowledge of the method. Papermaking was known in the Islamic world from the end of the eighth century A.D. Knowledge of papermaking eventually moved westward, and the first European paper mill was built at Jativa, in the province of Valencia, Spain, in about 1150. By the end of the 15th century, paper mills existed in Italy, France, Germany, and England, and by the end of the 16th century, paper was being made throughout Europe. Paper, whether produced in the modern factory or by the most careful, delicate hand methods, is made up of connected fibers. The fibers can come from a number of sources including cloth rags, cellulose fibers from plants, and, most notably, trees. The use of cloth in the process has always produced high-quality paper. Today, a large proportion of cotton and linen fibers in the mix create many excellent papers for special uses, from wedding invitation paper stock to special paper for pen and ink drawings. The method of making paper is essentially a simple onemix up vegetable fibers, and cook them in hot water until the fibers are soft but not dissolved. The hot water also contains a base chemical such as lye, which softens the fibers as they are cooking. Then, pass a screen-like material through the mixture, let the water drip off and/or evaporate, and then squeeze or blot out additional water. A layer of paper is left behind. Essential to the process are the fibers, which are never totally destroyed, and, when mixed and softened, form an interlaced pattern within the paper itself. Modern

papermaking methods, although significantly more complicated than the older ways, are developmental improvements rather than entirely new methods of making paper.

Raw Materials
Probably half of the fiber used for paper today comes from wood that has been purposely harvested. The remaining material comes from wood fiber from sawmills, recycled newspaper, some vegetable matter, and recycled cloth. Coniferous trees, such as spruce and fir, used to be preferred for papermaking because the cellulose fibers in the pulp of these species are longer, therefore making for stronger paper. These trees are called "softwood" by the paper industry. Deciduous trees (leafy trees such as poplar and elm) are called "hardwood." Because of increasing demand for paper, and improvements in pulp processing technology, almost any species of tree can now be harvested for paper. Some plants other than trees are suitable for paper-making. In areas without significant forests, bamboo has been used for paper pulp, as has straw and sugarcane.

Environmental Concerns
The number of trees and other vegetation cut down in order to make paper is enormous. Paper companies insist that they plant as many new trees as they cut down. Environmentalists contend that the new growth trees, so much younger and smaller than what was removed, cannot replace the value of older trees. Efforts to recycle used paper (especially newspapers) have been effective in at least partially mitigating the need for destruction of woodlands, and recycled paper is now an important ingredient in many types of paper production. The chemicals used in paper manufacture, including dyes, inks, bleach, and sizing, can also be harmful to the environment when they are released into water supplies and nearby land after use. The industry has, sometimes with government prompting, cleared up a large amount of pollution, and federal requirements now demand pollutionfree paper production. The cost of such clean-up efforts is passed on to the consumer.