Consumption of chemicals at pulp & paper mills

The Mill Asset Database shows estimates of the use of additives like filler, starch and coating, measured by weight.

In the Analytical Cornerstone cost benchmarking database, Fastmarkets RISI shows certain pulping and bleaching chemical consumption estimates in greater detail:

Chemical cost estimates have been made for the various process areas involved in the manufacture of each product. Fillers, starch and coating are measured by weight. For other chemicals used in papermaking, pulping and bleaching operations, the unit cost item simulates the cost of typical chemical package used. It is more of a generic measure than list of actual chemicals consumptions, as chemical packages may significantly vary between mills, machines and products. We have generalized these assumptions to arrive at a representative cost for each of the operations in Cornerstone. While the specifics of each chemical usage may change from mill to mill as well as from grade to grade, the cost estimate does not change appreciably.

The CHEMICALS category shows papermaking and water treatment chemicals. The Other Chemicals category* includes defoamers, freshwater treatment and effluent treatment, washing and other miscellaneous chemicals used throughout the mill. 

*Other Chemicals for pulp or recycling lines are included in FURNISH chemicals cost items.

FURNISH chemicals are used for the production of pulp or recycling of recovered paper and includes pulping and bleaching chemicals, as well as their related effluent treatment chemicals. We do take into account the brightness, for example of the recycled pulp, in the quantity of bleaching agent required.

In cost calculations, Fastmarkets shows other chemicals as "packages" of, for example, pulping chemicals, bleaching chemicals, papermaking chemicals and other chemicals.

The most detailed report of chemicals consumption can be found in the Custom Markets / Consumption report. Estimates are in ton(ne)s per ton(ne) produced and can be exported to Excel.

Glossary of chemicals:

Fillers

Filler usage is analysed by weight separately for each machine and product. Unless more specific information is available, the estimated industry average filler usage of the region and product is assumed. Filler usage estimates take into account key factors like product specifications and machine capabilities.

In most cases, fillers are priced separately for those used in acid systems, and those used in alkaline systems. Acid fillers include clay and talc fillers, while alkaline fillers include carbonate fillers (GCC and PCC). Neutral systems can utilize both filler types.

Starch

Starch usage for internal and surface sizing is analysed by weight separately for each machine and product. Unless more specific information is available, the estimated industry average starch usage of the region and product is assumed. Starch usage estimates take into account key factors like product specifications and machine capabilities.

Coating

Coating usage is analysed by weight separately for each machine and product. Unless more specific information is available, the estimated industry average coating usage of the region and product is assumed. Coating usage estimates take into account key factors like product specifications and machine capabilities. 

An important point to note about coating is that there is no universal coating formulation. Most mills, even those within a multimill organization, have developed their own unique formulations over time, which are guarded as proprietary manufacturing information. In our work, we make some general assumptions in order to compare various manufacturers of coated products. Most mills use a basis beginning composition of clay and calcium carbonate with a small amount of titanium dioxide, although some may use different grades or different ratios of each. Starch and/or latex binders are added to hold the coating together. The above mixture is then fine-tuned by adding various enhancements to the final coating mixture, such as optical brighteners, dyes, insolubilizers, defoamers, etc.

We have generalized these assumptions to arrive at a representative coating for each of the coated products in Cornerstone. While the specifics of each coating may change from mill to mill as well as from grade to grade, the cost estimate does not change appreciably.

Papermaking Chemicals

Papermaking chemical unit cost items simulate the cost of typical chemical package used. They are more of a generic measure than list of actual chemicals consumptions, as chemical packages may significantly vary between mills, machines and products. We have generalized these assumptions to arrive at a representative cost for each of the operations in Cornerstone. While the specifics of each chemical usage may change from mill to mill as well as from grade to grade, the cost estimate does not change appreciably.

Four types of papermaking chemicals may be analysed in cash manufacturing cost analysis. 

Papermaking Chemicals cost covers the chemicals used for standard paper/board machine operations, for example retention chemicals, including option to choose between acid and alkaline system cost. 

Other Papermaking Chemicals measure the cost of chemicals used to achieve premium product quality properties, which are typical for fine papers, for example optical brighteners.

Specialty Chemicals may be added in cases where product has some specific feature achieved with chemicals (opacity, color, purity, resistance, surface, etc.).  

Other Chemicals estimate the cost of chemicals supporting the paper/board machine operations, for example freshwater treatment, effluent treatment and other miscellaneous chemicals used throughout the mill.

Furnish Chemicals (Pulping & Bleaching)

Furnish chemical unit cost items simulate the cost of typical chemical package used. They are more of a generic measure than list of actual chemicals consumptions, as chemical packages may significantly vary between mills, machines and products. We have generalized these assumptions to arrive at a representative cost for each of the operations in Cornerstone. While the specifics of each chemical usage may change from mill to mill as well as from grade to grade, the cost estimate does not change appreciably.

Furnish chemical costs have been developed on per pulp ton basis and then proportioned based on the product and fiber furnish. For example, if the paper machine’s fiber furnish includes 15% integrated BSKP, 15% of the cost of the chemicals to produce a ton of BSKP would be included in the BSKP Pulping Chemicals and Bleaching Chemicals cost used to produce a ton of that paper product on that paper machine.

Furnish chemicals mean the chemicals needed to prepare the fiber furnish from wood or recovered paper into pulp (chemical, mechanical or recycled). For the most part this means pulping and bleaching chemicals, but includes also the applicable chemicals needed in the support these processes, for example freshwater treatment, effluent treatment and other miscellaneous chemicals used throughout the mill. It is a “clean” number, which includes no labor or energy, like chlorine dioxide generator, chlorate or similar plant on site.