WHERE
ARE USED
VALVES
THE PULP &
PAPER INDUSTRY
Perhaps no manufactured product plays a more significant role in
everyday human activity than paper
and paper products. Paper provides
the means for recording, storing and
disseminating most of today’s infor-
mation. Even though people have
extolled the coming of the paperless
society, it has not yet arrived.
Humans still print e-mails and other
correspondence and information they
get from the paperless communica-
tion channels of the computer and the
Internet. And beyond that, paper is
the most widely used wrapping and
packaging material as well as a criti-
cal component today in everyday life.
From drywall to napkins to office sup-
plies, paper is used for many purpos-
es, and that situation won’t change
for a long, long time.
The pulp & paper industry has seen tough times,
but the business will still be around for many
decades; the product is too much in demand.
Those involved in valves for this industry need to
understand how the processes work.
BY HARLAN DUNK
PROFITABILITY
Some time back, on a tour of the pulp
and paper mills in Finland with a
number of North American pulp and
paper people, one customer expressed
amazement at the investment in new
machinery and processes the Finnish
companies had recently completed.
This customer referred many times to
the return on investment in North
American pulp and paper mills, which
he said was less than 3%. Why would
anyone spend money for a 3% return,
