Capital Argument$

A trademark of Paperitalo Publications

Published on the 15th of every month

September 2014

_______

The 5th Annual Light Green Machine Institute Conference

We have never used this space to talk about the Light Green Machine Institute Conference before, but we have never hosted a Light Green Machine Institute Conference like this one before. We are focusing on this one being very practical (with just a wee bit of the future thrown in).

I am very excited to share this information about the 5th Annual LGMI Conference to be held 26 - 28th of October at the Marcum Center on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Key details:

Learn--how to use your industrial database to find root causes for process events and upsets--a very practical and quick to apply set of techniques that can cut costs rapidly. (Markku Mustonen, Conmark Systems)

Learn--the impact of the Liquor Cycle on Pulp Manufacture. Hear case stories of actual mill experiences. This is a full half day workshop (Mike Ryan, Process Labs)

Learn--how mills are eliminating surge storage in stock prep through the application of modern control techniques. This has been an evolving process since about 1996 and has been proven to save real estate, operating costs, and to, overall, provide a much simpler system. (Ken Meine, APEC Engineering Consultants)

Learn--how mills are using new agitator designs to provide superior mixing and reduce operating costs (Marc Mosley, Philadelphia Mixing)

See--best maintenance practices as applied by Miami University in their own facilities. Miami is a client of IDCON and has implemented their system of maintenance practices. This will be a tour of Miami's facilities department with hands-on discussions. (Jeremy Davis, Director of Building Maintenance, Miami University)

The registration fee for the conference is only $295.00--but there is more. Half of this fee will be donated to the Miami University Pulp and Paper Foundation, a foundation that funds scholarships for pulp and paper majors at Miami. Additionally, attendees can receive a special collection of Jim Thompson's books, including "Raising EBITDA: The Lessons of Nip Impressions," "The Lazy Project Engineer's Path to Excellence," The Pulp and Paper Industry: A Perspective for Wall Street," and "The Osage Mill" -- a USD $100+ value.

Don't want to attend the whole conference? Any one module is $90.00. Any two modules are $160.00. Half of the fee will still go to the Foundation and you will get your choice of one of Jim's books.

To get more information click here and to register, please go to: http://conta.cc/1q6FRSV

________

Current Patent Activity is available here.

________

Capital Arguments Engineering Manager of the Year
Hall of Fame

Since its inception, Capital Arguments has believed extraordinary projects are possible. They can be done safely, responsibly and offer a great advantage to their mills with lower capital costs and saved downtime. We established this award in 2008 to recognize those people and companies that follow this philosophy. This award is given once per year somewhere in the world. We honor our inductees permanently here.

________

Ed Kersey--Engineering Manager of the Year 2011

Jim presents Ed with the Engineering Manager of the Year for 2011.

(L - R) Matt Nilsen, Jim Thompson, Ed Kersey and Wayne South. Nilsen is Account Manager and South is Business Development Manager for Kadant Black Clawson, underwriter of this year's award. Ed Managed the construction of the Pratt Industries mill in Shreveport, Louisiana which took 13 months from piling to paper on the reel. His reward? They made him mill manager!

Kadant Black Clawson was a major sponsor of the 2011 Award. Here, on the left, Peter Flynn, President of Kadant Black Clawson, receives the company's duplicate of Ed's Award from Steve Roush, Publisher and Editor, Paperitalo Publications.

________

Not Awarded 2010

You have to be really good to get this award. We did not receive any qualifying nominations in 2010.

________

Dean Abrams--Engineering Manager of the Year 2009

Now retired, Dean was an engineer at Corrugated Services, Forney, Texas, USA in the summer of 2009 when he completed his award winning project. Dean managed a team that installed a secondary headbox in 11 hours, 30 minutes, paper-to-paper. The experts had said it would take at least 3 days. In April 2010, we presented the award to Dean in the presence of a number of his colleagues.

Dean Abrams Award

Here is the award we presented to Dean:

Deans Plaque

________

Mike Ahcan--Engineering Manager of the Year 2008

Mike works at the UPM Blandin Mill in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA. In 2008, the mill's sole effluent pipe, running outside a building, almost in the Mississippi River, was determined to be in a state of imminent collapse. The experts said it would take a week of total mill downtime to replace it. Additionally, there was a danger of leakage into the river. Mike and his team went to work and replaced the pipe without any downtime and with no spillage. We had a banquet in Grand Rapids for him in July 2009.

OpTest Official Solid Background

And here is Mike's award:

OpTest Official Solid Background

We normally accept nominations in the November-December time frame. They can be sent to jthompson@taii.com with "EMOY Nomination" in the subject line.

________

Please write when we tickle your brain cells! Email jthompson@taii.com

________

Currently in 3rd printing. Almost 500 copies in the field since 2006!