Paper Technology International 2024 - Journal - Page 84
PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
It is also hoped that future-looking initiatives like this can
help to attract people to the pulp and paper industry. It is currently
facing a skills shortage that must be addressed if manufacturers
hope to operate from a position of strength in an increasingly
competitive, digitalized marketplace.
Attracting a new generation of digitally literate, eco-savvy
workers to an industry that is mistakenly perceived to be behind
the curve on sustainability and digitalization is just one of the
challenges operators face. There is a misconception that pulp
and paper operations are wasteful and polluting, when in fact the
industry continues to be proactive around recyclability and circularity,
developing sustainable solutions such as recyclable mono-material
昀椀lms and compostable packaging that provide a valid alternative
to fossil-based materials and can even directly replace single-use
plastics.
Digital technologies are transforming the pulp and paper
sector – but just as valuable is the expertise and experience gained
over a career spent serving customers and collaborating with
colleagues. We cannot allow this vast store of knowledge to exit the
industry when people retire. Instead, we must establish succession
plans to ensure that knowledge from senior specialists around best
practice is successfully captured and integrated with new skills and
perspectives from the younger generation.
Certain specialist technical skills only apply to speci昀椀c
industries, but ‘soft’ skills such as curiosity and creativity are
universal and can be transferred to great disruptive effect from
one industry sector to another, replacing entrenched thinking and
business as usual with new, innovative ways of working.
That is why, at ABB, our search for the best engineers
extends beyond the pulp and paper industry to encompass a host of
other industries. Aerospace (where I began my career before making
the move to pulp and paper) and electronics are two compelling
examples, where expertise in optics, electronics, signal analysis and
detection, for instance, can be used to solve issues in paper mills.
At ABB, we often recruit from non-engineering backgrounds;
in fact, some of our most experienced engineers have a background
in physics and chemistry and learned engineering at ABB.
ABB is also exploring how digitalization trends like machine
learning can help bridge the skills gap by enabling less-experienced
operators to operate equipment more effectively and ef昀椀ciently, while
also reducing the need for onsite technical support. We have global
operational centres that feature training hubs for skills development
support for ABB and customers alike, enabling more cross-industry
collaboration.
The pulp and paper industry must recognize and invest in
the talent it has, as well as attract and retain a new generation of
employees who see contributing to a more sustainable society as a
key driver. This, coupled with digital and automation technologies,
can help plug the skills gap and ensure the sector continues to
昀氀ourish in the future.
Leading to further optimize the industry
Pulp and paper is traditionally known as a conservative
industry, but the progress it has made in the last few years and
since the turn of the century have been remarkable. Around the
world it is known for the use of clean energy where available, putting
infrastructure and initiatives in place to leave the environment how
it was found, or in a better condition, and for supporting the move
away from more harmful materials. However, there’s still more work
to do and everybody I work with at ABB wants to leave a legacy of
positive change for future generations. We can do this, but we need
more talented people from diverse backgrounds and skill sets to
drive signi昀椀cant, long-lasting evolution.
Accelerating real progress towards the sustainability
of paper products is a fascinating technological and business
challenge, but however energy ef昀椀cient and cost effective we make
it, a great deal of power also lies with the consumer. For example,
they can make conscious choices in favor of 昀椀ber-based materials
instead of plastics. As an industry, we must communicate the
provenance of sustainably produced paper, using a universal and
reliable certi昀椀cation system, so that consumers can make informed
choices. If they were willing to switch, and perhaps pay a premium
for more environmentally sustainable paper products, it would
advance the business case for manufacturers to invest in loweremissions equipment and processes.
Pulp and paper has opportunities throughout the value
chain, starting from forestry all the way down to recycling and waste.
ABB’s work with customers today focuses on optimizing processes
and energy use – a 昀椀rst step in reducing emissions and preparing
to electrify – while our future-focused R&D projects include the
longer-term goal of totally reinventing pulp and papermaking to all
but drastically reduce water from the process.
As we’ve said, improvements in industry metrics often go
hand in hand. Implementing QCS in a pulp and paper plant has the
potential to reduce annual production losses and have a positive
knock-on effect on yearly emissions. Radically reducing the water
content in paper manufacturing will have a similarly transformative
effect on the energy currently required to dry pulp during its
metamorphosis into paper, tissue and packaging.
The ongoing energy transition and the need to decarbonize
operations will continue to drive businesses long into this century.
ABB, as a long-term partner in automation, electri昀椀cation and
digitalization, is ideally placed to support customers with expertise
and technologies to reach their safety,
emissions and production milestones.
One of the most important approaches
is to maintain a pioneering spirit, to push
the boundaries of what is possible from a
technological perspective. We have quality in
everything we do at ABB, backed by decades
of expertise and technology development. Our
people will continue to enable us to compete
within our markets through their efforts and
results every day.
Figure 5: ABB will continue to explore how
digital technologies can support the retention
of pulp and paper industry knowledge and
attract new talent. Image ABB.
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