International Paper has selected Rockwell Automation to implement a comprehensive power demand management system at its Riegelwood, N.C., paper mill. The Rockwell Automation Power and Energy Management Solution (PEMS) is designed to help eliminate plant-crippling power blackouts caused by fluctuations in power supply levels.

Georgia-Pacific has ordered dryer heads from the Lawton Co. for the No. 4 paper machine at its Thorold, Ont., mill. Lawton will design, cast, machine, and ASME code the 48-in.-dia. heads for 160 psi operating pressure.

Weyerhauser Canada has selected GL&V Inc. to supply a two-stage oxygen delignification system as part of the optimization project for its Grand Prairie, Alta., mill. Major equipment supplied with the oxygen delignification system includes a screenroom upgrade, two filter washers, and an Impco Vari-Nip twin roll press washer.

Georgia-Pacific has acquired a Super TurnKnife-Next Generation System from Iggesund Tools for its chip mill in Palatka, Fla. This system improves chip quality by producing more accepts while reducing pins, fines, and oversized chip fractions.

Willamette Industries has started up the latest Valmet press concept at its mill in Johnsonburg, Pa., as part of a major rebuild of the No. 5 paper machine. The new OptiPress features a single SymBelt shoe nip press with two felts and no open draw before the sixth dryer section.

North Pacific Paper Corp. has ordered ABB Smart Advisor systems from ABB Automation for machines No. 1, 2, and 3 at its Longview, Wash., mill.

Menasha has ordered an ABB Nexus quality control system upgrade from ABB Automation for the No. 1 machine at its Ostego, Mich., mill. The order includes a Smart Platform upgrade with Smart Basis Weight sensors and an Advant 450 open control system (OCS) with two operator stations and four x-client workplaces. Menasha also ordered an ABB SteamPlus profiler for the No. 1 corrugated medium machine. It is the mill's second profiler.

U.S. Paper Mills has ordered dryer heads from the Lawton Co. for the No. 1 paper machine at its Menasha, Wis., mill. Lawton will design, cast, machine, and ASME code the 42-in.-dia. heads for 75 psi operating pressure.

Franklin Boxboard , Newark Group, in Franklin, Ohio, has acquired a Vincent Model CP-10 screw press for use in its OCC recycle mill. The press is used in the wastewater treatment system.

Halifax Paperboard has contracted with the Lawton Co. for the design and manufacture of new pulleys to upgrade the speed potential of the No. 1 paper machine at its Roanoke Rapids, N.C., mill.

Willamette Industries has ordered an Andritz-Ahlstrom fiberline for its Kingsport, Tenn., mill. The fiberline will include a single-vessel hydraulic Lo-Solids cooking digester with a Lo-Level chip feed system, brownstock washing, knotting/screening, oxygen delignification, and a three-stage ECF bleach plant.

North Pacific Paper Corp. has ordered an ABB ULMA NTi web inspection system from ABB Automation for its No. 3 machine in the Longview, Wash., mill. The machine runs at 4,900 fpm.

Franklin Boxboard has ordered dryer heads from the Lawton Co. for the paper machine at its Franklin, Ohio, mill. Lawton will design, cast, machine, and ASME code the 36-in.-dia. heads for 150 psi operating pressure.

Willamette Industries has ordered an ABB Nexus quality control system with a Smart Weight profiler from ABB Automation for its corrugated medium machine in its Hawesville, Ky., mill. The system will replace the ABB 1180 system on the machine. Willamette also ordered an ABB SteamPlus profiler for its corrugated medium machine.

Green Bay Packaging has ordered conical fills from the Lawton Co. for the Pilao RTC-2000 refiner at its Green Bay, Wis., mill.

Packaging Corp. of America has ordered a Pilao RTC-4000 TriConic refiner from the Lawton Co. for its Tomahawk, Wis., mill.

Corrugated Services Inc. has ordered four gas heated paper dryers from ABB Automation for the No. 2 linerboard machine in its Forney, Tex., mill.

The Aracruz Celulose eucalyptus pulp mill in Espirito Santo, Brazil, has selected The Foxboro Co. to provide field instrumentation, I/A Series control systems, and associated services for its $620-million, 780,000-tpy capacity expansion project. Foxboro will also implement the company's advanced process control solutions for continuous pulping, washing, oxygen delignification, bleach plant, evaporators, and causticizing.

Buckman Laboratories has acquired Eclipse Chemical Co. Inc., a full service water treatment company with headquarters in Montreal, Que. The agreement includes Buckman's acquisition of the Eclipse product line, as well as its staff in sales, technical service, and administrative support.

Paperloop.com has finalized the acquisition of Resource Information Systems Inc. (RISI), a source for economic forecasts and analysis of the international paper and forest products industry. The combination of Paperloop and RISI is designed to provide participants in the international forest products industry with "one-stop shopping" for all of their information and transactional needs.

Fisher-Rosemount , the process automation division of St. Louis-based Emerson, has acquired MDC Technology, a supplier of software and services for real-time process optimization, equipment performance monitoring, advanced control, and process information management. The acquisition is designed to strengthen Fisher-Rosemount's strategy to provide comprehensive solutions that include complete asset utilization, including performance monitoring and optimization.

Andritz AG , developer and producer of high-tech production systems for pulp and tissue paper, has acquired Universal Milling Technology (UMT), the feed technology division of UK-based Tate & Lyle PLC. UMT specializes in systems for the industrial production of animal feed and bio-fuel pellets.

The Newark Group Inc. , of Cranford, N.J., has acquired the remaining shares of Perma Tubes & Cores Ltd. of Richmond, B.C., from Perma Tubes Ltd., Mississauga, Ont., a subsidiary of Mustad Converting AB of Sweden. The Newark Group previously owned 51% of the equity in Perma Tubes & Cores Ltd. The business will continue to operate as a member of the western region of the Newark Paperboard Products (NPP) Div. In addition, The Newark Group announces an agreement with Perma Tubes Ltd. to purchase substantially all of its remaining assets.

Siemens Automation and Drives has signed a cooperation agreement with IPCOS Technology to integrate IPCOS' INCA model predictive control (MPC) software with Siemens' Industrial Framework and its Simatic PCS 7 process control system.

DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise and Hercules' Pulp and Paper Div. have announced a distribution agreement to sell potassium monopersulfate to the global pulp and paper industry for use in recovering and repulping paper containing wet strength resins.

Indus International , provider of enterprise asset management (EAM) software solutions, and webMethods, provider of business-to-business integration (b2bi) solutions, have announced a partnership to deliver a b2b-enabled EAM solution that allows Indus customers to engage in e-procurement with suppliers in b2b marketplaces.

The Institute of Paper Science and Technology and the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing the two institutions to investigate new ways to work together for the mutual benefit of the institutions and their respective constituents.

PSDI , now doing business as MRO Software, and i2 Technologies Inc. have announced that they will team up to offer solutions for the direct and strategic MRO materials supply chain. The two companies have signed an agreement to resell each other's offerings and integrate their technologies in an effort to create a solution for the strategic MRO market.

ProcureZone.com LLC , an application service provider and internet hub focused on the procurement of engineered equipment and materials, and Process Industry Practices, a consortium of 34 process industry plant owners and engineering construction contractors, have announced a formal joint development and license agreement that is de-signed to add hundreds of standard specifications to the ProcureZone internet hub.

Birmingham, Ala. based Motion Industries distributor of bearings, mechanical power transmission, electrical power transmission, and fluid power transmission replacement parts and hose products has opened a new branch in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Metso Paper has established a new paper lab in its Charlotte, N.C., facility. The new facility is designed to help customers test and analyze their paper.

The Universal Group of Companies Inc. has announced the opening of a new distribution center in Indianapolis, Ind. The facility is designed to provide the Indianapolis region with responsiveness, availability, and fastener expertise.

BASF has announced that its new paper colorants manufacturing plant at its Altamira site in Mexico has started production. From the new plant, BASF's Dispersions and Paper Chemicals group will produce paper colorants for the North American and global markets.

Diamond Power Specialty Co. , a supplier of advanced boiler cleaning technology, has completed construction of its sootblower manufacturing bay. The bay, which expands the existing sootblower assembly facility by nearly 30,000 ft², includes a state-of-the-art welding and painting facility and a new shipping dock.

The shareholders of A. Ahlstrom Corp. have agreed to split the corporation into three companies. The new industrial company, Ahlstrom Corp., will concentrate on fiber-based materials, while also retaining a strategic position within flexible packaging. The private investment company, Ahlström Capital, will receive the shares of associate companies Andritz-Ahlstrom and Å&R Carton, Ahlstrom Electronics Group, and part of the forest properties. The family heritage assets will be placed in a new family company, A. Ahlström Osakeyhtiö.

Oscar J. Boldt Construction Co. has announced creation of the company's consulting services division designed to assist customers in developing and implementing plans for new facilities or facilities improvements. The new Boldt Consulting Services Div., consisting of a consulting group and a technical group, will operate separately from the Oscar J. Boldt Construction Div. However, both divisions will operate under a newly formed operating company, The Boldt Co.

Kellogg Brown & Root has moved its worldwide headquarters for forest products to Mobile, Ala. This move will allow all of KBR's forest products talent to reside in one office, providing convenient access for many of its clients.

Wonderware Corp. and Siemens Moore Process Automation Inc., a provider of process innovative solutions, have extended their software licensing agreement through Jan. 15, 2007. Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens Moore will continue using components of Wonderware's FactorySuite software for their APACS+ ProcessSuite process automation software package and the Process Supervisor batch manager.

American Electric Power and Environmental Elements Corp. have executed an agreement designed to provide additional support for the commercialization of EEC's ammonia on demand (AOD) technology in the power generation market.

A coalition of networking associations and leading manufacturers have announced an agreement with the Industrial Automation Open Networking Alliance (IAONA) to co-promote the EtherNet/IP networking protocol. The agreement was outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by representatives from IAONA, the Open DeviceNet Vendor Association (ODVA), and the Interface for Distributed Automation (IDA) Group. These organizations are working to advance EtherNet/IP, IDA, and other Ethernet TCP/IP-based communication technology for industrial automation.

LabSystems has changed its name to Thermo LabSystems as part of a new corporate identity strategy initiated by its parent company, Thermo Electron Corp. The program is designed to establish a strong affiliation between Thermo Electron and its globally recognized brands and to promote Thermo Electron as a single, unified company.

Air Products Polymers L.P. has raised prices of its vinyl acetate-based emulsions sold to all markets in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by five cents/wet lb. This increase is being driven by increases in the cost of raw materials and energy used in manufacturing these products.

Solvay Interox Inc. has increased off-list prices for all grades of hydrogen peroxide, except electronic grades, for the entire NAFTA region as contracts permit. Prices will increase U.S. four cents/lb and C$130/mton for 100% basis hydrogen peroxide.

The owners of Val-Fab Inc., a Neenah, Wis.-based custom fabrication firm, have announced the formation of Fiber Recycling Technologies Inc. (FRT). FRT has several equipment and process patents that focus on increased pulping loop performance, low energy defibering, landfilled paper recovery, and alternate fuels preparation.

MoRe PulpTech , an independent research company focusing on pulp development and chemical and physical analyses, has been established in Önsköldsvik, Sweden.

Fluke Corp. , provider of electronic test tools and precision measurement calibration, has received accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025-1999 and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for its precision measurement service facility and calibration laboratory in San Diego, Calif.

Pactiv Corp.'s Norcross, Ga., design laboratory was recently awarded the International Safe Transit Association's (ISTA) Laboratory Certification. The 6,000-ft2 facility has now been certified to perform ISTA's testing procedures. The Atlanta-area laboratory has successfully met ISTA's criteria for administering a series of vibration (fixed displacement) and drop tests (including free fall, incline impact).