How to Make Paper
Thousands of years ago, people learned they could combine fibre and water into a slurry to create paper. While the basic concept has remained the same throughout the ages, today we do it on a much larger scale and at a much more advanced level of technology.
TURNING PULP INTO PAPER
Making paper entails mixing different pulp grades to produce product with specific end-use characteristics. We blend varying combinations of mechanical and kraft pulps along with fillers and pigments to make our papers.
Mechanical pulp is used to produce our lightweight newsprint and directory products, while kraft pulp is used in limited amounts to add strength to our specialty papers. For brighter, whiter paper, we use higher brightness bleached pulp, using an elemental chlorine-free process.
THE PAPER MAKING PROCESS
Mechanical papers are manufactured with bright, raw wood chips which are mechanically ground up into pulp using refiners often powered by motors the size of locomotive engines.
That pulp is diluted and small woody contamination is removed with banks of cleaners.
After the pulp slurry is brightened with peroxide and other chemicals, the 99 parts water / one part wood fibre slurry is sprayed on a fast moving screen to form the paper and begin the water removal process.
After the formation of the paper, it is pressed through the press section of the paper machine and then dried through the dryer section using large steam heated rolls.
The now-dry paper is ironed between either polished steel rolls or specially designed soft rolls. This gives the paper a smooth finish and a precise and uniform thickness that reflects customers’ specifications.
The final stage involves building a “jumbo roll” of paper and then converting that into individual rolls of varying width and diameter customized for each customer.
LOGISTIC SOLUTIONS
Through our distinct approach to operational excellence, we deliver high-quality and cost effective products to domestic and international customers. A dedicated team utilizes a complete range of logistic solutions, modes of transportation, warehouse facilities and management data tools to deliver products to a diverse range of Catalyst customers, professionally and efficiently.
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A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH FROM START TO FINISH
The main ingredient in all Catalyst paper products is renewable wood fibre that has been converted into pulp. We use responsibly sourced fibre in the form of wood chips, which are byproducts of lumber manufacturing, and pulp logs, which are poor quality logs that are unsuitable for lumber manufacturing. We purchase fibre from suppliers in British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest. Each of our paper mills is certified to FSC®, PEFC™ and SFI® Chain of Custody standards1
1 FSC=Forest Stewardship Council | PEFC=Programme for the Enforcement of Forest Certificationl | SFI=Sustainable Forestry Initiative