paper mill requirements

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Paper Mill Process:

The raw materials for Paper Mill Process undergo two processes before the paper is available: The pulp is made from the raw materials. This pulp is converted to paper in paper making machines. The drives required for making pulp are different from those required for Paper Mill Process.

The conversion of raw materials to pulp is accomplished either completely by mechanical process or by a combination of chemical and mechanical pro­cesses.

When the pulp is made by purely mechanical means, the logs of wood cut to 1 m length are ground in big grinding machines. The grinders operate at a constant speed, the speed of operation being in the range of 200-300 rpm. No speed control is required. No load starting of the grinders is possible. The power ratings of the motor required are relatively large. The grinders require a very large power and low speed. For such operation, synchronous motors are useful. Geared drives may be used for reduction in speed. A cycloconverter fed synchronous motor can be operated at low speeds and the gears can be completely dispensed with. The problems of starting can also be avoided. A converter fed synchronous motor is also suitable. The motors can drive the load from a separate chamber and are protected from the humid atmosphere.

In the second process, which combines mechanical and chemical processes, the logs of wood are first chopped into smaller pieces. These are treated with suitable chemicals, simultaneously beating the pieces to pulp by means of heaters. The beaters require starting on load and against a large inertia, due to a large disc on which the knives are mounted. The load characteristics of the beaters are also random. The speed of operation is less than 200 rpm.

The rating of the motor ranges to thousands of watts. For driving beaters, slip ring induction motors are suitable. The desired starting torque of the motor can be achieved by a proper rotor resistance. For processes, such as chipping and refining, synchronous motors are employed as they are available in large power ratings. An s.f.c. fed synchronous motor may be employed for beaters.

The conversion of pulp is effected in several stages or sections. In these sections the water is removed froMthe pulp and it is pressed to sheets of Paper Mill Process which are finally wound up on a mandrel. These sections are wire (couch) section, pressing section, dryer, calender and reel section.

The Paper Mill Process making machine should satisfy the following requirements.

• The speed of the paper machine must be constant in view of economy while forming the sheets of paper.
• A speed control range of 10:1 is required so that it is suitable for per­forming several jobs.
• The speeds of individual sections should be varied independently to allow an elongation of 5% of the web on the wet end of the paper. The quality of the paper is decided by this elongation. To allow free hanging of the web between sections, at the dry end of the paper a definite amount of tension is required and it must be regulated. The successive sections must be run at speeds with a definite difference. This relative speed between the sections also affects the pull on the paper. It must be regulated so that there is no tearing of the paper.
• The arrangement should be capable of taking up sag.
• Even with correct speeds in the last two sections, uneven drying of the paper may cause variations in tension, which must be taken care of by suitable tension control.
• The motor must be capable of inching in order that the wire be cleaned up.
• Every section must be able to run at crawling speeds.
• The starting and acceleration of the sections must be smooth as well as quick. The starting system should be such that peaks of starting current may be avoided, besides obtaining sufficiently high accelerating torques for fast acceleration.

The Paper Mill Process making may employ either group drive or individual drive for several sections. In the group drive a line shaft is driven by the motor with different gear arrangements or belts as power transmitting equipment to drive different stages of paper making.

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OSHA Training Requirements - Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Mills

This website is not the official or final authority to determine OSHA compliance responsibilities, which are set forth in OSHA standards themselves, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Because OSHA regulations are constantly being added, deleted, and/or revised, you must not rely on this website as the official or final authority of OSHA training requirements; refer to the official OSHA regulations available on OSHA’s website (osha.gov).  –   See disclaimers .

1910.261 – Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills

(c)(8)(iv) – Standard signals for the operation of cranes shall be established for all movements of the crane, in accordance with American National Standards B30.2 – 1943 (reaffirmed 1968) and B30.2.0 – 1967.

(h)(2)(iii) – For emergency and rescue operations, the employer must provide employees with self-contained breathing apparatuses or supplied-air respirators, and ensure that employees use these respirators, in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134.

(h)(3)(ii) – Gas masks capable of absorbing chlorine shall be supplied, conveniently placed, and regularly inspected, and workers who may be exposed to chlorine gas shall be instructed in their use.

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Water requirements of the pulp and paper industry

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Water, of varied qualities, is used for several purposes in the manufacture of pulp and paper, as a vehicle for transporting the constituents of paper in the paper machines; as process water for cooking wood chips to make pulp; as a medium for heat transfer; and for washing the pulpwood, the woodpulp, and the machines that handle the pulp.

About 3,200 million gallons of water was withdrawn from surface- and ground-water sources each day during 1950 for the use of the pulp and paper industry. This is about 4 percent of the total estimated industrial withdrawal of water in the Nation

The paper industry in the United States has been growing at a rapid rate. It has increased about tenfold in the last 50 years and has doubled every 15 years. The 1950 production of paper was about 24 million tons, which amounts to about 85 percent of the domestic consumption. In 1950, the pulp mills of the country produced more than 14 million tons of woodpulp, which supplied about 85 percent of the demand by the paper mills and other industries. The remainder of the fiber for paper manufacture was obtained from imported woodpulp, from reclaimed wastepaper, and from other fibers including rags and straw. The nationwide paper consumption for 1955 has been estimated at 31,700,000 tons.

Woodpulp is classified according to the process by which it is made. Every woodpulp has characteristics that are carried over into the many and diverse grades of paper. Groundwood pulp is manufactured by simply grinding up wood and refining the resulting product. Soda, sulfite, and sulfate pulps are manufactured by chemically breaking down the lignin that cements the cellulose of the wood together and removing, cleaning, and sometimes bleaching the resulting fibers. Some woodpulp is produced by other methods. Sulfate-pulp mills are increasing in number and in rated daily capacity and are manufacturing more than half of the present domestic production of woodpulp. Most of the newer and larger woodpulp mills are manufacturing sulfate pulp; because of the antipollution laws, many sulfite-pulp mills are being converted to sulfate-pulp mills. The waste from the manufacture of a ton of sulfate pulp is much more readily disposed of than that from a ton of sulfite pulp. Pulp mills are located near the source of raw material, which means that they are located in the eastern half of the United States and in the Pacific Northwest. It is advantageous for paper mills to be located close to a market and therefore a large number of paper mills are in the northeastern section of the United States from Minnesota to Maine. However, much of the coarser paper, which will ship well, is produced close to the pulp mills.

The entire process of making paper from pulpwood, with special reference to water use is briefly described to provide an understanding of how the water is used and reused.

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Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills

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Hazards and Solutions

• Additional Resources
• Workers' Rights

The following references aid in recognizing hazards in the workplace and provide examples of possible solutions.

• Fire Hazard From Carbon Adsorption Deodorizing Systems . OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (July 30, 1997). Describes the hazards involved and provides recommendations for reducing these hazards.
• Health Hazard Evaluations: Noise and Hearing Loss 1986-1997 . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-106, (1999). Investigates the effectiveness of a rotary knife blade enclosure in reducing worker exposure to noise at a paper mill facility [see Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA) 86-437-1818 ].
• For additional information, see OSHA's Occupational Noise Exposure Safety and Health Topics Page .

Machine Guarding

• Control of Scrap Paper Baler Crushing Hazards . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-113, (1997). Presents hazards, controls and standards associated with paper balers.
• Machine Operator Crushed in Paper-Pulp Storage Tank . National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) New Jersey Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report 99NJ062.
• Utilities Worker Dies After Being Pinned in a Pulpwood Belt Conveyor at a Paper Company . National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Wisconsin Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report 97WI097.
• Shift Supervisor Dies From Injuries Received After His Arms Were Caught Between Two Paper Machine Rollers--Tennessee . National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report 9513.
• Paper Mill Maintenance Employee Dies After Being Pinned By The Arm Of A Control Mechanism In A Roll Wrap Machine . National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Minnesota Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report 03MN039, (September 23, 2004).
• For additional information, see OSHA's Machine Guarding Safety and Health Topics Page .

Lockout/Tagout

• Journeyman Electrician Electrocuted when Lockout Attempt Fails . National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report 89-18.
• For additional information, see OSHA's Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) Safety and Health Topics Page .

Pressure Vessels

• Pressure Vessels . OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.

Paper Mill Paper Maker Job Description

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A job description of a textile dyer and finisher, deburrer job description.

• CNC Machinist Qualifications
• How Much Does a Backhoe Operator Make?

Paper products are everywhere, from personal care items such as bathroom and facial tissue to paper plates and corrugated boxes. Pulp and paper mills manufacture these paper goods in a multiple step process that begins with a product recipe and ends with final product formation and packaging. Paper mills use an array of equipment to make this happen. Operators and support workers run the equipment to create a final product. A paper maker job description ranges from machine set up and operation to quality control testing and general housekeeping.

Paper making involves mixing chemicals together with water and pulp fibers, according to a specific recipe, and processing the mixture through to dewatering, drying and finishing. As an employee working in a paper making process, your typical duties include setting up machines, monitoring machine operations, conducting quality control checks and handing raw materials and intermediate stock. Duties also include assisting in finishing operations that convert, cut and package intermediate stock into a final form. You are also responsible for observing all safety and health rules while performing your duties.

Education and Experience

Education beyond a high school diploma is typically not required for paper mill operators and helpers. However, employees who work in management, engineering and technical positions do need a college degree. If you are interested in working in an entry level mill position involved in the paper making process, you will need some manufacturing work experience for successful assimilation. Some of the large, high speed equipment and machines used in a paper mill can be intimidating if you are not familiar with this type of environment.

Skills and Knowledge

In a paper making job, such as an operator or assistant operator, you need an understanding of production processes. This includes handling and mixing raw materials on a large scale, watching and reading instrumentation gauges and dials and keeping up with production schedules. You must also know how to monitor process operations to determine if adjustments or corrections are needed. Paper making mill jobs can be very physical. You must be able to use your hands and arms to move and maneuver material and equipment using manual or motorized devices.

Wages and Job Outlook

The average annual salary is $36,490 for jobs in the paper making industry. The job growth rate for this type of work is currently in a declining mode. However, 9,000 projected job openings are expected through 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some states have higher employments levels than others for certain paper making job positions, including Wisconsin, Georgia, and South Carolina. Georgia also has a higher median wage for these positions.

• BLS Occupation Employment Statistics: aper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• O*Net Online: Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Deb Dupree has been an active writer throughout her career in the corporate world and in public service since 1982. She has written numerous corporate and educational documents including project reports, procedures and employee training programs. She has a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

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Pulp & Paper Manufacturing

Despite the recent growth of electronic communications, paper continues to play a vital role in communicating concepts, ideas, and opportunities, not to mention the prominent use of paper to archive of much of human knowledge. Tissue, toweling and non-woven products are critical to personal hygiene, medical care and many other aspects of modern life. Fiber-based packaging materials, which are often preferred for their low cost and recyclability, prevent damage and spoilage of contents, and facilitate the transport and handling of products. Chemicals and advanced materials derived from wood pulping have myriad applications in consumer electronics, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and many other industries. It is little wonder that use of pulp and paper products correlates closely with the level of economic development.

For economic and environmental reasons, regions with abundant and productive forests, such as North America, are associated with the manufacture of pulp, paper and other forest products. Due to the close association of the pulp and paper manufacturing sector with productive forests, there are more than 450 pulp and paper mills operating in North America. In the US, the forest products industry represents more than four percent of manufacturing GDP and employs nearly 400,000 workers in high-paying jobs. Canada’s forest sector (broader than just Pulp and Paper) represents 2% of their GDP, 12% of Canada’s manufacturing GDP, and employs 75,000 workers.

Advances in science and technology have enabled significant reductions in the environmental impact of the pulp and paper manufacturing process. At the same time, the industry manages the collection, recycling and reuse of a vast — and still increasing — amount of used paper products such as newspapers, magazines, corrugated boxes, and office papers. By all measures, the environmental footprint of the paper industry has been greatly reduced and continues to decline. Nevertheless, pulp and paper mills still release emissions to the atmosphere, discharge effluents to waterways, and send residual materials to landfills, albeit in significantly lower quantities than even a decade ago. The industry is highly regulated and operates within a myriad of federal, state/provincial, and local environmental regulations and permit requirements. Moreover, the industry’s customers expect that pulp and paper manufacturing will be done in a sustainable, socially responsible manner. These incentives reinforce the commitment of the modern pulp and paper industry to responsible environmental performance and commitment to sustainable operations.

Environmental performance, compliance with regulations, and demonstration of sustainability are at least as complicated as any other aspect of pulp and paper manufacturing. Recognizing this inherent technical complexity, the North American pulp and paper industry voluntarily maintains the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement as a technical resource for the industry and for society at large, whose mission is to analyze, understand and communicate the technical issues associated with pulp and paper manufacturing operations. NCASI is uniquely prepared to research and understand the technical issues associated with environmental performance of the pulp and paper manufacturing industry and to share the results of those studies with sponsoring companies, regulatory agencies, trade associations, environmental organizations, community groups, and other stakeholders.

The scope of NCASI’s activities in pursuit of this mission is far-ranging, and there is virtually no aspect of environmental performance by this industry sector that escapes NCASI’s attention. Among other activities, NCASI:

• Examines, validates, and occasionally develops sampling and analytical methods to accurately characterize emissions and discharges from manufacturing operations and related facilities
• Applies these methods in field studies of emissions and discharges from manufacturing operations and associated facilities, such as wastewater treatment plants and industry landfills
• Evaluates the effectiveness of pollution control measures employed at pulp and paper mills
• Uses simulation models to investigate the transport and ultimate fate of compounds released to the environment by pulp and paper manufacturing facilities
• Examines and quantifies the ecological impact of emissions and discharges from pulp and paper manufacturing operations Develops, validates, and disseminates computer-based tools for reliably assessing the environmental footprint of individual facilities and manufacturing processes
• Develops and disseminates sophisticated Life Cycle Assessment methodologies to characterize the sustainability of the industry, including the complex carbon footprint of an industry that grows, harvests, and replants trees, uses both harvested wood fiber and recycled fiber to make products, and self-generates, occasionally sells and often purchases electrical power

NCASI’s goal in these endeavors is to develop and communicate science-based understanding that is of the highest technical quality and relevance, is transparent to appropriate stakeholders, and is recognized as adhering to the highest standards of the scientific community.

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Chemical management & health effects – technical program activity update, 2023 ncasi conference, air – technical program activity update, technical bulletin no. 1082: selected voc emissions from a bleached paper machine and a pulp dryer at post-mact kraft pulp mills, water resources – technical program activity update, the current landscape of low-cost air quality sensors: an update (bn-23-01), ncasi newsletter – manufacturing edition.

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Water requirements of the pulp and paper industry

Water, of varied qualities, is used for several purposes in the manufacture of pulp and paper, as a vehicle for transporting the constituents of paper in the paper machines; as process water for cooking wood chips to make pulp; as a medium for heat transfer; and for washing the pulpwood, the woodpulp, and the machines that handle the pulp.

About 3,200 million gallons of water was withdrawn from surface- and ground-water sources each day during 1950 for the use of the pulp and paper industry. This is about 4 percent of the total estimated industrial withdrawal of water in the Nation

The paper industry in the United States has been growing at a rapid rate. It has increased about tenfold in the last 50 years and has doubled every 15 years. The 1950 production of paper was about 24 million tons, which amounts to about 85 percent of the domestic consumption. In 1950, the pulp mills of the country produced more than 14 million tons of woodpulp, which supplied about 85 percent of the demand by the paper mills and other industries. The remainder of the fiber for paper manufacture was obtained from imported woodpulp, from reclaimed wastepaper, and from other fibers including rags and straw. The nationwide paper consumption for 1955 has been estimated at 31,700,000 tons.

Woodpulp is classified according to the process by which it is made. Every woodpulp has characteristics that are carried over into the many and diverse grades of paper. Groundwood pulp is manufactured by simply grinding up wood and refining the resulting product. Soda, sulfite, and sulfate pulps are manufactured by chemically breaking down the lignin that cements the cellulose of the wood together and removing, cleaning, and sometimes bleaching the resulting fibers. Some woodpulp is produced by other methods. Sulfate-pulp mills are increasing in number and in rated daily capacity and are manufacturing more than half of the present domestic production of woodpulp. Most of the newer and larger woodpulp mills are manufacturing sulfate pulp; because of the antipollution laws, many sulfite-pulp mills are being converted to sulfate-pulp mills. The waste from the manufacture of a ton of sulfate pulp is much more readily disposed of than that from a ton of sulfite pulp. Pulp mills are located near the source of raw material, which means that they are located in the eastern half of the United States and in the Pacific Northwest. It is advantageous for paper mills to be located close to a market and therefore a large number of paper mills are in the northeastern section of the United States from Minnesota to Maine. However, much of the coarser paper, which will ship well, is produced close to the pulp mills.

The entire process of making paper from pulpwood, with special reference to water use is briefly described to provide an understanding of how the water is used and reused.

Citation Information

How To Target Buyers For Your Paper Mill Products: Modern Guide

Pulp and Paper Industry Expert

Kickstart your paper mill product marketing with this modern guide that will help you to expand your business and get more orders from the local and global markets.

Not all paper manufacturers look alike. Every paper manufacturer has special traits and characteristics of their own that make them stand out from the crowd. Each paper mill has its strengths and challenges. Many paper mills are validated by their client’s and customer’s reviews which are decided by how satisfied they are with your paper mill products or services.

Marketing plays an essential role in the success of your paper mill. Marketing also develops the public’s perception to view your company. Thus, your paper mill marketing is the ultimate key to the success of your business.

Also Read: How These 4P’s Can Boost Your Paper Mill Production

Targeting Buyers in the Paper Industry

As a paper product manufacturer, how should you target buyers.

Modern marketing has shifted the focus from traditional marketing to digital marketing in the past decade. This change in the way of marketing is changing the attitude and behaviors of the buyers and potential customers .

We are not saying that in-person marketing is no longer the way, but online marketing has so much more to offer to target your buyers. For example, when a producer of soaps is searching for a good packaging supplier for his products, the first thing that comes to his mind is to search the well-known packaging companies nearby. And for that, he goes to Google! So, when you appear on google as a result of their needs, there is more possibility that you gain a customer.

4 pillars of customer building for paper mills

Four main pillars help you to acquire new customers for your paper business. These are –

• Partnerships
• Marketing outreach

When buyers are looking for suppliers, most of them will be asking for a reference from other people that they already know. Referrals give them assurance about the paper mill products and services.

Buyers also buy from their existing supplier/manufacturer list based on previous experience, as most sellers sell based on the loyalty of consistent customers.

Partnerships and marketing outreach help both buyers and suppliers to expand their circle of business relationships. These are used to build new customers for paper mill business growth. This requires more effort and modern marketing ways.

Also Read: Disposable Tableware Market – Analysis, Trends, & Business Scope

Understand buyers perspective for your paper mill products

Papermill business is all about manufacturing – selling – and buying. As easy it may seem at the first sight, it can be long and complex, depending on buyer and seller personas. If you are a manufacturer, your potential customer can fall anywhere. The buyers need paper mill products/services and have designed specific criteria for them as per their requirements.

• The potential buyer first researches the available options and tries to collect information
• The buyer studies your products/services and gathers requisites
• He/She then analyzes whether your product is the solution he/she is looking for
• The buyers tend to shortlist the sellers that they think could be a nice choice for their requirements
• If you make it to the shortlist and if your product is the best fit for what they are looking for, you get the deal

What does the buyer look for in a paper supplier –

• A well-built website that reflects your paper products, specialty products, and project achievements
• A strong presence in the market – this could be your brand name, product popularity, word of mouth, extensive coverage, etc.
• A positive and good company reputation that help you acquire more new customers
• Previous clients experiences, case studies
• Well maintained social media accounts that keep you connected with your customers

With the growth in technology, the traditional ways of marketing are being replaced with modern ways. If you would like to add any kickass ideas about targeting potential customers and generating new buyers, please feel free to share them with us in the comments below.

Join our Facebook Group to interact with 13,000+ paper mill product buyers and suppliers.

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Why the Internet Didn’t Shred the Paper Business

And why u.s. paper plants are folding anyway..

Last fall, the specialty paper maker Dunn Paper closed its mill in Port Huron, Michigan, where, for about a century, it had been making paper used everywhere from the food industry to medical settings. In March, the packing paper firm Sonoco announced it would permanently shutter its Hutchinson Paper Mill—which turned 100 more than a decade ago—and lay off scores of workers.

In North Carolina, paper manufacturer Pactiv Evergreen closed a plant in Canton with approximately 1,000 workers—despite the pleadings of the state’s governor. The company was so central to the area’s economy that high school students were reportedly still finishing up paper and pulp trade classes meant to prepare them for working at the plant.

At first glance, the closure of America’s mills might make intuitive sense. Today, payment platforms text us receipts and college admission decisions are first announced via online portal. Banks charge for monthly statements sent via snail mail. No one says “Think Before You Print,” because no one needs to hear it.

This was one promise of digitization. Personal computers and the internet were supposed to obviate the need for a lot of paper. And in many ways, they did. Emails and texts have replaced a large swath of nondigital written communication, and the cloud serves as an alternative to hard copies. As a result, annual worldwide production of printing and writing papers has declined by about 30 percent since its high in 2007.

But that’s not quite why American paper mills, overall, are closing. Many of the mills closing in the U.S. don’t make this kind of paper, and the diminishing relevance of printer paper hasn’t spelled the end of Big Paper , anyway . Annual production of paper and paperboard has grown by about 60 percent since 1993 , according to statistics collected by the United Nations. And amid the race to combat climate change, the paper industry is now hoping to compete with products that are traditionally made with plastic, like straws and bottles . (Recycling notwithstanding).

There’s one simple reason why paper is still popular. A growing global population means people need more of the paper-based products we’ve always needed, like tissue paper, napkins, tea bags, and disposable cutlery. “Sanitary-type paper is in constant growth,” says Burak Aksoy, a research professor who studies new papermaking technologies at Auburn University’s Forest Products Development Center.

But much of the increase in demand for paper can be tied to one of the most significant byproducts of digitization: online shopping. E-commerce, which now accounts for nearly 15 percent of all sales in the U.S., depends on a litany of paper-based products, including cardboard boxes, shipping labels, and packing paper. While the digital era indirectly killed a huge chunk of the paper business, companies like Amazon and Alibaba now represent one of its biggest opportunities.

“Paper has been around for over 2,000 years, and the fundamentals of papermaking have not really changed during that process,” says Virginia Howell, the director of the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking at Georgia Tech. “When you’re looking at a box that’s made out of cardboard, is that the same kind of paper as the paper that is printed in books? Well, yes, it is, but the fibers have been treated in different ways.”

Historically, reports of paper’s death have been exaggerated. At the turn of the millennium, the Forest Products Association of Canada boasted that as demand for personal computers grew, people were also purchasing hundreds of millions of personal printers. Just a few years later, Malcolm Gladwell noted in the New Yorker that “every country in the Western world” used more paper per person than they had a decade earlier.

In the U.S., the American Forest and Paper Association, a trade organization that represents the paper and wood products sector, reports that demand for paper that’s used for printing and writing has declined about 50 percent, and demand for newsprint has declined even more drastically, by about 90 percent, since 1990. But during the same period, demand for all sorts of packing-related paper has grown by about 33 percent. Total U.S. demand for paper and paperboard has only declined by less than 20 percent since 1990.

This trend makes sense if you consider the packaging needed to ship something directly to your house instead of picking it up at a local store. For the same reason, the pandemic-era surge in e-commerce spending spurred record production of containerboard, which is used to make cardboard boxes . While some of that demand is declining as people adapt to a leaner economy and more regular spending patterns, the paper industry stands to benefit as e-commerce continues to grow.

In fact, the pivot to online shopping has inspired some of the newest investments in American paper manufacturing. The first new paper mill in Wisconsin in more than three decades, a $500 million facility built by a company called Green Bay Packaging that opened in 2021, focuses on the outer material and internal components used in cardboard boxes. In Skowhegan, Maine, the papermaking giant Sappi is converting a paper machine to produce bleached sulfate board—a kind of environmentally sustainable packaging that’s frequently used for coffee cups and cosmetics products.

Between 2018 and today, about a dozen mills have converted or shifted production from communication paper to packaging paper, according to the AFPA.

“There are companies who are making the papers you don’t think about,” says Howell, from the paper museum. “There’s a lot of filter paper that’s being made by companies. But then you even have things like the papers for cigarettes, the papers that show up in your candy bars and hold your Reese’s cup.”

Of course, changing tech habits isn’t the only factor that’s pushing the paper industry to shift gears. Along with increased automation and competition from abroad, the paper business has faced the growing influence of Wall Street. Over the past several decades, large companies have brought increased pressure to boost profits and reduce labor costs, according to Michael Hillard, an economics professor at the University of Southern Maine who’s written about the history of the state’s paper industry. That’s contributed to mill closures and declining employment in the U.S., even as the industry has grown abroad.

“You got automation, financialization, globalization,” explains Hillard, “The real game changer was the entry of China into the World Trade Organization in 2001.”

There’s also the climate crisis. Paper, after all, is made by chopping down carbon-sequestering trees, and the process of turning pulp into paper is energy-intensive in its own right.

Still, even as big tech companies keep pushing the Next Big Things, there’s no sign that paper is going away any time soon. There are still Post-its and notebooks on our device-laden desks, and piles of folded delivery boxes sit by our front doors. It’s a reminder of how technology can disrupt something without actually displacing it.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate , New America , and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.