PTS Coating Symposium 2009: a resounding success

The Coating Symposium 2009 again provided a comprehensive overview of current developments in all areas of paper coating technology. Two themes were dealt with very intensively in focused sessions this year: the general economic crisis under which the paper industry too is suffering, and the technology of paper board manufacture. In the latter sector, innovations such as coating units or barrier coating are used to achieve optimum convertibility, thus creating maximum benefits for customers.

Of the many interesting papers, those that dealt with current technological highlights attracted much attention as did those presentations that ventured a look into the future. For instance, a comparison of the current situation with the global economic crisis at the beginning of the 20th century including recommendations for dealing with today’s crisis gleaned from the lessons of history. Or the prospects for future energy and raw materials supplies.

We should also like to mention and extend our thanks to our principal sponsor, Dow Chemicals. The company provided the audience with an in-depth insight into its new Paper Competence Centre.

A new programme element in this year’s Symposium was a poster exhibition. When prizes were awarded at the end of the event, the modelling of the curtain coater had obviously garnered the greatest acceptance from the participants. This marked the first time that prizes had been awarded during the Coating Symposium:

• Dr. Dirk Lawrenz from BASF can visit a PTS event free of charge,
• Maiju Aikala from the Finnish VTT received the Best Poster Award on behalf of the artist an may enjoy
  
  • a football game in the VIP lounge at the Alliance Arena in Munich, donated by the Bröer Group (Ebro Armaturen and Stoffsjö) and
  • a foldable sofa made of paper, donated by PTS.
    

The round-table discussion entitled “Is diversification the right strategy for forest-based industries?” was a high-level event. The presentations made by the panellists are available as free downloads (see the webpage “Round Table”).

PTS appreciates the high praise it has received and hopes that it will be able to welcome the customary number of participants, particularly from the paper industry, at the next Coating Symposium in September 2011.