Bales of paper stacked and ready to be recycled

2023 WMU Fiber Recycling Course

The WMU Paper Pilot Plant partnered with TAPPI  to offer the 2022 Coating Course and Fiber Recycling Course. We plan to do so again in August of 2023. If you want to be notified of the upcoming course select the button below.

Get Notified for 2023

Coming in August 2023

2-day Event
Time: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Mark your calendar—WMU Paper Pilot Plants will hold their 2023 WMU Fiber Recycling Course in August. Specific dates are yet to be announced. Space will be limited to keep this course interactive. A networking dinner and brewery tour is included. Numerous networking opportunities and a broad spectrum of attendees/contacts make this a great course for veterans of the industry looking to broaden their knowledge or those new to the industry who want to see the entire process of fiber recycling. From brand perspectives, sustainability drivers, recyclable certifications, and legislation, to the collection, MRF sorting, reprocessing, and papermaking; this course covers a full view of the circular economy of fiber recycling. Please join us!

Who should attend?

This course is designed for the newcomer to the paper recycling industry, as well as those with experience who wish to broaden and update their knowledge and understanding of the basics of recycled fiber collection, processing, use, and market drivers. This is a 2.5-day course held in Kalamazoo Michigan, on WMU's beautiful Engineering Campus.

Learning objectives

  • Recyclability Protocols and Product Labeling
  • Recycled Fiber Global Markets Update
  • Sustainability — Brand Owner Perspective
  • Regulations and Market Drivers
  • Collection and MRF Operations
  • Paper Mill Operations
  • Hands-on Fiber Recycling/Papermaking Option
  • Speakers include: Industry Experts and WMU Faculty

Take a look at this past year's information
2022 Course Schedule 2022 Speaker Lineup

Networking opportunities

Networking opportunities such as a dinner and brewery tour at the world-famous Bell's Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo.

Lodging and Transportation

Free WMU shuttle service will be provided from the host hotel to WMU’s campus for the course each day and to and from the off-site dinner. The host hotel in 2022 was the Radisson Hotel and was the shuttle pickup and dropoff location.

Radisson Plaza Hotel Kalamazoo Center
100 W Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007
+1 (269) 343-3333

The following hotels are within walking distance of the shuttle service at the Radisson.

Hilton Garden Inn 
303 North Rose Street
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007

Home2 Suites by Hilton
303 North Rose Street
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007

Speakers

Larry Anker
Solenis
Director of Commercial Operations

Bret Biggers
ISRI
Senior Economist

Mark Bond
Sustana
Business Development

Neal Fetterly
Kadant Black Clawson
Sr. Process Engineer

 

Stuart Johns
Solenis
Applications Project Manager MB/CC

Sandeep Kulkarni
KoolEarth Solutions, Inc.
Founder and President

Brad Kurzynowsk
Global Corporate Sustainability, RRS
Program Specialist/Consultant

Kecheng Li
WMU Paper Engineering
Professor & Dept. Chair

Ryan Lawlor
RRT Design & Construction
Project Engineer

Bill Moore
Moore & Associates
President

Shawn Mortimore
WMU Pilot Plants

Julianna Nienart
GreenBlue
How2Recycle

 

Paul Schutes
Recycled Paperboard Technical Association
President

Michael Timpane
Recycle.com
Principal and VP of Process Optimization

Add-on course:

WMU Paper Pilot Plant Experience — Hands-on Fiber Recycling and Papermaking

Held on the last day of the course from noon-5 p.m.

In 2022 we offered an optional hands-on experience to our course and plan to do it again in 2023—spend the afternoon with the WMU’s Paper Pilot Plant crew and see the processes firsthand. This includes fiber recycling operations (pulping, screening, cleaning), paper making on the newly installed dual fourdrinier pilot machine (the only one of its kind in North America), and time in our papermaking/paper testing labs. You will see a bale of recovered paper enter the process, the recovery of the fibers, and the production of recycled paper (forming, pressing, drying, calendering).  Whether you are new to the industry, enjoy learning on your feet, or simply want to see our facilities operate, this will be time well spent. Space is limited.

Western Michigan University

A leader in the field of papermaking, coating and recycling research and applications as well as a leading provider of undergraduate and graduate engineers and scientists, is offering its fiber recycling course. WMU has certified hundreds of products as repulpable and recyclable using industry agreed-upon protocols. This course is exciting, offering from WMU that will bring together many industry and technology leaders as guest speakers to seriously upgrade your fiber recycling knowledge.

Sponsors

RRS Recylcing.com

ISBI logo

RPTA logo