- What is an ADMT?
ADMT stands for air-dried metric ton (2204.6 lbs.), which is a weight measurement for selling woodpulp.
- How is ADMT used to calculate an invoice?
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Pulp gains and loses moisture as the humidity and temperature change. The levels of moisture may also vary depending on production specifications, ambient humidity, and how much time has elapsed since production. To correct for the moisture content and invoice on a dry-fiber basis, the industry standard is to quote and sell woodpulp on a 100 percent air-dry basis as opposed to a gross metric ton (GMT). An air dry of 100 percent is defined to contain 10 percent moisture (100 kg water and 900 kg pulp). When individual rolls/bales are weighed, the gross weight is multiplied by the air dry and the result is divided by 100 to yield the ADMT.
Each customer has specific needs for controlling moisture in their product. A customer says, "10 percent is not correct for me. I need 6 percent moisture and 94 percent fibers." So we do some calculating. We say that 100 percent air dry is the same as 90 percent fibers and 10 percent moisture. If you want 6 percent moisture, then you're asking for 94 percent fibers, which is more fibers than the standard air-dry definition (90 percent). In fact, you're asking for 104.44 percent air dry (that is, 94 percent divided by 90 percent = 1.04444).
This is very important when it comes to pricing. If the price of 1 ADMT is $700 (moisture at 10 percent), then the customer who wants 6 percent moisture will be paying $700 X 1.0444 or $731.08 per ton. Why? Because that customer is buying more fibers per ton of product and less water. This is the difference stated on the invoice.
- What is cross-docking?
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A transportation process that includes rail transportation, warehousing, and trucking all at a single rate.
- What are your standard terms of sale?
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These vary depending on what country the customer is located in. Our terms for delivery in the U.S. and Canada are Net 30 days.
- How many mills do you have? What do they produce?
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We have a total of six mills in the U.S. and Canada that produce fluff, papergrade and specialty grades of cellulose fiber. Please see individual mill listings for more information.
- Can I order from any mill I want?
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Our mill sales are balanced to assure full production and to optimize delivery logistics. For these reasons, and to make sure our customers receive the best product fit, Weyerhaeuser controls mill choice.
- Can I order as much as I want?
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This depends on how much you need. Since we do not have unlimited production capabilities, we have to "allocate" tonnage to our customers.
- How much lead time do you need on an order for on-time delivery?
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This answer depends on your location and the mill from which we are supplying. Typically, we need to get your order onto the production schedule, arrange for shipment, and consider the transit time. For U.S. domestic orders this is usually four weeks; for international sales, six weeks.
- How much lead time do you need to cancel an order?
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Any cancellation should be received at least two weeks prior to the shipment date.
- What is an MSDS?
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Material Safety Data Sheet.
- What is a Certificate of Analysis?
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This document can be produced with your order to give you a technical snapshot of the properties of the cellulose fiber product in that particular order.
- How do I avoid water damage to my pulp?
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Pulp is a highly absorbent product. To avoid water damage, store away from sources of condensation or potential weather leaks.
- Why is moisture important?
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In the case of absorbent products, moisture can affect the efficiency of the fiberization process and the buildup of static electricity.
- How does viscosity relate to strength?
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Viscosity is considered a rough measure of strength based on the length of polymer chains.
- What's the difference between tear and tensile strength?
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Tear strength measures the resistance of fibers to out-of-plane forces; tensile strength measures the resistance of fibers to in-plane forces.
- Is there chlorine in your fibers? How much?
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There is no elemental chlorine in our products as our bleaching process does not use chlorine, but instead chlorine dioxide (ClO2) as the primary bleaching agent.
- Is there dioxin in your fibers? How much?
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Our products are regularly tested for dioxin. Results are nondetect at the part per trillion range.
- What are TCF and ECF?
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These are terms used to describe a pulp bleaching process: TCF is total chlorine free. ECF is elemental chlorine free.
- What tests do you perform on our products?
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We perform a number of tests on our products depending on the end use application.
- What are interlaced rolls?
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Occasionally, rolls are rewound as they are cut to customer specifications. During this process, some overlapping can occur. In most cases, this is resolved on the spot in the mill. However, in rare cases, the rolls will remain connected through the transportation process.
- What do I do about interlaced rolls?
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For help in resolving this, please consult with your Weyerhaeuser account manager.
- What do you do to assure clean bales/rolls are delivered?
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All railcars and trucks are checked for cleanliness, odor, and possible pin holes, which may result in leakage during inclement weather.
- What are my wrapping options?
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Our rolls are wrapped in stretch wrap. Bales are usually wrapped in bleached cellulose fiber wrappers and wired (for export shipping).
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of each wrapping method?
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Stretch wrapping compresses into a tight ball and can be easily disposed of. In the case of bales, the bleached pulp wrapping can be introduced into the hydropulper along with the bale itself.
- What is the difference between a southern fiber and a northern fiber?
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Southern pine fibers are long and coarse; properties that enable good moisture transport and entrapment in absorbent applications. Northern softwood fibers (Englemann spruce, lodgepole pine) tend to be shorter and finer; properties that contribute to strength and smoothness in paper.
- What is sulphate pulp?
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The type of pulp we manufacture by cooking wood with a solution containing sodium hydroxide and sodium sulphide as active components. Sulphate pulp is also known as kraft pulp.
- What is the difference between untreated and treated grades?
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In our southern system, we have two types of pulp for absorbent applications. One is semi-treated, which means that a debonding agent is added to improve fiberization of the pulp sheet. The untreated grade has no such debonder.
- Are your mills ISO 9001-certified?
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All of our mills are ISO 9001-certified.
- Can your product pass Food and Drug Administration requirements?
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This determination is provided on a grade-by-grade basis. Only certain applications, such as diapers, food board, and milk cartons, require FDA certification.
- What are the environmental benefits of pulp?
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Cellulose is the major part of all plants, including trees. As long as trees grow, cellulose fiber products are renewable. In fact, we monitor the ratio of trees planted to trees harvested to make sure that there's more wood coming into the world than there is wood being converted into other uses.
Unlike the plastics that have populated our lives over the past three decades, cellulose fibers are not petroleum-based. And once our products fulfill their mission, they are biodegradable.
Recycling is a big part of life today. Fiber-based products can be used again and again-many products on the market have already experienced one lifecycle as office paper, boxes, or wrapping paper and are now returning to bring new value to the consumer.
The process of creating pulp is also environmentally sound. None of the wood by-products go to waste. The tree is cut to optimal sizes for lumber to build houses. The unused residual wood from the sawmill is sent on to the pulp mill to make cellulose fiber products; the bark is burned for fuel; the chemicals are recycled; and then the water used in the processing is treated and returned to the river.
- What features should I look for in a diaper machine?
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This will depend on your market needs, technical requirements, budgetary constraints, and timing. Please consult with your Weyerhaeuser account manager for recommendations.
- I'm seeing what looks like small burn marks in our diaper pads. What's causing this? How do I fix it?
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This could come from a number of sources, e.g., line speed, hammermill, or hardness of the cellulose fiber product. Please consult with your Weyerhaeuser account manager on how to resolve this problem.
- There is a lot of static electricity in our production process. How do we minimize this?
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Static electricity is a function of humidity, heat, moisture, and other factors. Please consult with your Weyerhaeuser account manager on how to resolve this problem.
- How often should I rotate my hammers in a hammermill?
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Hammermill wear depends on the type of fiber product being used and house on the machine. The manufacturer will indicate a recommended servicing schedule for your hammermill.
- What is the appropriate breaker bar gap setting for my machines?
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Breaker bar settings cannot be diagnosed via the Internet or over the telephone. Please contact us for a technical service call.
