Tissue 201: Operations and Runnability Course

Jeff Peters
Jeff graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Chemical Engineering.  He started his career with Hercules Incorporated.  Over his 23 year career he spent time in field sales, Global Tissue Applications, Tissue Business Management and Global Tissue Marketing.  Jeff left the paper industry for a few years to test his entrepreneurial spirit.  Four years ago, he joined BTG Americas as the organization's Tissue Applications Manager.

Matt Bryer
Matt Bryer is the Product Manager – Tissue Press – Americas, responsible for technical and applications of the Tissue Press Fabrics in North and South America.  In 2003 he started off in the Research and Development department at Albany International and worked there for 1 year, then moved into the technical department where he has been designing press fabrics for the past 20 years. He became the Product Manager in 2012, and currently has customer accounts for the entire East Coast, the southern Midwest, and West Coast of the US.  Matt has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is located out of Albany International’s St. Stephen, South Carolina plant.

Matt Gregersen
Matt Gregersen has worked for 30 years in a variety of rolls in the paper industry.  Matt is currently working for Albany International as the Product Manager for tissue forming in the Americas, where he is responsible for tissue forming fabric applications and managing the product portfolio and product development.

Prior to working for Albany, Matt worked for Valmet and Beloit Corporation in engineering and R&D, where he was responsible for leading pilot paper machine trials with an emphasis on the wet end including forming and headboxes.

Matt graduated from Bradley University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Robert Melchiors
Rob graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Chemical Engineering. In 2001, he started his career in the tissue industry with Kimberly-Clark, where he worked on various process and product development initiatives as well as a couple major machine rebuilds. Since 2008, Rob has been with Nalco Water, serving the company's growing number of tissue customers. He currently resides in the greater Atlanta area and is the manager of the NA Tissue Team.

John Neun
John is an engineering consultant who spent a substantial part of his career with Albany International and Kadant. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York State. He has surveyed and analyzed hundreds of paper and tissue machines to find means of improving their efficiency. In addition to overall engineering analysis, John has demonstrated particular expertise in vacuum systems, water systems, fabric cleaning systems, forming systems, and presses. He has worked in the paper industry since 1979, first as a Research Engineer with Albany Felt Company, studying and developing wet felt performance and felt dewatering devices. He spent several years as a Service Engineer for Albany Felt, performing vibration analyses on most of the high-speed machines in the United States and many more throughout the world. John also had a long tenure at Kadant - AES, where he was Cleaning and Conditioning Product Manager and Design and Development Manager. Before AES, John spent five years working for Mechanical Technology Incorporated, an engineering consulting firm, where he gained a wide range of vibration analysis experience in rotating machinery, structures, and acoustics, instructed in a course on FFT spectrum analysis, and led a number of multi-million dollar projects.

Mike Soucy
Mike Soucy has over 35 years of experience in the pulp and paper industry specializing in steam and condensate systems. He is currently president at Kadant Johnson Systems based out of Knoxville, TN.   He has held prior positions as president of Kadant Canada, president of Dry-Con Inc. and steam and condensate system product manager at Valmet Enerdry. Mike is a mechanical engineer graduate from Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and a licensed Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario.

Mark Sorenson
Mark started in the paper industry as an engineering co-op student for Beloit Corporation. After graduation with a BME from Georgia Tech, he joined Beloit Corporation full time, eventually becoming the Product Line Manager for Calenders and Reels. When Beloit formed the joint venture with Kϋsters in 1996, he became the Operations Liason, and then joined Kϋsters full time in 2000 as Manager of Midwest Sales and Engineering. His latest assignment was as the Senior Sales Engineer for Andritz Paper Machinery in North America based out of Beloit, Wisconsin. In 2019, Mark retired and stays active with the TAPPI Coating and Graphic Arts Division and is a frequent contributor to TAPPI training programs. Mark’s involvement with the Tissue Short Course stretches back to 1988.  He became a TAPPI Fellow in 2018.

Todd Vanden Heuvel
Todd earned his AS Degree in Electro Mechanics in 1999 andstarted with Valmet shortly after working in the Field Services Team on Reels. He focused on controls, automation, and process reeling. In 2013, Todd became an iRoll Product Specialist working with Valmet to develop Intelligent Roll technology in North America. He later took the role of Product Line Manager for Reels in North America, becoming the Senior Product Line Manager in 2018. Since then, Todd has added Calendars, and Coating/Sizers to his list of responsibilities.

Dave Welsford
David has held various technical and operations roles in tissue over the past 28 years. As a Strategic Project Manager for Solenis Tissue Applications, David balances research and product development interests with the implementation and problem-solving required to ensure tissue chemistries will function at their best.  David is a Chemistry graduate from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, resides with his family in Greensboro, NC - most likely wrenching on his vintage Volvos.

David Williams
David is the technical unit lead for Valmet’s roll service division. This includes technology, product management, and commercial responsibilities for all roll services. He has 15 years of service in Valmet serving in both the capital and the service business.

Prior to Valmet, David has 8 additional years in the industry split between Nalco and international Paper. Most of his career has been focused on papermaking, roll services, pressing, and headboxes. He attended both Mercer University and Auburn University obtaining degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering.

TISSUE 201 – TISSUE OPERATIONS AND RUNNABILITY OPTIMIZATION SHORT COURSE

May 13 - 14, 2025

Miron Construction, Neenah, WI

DAY 1 - Tuesday, May 13th

MODULE I:  STOCK PREPARATION AND WET-END OPERATIONS

7:45 – 8:15 a.m. Welcome and Course Overview – Jeff Peters/Matt Bryer

8:15 – 9:00 a.m.  Refining Optimization, William Petrangelo, Voith

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Wet End Chemistry Impacts and Optimization – Gary Furman, Nalco

9:45 – 9:55 a.m   BREAK

9:55 – 10:40 a.m.   Forming Fabric Options and Benefits – Matt Gregersen, Albany

10:40 – 11:40 a.m.  Tissue Former/Headbox Operations and Optimization – Bruno Tremblay, Valmet

11:40 – 12:00 p.m. CASE STUDY: MODULE I

12:00 – 12:45 p.m. LUNCH

MODULE II:  PRESSING AND DOCTORING OPERATION

12:45 – 1:30 p.m.  Press Fabric Options and Benefits - Matt Bryer, Albany International

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.  Clothing – Cleaning and Conditioning Best Practices – John Neun, Kadant

2:30 – 2:40 p.m.  BREAK

2:40 – 3:40 p.m.  Press Roll Operation and Optimization – Bill Bork, Valmet

3:40 – 4:25 p.m.  Creping Best Practices – Jeff Peters, BTG Americas

4:25 – 4:45pm     Wrap-up/ Q&A for Modules I & II

5:00 – 6:00pm    Social Hour

DAY 2 - Wednesday, May 14th

7:45 – 8:00 a.m.  Day 1 Overview – Jeff Peters/Matt Bryer

8:00 – 9:00am     Yankee Coating Systems – David Welsford, Solenis

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.  CASE STUDY: MODULE II

9:30 – 9:40a.m.   BREAK

MODULE III:  DRYING AND DRY-END OPERATION

9:40 – 10:40 a.m. Yankee Dryers – Safety, Steam, Condensate Systems – Mike Soucy, Kadant

10:40 – 11:40 p.m.  Yankee Hood Design, Operation and Optimization – Yvan Fraser and Don Carpenter, Enerquin

11:40 – 12:25 p.m. LUNCH

12:25 – 1:40 p.m. Thru-Air Drying – Robbie Miller, Valmet

1:40 – 2:25 p.m. Tissue Calendering - Mark Sorenson, retired Kusters-USA

2:25 – 2:35 p.m. BREAK

2:35 – 3:35 p.m. Improving Dry End Performance – Todd VandenHeuvel, Valmet

3:35 – 4:35 p.m. Process Optimization – James Litchwark, BTG

4:35 – 5:10 p.m.  CASE STUDY: MODULE III

5:10 – 5:25 p.m. Evaluation and Final Adjournment

Cancellation Policy

If you find that you have to cancel, your full registration fee will be refunded if TAPPI’s Registration Department receives written notification (fax acceptable at +1.770.209.7206 by  (April 15, 2025). 

Please note:  There will be a 50% refund for all written cancellations made after (April 15, 2025) but no later than 5 business days prior to the start of the course (May 8, 2025). 

Understandably, after (May 8, 2025) no refunds can be issued. 

Substitutions, however, will be accepted any time without a penalty.

Bridgewood Hotel

1000 Cameron Way
Neenah, WI 54956

TAPPI Press is known as an industry leader for publishing reliable and practical publications and training products created and peer reviewed by industry experts for professionals and students alike.  This is a great time to refresh or master new skills and restock your corporate or personal library.

TAPPI offers 15% discounted pricing on select TAPPI Press publications to course attendees when purchased with registration. 

Pick-up on-site and SAVE ON SHIPPING!

NEW! Guidelines for Safe Assessment & Operation of Yankee Dryers

Order Code:  0101R357
Special Member Price: $78.00
Special Non-member Price: $101.00

A project of the Yankee Dryer Safety & Reliability Committee, this new edition provides updated guidelines relative to steel Yankee dryers, as well as new learnings and recommendations for cast iron Yankee dryers. Its contents are categorized into Engineering and Design, Maintenance and Repair, Operating Guidelines, and Personnel Safety. If you are a Yankee Responsible Person (YRP), a municipal official that makes onsite inspections, or an insurance carrier that covers Yankee dryers, this is your must have resource.  

Guidelines for the Safe Operation of Steam Heated Paper Machine Dryers
Order Code:  0101R250
Special Member Price: $34.00
Special Non-member Price: $49.00

This is a guide to the safe operation and maintenance of steam heated paper machine dryers.. The report includes details on dryer construction, operation, and safety guidelines. It also features a glossary, a reference list, and conversion factors for SI units.  This report was prepared by the Steam Heated Dryer Subcommittee of the TAPPI Engineering Division’s Maintenance and Mechanical Engineering Committee.