How Pulp is Made

The harvested logs are cut into small wood chips, which are fed into digesters where chemicals are added. The mixture is then cooked to release lignin, the natural glue that bonds wood fiber. The resulting pulp is washed to remove the added chemicals and lignin, which are known collectively as black liquor.

The black liquor is further processed to recover pulping chemicals. Up to 97% of the chemicals are recovered and will be re-used in the digesters while the residue becomes bio-fuel for the power plant.

Meanwhile, the pulp undergoes further processing, culminating with bleaching to remove the dark colour and residual lignin. The resulting product is whiter, more resistant and absorbent. After bleaching, the pulp is dried, finished, baled and shipped to customers where it is used to make office paper, coated paper, tissue and other paper products.

How Pulp is Made