Weyerhaeuser Company has announced that its Cellulose Fibres business segment has successfully introduced a new grade of Kraft pulp for specific segments of the cellulose derivatives market. Cellulose derivatives are used in various products, including lacquers, paints, inks, and thickening agents.
Known as Pearl®429, the new pulp offers tailored reactivity and viscosity compared with traditional Kraft pulps. As a result, Pearl429 can be blended with other pulps and has the potential to partially replace traditional chemical grade dissolving pulps for many chemical applications. Specifically, Pearl429 pulp’s characteristics allow it to be used in a variety of applications using cellulose esters and ethers.
“This is essentially a new class of softwood Kraft pulp,” said Don Atkinson, vice president of Marketing and New Product Development for Weyerhaeuser Cellulose Fibers. “The development of this product is an example of our commitment to innovation to serve existing customers and to create new markets around the world.”
Pearl429 is produced using a continuous Kraft process versus a batch process used to make many other specialty pulps. It is more efficient to produce, generates higher yields from the same amount of raw materials, improves product uniformity, and has a better environmental footprint when compared with typical dissolving pulp manufacturing processes.
