Tissue 202: Converting Operations Course

Do you want to learn how to improve converting plant productivity?

→  This two-day training helps you find all the points where you can influence operational efficiency.

→  You'll gain a better understanding of what new technologies and resources are available in converting operations.

This is a unique course covering the entirety of converting operations.
You will find very few - if any - other training opportunities like this!  Others may only focus on windings and nonwovens.  

TAPPI's Tissue 202: Converting Operations Course instructors will focus on roll products and have designed this course to address two primary objectives:

1. To define and explain the basic rolled products converting processes; and
2. To describe how quality and variability impact runnability of complex tissue parent rolls (jumbo reel/soft roll) and the adjustments required to run TAD or other advanced structured tissue technologies. 

Let the training instructors know what you need to learn!  
A pre-course survey will be distributed to attendees so that they can share their questions or problems for real world solutions during the course.

What's Planned on the Agenda:

• Basic understanding of raw material (tissue reel) properties
• Basic understanding of each major roll converting sub process
• How sheet variability impacts each converting sub process
• Impact of each converting sub process on the final product
• Awareness of the safety hazards present in typical converting lines
• Efficiency of operations
  • How to improve productivity
  • Evaluating good performance (percentage of waste) in converting
  • How to achieve excellent performance
  • Why and how each component contributes to efficiency

Included with your course registration are light breakfast snacks and breaks each day, and lunches on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Please note:  Course Seating is Limited
In order to provide the greatest benefit from discussions and demonstrations, attendance is limited to 20 people for this course. This seating cap ensures the class can be advantageously divided into smaller groups for the hands-on sessions taking place on the working web pilot line.

Stay Ahead of the Curve!
Instructor and Course Chair, Bruce Janda, wrote an article about tissue converting and the unique opportunities and challenges facing the industry.  

Click here to read "Don't Overlook Tissue Converting." (PDF File)  This article was originally published in TAPPI's Ahead of the Curve newsletter.

Bruce W. Janda, Course Chair
Co-founder and Principal of InnovaSpec, LLC

Bruce Janda is serving as chair for this course.  He brings nearly 40 years of experience in the paper and nonwoven industry, specializing in Tissue and Towel Processes and Products. 

Bruce held positions in the tissue industry at Georgia-Pacific, Kimberly-Clark and others with roles in Product Development, Engineering, and Manufacturing.  He worked on the supplier side at AstenJohnson as the Product Manager for TAD and Forming Fabrics in addition to leading serving as the North American Product Business Leader and Global Innovation Leader for Forming.

Bruce has extensive applications experience on World Class, high speed Tissue and TAD machines in North America and Europe both as a producer and supplier.  He had the opportunity to participate in three new tissue machine projects as process design leader, construction supervisor, and checkout/start up leader. 

Bruce holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, MBA from University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, Executive Scholar Certificate from the Kellogg School of Northwestern University, and Lean Sigma Black Belt Certification from AstenJohnson.  He holds 15 US patents and 3 pending patents, all related to tissue and papermaking.  One of his key product development projects was leadership of the eMotion® electronic towel dispenser and TAD towel from concept through manufacturing and commercialization.  This now represents a $1 billion/year sales brand for Georgia-Pacific.

Scott Hansen, Course Co-Chair
Technical Service Manager, Korber

Scott has over 30 years of experience in the tissue and non-woven converting field.  He spent over 12 years with a multinational converter working on converting projects worldwide.  Scott has over 15 years with Korber as a service technician, trainer, supervisor and department manager.

Richard Baren
Senior Service Engineer, Korber Packaging/Casmatic, Green Bay, WI

Richard has more than 16 years with Korber and has worked extensively in North America and also internationally. He has a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Jim Bryski
Converting Adhesives Specialist, Henkel

A summary of Jim's professional experience is coming shortly.

Stephen Kasik
Technical Sales, Osprey Corporation,  Atlanta, GA

Stephen Kasik graduated from Southern Polytechnic University in 2009 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, and then began his engineering career with FLIR before moving on to Zep Inc.

In 2014, Stephen joined Osprey Corporation in Atlanta, GA where he worked as a project engineer for the company. While in his engineering role with Osprey, Stephen’s responsibilities included equipment design, process air surveys, technical training, and project management of process air systems.  At the beginning of 2020, Stephen was pulled into a technical sales role with Osprey to focus on strategic accounts in the Soft Disposable, Tissue/Corrugated, and Agriculture sectors. Over the past two years, his intimate technical knowledge has driven the successful execution of key projects from concept to implementation.

Stephen is a subject leader in process air systems with a key focus on those involving combustible dusts. His deep understanding of the capital equipment and production challenges involved have proven to be a valuable resource for Osprey’s clients and the industries it serves.

Dean Kuntz
Pilot Line and Embossing Technology Manager, Korber

Dean has over a 30-year career with Korber in Customer Service. His past responsibilities have included development of the Spares and Service Departments, including 28 years of direct involvement with embossing rolls for tissue and towel products.  

In 2015 Korber expanded its customer support by offering a Pilot Line, capable of simulating high speed production. This opportunity in conjunction with pattern design and production capabilities of Engraving Solutions provided an opportunity to combined Dean's past experience and assist customers with product development and testing.

Joe Daugherty
Tissue Product Specialist, TKM

Joe started his industrial career with machine builder Hanchett Manufacture a division of Mid-West Abrasives where he gained extensive knowledge in grinding dynamics and abrasive applications.  It is this knowledge that he brings to the tissue paper industry applying it to the log saw blade sharpening process. 

Joe joined TKM after a 25-year association with Alliance Knife Inc., having served as Vice President and Sales Manager. Since coming to TKM, Joe has travel extensively applying his mechanical and grinding knowledge to help reinvent how log saw blade sharpening is viewed.  He has spent the last several years evaluating and testing CBN grinding wheel formulations and geometry helping to bring new ideas to a very old process. 

Joe holds degrees in Mechanical Drafting and Design from Pitt Technical Institute along with a Bachelors of Business Administration and Associates in Child Psychology from Kent State University.  Joe has serviced the industrial knife industry for 34 years and has extensive experience in cutting materials ranging from diamond steel plate to poultry.

Jeff Heim
Service Specialist, Korber

Jeff currently leads the company’s Expert Online Service and serves as a technician and electrical supervisor. He has 14 years of experience at FPNA troubleshooting technical challenges and prior to joining the company worked as an electrical contractor installing paper machines and paper converting equipment.

Register Now

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 Friday, April 14, 2023.

Please note that a 50 percent refund may be issued for all written cancellations made after Friday, April 14, 2023, but no later than five (5) business days prior to the start of the course, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Understandably, after Wednesday, May 10, 2023, no refunds can be issued. Substitutions, however, will be accepted any time without a penalty.

Refund Summary
100% - Cancellation received by Friday, April 14, 2023.
50% - Cancellations received after Friday, April 14, 2023 and no later than Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
NO REFUND - Cancellations received Wednesday, May 10, 2023.

2023 Tissue Course Bookstore  

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. 

TAPPI offers a 15% discount on select TAPPI Press publications for Tissue Course attendees. By purchasing with registration, you pick-up onsite and save on shipping!

Below are the resources selected for this event.

NEW! Guidelines for Safe Assessment & Operation of Yankee Dryers
Order Code:  0101R357
Special Member Price: $78.00
Special Non-member Price: $101.00

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

Towel and Tissue Making CD (#15 in the Making Pulp and Paper Series)
Order Code:  MPP-15
Special Member Price: $50.00
Special Non-member Price: $76.00