The digital transformation of production processes and its respective potential to promote circularity gains and other innovative actions on the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) agenda will steer the central program of ABTCP 2024. The event organizer, ABTCP (Brazilian Pulp and Paper Technical Association), is always committed to developing a relevant program that meets the sector's needs. “We are working to make ABTCP 2024 the biggest event so far, both in the quantity and quality of technical papers approved,” says Ari Medeiros, Industrial Operations Director at Veracel, elected Chairman of the ABTCP 2024 Congress. “Our program includes a variety of technical and thematic sessions, engaging congress participants in areas such as Pulp, Paper, Environment, Engineering and Digital Transformation, Recovery and Energy, Nanotechnology, Biorefinery, Tissue, Maintenance, Occupational Safety, Recycling, and Forestry, alongside an exhibition of cutting-edge technologies — all designed to strengthen networking and share the latest innovations and best practices in the pulp and paper industry,” he said, highlighting the event’s unique features.

“Every year, ABTCP strives to create a robust technical program aligned with the need for updates in the planted tree sector, especially in the context of rapid changes in the global supply chain and new demands for socio-environmental commitment,” says Paulo Hartung, President of the Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá), who will be speaking in the Opening Session. “It is an honor to be part of this very important meeting, alongside experts, researchers, executives, and professionals who share crucial knowledge and innovations for the development of our sector. The planted tree industry plays a vital role in today’s economy, not only for its impressive performance, as demonstrated by investment announcements, but especially because of its significant contribution to combating climate change, thus paving the way toward a new green economy,” he said.

In defining the activities and selecting the papers that will be presented during the three-day event, ABTCP relied on a Technical Committee and a Scientific Committee, composed of 50 members, as detailed by Fernando José Borges Gomes, professor in the Department of Forest Products at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFFRJ) and coordinator of the Committees. “Each paper submitted was evaluated by three experts in the respective field. This enabled us to build a strong, coherent, and highly integrative technical program. The audience will be able to check out the selected papers through oral presentations and posters,” Gomes notes. He also mentioned that ABTCP 2024 has global relevance, as the technologies to be presented and discussed come from academic sectors and, especially, from manufacturers and suppliers in the pulp and paper industry.

Keynote presentations focus on current context particularities

To make ABTCP 2024’s content even more relevant to the audience, the main technical entity of the pulp and paper sector has invited renowned professionals in their field to be keynotes and address current topics that promise to transform the planted tree sector.

Virginia Londe de Camargos, Environment and Integrated Management Manager at Veracel, will be the keynote speaker in the Environmental Technical Session, presenting Veracel’s ESG actions as the theme of her presentation. “At Veracel, we established an ESG committee, with representatives from all company areas to ensure that these practices permeate all of our activities. I will talk about the importance of the ESG agenda for greater integration of the sector in credit opportunities, as well as reputation and image. This topic has been widely discussed in various spheres and has shown that the forestry sector, by its very nature, is very well positioned,” she said.

Researcher Diego Stéfani Teodoro Martinez, from the National Nanotechnology Laboratory (LNNano) at the National Center for Energy and Materials Research (CNPEM), will be a keynote speaker in the Biorefinery Technical Session. He intends to discuss the relevance of studies related to the toxicity and safety of new cellulose materials being produced for various applications, including not only the paper sector but also cosmetics, composites, and areas such as medicine, agriculture, and environmental remediation. “To achieve this future goal, we need to study in an integrated and proactive manner the potential impacts of these new materials and their byproducts on human, animal, and environmental health,” he said, indicating that he will present examples of research results developed at LNNano of CNPEM.

Gianna Sagazio, CEO of SOSA Brasil - The Open Innovation Company, will give a keynote speech in the Industry 5.0 Technical Session, discussing ways to promote open innovation and the respective competitive advantages it brings. “SOSA’s work is to connect company needs with advanced global technologies. The pulp and paper industry already understands the importance of adopting open innovation practices to enhance its competitive advantages, combining cost reductions with sustainability improvements,” she said, mentioning that Suzano, Klabin, and CMPC are among SOSA’s clients.

The Recovery and Energy Technical Session will feature keynote speaker Júlio César Tôrres Ribeiro, Vice President of Cenibra. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master’s degree in Pulp and Paper Technology from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Ribeiro began his career as a trainee engineer in Mechanical Maintenance at Cenibra in 1993. His career path, which led to his current position as the company’s Vice President, includes roles in various areas, such as Recovery and Utility, Maintenance and Engineering, Industrial and Forestry. “The pulp and paper industry offers a series of opportunities and career paths to be explored,” he said, providing a sneak preview of the theme he plans to discuss with practical examples.