Creation of Fine Paper from Hardwood Bleached Sulfate Pulp (part I)

Abstract

This report is a brief history about the creation of the fine paper from hardwood bleached sulfate pulp. Although the sulfate process (KP) was introduced into Japan in the middle of the 1920 s, the research and development efforts had been concentrated on sulfite process (SP) during the war. However, the members of Kyoto University found advantageous nature of KP over SP and announced it to the world through the journals and the patents. After the World WarII, in order to reestablish Yufutsu factory (Kokusaku Pulp Ind. Co., Ltd.) , Mr. Shigeo Mizuno decided to introduce a evolutional plan, in 1948, to produce the fine paper from the hardwood bleached pulp through the sulfate process. In those days, the hardwood was not used as the raw material for the fine paper, because the paper from the hardwood was thought to have insufficient strength for printing and wrapping. However, Mr. Bunzou Shimura, the partner of Mr. Mizuno, thought that, if prepared properly, the hardwood sulfate pulp would make the paper excellent in its properties. Although the authorities of GHQ insisted to introduce the semichemical process which was valued highly in the U. S. at that time, Mr. Mizuno and his partner persisted on introduction of the initial plan regarding the pulping process. As a result of painstaking efforts, industrial scale production employing hardwood bleached KP without any softwood pulp started for the first time in the world at Yufutsu mill in April 1952.