For the most part, wood pulp is produced from softwoods and is generally scrap material from lumber mills such as wood chips and those trees culled, which are too small to create boards. Rather than throwing this valuable material away industry has developed new and exciting ways to use the organic pulp well beyond its initial use for paper. Traditionally common softwoods were used to make this material because of the length of the fiber.

Because the material would otherwise be wasted and because trees when used and replanted will grow again, chips from trees are considered a sustainable and renewable resource. Paper of course was one of the first common uses for organic cellose fibers extracted from wood. However, with different treatment and with different types of trees used it can be finer, stronger or more pliable depending upon the manufacturing process.

Hardwood trees are seeing some popularity as sources of this material because of the usual short 1 mm fiber length. Applications that require more strength generally use common softwoods such as pine and spruce. Wood is composed of organic fibers called cellulose that are bound together by lignin. Either when producing wood fibers from chips, factories may use a chemical process to separate the fibers or they may use a mechanical process.

White paper is generally produced by bleaching the woodpulp. Paper that yellows with exposure to sunlight is considered undesirable and therefore a chemical bleaching stage is necessary for pulp destined to become writing paper. This type of cellulose fiber is carefully refined to remove impurities and larger chips of wood.

Recycled paper is a popular item and in order to see new life, it must first be returned to the pulp stage. Before being used though, any chemicals such as ink must be leached from the product. This may involve chemical leeching or washing of the pulp. Paper that is recycled into pulp, can save money and valuable resources and be useful once more.

Some factories produce pulp and then ship it to other factories for processing or they export it. Producing this material and for export results in what is called market pulp. Many times a factory that produces woodpulp may also have paper-producing machines where the fibers are immediately turned into the end product such as writing paper or newspaper or even fiberboard.

Depending upon the process used in manufacturing the pulp as well as how it is processed afterwards, the end result of pulp can be light and delicate paper, or strong and sturdy such as boxes or pressed boards. Simply adding the right chemicals and pressure treating the right type of woodpulp can result in a durable container, useful furniture, practical protection made of cellulose fibers and of course fine writing paper.

The finest of paper is usually made from wood pulp in a very careful process that usually involves some chemical bleaching. However, every type of wood pulp when processed can be used efficiently. Factories which produce more of this processed fiber than they can use generally export it as market pulp, where it eventually becomes one of the many products that may or may not be recognized as once being wood pulp.

Author Bio: With sales of approximately $2 billion, we operate over 30 pulp and paper, Ethanol suppliers product manufacturing units, and produces silvichemicals from by-products of its pulping process and specialty chemicals.

Category: Business
Keywords: business,market pulp,wood pulp,pulp and paper,office supplies,forest products,green products