Becoming a Paper and Pulp Mill Operator in Queensland

About this role

Paper and Pulp Mill Operators operate plants to produce paper pulp from woodchips and to make paper sheets.

What you might do day-to-day in this job

Typical tasks for a Paper and Pulp Mill Operator include:

• loads the digester with raw materials and chemicals
• regulates and adjusts the temperature and pressure within the digester
• tests samples by titration or standard colour test to determine completion of process
• drains liquid from digester and monitors the removal of the cooked pulp
• takes samples of bleached material for laboratory testing
• washes bleached material and blends to obtain uniform quality
• may be required to add chemicals during the bleaching process and complete chemical or electrolytic tests
• undertakes the addition of size, fillers, dyes, alum and chemicals, and tests for correct consistency
• ensures transfer of completed batch to storage tanks where it is kept under agitation to maintain consistency
• may mix and cook colouring matter for dyeing product in the machine
• controls flow of wet pulp through rotary screens to paper making machines
• operates drier and calendar rollers
• operates super-calendar to impart gloss and finish to surface of paper
• operates machine to glaze or impregnate paper with coating mixture
• separates sheets from felts and lays sheets in packs, re-presses packs
• separates sheets from pack and dries.