Organization

Mission

The Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA) is dedicated to the improvement and use of recycled paperboard and related products. RPTA supports training, scientific research, product stewardship, materials investigations, benchmarking and survey work. These efforts enable our members to improve the conservation and utilization of raw materials and energy which, in turn, enables them to improve product and manufacturing quality.

History

RPTA member companies have been recycling recovered paper since the turn of the 20th century. This heritage of responsible resource management has forged a tradition of innovation and ingenuity that is unmatched in the paper-making industry.

Serving the needs of companies engaged in producing recycled paperboard since 1953, we are dedicated to the improvement of the industry through product stewardship, benchmarking, materials investigations, and education.

The Boxboard Research and Development Association (BRDA) — the original organization representing the recycled paperboard industry — was formed in late 1953. It brought together members of the boxboard industry to engage primarily in scientific research and development to improve boxboard, related materials, and boxboard products and the methods and processes by which they were produced. The organization was made up of members who made products using recycled fiber as their primary raw materials.BRDA sponsored a wide variety of research programs, held seminars and training programs and provided opportunity for the exchange of information among members and suppliers to the industry.

Through the years, many changes have occurred — to the industry as a whole, individual members, and even the name of the Association. In 1991, we became the Recycled Paperboard Technical Association to better reflect the various grades of paper produced by our members and the expanded activities of the association beyond just research and development. Today, RPTA represents most of the companies in North America making paperboard, containerboard, corrugating medium, linerboard, boxboard, folding carton, gypsum, tube and core, chip and specialty grades from at least 50 percent recycled fiber.

RPTA's continued focus is to provide a legal means for members to exchange information and sponsor activities that are mutually beneficial to the industry. Product stewardship, benchmarking, materials investigations, and education are integral to the work of the Association.


LATEST NEWS

Industry Benchmarking Survey
The 2025 Profile Study will be initiated this December for first-quarter ’25 sampling. Past Survey reports can be accessed at this member-only page.

2024 Fall Roundtable
On October 16 and 17, we held our highly-rated RPTA Fall Roundtable on Paper Machine Roll Design and Operation, in Appleton, Wisconsin. The slides from our four-hour technical seminar on various types of rolls and press optimization are available at this RPTA members only site, along with materials from other past RPTA educational events.  The Roundtable also included tours of two Andritz roll facilities.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2025 Winter Webinar
On January 22nd, we will hold a webinar on Recovered Fiber Grades & Quality. Shawn State, President of Pratt Recycling at Pratt Industries, will discuss recovered fiber grades and quality trends.  He will be followed by Pat McEnroe, Product Group Director at Kadant Black Clawson, who will discuss process strategies to deal with contaminants in recovered fiber sources.

2025 Production-Technical Seminar
The event is May 4-7, 2025,  at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

This year,  the RPTA Seminar will be more integrated with the TAPPICon Conference.  RPTA members will register through RPTA and your registration will include all TAPPICon sessions and events, at a substantial savings over past years’ registration fees. 

RPTA will still recruit presentations on topics of current interest to our members:  Safer Operations, Product Strength Improvement Methods; and Waste Reduction. In addition, RPTA will host a two-hour mini-course on paper machine wet end chemistry, provided by a well-respected expert.