MEMBER: We have had issues bonding liner from one particular mill.  We have reversed the roll on the rewind stand and still have not been able to develop an adhesive bond.  We have spliced in rolls from other mills and they combine well on the corrugator.  We have therefore concluded that there are no issues with our starch or corrugating procedures.  We contacted the problem mill and were told that our rolls were produced in a production run were sizing was used so the the linerboard would meet the UN Cobb Test.  Will you please explain this to us?

RALPH YOUNG: The UN Cobb requirement establishes a maximum amount of water absorption on the outer liner of a converted box. You mill may have used either too much sizing or tried a different sizing.  In either case I would ask that mill what the absolute grams of water absorption was on the finished linerboard for that particular production run.  You may also want to ask the mill about its porosity values for that production.

If you had combining issues, others may also be having issues.  Linerboard with sizing can with time continue to increase it's moisture hold out and porosity.  Check the age of the rolls.