TOUR REPORT
8 th International Scientific Tobacco Scientists'
Conference
of CORESTA
Vienna, 7-12 October 1984
There was a good attendance of nearly 600
representatives from
around 50 countries. It was hosted most
effectively by Austria
Tabak, who celebrate this year their 200th
anniversary. The
cost must have been very high; I wondered whether
financial
support came from the Austrian Government.
Erhard RittershSus and Dr Seehofer gave the
opening address
to the Conference,."Moder *n Aspects of Research
and Production
in the Cigarette Industr V.. It was well received.
Philip Morris are clearly the most powerful member
of Coresta.
They unashamedly press to get representatives on
all task forces
and study groups, as well as on the--Scientific
Commission and
the Council. They must see Coresta as
strategically important
to their worldwide operations.
We have the possibility, if we so wish, of getting
Dr J Hollweg
of BATCF elected to the Scientific Commission next
year. It
would require a concerted effort by all our
Operating Companies
who have voting rights, plus some lobbying of
other companies,
eg Imperial.
In apparent contrast to the last major Conference
(Manilla
1980) the quality of most of the papers presented
was good.
Several on the fundamental aspects of cigarette
tissue left me
with the feeling that we must be more active
scientifically
than we are - especially in .-espect of sidestream
reduction.
Despite the launch of BARCLAYS in Germany, there
was no sign
throughout the Conference (formal session or
informal talk) of
any hostility towards BAT or the brand. This was
confirm2d by
Erhard Rittershaus, Dr Seehofer and Dr Artho [ex
Chairman of
the Swiss Association and now adviser to
BAT(Suisse)].
Overall , I had the impression of a desire for
unity within the
tobacco industry; and of guarded optimism for the
future.
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BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 10
November 1999


Austria Tabak
I visited, with Erhard Rittershaus, the factory at
Hainburg
to see the ARL reconstituted sheet plant and the
secondary
production.
The ARL plant has been in commercial operation for
3 years,
supplying the needs of Austria Tabak (15 bn
cigarettes per
year). It is highly automated, with a total staff
of 14 to
cover two shifts, 4J days a week. (In fact I saw
only one
operator during some 20 minutes at the plant.)
The product was said to have a higher filling
power than any
other sheet, with superior smoking properties.
Certainly I
found the straight sheet to be smokable - almost
mild - in
contrast to other reconstituted sheets I have
tried.
Austria Tobaks are selling the plant in
conjunction with Patent
Machinebouw BV ot Eindhoven. The first has been
sold to Rothmans,
South Af ri ca a nd wi 11 conk on stre am next Ma
rch .
I shall recommend that PP&D/GR&DC get updated on
both the
process and the product.
The cigarette factory was impressiv The bright and
airy
building (recently made a Listed Building) has
been re-equipped
with five units of 2 Mark 9V's linked via Oscar to
a GDX 1.
The building is now only half occupied - and is
quite the
smartest factory I have seen to date. The average
unit efficiency
of the machine groups was said to exceed 90% on a
consi stent
basis - albeit manufacturing only three 80mm
brands.
Reents,na Nitrogen Expansion Process
Mr P Herbert, Production Manager of Reentsma, told
me that the
plant is now in full operation - but is only 50'.
optimised.
Surprisingly, he said that there have been no
problems relating
to the extremely high pressure of 800 atmospheres
- only the
fact that few people have the experience or
confidence to
operate such plant.
Nicotine and sugar losses were said to be
virtually zero. 7he
overall capital and running costs were said to be
comparable to
that of DIET atid G 13 at a scale of 1000+ kilos
per hour.
Dr Herbert, who was 11 years with HAG on
decafinated coffee,
thought that Reentsma had been premature in trying
to licence
the process two years ago. He thinks it will still
require
some years to get it o ptimised - but it is
already profitable
for Reentsma. It does not, of course, follow that
it would be
the obvious choice for a company to operate under
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BATCO document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 10
November 1999


US Tobacco
Or R Manning, Research Director of US Tobacco,
told me that
both the DHSS and the UK Committee on
Carcinogenicity were very
active in their assessment of smokeless tobacco in
general, and
Skoll Bandits in particular. Only last week
further written
evidence was submitted on carcinogenicity, their
earlier negative
(ie, good) Ames test results having been dismissed
as 'not
proving anything'. The Committee is currently
consulting with
experts in Sweden and the US, including the
Smokeless Tobacco
Research Council in New York. Or Manning beleives
that smokeless
tobacco will be given a rough ride in the UK.
RJR Research & Development
Or R E Morse, Direc*tor of 'esearch, confirmed
that they have
strengthened their research on Biology of smoke,
AerOSDI Physi:s
and Psychology. Or Wally Hayes, a toxicologist,
has been
recruited to head-up the much expanded Biological
Group. He
has been put on the Board of RJR.
L C F BLACKMAN
16 October 1984
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BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 10
November 1999