Mark Auger

Working as a Project Manager, Process Engineer or Mechanical Engineer, develop and implement capital & major maintenance projects using the Front End Loading (FEL) process with customers of this engineering design firm in the south/central region of the United States focused on the Chemical & Pulp & Paper Industries. This is accomplished by leading a team of lead engineers in the principle disciplines, supplemented by cost control, estimating, purchasing, and scheduling, or additional resources as needed. Also worked as process/ mechanical engineer when required. Projects range from large projects greater than $100 Million TIC to very small projects.

Major Projects & Accomplishments:

• Confidential Client- US. Process Engineer. Worked on a study to select a pulp & paper mill to purchase for a Chinese company from a group of mills. With the selected mill perform a more detailed evaluation and led the development of a plan and estimate to convert the paper mill to the grades desired by the client. Once purchased continued to work on the redevelopment/restart of this facility.
• Confidential Client - US. Project Manager/Process Engineer. Identified potential paper mills and paper machines to develop a project to rebuild an existing paper mill to produce the grades required by the client. Presented the alternative projects to the client. Developed a more detailed scope & estimate for acquisition of the selected project/ mill for acquisition purposes.
• Confidential Client - US. Process Engineer. As part of a team, worked as lead process engineer on the detailed engineering phase of a paper machine/recycled pulpmill project. Work was focused on the paper machine wet end and winder areas.

Responsible for managing all aspects of this engineering design firm in the southeast region of the United States focused on heavy process industries such as the Pulp & Paper, Chemical & Power Industries. The southeast unit consists primarily of the engineering business of Watkins Engineers & Constructors consists of two engineering offices (Tallahassee, Jacksonville) and employees placed on several plant sites (staff varied between 35-60).The goal of this position is to build revenue, profitability and stability for this unit while providing the technical leadership required to do this. Major tasks included establishing project priorities to ensure customer satisfaction by assigning appropriate engineering resources, providing oversight over quality and meeting the client’s schedule requirements for deliverables.

Responsible for developing and managing engineering business for this engineering design company in the Middle East. The primary goal was to develop design/ build or EPC projects, with DEI providing the engineering services. This work is done in conjunction with a joint venture between Walbridge, Detroit, USA (www.walbridge.com), CR Meyer, Escanaba, MI (www.crmeyer.com) and the Amana Group, Dubai, UAE (www.amanabuildings.com). Projects targeted the industrial sector (pulp and paper, heavy process, food & beverage industries) located where the joint venture was established (the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf State Countries). As a secondary objective, develop and manage other engineering projects in the overall Middle East region that can be effectively implemented by DEI, particularly Iran.

Responsible for the development and implementation of capital projects required to fulfill company objectives from initial concept through start-up. Initially develop project approval packages through progressive levels of development, addressing all aspects of the proposed project including operations, quality, budget, HSE considerations, schedule, financial ROI analysis and risk analysis. Once approved, ensured the defined scope was realized according to objectives established for budget, schedule and technical specification by establishing the priorities and making the decisions needed to implement the project in a safe and environmentally friendly manner according to the company’s established procedures for managing and tracking project progress by providing the required Progress, Cost Control, Receiving & Change Management reports.

Major Projects & Accomplishments:

• OTSEGO PAPER Inc, Otsego, MI USA. To meet a requirement to increase internal company paper production capacity, led the development and implementation of a $142 Million project through the acquisition of an existing Paper Plant producing paper (corrugating medium) and converting it to a state of the art wallboard paper mill producing the grades required for wallboard. This was an important savings over the $350 Million required for a similar Greenfield facility. The plant started up very close to the original schedule, meeting the production and quality goals of the project quickly with an excellent start-up curve.
Principle elements of the project included extensive modification to two pulping lines of OCC pulping, a new liner pulping line, paper machine upgrades including a new 3-ply fourdrinier and top wire former, roll wrapping line, two warehouses, a new waste treatment pond and other major environmental improvements to limit future liability.
Responsibilities included:-
- Under severe time constraint, successfully led the development of a decision support package including technical scope, budget and schedule used to obtain board approval.
- Led the technical team in developing the design criteria, guarantee requirements, process for the plant and selection of the equipment.
- Insured that the required environmental and other permits and approvals were in place to allow production to proceed as planned.
- Led the efforts to procure the required equipment and services, including the negotiation of the major contracts for Process Equipment, Detailed Engineering and Construction Management.
- Supervised the construction management team, managing the construction of the plant, including the award of sub-contracts on a lump sum basis, change order management, cost control, and expediting and tracking the schedule.
- Co-coordinated the interface between detailed engineering, construction and plant personnel
- Oversaw the development and implementation of the site safety program, achieving a no lost time accident record and very few recordable incidents with over 720, 000 man-hours logged

• USG Clark Plant, Clark, NJ USA. Managed Study to provide a definition grade scope & estimate for a 7MW Gas fired turbine Co-Gen facility.

• As an independent consultant (Jan-April 2009) worked to successfully resolve a major outstanding legal claim stemming from the Otsego project.

Supervised a multi-disciplinary engineering effort for projects contracted by the company. Ensured delivery and start-up is conducted according to specification, on time and within budget. Typically supervised the installation, commissioning and start-up of the project.

Major Projects & Accomplishments:
• TEMBOARD, (part of Tembec Inc.) Temiscaming, QC CANADA. PM Rebuild including Dilution Headbox, DuoFormer D/K Rebuild & Soft Nip Calender. Supervised Detailed Engineering Services as a sub-contract such that the customer’s project schedule was not compromised, when the client encountered difficulties with the original engineering firm midway through the project.
• BLUE RIDGE PAPER, Canton, NC USA. Directed Paper Machine Rebuild of PM 19, consisting of a rebuild of the press section including a new shoe press and installation of hard nip/ soft nip calenders. Resolved a large number of technical issues and expedited deliveries of information and equipment after replacing the previous project manager at a late stage of project achieving the required delivery and mitigating substantial company losses.
• Successfully implemented many projects from the initial order through to confirmation that the process guarantees and mechanical warrantees have been fulfilled such as:
- MEADWESTVACO, Evadale, TX USA. Rebuilt the #5 PM SymFormer to a DuoFormer D
- CASCADES FINE PAPER, St. Jerome, QC CANADA. Rebuilt and installed a used Film Coater and new IR Dryer & Air Turn on their PM 8.
- INTERNATIONAL PAPER, Riegelwood, NC USA. New Rectifier Roll Headbox
- STORA ENSO North America, Kimberly, WI USA Rebuild the wet end of Paper Machine 96

As part of the EPC management team to implement a $500 Million Greenfield Industrial Paper Complex for Mazandaran Wood and Paper Industries in Northern Iran, responsible for resolving outstanding process and commissioning issues, and helping the Iranian personnel, as part of the start-up team operate their plant.
Major Projects & Accomplishments:
• Successfully identified and resolved several process problems that had been contributing to the inability of the mill to produce a saleable product for nearly a year before arrival at site.