We are sad to report that Willem (Bill) Nikkel passed away on January 26, just two days short of his 95th birthday.
He was born in Mojokerto, Indonesia, and later served in the Dutch army. Nikkel emigrated from Amsterdam after college and worked in the paper industry in Montreal from 1056. In 1960, he relocated to the U.S. to work for West Virginia Pulp & Paper (Westvaco) as an engineer and scientist in Covington, VA. He spent the rest of his career with Westvaco, assisting paper mills and box plants in the U.S. and also subsidiary companies, such as Rigesa, in Brazil.
After his retirement, he consulted for Harper Love Adhesives and Stickle Steam from 1993. He was active in TAPPI for over 60 years and served on the Board of Directors from 1984 to 1987. He received the Corrugated Divisonal Technical Award and Bettendorf Prize in 2022 and received the Division’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2006.
