Pulp, Paper & Logistics July/August 2022

VOLUME 13 NUMBER 73

JULY/AUGUST 2022

ANDRITZ: Thai tiger is aiming to be the leader in tissue

HEIMBACH

VALMET

ABB

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INDUSTRY NEWS IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

Pulp Paper & Logistics

COMMENT

W

elcome to July-August issue of Pulp Paper & Logistics magazine.

Although we are in a time of high uncertainty, with supply chains in Europe disrupted and energy costs going through the roof, it is also a period offering new opportunities.

As reported in this issue, paper shipments last year grew in Europe as the impacts of the pandemic declined, but this year, even if demand continues, pulp and paper makers will still need to cope with the rising costs of oil and gas.

No wonder then that pulp makers for example are mitigating the costs of drying by converting to renewably-sourced electrical power, such as Vafos Pulp in Norway.

The growth in availability of water-proof heat-sealable papers that are recyclable continues apace. The obvious application for e-commerce was highlighted by the launch of an automated packaging machine by Italy’s Sitma Machinery which is reaching out to the buoyant market in Japan (read more in the next issue).

Of greater importance is the potential for replacing plastic shrink film for palletising with the systems launched by Mondi.

This could be a huge market once users wake up to the possible impact in eliminating plastics from the waste stream.

Finally, well done to ABB in pulling out of Russia. The Swiss engineering giant joins a number of paper makers, their suppliers and the likes of IBM, Apple and Intel. ABB says it had not been taking orders since the hostilities started and will do its best to support employees there as the operations are realigned in a controlled manner.

Features in the September-October issue will include a preview for the MIAC 2022 show at Lucca in Italy, a focus on tissue production and processing, and a review of mill servicing. Please send submissions by 16 September.

Vince Maynard, Publisher

Vol. 13 Issue No. 73, July/August 2022 ISSN 2045-8622 (PRINT) PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Vince Maynard Tralee, Hillcrest Road, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6JS, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1732 505724 Mobile: +44 (0) 7747 002286 Email: pulppaperlogistics@virginmedia.com CONSULTANT EDITOR David Young Tel: +44 (0) 1737 551687 Mobile: +44 (0) 7785 796826

EDITOR John Nutting Email: johnnutting47@gmail.com REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE Einar Johansson Tel: +46 8 540 255 15 Mobile: 0046 70 234 80 85 Email: einar.lennart@gmail.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS LOGISTICS

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HEIMBACH

10

Ergonomic forklift driving – without a steering wheel

Half a century of development

VALMET Boosting predictive maintenance in fibre processing

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ANDRITZ

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ABB

The evolution of moisture measurement: from static electricity to high-speed electronic scanning

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PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

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PEOPLE

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Thai tiger is aiming to be the leader in tissue

PRINTER Brown Knight and Truscott Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 3BW United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1892 511678

PRODUCTION Anthony Wiffen ASTAC Business Publishing Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1460 261011 Mobile: +44 (0) 7557 280 769 Email: anton_print_1@mac.com July/August 2022

2 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

UPM to sell its Steyrermühl mill to Heinzel

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PM has agreed to sell its Austrian subsidiary UPM Kymmene-Austria GmbH to the Heinzel Group, a leading pulp, packaging and paper producer and trader in Central and Eastern Europe.

The deal comprises the UPM Steyrermühl site with around 400 employees, including the newsprint paper machine with an annual capacity of 320,000 tonnes and the Steyrermühl sawmill operations with an annual timber capacity of 370,000 cubic metres.

The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Operations at UPM Steyrermühl will continue unchanged until the end of 2023 when newsprint production will cease and the deal is closed and Heinzel takes over.

UPM will be “leveraging the high value of the Steyrermühl site” The future of the mill depends on the technical and organisational aspects of the site following discussions between UPM and Heinzel, which plans to operate the site outside the graphic papers market and integrated it with

Heinzel’s Laakirchen mill, which is located nearby.

Heinzel is considering the production of packaging materials to complement its existing product portfolio.

Commenting on the deal,

Europe’s pulp and paper industry bounced back in 2021 The European pulp and paper industry showed signs of a strong post-Covid recovery in 2021, as paper and board consumption increased by 5.8 per cent, outperforming the overall rebound in GDP in the Euro area, according to the latest annual statistics from Cepi, the Confederation of European Paper Industries.

As a result of these positive trends, paper and board production also increased in 2021, by 6.1 per cent. The sector’s operating rate, the capacity at which paper mills are operated, reached 90 per cent July/August 2022

over the year, up from 85 per cent in 2020. Positive trends are also recorded for the first quarter of 2022, with the sector surpassing in the first quarter of 2022 its 2021 first quarter production levels. But these cannot reflect the recent impact of the attacks on Ukraine by Russia.

The growth in 2021 was driven by a renewed demand both on domestic markets and globally.

Exports exceeded the levels achieved in 2019, registering a strong growth in sales to the North and South American markets. Currently, 22 per cent of paper production from Cepi

members is exported.

The coronavirus pandemic also accelerated certain trends, observed over the past decade, says Cepi. The rise of e-commerce boosted paper and board packaging market, while it benefited from the substitution of other solutions, often triggered by the EU Single Use Plastics Directive. The production of packaging grades reached an alltime high in 2021, increasing by 7.5 per cent compared to 2020.

The most impressive growth was registered for the production of wrapping grades, used for paper bag production, which increased

Massimo Reynaudo, executive vice president of UPM Communication Papers, said: “The agreement benefits both UPM and Heinzel and supports the development of their businesses in line with market needs. This agreement enables UPM to adapt its newsprint paper production to the longterm market development while leveraging the high value of the Steyrermühl site. This will strengthen our market position while improving our financial performance.”

In a statement UPM said it will remain committed to the newsprint business as one of the industry’s leading producers, continuing newsprint production at its Schongau, Ettringen, Hürth and Jämsänkoski mills. by 11.6 per cent. It benefitted from the EU-backed phase-out of plastic packaging.

Another Covid-related effect on paper markets has been the development of the hygiene market segments. Demand for paper for sanitary uses has seen a correction effect, with the peak of the pandemic now behind us, and it should benefit from higher hygiene requirements over the long term. Graphic paper markets have, after a very negative impact in 2020, bounced back in 2021.

Cepi figures also show that, after significant investments by the sector, the recycling of paper is increasing in Europe, surpassing 50 million tonnes in 2021 for the first time, while exports of paper for recycling decreased by 18 per cent compared to 2020.

INDUSTRY NEWS 3

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Paper Excellence Group builds its North America portfolio

C

anada-based Domtar Corporation, a pulp and speciality, printing, writing, and packaging papers manufacturer, is to acquire forest products manufacturer Resolute Forest Products Inc. Domtar was last year acquired

by Paper Excellence Group, which says the move will further build its portfolio in North America.

“The addition of Resolute enables us to continue executing our long-term business plan to drive growth to the benefit of all stakeholders,” said John Williams, chief executive of Domtar. “After

the close of the transaction, the Paper Excellence Group will own or operate a collection of diverse, strategic assets across North America that allows us to deliver a wider range of high-quality products to our customers.”

Resolute will become a whollyowned subsidiary of Domtar, and its management team will remain in place at the company’s headquarters.

“With this transaction, Resolute will accelerate its growth as it gains access to more tools, capital and opportunities to pursue our ambitions with the combined resources of the Paper Excellence

“The addition of Resolute enables us to continue executing our long-term business plan to drive growth to the benefit of all stakeholders,” said John Williams, chief executive of Domtar Group,” said Remi Lalonde, Resolute’s chief executive officer.

“This is good for employees and the communities where

Resolute operates because we will continue to grow in a manner consistent with our core values of accountability, caring and trust that we hold dear. Together, we will form a stronger and more resilient, diversified forest products company, positioned to compete on a truly global scale, with a shared commitment to being a trusted business partner, dedicated to sustainability and to caring for its people and communities.”

The group is also working on a feasibility study for the eventual conversion of Resolute’s Gatineau, Quebec, newsprint mill to the production of packaging paper.

Vafos switches from oil to electric power for its pulp drying Vafos Pulp, a Norwegian producer of unbleached pulp for cardboard manufacturing, is switching its drying process from oil to electricity, reducing the Kragerø mill’s carbon emissions. The pulp maker will replace a 9 megawatt (MW) oil-fired boiler with electric heaters, controlled by ABB technology.

It means the mill, which produces 80,000 tons of pulp a year, will cut its carbon emissions by 14,000 tons a year from this year.

Vafos says the new air heaters require a significant amount of power and managing them is key to maintaining plant safety, operating efficiently, and minimised downtime. They are controlled by ten ABB DCT880 systems to manage the power

The Vafos mill in Norway where the drying will be electrified supplied to the electrical heating elements.

The controllers are mounted in containers and use a Power Optimizer feature to create a steady load that minimises disruption for the local electricity grid. The integration of the systems was a joint effort by ABB and Norwegian system integrators

EAS and Actemium Electro.

The DCT880 power controllers are a long-life product and contain the latest control technology and interfaces. This will enable the Kragerø plant operators to control the drying process more precisely than when they used oil. The switch to electricity also means that the facility no longer needs oil

storage on site.

“The age of burning heavy oil in Norway is over,” says Roar Paulsrud, chief executive of Vafos Pulp. “Customers expect us to be part of the green transition with sustainable production. It is also important that our industry helps reduce emissions here in Norway.”

Lars-Fredrik Mathiesen, head of ABB Motion in Norway, added: “The project in Kragerø is a great example of how organisations can decarbonise by using modern electric alternatives. As Norway’s grid is being almost entirely powered by renewable energy, moves like this one by Vafos Pulp lead the way for others in industry, and will be key to achieving the government’s goal of cutting carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2030.”

July/August 2022

4 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Bacteria could transform paper industry waste into useful products

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xtracting useful products from renewable resources such as wood is the goal of a group of scientists in Canada.

Dr Lindsay Eltis, a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of British Columbia, and his team are studying how bacteria transform woodderived compounds into useful chemicals. Harnessing this process

could lead to new, eco-friendly biotechnologies.

The researchers used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to study an enzyme that breaks down the ring structures found in lignin, a major component of the woody biomass that is increasingly being used a chemical resource but often burned by the pulp and paper industry.

Dr Lindsay Eltis believes that lignin could be converted by bacteria into chemicals that are usually generated by the petroleum industry

Using synchrotron technology, the team was able to visualise and describe the enzyme for the first time. Their results were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Eltis believes that bacteria represent a greener way of doing things. Instead of burning lignin, it could be converted by bacteria into chemicals that are usually generated by the petroleum industry “Bacteria can transform an underutilised by-product of the paper industry into useful biomaterials like nylon and help

create a ‘circular bioeconomy,” he said.

“One of humankind’s goals moving forward is to reduce our carbon emissions,” said Eltis. “Being able to transform renewable resources would really go a long way to achieving some of these goals.”

‘Characterisation of a phylogenetically distinct extradiol dioxygenase involved in the bacterial catabolism of ligninderived aromatic compounds.’

Journal of Biological Chemistry (2022): 101871. DOI:https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101871.

Newsprint line at Stora Enso mill could be converted to containerboard Stora Enso is looking into the feasibility of converting one of its two lines at the Langerbrugge paper mill in Belgium to make containerboard, in response to increasing demand for renewable materials such as recycled packaging board.

If the project goes ahead, Stora Enso will invest about €400 million in the conversion of the newsprint line at the mill to make up to 700,000 tonnes a year of testliner and recycled fluting July/August 2022

grades with annual sales of €350 million when run at full capacity.

The other line at the mill makes supercalendared (SC) magazine paper.

A feasibility study is expected to be finalised in the first half of 2023. Depending on an investment decision, the converted line is expected to be in production during 2025.

Hannu Kasurinen, executive vice president of the Packaging Materials division, commented:

“Today we produce recycled containerboard in Poland, mainly for the Eastern European market.

A conversion in Langerbrugge would establish a competitive position for us in Western Europe as well. In addition to sourcing materials for recycled containerboard, the study will also assess the handling of different incoming recycling streams, including laminated grades. Having successfully completed conversions at other

sites, we would be able to leverage important learnings from those projects.”

Stora Enso announced in March this year that it was initiating a process for the possible sale of four of its five paper production sites, but not including Langerbrugge site which will be retained within the group. The future of the Langerbrugge site’s SC paper line will be evaluated if a decision is made regarding conversion of the newsprint line.

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6 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Mixed paper recycling mill to be built in Virginia

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large mixed paper recycling mill is being constructed by Total Fiber Recovery (TFR) at Chesapeake in Virginia.

The US$80 million investment called Total Fibre Recovery of Chesapeake (TFRC) is the first of a number of similar mills planned

by TFR, and has been partly funded by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority with $65 million of green bonds.

The mill is a joint venture between Oregon-based Total Fiber Recovery, and Swedenbased CellMark Inc. The project will be fed by CellMark’s Recycled Fiber Division and all pulp produced will be marketed by CellMark’s Pulp Division. Bulk Handling Systems, an affiliate of Total Fiber Recovery, is providing the equipment.

“The paper industry demands recycled pulp to make new

Artist’s impression of what the Total Fibre Recovery of Chesapeake recycling mill could look like products, and North America is home to some of the world’s most advanced MRFs that produce high-quality recycled fibre,” said chief executive of Total Fiber Recovery Steve Miller.

“From consumers recycling at

their homes, to legislators and regulators developing creative waste management plans, to the dedicated MRF operators sorting out materials, Americans have shown that we care about recycling. All that is missing

here is the capacity to achieve our goals, and that is what TFR provides. We could not be more excited to be a part of the solution and to start here in Chesapeake, and we thank the local leadership for helping us realise our vision. We are grateful for the support of Governor Youngkin, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Port of Virginia, Mayor West, and the Chesapeake City Council.”

TFRC will begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2023 and process up to 300,000 tons of mixed paper and old corrugated containers (OCC) from the region’s materials recovery facilities (MRFs). In a statement TFR said the mill will increase the region’s capacity to process recycled fibre and produce a clean recycled pulp for consumption in paper mills around the world.

Mexican corrugated upgrade helps Smurfit Kappa’s sustainability targets Smurfit Kappa has upgraded is Nuevo Laredo mill in Mexico to produce corrugated products.

An investment of US$23.5 million includes a modern corrugator and extension of the building. The new machine offers benefits of reducing carbon emissions by up to 40 per cent and to double production.

The Nuevo Laredo mill is located in north east Mexico on the border with the US, where Smurfit Kappa has strong partnerships in the industrial, electrical appliances and July/August 2022

electronics sectors. The region is home to more than 200 companies which manufacture products for the US. The paper maker says the increased capacity will streamline its operations in San Antonio, Texas, 250km north where growing demand for sustainable packaging is calling for larger volumes.

The investment will also help with the plant’s sustainability targets. Its carbon emissions will be reduced by up to 40 per cent because less transportation will

Smurfit Kappa’s Nuevo Laredo mill in Mexico has been upgraded to produce corrugated products be needed between the Nuevo Laredo and San Antonio mills.

Commenting the investment, Laurent Sellier, chief executive of Smurfit Kappa the Americas, said: “This investment reinforces our commitment to being an important player in the growth of the Mexican market. It will also strengthen our partnerships within the sectors that drive the local economy in the Nuevo Laredo region.”

This latest investment follows Smurfit Kappa’s $22 million expansion of its Culiacan corrugated plant in north west Mexico last year.

INDUSTRY NEWS 7

Pulp Paper & Logistics

German federal minister visits Mitsubishi HiTec Paper

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obert Habeck, Germany’s federal minister of economics and climate protection, visited Mitsubishi HiTec Paper’s Flensburg speciality paper mill in June, where he was able to exchange views on current issues regarding the supply and price situation for gas and electricity.

At the Flensburg site, Habeck exchanged views with sales & marketing director Nic Holmer, production & technology director Michael Steuernagel and other employees of Mitsubishi HiTec Paper.

Habeck showed particular interest in the energy policy aspects at the Flensburg site. As an energy-intensive company, Mitsubishi HiTec Paper is hugely affected by the current situation on the gas and electricity markets as a result of the war in Ukraine.

Hydrogen as an energy carrier of the future was discussed as well as possible future scenarios on

Germany’s minister of economics Robert Habeck visits Mitsubishi HiTec Paper in Flensburg: (from left to right) Matthias Neukirch (head of quality assurance), Sebastian Sieck (head of production coating machines), Christian Müller (head of new business development), Robert Habeck (federal minister of economics and climate protection), Nic Holmer (director of sales and marketing), and Michael Steuernagel (director of production and technology)

the gas markets.

Mitsubishi HiTec Paper was able to inform Habeck – a resident of Flensburg since

2001 – about the development of special papers based on silphia plants. The cultivation of the perennial silphia plant has

a clearly positive influence on biodiversity – and the holistic process offers a negative carbon dioxide balance.

Bonetti Group in Italy acquired by Andritz Bonetti Group, an Italian manufacturer and supplier of doctor, creping and coater blades, and blade holders, has been bought by Andritz.

Established in Milan in 1923, Bonetti also provides services for paper machines. Andritz said the acquisition extends and strengthens its aftermarket business and supplements its current Paper Machine Service portfolio.

Bonetti has around 150 employees, annual sales of

Andritz is planning to strengthen its aftermarket business about €25 million and operates five production facilities, with two in Italy (Lainate, Milan

and Cantalupo, Varraze), one in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, USA, one in Hagen, Germany and

one in St Louis de France, Canada.

Joachim Schönbeck, chief executive of Andritz, said: “With Bonetti, we have acquired a high-tech global supplier providing essential services and wear parts to the paper industry.

The acquisition fits in perfectly with our long-term strategy to acquire complementary businesses and expand our aftermarket business with its stable source of revenue and earnings.”

July/August 2022

8 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Emissions at Zülpich paper mill are cut with circular approach

S

murfit Kappa has completed a largescale sustainability project at its Zülpich paper mill in Germany, which significantly reduces the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions. The €11.5 million investment included a major redesign of the plant’s multi-fuel boiler to provide a more sustainable power source for the generation of steam and electricity.

The mill, which produces around 500,000 tonnes of paper a year, is now powered by a combination of its own biogas, which is a by-product of its circular water treatment plant, natural gas, and the residual materials – called

Smurfit Kappa’s Zülpich paper mill gets more sustainable power ‘rejects’ – which occur in the paper recycling process that would otherwise be considered waste.

The project cuts carbon dioxide emissions at the paper mill by more than 25 per cent, which represents a 2 per cent reduction in Smurfit Kappa’s global carbon dioxide emissions.

Smurfit Kappa has set a goal of achieving a 55 per cent reduction

in fossil emissions by 2030 and at least net zero emissions by 2050.

The paper maker has also had its 2030 emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative as being in-line with the Paris agreement.

The Zülpich circular approach also extends beyond its own operations to create loops with Smurfit Kappa’s Parenco and

Roermond paper mills in the Netherlands. The rejects from Parenco and Roermond are a valuable source of fuel for Zülpich’s boiler.

Commenting on the Zülpich project, Pim Wareman, chief executive of the Smurfit Kappa Recycled Paper Cluster, said: “The unveiling of this state-of-the-art multi-fuel boiler is yet another example of how, at Smurfit Kappa, sustainability is part of our DNA. The project shows that economic efficiency and sustainability are by no means mutually exclusive but can go together hand in hand taking the mill on a very positive journey.”

LOGISTICS

Ergonomic forklift driving – without a steering wheel A steering system for forklift trucks that enables drivers to be more relaxed and productive has been launched by Linde.

It is an electro-hydraulic steering system that does not require a classic steering wheel.

Instead, the driver’s arm lies on an armrest. The truck is controlled with the left hand, either by an integrated mini-wheel or a joystick.

The advantage of these additional options in the Linde Steer Control system is that working in the forklift is more relaxed, and the driver remains focused and productive for a longer period of time. Looking to the future, another important requirement for the automated counterbalanced truck has thereby been met, says Linde.

Frank Bergmann, product July/August 2022

Joystick instead of a steering wheel: With Linde Steer Control system, a relaxed seated position and reduced body movements make work less strenuous manager for counterbalanced trucks at Linde explains: “With the Linde Steer Control system, we have consistently developed the sophisticated operating concept of the Linde truck with dual pedal control and Linde Load Control.

“The driver’s arms now both lie on an armrest. The right hand

directs the mast and forks, while the left hand steers the truck around corners. In this way, we manage to further reduce body movements and take the strain off the driver.”

The Linde Steer Control system is based on steer-by-wire technology.

Control commands from the

driver are converted into electrical signals and forwarded to hydraulic actuators. A sophisticated safety system guarantees the fail-safe operation of the vehicle.

Electric control of the wheels opens up new functional possibilities, says Linde. For example, the forklift driver can steer the vehicle more precisely using the Linde Steer Control system, as the steering reacts more or less sensitively depending on the vehicle speed. If the truck is traveling faster, the mini-wheel has to be turned more or the joystick tilted further to the side to bring about a certain steering deflection of the wheels. If the driver reduces the speed of the truck, the same hand movement results in a stronger steering deflection.

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10 HEIMBACH

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Half a century of development

Q

Mr Cascón, after half a century of production in Burgos, you have a lot to tell.

Can you even begin to compare today’s technology with that of yesteryear?

Cascón: I have a counter-question.

Can you even remember the telephone of the seventies? Then just think of the latest smartphone and you have the answer. It’s the same in our field, a lot has been revolutionised since we started production.

Let’s firstly take a look at warping. Unlike in the past, today every single bobbin is checked for tension. Back then, there was just a general check for all the bobbins together. So we produce a far more homogenous fabric that is much less prone to waviness.

A lot has also happened in weaving. A modern weaving loom

July/August 2022

Paper machine clothing specialist Heimbach has special reason to celebrate: its manufacturing base at Burgos in Spain has been operating for just over 50 years. Francisco Cascon, technical director of Heimbach Ibérica talks about its past and its future delivers a specific amount of warp yarns at any given time. This means that, come what may, the tension is always the same. This also leads to a far more uniform fabric than was produced in the early days. And all this occurs, of course, at two to three times the speed.

The technological leaps continue as we move into heat-setting where, thanks to compressed air, we have long since eliminated temperature differences between the paper and machine side of our fabrics. And finally in the seaming

department, the joining process is today carried out automatically instead of by hand.

Q: There speaks the lover of technology. What do papermakers have to gain from all this innovation?

Cascón: One thing above all else: a consistently high quality of felts and fabrics in their machines.

Thanks to the state of the art that we currently have, our products stand for maximum reproducibility.

So fluctuations in quality have long been a thing of the past.

Q: Burgos became a Centre of Excellence in 2020. What is behind this?

Cascón: In keeping with our objective to minimise the risk of downtime and increase flexibility in production, we are set up within the Heimbach Group in such a way that we always manufacture at a minimum of two locations in parallel. This applies to forming fabrics, press felts and dryer fabrics. This strategy is of particular importance in today’s world, where bottlenecks in the supply chain occur from time to time.

So we have a Centre of Excellence for each product group. For dryer fabrics, this is Heimbach Ibérica. Each Centre of Excellence is divided into areas of responsibility and specialist departments.

For example, my colleague

HEIMBACH 11

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Francisco Cascon, technical director of Heimbach Ibérica: “In the dryer section the contribution of dryer fabrics should never be under-estimated”

Heimbach Ibérica is a Centre of Excellence for dryer fabrics Ruben Mosquera is in charge of Strategic Product Management whilst I have responsibility for Product Development, Quality Management and the Laboratory.

We see a great advantage to the proximity this gives us to product management. This enables us to respond flexibly and quickly to customer wishes, and to drive development forward.

Q: How do you know when the time is ripe for a new product?

Cascón: There are usually several clues. Just as production processes and facilities are subject to constant change, so are customer requirements.

This can apply for example to wear potential, fabric stability, resistance to hydrolysis, or contamination resistance. And of course, we are supported in drawing conclusions by our

quality management.

At this point I should mention that there is no universal dryer fabric that can meet all requirements. Every paper machine is unique in its specifications. The dryer section therefore also needs tailor-made fabrics. Even identical machines can require different applications.

Q: Who participates in the development process?

Cascón: All manufacturing departments: Weaving, heatsetting, seaming as well as development and the laboratory.

The way we operate at Heimbach Ibérica, highly-experienced paper technologists and engineers from all areas work closely together right from the start. We feel that this high level of competence and combination of specialisms is one of the distinguishing factors.

Q: How do you ensure that a new product meets the requirements set for it?

Cascón: We carry out laboratory tests to check the performance of the cloth. This consists of a variety of analyses. This could be abrasion resistance, void volume or water absorption, FFI values, elongation

values or seam marking and stability. We also have a pilot machine with which we carry out specific control tests.

Q: The keywords are ‘innovation cycle’: how high is the turnover you achieve with new or optimised dryer fabrics?

Cascón: About two thirds. Looking at our ‘New Generation’ Secoplan designs, it is as high as 80 per cent.

Q: How can this be explained?

Are today’s products significantly different from the past?

Cascón: Significantly different for sure. As already mentioned they are without exception tailor-made. Just remember that the requirements of the paper industry are constantly changing, and therefore so are the expectations of our products.

This is especially the case in the dryer section where energy consumption is a constant concern, so the contribution of dryer fabrics should never be under-estimated. The fabric design also has a huge influence on running times, contamination behaviour and many key factors

such as economic and ecological concerns.

If there is one thing that I can promise our customers, it is that we will continue to stay ahead of the game in the future.

Heimbach Ibérica at a glance In 1969, the medieval city of Burgos launched its state development pool to promote industry and Heimbach was one of the first participants to seize the opportunity. In 1971, Heimbach Ibérica was set up as a subsidiary plant and from then on supplied the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American markets with press felts and dryer fabrics. Forming fabrics have been produced in Spain since 1980. Between 2006 and 2009 the site underwent an extensive investment programme. All machinery was modernised and the production of forming and dryer fabrics was fundamentally optimised. At the same time, production of press felts was transferred to other sites within the group. Burgos has been the Centre of Excellence for dryer fabrics since 2020.

July/August 2022

12 VALMET

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Boosting predictive maintenance in fibre processing Making the transition from a reactive to a predictive maintenance strategy calls for the 24/7 visibility of equipment condition. Valmet’s new reliability monitoring systems offer a costeffective way of achieving this goal, says Marjaana Lehtinen

M

otivated by ambitious equipment reliability targets, measuring equipment parameters for maintenance planning purposes are nothing new. However, many mills have encountered several pitfalls when monitoring procedures.

Typical obstacles are related to inadequate hardware, signal processing and/or data transfer

technologies. Other challenges include scattered information and high system-monitoring costs.

A new reliability monitoring platform To overcome these challenges, Valmet has developed a new reliability monitoring platform specifically designed for fibre processing equipment. New monitoring devices feature the latest sensor and data

transfer technologies, with an Industrial-Internet-based configuration. It’s all built on Valmet’s unique process and equipment knowledge of pulp and papermaking. Results from the commercial pilot systems have been found extremely effective and are very promising.

Says Heikki Kettunen, senior manager R&D at Intelligent Rolls in Valmet: “It’s been challenging yet very interesting to develop

tailored systems that can provide fibre equipment process monitoring and enable predictive maintenance visibility.

“We’ve encountered a variety of external conditions and have had to design and build a robust system for demanding operating environments. However, we’ve succeeded in developing a system providing signals that previously didn’t exist.

“To tackle the costs aspect, we

“We’ve have had to design and build a robust system for demanding operating environments,” says Valmet’s Heikki Kettunen July/August 2022

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liquor leakage and smooth rotor rotation. Feeders are expected to have an adjustment allowance from a minimum of one to several years, and a feeder repair interval obviously depends on how well optimised the adjustment procedure is.

The Valmet Feeder Position Monitoring system provides clear visibility of rotor adjustments throughout the feeder’s lifecycle, enabling chip feeding process reliability and performance optimisation.

Wide scale-up and connection possibilities The Valmet Twin Roll Press and (superimposed) a temperature map of the vat: By monitoring the lay the path to predictive temperature, it is possible to identify disruptions in pulp flow and see if stagnant pulp is accumulating maintenance inside the press. Fluent pulp flow supports roll reliability and secures press performance developed a modular system configured to allow single or multiple equipment expandability and wide flexibility to accept a variety of signal inputs. And the data interface for external systems can be configured, removing the need to build several parallel systems with multiplied costs.”

Fewer unplanned shutdowns and optimised performance for wash presses Valmet TwinRoll Presses enjoy a leading position among commercial technologies for pulp dewatering and washing.

Valmet’s Vat Temperature and Bearing Oil Monitoring systems secure press reliability and

improve washing efficiency.

Vat temperature monitoring keeps an eye on the vat’s temperature profile. When the press performs in accordance with its design principles, its temperature profile is consistent all over the vat. If the profile is uneven, it suggests that the pulp flow in the vat and through the press nip is unsteady. Such a situation can be detrimental to the press roll and is certainly suboptimal for TwinRoll Press performance from the washing efficiency perspective. Valmet’s Vat Temperature Monitoring solution makes the pulp flow distribution visible.

With bearing oil monitoring, the

aim is to detect contaminants in oil before they lead to inadequate lubrication and bearing failures.

The monitoring system picks up every sign of water and black liquor, which are typical substances that degrade oil. When a lack of lubrication is identified at an early stage, expensive bearing component repairs can be avoided.

Good visibility guides feeder adjustments in chip feeding Pocket chip feeders in continuous cooking lines require frequent adjustments to maintain a perfect gap between the stationary housing and rotor. Adjusting can be considered a quest for a balance between steam or

Valmet’s reliability monitoring systems feature a modular structure and allow a stepwise approach to system building. In its simplest version, the customer is able to monitor single equipment condition by using a web-based user interface on a computer or mobile device.

A more comprehensive setup features DCS connections allowing equipment controls. Ultimately, Valmet offers a complete monitoring service provided

by Valmet Performance Center.

This service provides equipment monitoring performed by Valmet’s experts, and mill personnel can fully focus on other tasks that deliver the budgeted production volumes.

The Valmet reliability monitoring system has a modular design, and it is expandable to other Valmet remote systems July/August 2022

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Thai tiger is aiming to be the leader in tissue Thai tissue producer BJC Cellox needed a new production line to take advantage of growing demand for its high-quality products. Andritz was chosen to supply a complete turnkey line.

PPL reports

B

erli Jucker Cellox, founded in 1990 and also known as BJC Cellox, is a dynamic, growing tissue manufacturer located at Prachinburi in Thailand, about 150 kilometers south east of Bangkok. In the past 30 years, the company has taken advantage of rapid growth in tissue demand in the region, and it now has five tissue machines dedicated to serving the Asian market.

“There is very healthy demand for tissue in Thailand as well as in the surrounding regions,” says Apinan Laocharoensuk, managing director of BJC Cellox. “It is our aim to be the No1 tissue supplier in Thailand, as well as grow beyond our borders into other countries, for instance Vietnam.”

The company makes a complete range of tissue products for

The combination of a 16ft PrimeDry Steel Yankee and the latest PrimePress XT Evo shoe press technology enables a high drying capacity with cost savings, operational flexibility as and improved product quality

bathroom, facial, kitchen towel and napkins under the brand names of Cellox, Zilk, Maxo, Belle,

and Hygienist for away-from-home products. As well as the domestic market, the company also exports

Berli Jucker Cellox is a dynamic and growing tissue manufacturer near the Thai capital Bangkok July/August 2022

to neighboring countries including Singapore, Cambodia and Burma.

BJC Cellox is in an excellent

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position in a region where consumption is bound to grow. “In our region tissue consumption per capita is still low when compared to other countries such as Japan or South Korea. In fact here per capita consumption is just one quarter of the amount of that consumed in those countries,” adds Laocharoensuk.

Andritz ticked all the boxes To assist in its ambition to be No1 and to cope with burgeoning tissue demand, in 2018 the management at BJC Cellox began looking closely at all suppliers to the tissue industry in search of the best solution for its expansion needs. Says Laocharoensuk, “Ultimately we chose Andritz to supply what is now PM5 as we knew the company was one of the leading suppliers to the tissue industry globally. When commercial discussions began, straight away we had excellent collaboration.”

The company decided on a complete tissue production line supplied by Andritz. The delivery consisted of a PrimeLineCompact tissue machine with steel Yankee and shoe press as well as a complete stock preparation system, forming fabrics, press

High quality and energy efficient tissue production at Berli Jucker Cellox felts and shoe press belts. It also included automation with Metris digitisation technology for remote support, which was to provide a vital lifeline during start-up.

With a working width of 2.8 metres, a design speed of 1,900 metres per minute, the tissue machine has an annual capacity of 35,000 tons per year. The Yankee diameter is 16ft. The stock preparation system is split into a short and a long fibre line and is equipped with Andritz Papillon refiners with a cylindrical

Apinan Laocharoensuk, managing director of BJC Cellox: “Ultimately we chose Andritz to supply what is now PM5 as we knew the company was one of the leading suppliers to the tissue industry globally. When commercial discussions began, straight away we had excellent collaboration”

refining zone.

Ji Haihong, project manager for stock preparation at Andritz, explains: “The special geometry of our Papillon refiners combines gentle and homogeneous fibre treatment. Thanks to the compact rotor design, the refiner concept offers significant improvements in energy consumption compared to other refiners on the market.”

Laocharoensuk adds: “Andritz simply ticked all the boxes with its solution of the complete tissue line. In addition, they have

a remarkable USP, namely their PrimeLineTIAC, the world’s most modern tissue pilot plant. This gives us the unique opportunity to deeply exchange know-how and to develop our products further and to achieve even better quality.

This will bring us ahead of our competition!”

Remote assistance during startup and for ongoing optimisation The complete tissue production line was successfully started up 4

Tine Kocbek, project manager for tissue at Andritz: “Due to the open communication and absolute respect from both sides, we mastered the challenge” July/August 2022

16 ANDRITZ

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Ji Haihong, project manager for stock preparation at Andritz China: “Thanks to the compact rotor design, the refiner concept offers significant improvements in energy consumption compared to the market standard” in early 2021, right in the middle of the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. A key part of the successful start-up was down to Metris Remote Assistance, which was utilised to the full, allowing Andritz specialists from all over Europe to fully take part in the technical procedures. Some Andritz experts were also on location during the start-up.

“Despite the Covid-19 situation we had full support from Andritz,” says Laocharoensuk.

“We had technicians on site, as well as remote assistance and I have to say that our mill team here together with Andritz did a great job and we achieved a remarkable result. We even started up on time.”

Tine Kocbek, Andritz project manager for tissue, says, “Managing the start-up with remote assistance by experts from our European locations and colleagues on-site at Prachinburi was quite an experience,

The Andritz PrimeLineCompact tissue machine with resource saving components especially in the middle of a serious pandemic. This project to me was like my very own baby, and I must admit I had one or two sleepless nights. However due the open communication and absolute respect from both sides, we mastered the challenge.”

Remote assistance using Metris

has continued as PM5 now is up and running and adding another 20 tons per day of high-quality tissue to the mill’s total output of 90 tons per day.

Pisit Samatta, associate manufacturing director at BJC Cellox, says: “One of the features we are really pleased with on the new tissue line is the remote assistance we receive from Andritz when optimising the efficiency of the machine.

Specialists are able to see exactly how well the line is running, and offer assistance to optimise the line even further.

“This was really helpful during the learning curve when we started up, and now to have remote assistance whenever we need it has come in really handy.”

Higher quality, lower energy costs

Stock blending system is part of the stock preparation July/August 2022

The tissue line from Andritz is now running at 1,700 m/min producing high-quality tissue with markedly reduced energy consumption. This is due to Andritz’s focus on the ever-

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growing importance of energy savings in tissue production, but it’s also down to one of the key components supplied to the tissue line at BJC Cellox; the PrimePress XT Evo shoe press.

When used in combination with the steel Yankee, the shoe press dewaters the paper web very gently, but also thoroughly.

By doing so it achieves a higher dry content than conventional presses. Due to the special design of the press, and the reduced need for thermal drying, as much as 20 per cent of energy can be saved under optimum operating conditions. In addition, the StrataPress T press felt ensures peak performance in the press section at high machine speeds.

Chusak Soysungvam, mill director at BJC Cellox, says, “We are very pleased with the speed of the machine and the quality of the tissue coming off the new line, the increased bulk of the tissue means we can possibly even enter new markets.

“But what we are really impressed with is the amount of energy we are now saving due to the shoe press using so much less

Metris Remote Assistance by Andritz specialists enabled a straightforward commissioning-tostart-up phase and, in addition, ensures constant optimisation of production processes, operator troubleshooting and decision support liquid petroleum gas. The shoe press removes a large amount of moisture before the Yankee cylinder meaning we save a lot of money in the drying process.”

With the introduction of the new line from Andritz, BJC Cellox is now well on its way to achieving

its ambition to be No1 in tissue in Thailand. Laocharoensuk says, “We have an ambition to be the market leader in Thailand, which will happen very soon, as well as having our expansion plans into other markets.

“We clearly made the right

decision to select Andritz for our PM5 project. We received really professional and outstanding service and support covering all areas from commercial evaluation, technical clarification, machine installation and start-up, as well as ongoing support.”

The Andritz tissue pilot plant PrimeLineTIAC (Tissue Innovation and Application Center) enables customers to develop or improve their right tissue product July/August 2022

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The evolution of moisture measurement: from static electricity to high-speed electronic scanning Moisture levels have always been central to paper production, but new global environmental legislation around energy consumption is creating an urgent need for even tighter measurement and control in what can be highly energy-intensive processes, writes Michael O’Hora*

S

teeped in more than 4,000 years of tradition, the pulp and paper industry has, at times, been slow to take up new technologies. Mills are often operating an installed base of old machinery, which, to a certain degree, is understandable when the massive capital outlay for new equipment in plants of this scale is considered.

It’s not that there is no investment, it’s just that traditionally it has been used for short-term, immediate requirements, as opposed to longterm, optimisation programmes.

However, with recent environmental legislation demanding even more stringent targets, compounded by global competition and supply issues, the industry must look even harder

for ways to become more efficient and reach higher repeatable quality levels to reduce its environmental impact.

Measurement is at the heart of this opportunity. Without fast and accurate measurements, controlling and optimising a process is futile. Modern, unblinking, and high-speed measurements are opening up a new world of control

Modern machines take advantage of modern technology, such as ABB’s Network Platform Scanners July/August 2022

and optimisation to modern papermakers.

Historical perspective The industry has come a long way in terms of technology. One hundred years ago, there were very few tools for paper-quality evaluation. Instead, companies relied upon the innate skills of the line operators who checked paper uniformity by sight, reel hardness

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High Performance Infrared Measurement, such as the HPIR-R shown, uses non-modulating technology to achieve an ‘all seeing’ measurement eye

with a stick and water content using the effect of static electricity on their arm hair.

Less ambiguous measurement techniques for moisture emerged in 1927 when Louis Thompson of General Electric was granted US patent 1,645,077. He had noticed that the insulating properties of paper are reduced at higher moisture levels. His idea used an electrode with high voltage on one side of the sheet and a grounded roll on the other. In operation, the voltage was increased until an arc formed through the paper between the electrode and the roll, with the voltage level when the circuit completes correlating with the paper’s moisture level.

This level of technology could best be described as ‘better than nothing’. It was a good indicator of moisture but provided very little in terms of trending, cross sheet profiles or control capability.

Moisture content was a particularly key metric then and

remains just as important today, due to its ability to impact quality, throughput and most notably in today’s economy, drying efficiency.

As a result, the development of more accurate and efficient ways to both measure and control its levels has attracted a commensurate level of attention.

The atomic age As paper machines widened, production tolerances increased, paper thickness decreased and throughput ramped up, the marketplace and scale of production demanded more efficiency. Newer, faster online technologies that could deliver better accuracy were required.

Initially this was achieved by measuring the reel hardness or using the paper’s caliper. Further developments including electrical arcing which was complemented by non-contact capacitance-based devices used to measure paper weight. This was then taken one

step further with systems based on radioactive attenuation. One company that commercialised this technology was Industrial Nucleonics, founded in 1950, and a forerunner to ABB in the paper industry.

Eventually, technology more akin to what we have today was developed. Using non-contact sensors, which use visible light, microwaves, ionizing radiation, and infrared, coupled with online scanners that could scan the full width of the web, mills could get about 60 measurements per second. It is these technologies that underpinned the modern renaissance in measurement capabilities and accuracy.

So why was this development such a game changer at the time?

In operation, the organic materials within paper webs exhibit strong infrared radiation absorption. As a result, the moisture concentration can be estimated by measuring the differences in absorption.

Signal processing used in this older generation of infrared moisture sensors exploits what is known as amplitude modulation, which is used to suppress any background phenomena that may have an influence on the measurements. It was a major stepping stone to keeping moisture at desired levels.

Plus, the eventual emergence of digital control technologies enabled the first big leap in moisture controls. The decades that followed focused on the development of Machine Direction (MD) and Cross-Machine Direction (CD) controls with a continuous stream of enhancements that could react to the ever improving measurements, enabling faster start-ups, reduced variability, and faster grade changes.

Blink and you’ll miss it So, what became of this modulating approach?

Because it is akin to a blinking

4

July/August 2022

20 ABB eye, the system only catches measurements when the eye is open. This leads to disadvantages that are incompatible with many of today’s modern, high-speed production processes. The measurement speed is limited by the frequency of the signal and the capabilities of the electronics used to reassemble the signal. The level of optical power launched into the sheet is also lower, reducing the effectiveness of the signal.

What was needed was a way to keep the eye open all the time, to capture as much information as possible and avoid the blind spots while ‘blinking’. This solution arrived in 2010 with the introduction of non-modulating technology – touted as the biggest breakthrough in moisture measurement in 30 years.

It’s fair to say that it arrived just in time; with paper-making machines growing to immense proportions.

With this new non-modulating technology, such as that exclusively used in ABB’s proprietary HighPerformance Infrared (HPIR) sensor portfolio, it can continuously measure and simultaneously compensate for background radiation. Indeed, it has set new standards in precision; the newest HPIR reflection moisture sensor calculates measurements 5,000 times per second, offering about 83 times more data points than 50 years ago.

The benefits of an all-seeing eye The higher volume of data from HPIR sensors equates to better control, and even small percentage gains or savings can have a huge impact on the bottom line. When you consider the drying stage of paper production, just a one per cent change in moisture equates to energy July/August 2022

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Some of the first measurement scanners produced by Industrial Nucleonics, which latterly became AccuRay, the forerunner to ABB automation in the paper industry savings of as much as $400,000 a year.

With this elevated level of data, paper producers can be far more confident that their moisture measurements are universally reflective of nominal values.

They can also shift their moisture targets closer to acceptable quality limits. This not only reduces fibre costs, but also saves significant amounts of energy – supporting sustainability objectives – while remaining within strict quality specifications.

This innovation is delivering new-found levels of measurement capabilities, giving mill owners and operators the ability to control and optimise like never before. It is also the enabling technology for the next generation of optimisation approaches which will elevate control to an even higher level.

Innovation is key Beyond the basics of moisture control, the unblinking eye of moisture measurement is

enabling a global paradigm shift as companies increasingly adopt Industry 4.0 working practices and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to serve up all-important operational data.

Modern information-based systems thrive on sharing and analysing data, so quality levels can be constantly gauged and compared historically against other variations in shift patterns, operator capabilities, seasonal temperature ranges and raw materials, to name but a few.

This explosion in capability and controllability has led to the creation of ever faster and more efficient production and optimisation techniques, namely the ability to correlate the final measurement to process conditions farther up the machine, control more variables and attribute disturbances to their true root cause.

The pulp and paper industry has tremendous opportunities to exploit these new technologies and legislation may well prove

to be the driving force, including issues such as traceability across the entire value chain, from tree planting to eventual recycling.

Conclusion ABB’s 140 years of experience in this highly demanding industry has resulted in multiple evolutions in quality control for pulp and papermakers, who have gone from looking at arm hair to digital moisture measurements. Further progress has been encouraged by the evident benefits that the evolution of measurement brings.

Simply adding the newest moisture sensor, for example, can provide a clearer picture of operations, to both tighten controls and address contemporary sustainability targets. And with other technologies already in development, alongside improvements in existing infrared and microwave techniques, moisture measurement is certain to evolve even further. c Michael O’Hora, BSc, PhD, is R&D Principal Engineer at ABB

Heimbach TASK Process expertise and tailored solutions

Even small improvements in and around the paper machine can often release great savings potential.

Your profits can be enhanced by maximising production efficiency and keeping maintenance costs to a minimum. Place your trust in our technical know-how and sound service competence that provide effective support in optimising your processes.

See for yourself our well-established expertise and extensive technical service portfolio, including: • MD Mass Variation Analysis (ODIN) • Speed Measurement • Thermography Measurement • Troubleshooting

www.heimbach.com

22 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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New concept for structured tissue production with less energy

A

new concept in tissue machine technology has been launched by Toscotec with Ingenia, which is said to offer substantially higher quality textured tissue that is close to through-air drying (TAD) by using 35 per cent less energy.

The new design is based on consolidated technologies for premium tissue, building on experience between Toscotec’s and Voith’s R&D, and field data validation on TAD and structured paper systems.

Paolo Raffaelli, chief technology officer at Toscotec, says: “The key factor for energy reduction compared to TAD, is that Ingenia achieves significantly higher dryness through non-thermal dewatering on a structured moulding fabric.

“With TAD, the thermal drying starts from 24-26 per cent, whereas Ingenia achieves a much higher dryness level without using hot air or steam. This maintains the premium quality obtained through rush transfer and structured moulding fabric, but uses much less energy.”

Through the use of noncompressive water removal technologies and efficient fibre moulding, Ingenia is said to produce much higher tissue quality properties than other technologies for textured or conventional DCT tissue. These properties include bulk, softness, stretch, and absorbency, which improve the tactile ‘hand’ feel and the final paper characteristics that compete with premium July/August 2022

Toscotec’s Ingenia tissue machine offers higher quality products by using less energy segments for toilet, facial and towel tissue grades.

The specific pattern of the structured fabric and the use of a calender further enhances the quality of end products.

The process begins with a dilution profiling layered TT Headbox-ML operating on a twinwire forming section. Like TAD machines, Ingenia operates wire rush transfer at low consistency, but its key capability is an enhanced vacuum de-watering system without pressing the paper web, which ensures that dryness is greatly increased while fibres are being supported in the same shape as they originally formed when fully water saturated.

At the end of the wet section, TT NextPress shoe press uses low loading pressure to gently stabilise the web dryness content and transfer the paper to the drying section without bulk compression. The combined action of a third-generation design TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer and high-efficiency TT Hood achieves the final desired dryness.

The process is completed by dry creping, sheet stabilisation integrated with dust removal, and precision winding using an electromechanical TT BulkyReel fitted with a Center Wind Assist on the primary and the secondary arm, which preserves bulk by reducing

the nip pressure against the reel drum during the winding process.

Ingenia offers flexibility, as it can easily swing from the production of premium quality structured tissue to conventional DCT. The tissue machine is offered in widths up to 6m, capacities from 100 to 250 tons per day, and operating speeds up to 1,500 m/min in structured tissue mode or 2,000 m/min in conventional mode, depending on machine size and customer requirements.

More information from Marco Dalle Piagge, sales director of Toscotec Tissue division. Email: marco.dallepiagge@toscotec.com

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Sustainable pallet wrapper replaces plastic stretch film

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paper pallet wrapper that is more efficient and sustainable on small-to-medium production lines has been launched after collaboration between packaging and paper maker Mondi and mechanical engineering company EW Technology.

The two companies worked together to design the machine, which fills a gap Mondi identified in the pallet wrapping market.

Offering two settings, the machine can be fully automated to wrap up to 60 pallets every hour or semiautomated to wrap 10-15 pallets per hour.

The machine takes a full reel of Mondi’s Advantage StretchWrap paper, allowing customers to replace the multi-layer plastic which is currently the industry standard for pallet wrapping.

Advantage StretchWrap is 100 per cent virgin paper, created with renewable materials and

Paper pallet wrapping offers a 62 per cent reduction on the carbon footprint compared to plastic stretch film

fully recyclable in existing paper waste streams across Europe. It contains no plastic or coating, but still ensures excellent strength and tension absorption.

Mondi commissioned an independent life cycle assessment comparing the paper pallet packaging to conventional plastic stretch film and proved that it performed better in several categories – most notably with a 62 per cent lower carbon footprint than with virgin plastic stretch film.

Other user benefits include

the feature that a new reel of Advantage StretchWrap can be applied to the new machine without any need to re-wind. The larger dimensions of the Advantage StretchWrap reel mean that a replacement reel is only needed every 400-600 pallets compared to 40-80 pallets for plastic wrapping.

Philipp Ertl, co-founder of EW Technology, says: “Sustainable projects are close to our hearts and as a young team we are determined to make a positive contribution to the environment.

Rising demand for barrier papers means more work for Voith’s pilot coater It’s been a year since Voith started up a pilot coater at its Technology Center in Heidenheim, Germany, after an extensive rebuild, since when demand for pilot trials for coated and sized paper grades has increased enormously.

Voith reports that in particular, barrier coatings for sustainable packaging papers are being explored by many customers from around the world. Together with the other pilot machines, all

production steps throughout the entire papermaking process are covered – from stock preparation to coating and calendering.

“With the help of the stateof-the-art pilot coater, we can drive innovation together with our customers while minimising investment risks,” explains Georg Scholl, R&D engineer at Voith Paper. “In an efficient way, we develop new processes and products. By optimising

raw materials and production parameters, our customers can also identify significant cost-saving potential. The utilisation of the pilot coater is very good, and we are conducting many customer trials.”

The high-capacity utilisation of the pilot machine is attributed in particular, says Voith, to increasing consumer demand for barrier papers as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

By taking a collaborative approach with Mondi we were able to learn exactly what was needed and work together to deliver a unique new offering in paper wrapping technology for palletised goods – one that will benefit companies across many industries.”

Babicz Bartosz, product manager for Advantage StretchWrap at Mondi adds: “We work with brands across various industries and recognised that companies seeking to be more sustainable and with smaller outputs require a customised machine for paper pallet wrapping. This machine will mean that customers can successfully and safely wrap their products in paper for transportation, work towards a more circular system and make a positive contribution to the environment.”

More information from Judith Wronn, Mondi Group. Tel: 49 151 1771 4692. Email judith.wronn@ mondigroup.com Customers are able to test up to 18 different coating variants without having to interrupt their own production.

“Together with our customers, we develop sustainable packaging solutions for the future,” says Nina Köpl, R&D engineer for sustainable packaging at Voith Paper. “For example, we work together to find the best overall process for the pre-treatment of the base paper, for the application, and for the drying of our customers’ individual barrier solutions. If necessary, adjustments are also made to the machine technology used.”

July/August 2022

24 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

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Agitator range from Sulzer extended

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atest addition to Sulzer’s range of agitators is the Salomix SSF150, which is said to offer excellent performance in all industrial segments.

The new size will be used mainly in large pulp mills, with typical applications in storage towers, pulpers and bleaching towers.

Salomix SSF side-mounted gear-driven agitators are used for mixing and agitating process liquids in demanding industrial applications, such as viscous liquids as well as fibrous and other slurries. The agitators are said to ensure a homogenous mixing result, high process reliability and efficiency,

Sulzer’s new SSF150 agitator will be used mainly in pulp mills

low operating costs, and low environmental stress.

All SSF agitators have a consistent design with stainless steel construction, a flange-

mounted motor, and an integrated one-stage gearbox.

For SSF150, accessories such as support legs, Dilco integrated dilution system, sealing water

equipment, bearing unit monitoring, grease dispenser for the front bearing, and Sulzer Sense condition monitoring are available. The SSF150 has a power range from 110 kW/150 hp to 160 kW/200 hp.

The agitators in the SSF range are ATEX approved, which means that they are also suitable for customers in the chemical process industry.

High-efficiency patent pending hydraulics are also said to provide substantial savings in energy consumption. With the robust construction, the need for service is cut to a minimum, and the design makes maintenance easy.

Latest industrial scanner range offers rugged performance A new range of PowerScan 9600 industrial handheld scanners has been launched by Datalogic.

The scanners are said to offer powerful new benefits in manufacturing and warehousing applications with a rugged design, combined with wireless charging and interchangeable communications modules.

Long-range Star radio capability provides better performance and reduced total cost of ownership.

The PowerScan 9600 is available in corded and cordless versions, both of which offer a choice of interchangeable connectivity options and an interchangeable interface module for connecting to an Industrial PC, tablet or PLC. The cradle offers wireless charging, thus eliminating the risks commonly associated with July/August 2022

Rugged design and wireless charging are features of the PowerScan 9600 range traditional contact-based charging cradles.

Remaining battery life is clearly indicated as is the overall health of the device, alerting the user

to carry out any predictive maintenance ahead of potential failure.

It features an IP67 rated housing that withstands water and dust

ingress in industrial environments, and even drops of up to 2.5m onto concrete floors, resisting the harshest usage in mills and warehouses.

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Mercer Rosenthal to expand its biobased products with lignin extraction

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ignin is to be sourced from pulp mill black liquor with new plant ordered from Valmet by Mercer Rosenthal’s Lignin Center in Thuringia, Germany.

The lignin extracted by the Lignoboost plant will be used for developing a range of bio-based products that can replace fossil raw materials.

Wolfram Ridder, vice president of business development at Mercer International Inc, said the company was looking for alternative sources of energy.

“Mercer is investigating lignin utilisation for biobased products as one of the alternate pathways towards utilisation of side streams beyond biomass energy,” Ridder said. “With Valmet’s Lignoboost pilot plant installation on-site Mercer Rosenthal will further build its solid lignin knowledge and will allow partnerships for product development. Valmet

The LignoBoost XS plant will be delivered to Mercer Rosenthal mill in Thuringia, Germany and Mercer Rosenthal have a long-lasting cooperation. As an example, in 1998, the mill was rebuilt to become Germany’s first kraft pulp mill.”

The automated plant will include a demonstration-scale LignoBoost XS lignin extraction plant, with a capacity for producing around 350 tonnes/year. The plant is a module-based installation enabling streamlined engineering

and faster delivery, and will be used for both hardwood and softwood lignin extraction.

“The plant offers Mercer the possibility to study different lignin qualities and their use in valueadding products. We have put special focus on designing the plant for safe and easy operation,” says Hanna Karlsson, manager of Valmet’s Ash and LignoBoost technology.

One of the world’s largest producers of market pulp, Mercer operates mills in North America, Europe and Australia with sales of $1.8 billion a year. The Rosenthal mill produces about 360,000 tonnes of elemental and total chlorine-free NBSK pulp per year along with 410,000 MWh of green electricity and the capacity to produce 6,000 tonnes of crude tall oil per year.

Thermal protection coating cuts down cleaning work on guide rolls Cleaning work during shutdowns has been reduced and efficiency has been improved at Hamburger Containerboard’s Pitten mill in Austria following more than two year’s use of Voith’s TerraDry PN thermal protection coating.

Part of family-owned Prinzhorn Holding, Hamburger Containerboard produces testliner on the PM4 at the mill for further processing into packaging materials. Due to the contamination and occupancy

tendency on the chrome-plated paper guide roll caused by stickies at the lead out of the after drying section, the production personnel were faced with increased cleaning work during each shutdown.

By replacing the steel roll with the dirt-repellent TerraDry PN roll cover, the producer of high-quality corrugated case material products reports reduced cleaning work and “significantly” increased efficiency.

First installed in 2019, the TerraDry PN coating matches the environmental conditions, protects against corrosion and has high temperature resistance.

Markus Ungersböck, head of mechanical maintenance at the Pitten mill, said: “Previous rolls had to be cleaned from stickies with every shutdown. With TerraDry PN in the same position, no more cleaning is required.”

He also emphasises the long service life of the new dry

application: “After more than two years, the roll still looks very good.

We are convinced the TerraDry PN coating is the best solution for our requirements in this position.”

The application of TerraDry PN is suitable for all undoctored guide rolls in the dryer section adjacent to cleaning devices.

More information from J.M. Voith SE & Co KG, St Pöltener Straße 43, 89522 Heidenheim, Germany. Tel: 49 7321 37 2077. www.voith.com July/August 2022

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Pulp Paper & Logistics

Second plasterboard liner supplied to Shanxi Qiangwei Paper

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hinese paper maker Shanxi Qiangwei Paper has started up the XcelLine PM6 supplied

by Voith at its Jinzhong mill in the central China.

As the leading full-line supplier, Voith delivered the entire production line. The machine has a wire width of 7m, a design speed of 1,200 m/min and produces plasterboard liner and containerboard with a basis weight of 90 to 160 gsm, giving annual production of more than 300,000 tons.

The PM6 has a high degree of automation, and the paper produced features a low tensile

The PM6 team at Shanxi Qiangwei Paper in China celebrate the first roll off the line ratio, excellent surface quality and uniformity, as well as high breaking and folding strength. The dryness after press is also very high, which leads to low specific

steam consumption.

Also supplied were MasterJet Pro headboxes, a Tandem NipcoFlex press section and a CombiDuoRun dryer section

including hood and machine air system. Optimum paper properties are ensured by a SpeedSizer AT and an EcoCal Hard calender. The MasterReel reeling concept, including parent roll handling system and disc filters for fibre recovery, is used for smooth production.

Shanxi Qiangwei also relies on the latest automation software from the Voith Papermaking 4.0 portfolio to achieve additional efficiency increases and cost reductions. A control and information system (DCS) as well as the quality management system (QCS) OnQuality are integrated in the plant.

Environmentally-friendly dissolving pulp plant started up at Bracell’s Star project What is described as environmentally-friendly plant for dissolving pulp was started up by Andritz at Bracell’s massive new Star project at Lençóis Paulista in the São Paulo state of Brazil.

In April 2022, one of the two flexible hardwood fibrelines that were started up in the previous September was switched from kraft to dissolving pulp production. High capacity with premium quality was reached within a few days of the switch, reports Andritz.

Developed by Andritz, the line uses A-ConFlex technology that enables full flexibility in production, switching between high-quality dissolving pulp and kraft pulp quickly to meet the July/August 2022

Bracell’s Star project in Brazil is one of the largest and most sustainable pulp mills in the world market demand.

The world’s largest EvoDry pulp drying system from Andritz, with two energy-efficient pulp drying lines enabling very fast switches between dissolving pulp and kraft pulp production, was also

supplied to the mill.

The Star project is one of the largest and most sustainable pulp mills in the world, and is said to comply with the highest environmental standards. It features two flexible, hardwood

fibrelines for a total capacity of up to 2.8 million tons/year of bleached kraft pulp or 1.5 million tons/year of dissolving pulp made from sustainably cultivated eucalyptus.

Vice president of Bracell, Per Lindblom says: “We are pleased and proud to now have the largest and greenest continuous cooking line in the world for dissolving pulp at the Bracell mill in São Paulo, utilising proven Andritz technology. We started up quickly after the switch and were soon producing top-quality pulp. This success is clearly down to the close teamwork between Bracell and Andritz as well as both companies’ complementary expertise in dissolving pulp technology and production.”

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Pulp Paper & Logistics

Wet end rebuild for Cartiere di Guarcino’s PM2 line in Italy

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talian speciality paper manufacturer Cartiere di Guarcino is having the PM2 at its Guarcino mill near Frosinone rebuilt by Toscotec to enhance paper quality and increase production capacity.

Scheduled for completion in December 2022, the rebuild consists of the modifying the paper machine’s forming and press sections with installation of both Toscotec and Voith technology.

In the forming section, the supply of a customised breast roll and Voith’s FloatBearings will substantially enhance paper formation by boosting the performance of an existing shaking unit. Secondly, the installation of Voith’s EdgeMasters on the forming wire will deliver optimum paper web edge. Finally, the rebuild of the Fourdrinier section will be completed with a new wire stretcher and tail cutting unit.

In the press section, Toscotec will supply an additional press nip with associated felt run, the overhauling of the hydraulic system, and a technological

Cartiere di Guarcino’s paper mill near Frosinone in Italy doctoring system equipped with savealls to improve water removal.

PM2’s press rolls will be equipped with polyurethane covers customised by Voith for each position: an AquaFlow cover on the first nip to minimise shadow marking and a SolarPress cover on the second and third nips

to optimise dewatering.

Simone Principia, plant manager at Cartiere di Guarcino, says: “This investment fits into the growth strategy of Neodecortech Group.

Cartiere di Guarcino is set to increase production performance through a fully-customised technological solution.

“We aim to raise the bar on product quality and achieve the utmost differentiation in the high-end market of decor papers.”

More information from Enrico Fazio, sales director, paper & board division of Toscotec. Email: enrico.fazio@toscotec.com

Efficient lime kiln technology for Papelera Guipuzcoana de Zicuñaga Spanish pulp and paper maker Papelera Guipuzcoana de Zicuñaga has ordered a new LimeFlash-H lime kiln from Andritz for its Hernani pulp mill in Spain, with an expected start up in the second half of 2023.

The order includes a

LimeFlash-H feed head system, a lime kiln, a LimeFire burner and a LimeCool sector cooler.

LimeFlash-H is a new technology for maximising the efficiency of the kiln with the focus on increasing capacity while reducing energy

consumption.

It consists of a two-cyclone system combined with feed end technology. This provides maximum benefit as the heat recovered efficiently from the flue gas can be used to preheat lime mud.

LimeFlash-H maximises capacity while reducing energy consumption July/August 2022

28 PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

German label maker orders stock preparation line for recycled materials

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teinbeis Papier GmbH has ordered a complete stock preparation line for conventional wastepaper and special grades, with a capacity from 78 to 200 t/d, for its mill at Glückstadt in Germany.

To be supplied by Andritz with start-up planned for the end of the first quarter of 2023, the line will process a range of raw materials, such as wet-strength and coated paper grades, labels with high wet strength, wet beer-bottle labels, and plastic-laminated wastepaper.

In collaboration with the customer, Andritz says it has developed a comprehensive and particularly flexible system that can be adapted to suit the various raw materials which have a range of pulping and reject content.

Andreas Rauscher, chief

The ANDRITZ stock preparation line being installed at Steinbeis Papier will process a range of label stocks executive of Steinbeis Papier GmbH, says: “With its products, Steinbeis Papier focuses on the principles of a resource-saving, circular economy. The latest product – called Steinbeis Label, a wet-strength and alkali-resistant

label paper – brought about the idea of a new waste paper processing line to create the preconditions for a closed-loop process in Glückstadt.

“Thus, wet-strength and alkali-resistant label paper

Pulp production technologies

started up at Sun Paper Key pulping process equipment has been started up by Andritz at Sun Paper’s new mill at Beihai in the Guangxi province of China.

The wet lap plant achieved production close to guaranteed values immediately after start-up earlier this year.

Equipment installed by Andritz included a wet lap system with the highest capacity ever in China, with two production lines giving a capacity of 1,120 admt/d bleached hardwood kraft pulp, each consisting of a Twin Wire July/August 2022

The mill team with the new pulp drying line at Guangxi Sun Paper and a Heavy-Duty Press for pulp dewatering, a cutter-layboy, and a baling line.

Also installed is a white liquor plant with a capacity of 10,500 cubic metres a day (cm/d)

can be recycled and used as the raw material for new label paper. The previously unused wastepaper volume that could not be processed using conventional methods and had to be incinerated can thus be made available to the recycling loop in future.”

Steinbeis Papier GmbH in Glückstadt is the market leader in Europe for graphic recycled papers made from 100 per cent wastepaper. Its product range comprises printing and copy paper, coated offset paper, as well as paper for digital printing and label paper. It is part of Steinbeis Holding, which is made up of a number of companies from ecological paper production, the circular economy, and environmentally-friendly energy production under one roof. comprising major recausticising equipment and a LimeKiln which with a capacity of 950 t/d, a multifuel burner and a highefficiency LimeCool sector cooler.

The evaporation plant includes a high-concentration section for a total evaporation capacity of 1,100 t/h and a final dry solids content of 85 per cent. The evaporation plant delivery included key equipment and technology with Andritzmultiple-effect lamella evaporators.

To treat the ash from the electrostatic precipitator, an ash re-crystallization (ARC) system with a handling capacity of 400 t/d, decreases the chloride and potassium content while recovering sodium and sulphate.

PROJECTS & CONTRACTS 29

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Distributed control systems for Sun Paper’s new pulp mill

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t Sun Paper’s new pulp mill at Beihai in the Guangxi province of China, ABB has installed three sets of its distributed control system (DCS), two sets of mechanical pulp drive systems, four refiner motors and auxiliary highvoltage cabinets, and more than 30 high and low-voltage motors.

The Beihai mill currently produces 600,000 tons of bleached mechanical pulp (APMP line and BCTMP line) and 800,000 tons of bleached pulp a year. The combined daily production capacity across the three lines reaches up to 4,200

air-dried tons and currently represents the largest pulp production capacity among comparable lines in the global market.

In addition to DCS implementation with ABB Ability System 800xA systems, the mill will integrate ABB’s Relion 615 protection and control series of relays with the 800xA for both the APMP and BCTMP mechanical pulp production lines, together with Load Commuted Inverter (LCI) drives solution. This will enable soft starting for multimotors connections, significantly reducing the start and stop impact of the refiner motors on

Sun Paper’s new pulp mill at Behai where ABB control systems have been installed power grid to ensure production safety and stability.

“We have chosen ABB’s solutions over others for years because we greatly value their outstanding product quality and

Automatic testing systems for Jass mills in Germany German containerboard manufacturer Papierfabrik Adolf Jass Schwarza (Jass) has integrated ABB’s latest L&W Autoline automatic testing systems into its production processes, largely replacing manual laboratory measurements.

The move is part of wider digitalisation project at the mill, which produces one million tons of corrugated base papers annually, and brings quality inspection closer to the production floor. Jass operators will gain reliable quality insights faster, enabling them to adjust the process and parameters to ensure increased efficiencies through fewer rejects, saving energy and raw materials usage.

Data from the L&W Autoline is collected in the mill’s quality management system Quality data from the L&W Autoline is collected in the mill’s quality management

system by integrating with the ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system and

engineering services,” said Ying Guangdong, deputy general manager and chief engineer of Shandong Sun Paper. “As for the pulp project at the Beihai Mill, the ABB team has consistently demonstrated their excellent project execution and collaborative strengths, ensuring the smooth start-up of our new production line.”

During their more than 20 year collaboration, ABB has provided 15 DCSs to Sun Paper.

This latest project follows the recent completion of four pulp production line projects at Sun Paper’s Shandong production base.

OPC communication, thereby adding automated laboratory data to the mill’s universal view of product quality.

“The integration of L&W Autoline automatic paper testing means we have completed the move from time-consuming manual paper testing so that our personnel can focus on quality adjustments and optimisation for our end products,” said Dr Uwe Weiss, technical and production manager at Jass, which runs two mills in central Germany, at Fulda and Rudolstadt.

“We are highly satisfied with its performance and already see the benefits of having more quality data in less time.”

July/August 2022

30 PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Pulp production and OCC lines for Sun Paper’s Nanning mill in China

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un Paper in China has ordered pulp production technologies from Andritz for the fibreline and lime kiln plant as well as energy-saving OCC lines and a complete reject treatment system for RDF (refuse-derived fuel) production at its Nanning pulp and paper mill in Guangxi Province.

Start-up is planned for mid-2023.

The order includes China’s largest ever high-kappa fibreline with a capacity of 1,600 air-dried tons per day. The hardwood line includes

a TurboFeed chip feeding system, Lo-Solids continuous cooking, blow line refiners, screen room, LC refiners and efficient washing with a multi-stage DD-Washer drum displacer washer, a Compact Press wash press, and a GF-Filter advanced vacuum drum filter washer.

The lime kiln plant will have a capacity of 450 tons per day (t/d) of burnt lime, including a LimeDry lime mud washing and dewatering filter, a LimeKiln feeding system, a LimeKiln shell, riding rings, roller sets and driving mechanism, as

well as a LimeCool and a LimeFire burner. Efficient lime mud washing with a LimeDry filter provides highquality lime mud to minimise lime kiln emissions.

Two complete OCC production lines with approach flow and broke systems will have a capacity of 1,550 and 1,400 t/d, respectively, and process LOCC for production of high-quality liner board. The delivery includes a PrimeSolve LC pulping system with advanced setup and the latest detrasher rotor design for highly efficient reject

removal and excellent slushing performance.

In addition, the scope of supply contains PrimeScreen X screens with state-of-the-art rotor design, enabling high screening efficiency, low power consumption and superior stock quality with low fibre loss. The Ultra-High Dispersing technology from Andritz allows a remarkably high dispersing consistency for greater dirt and sticky fragmentation, enhanced fibre strength, and steam savings of up to 30 per cent.

Lime mud dewatering and washing technology for BillerudKorsnäs Swedish pulp and paper producer BillerudKorsnäs has ordered a LimeDry lime mud filter from Andritz for the recausticising plant at its Frövi/Rockhammar pulp mill at Örebro with start-up scheduled for the second half of 2022.

The LimeDry lime mud disc filter is said to represent the latest technology for lime mud dewatering and washing. It provides a capacity of up to 540 tons lime mud/day in

a small footprint.

The LimeDry mud filter is designed to achieve optimum dry solids with excellent washing efficiency for lime mud – minimising TRS emissions in the lime kiln flue gases and ensuring efficient lime kiln operation with low heat consumption. It also has an excellent turndown capability – able to provide optimum lime mud quality, dryness, and alkali content at both high and low production rates.

BillerudKorsnäs has ordered a LimeDry lime mud filter July/August 2022

High-capacity pressurised fibre refining system starts up Chinese fibreboard manufacturer Chongzuo Lelin Forestry Development Co in China has successfully produced the first fibres with its new high-capacity pressurised refining system delivered by Andritz.

The system has a design capacity of 80 bdmt/h and is currently the largest of its kind in the world to form part of the largest MDF line.

Andritz installed the complete system, from chip washing to refining. It comprises a 74-inch single-disc refiner with the largest flat refining surface available and highest axial load capacity ever built. It has

This Andritz pressurised refining system is the largest of its kind in the world a height of nearly 2.4 metres and a total weight (empty) of 21.7 tons.

Chongzuo Lelin Forestry Development is part of the Lelin Group, based in Nanning, Guangxi, which has been focusing on wood-based panel production for nearly 20 years. In addition to two biomass power plants, the company owns four wood-based panel manufacturing enterprises and will have an annual fibreboard output of 1,300,000 cubic metres after the new line is completed.

PROJECTS & CONTRACTS 31

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Software and service contract for Asia Symbol Group’s new lines

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sia Symbol Group in China, part of RGE Group, has ordered an Ability Manufacturing Execution System (MES) from ABB for a new production line, with delivery and commissioning throughout 2022.

The software and service contract will help Asia Symbol to optimise its overall production process across all of its lines at the Guangdong mill, providing better oversight for planning, scheduling and continuously improving efficiency and reducing waste.

This will give operators better real-time visibility throughout the manufacturing process, creating a visual factory to ensure the delivery of products of the right

A management execution system from ABB will help Asia Symbol’s operations at the Guangdong mill quality at the right time.

Specifically designed to enable pulp and paper producers achieve operational excellence and maximum performance, ABB’s

MES helps optimise storage, energy and raw material usage, in turn improving product output and quality.

Liang LiFu, IT manager at Asia

Symbol’s Guangdong production base, commented: “ABB has been our trusted MES partner due to high competency and clear focus on the entire pulp and paper operation, from mill floor to enterprise level planning. We have benefited from their approach to convert digital data into world-class business results and are looking forward to the expanded use of ABB’s MES over our entire mill.”

In 2021, ABB secured another MES upgrade project from April Group for its Kerinci mill in Indonesia, which is also part of RGE Group. The order covers three paper machines with 1.5 million tons of annual production and was delivered in the first quarter of 2022.

New OCC line started Complete OCC line for Shanying Paper in China up in the Philippines China’s Shanying Paper (Jilin) has ordered a complete OCC line from Andritz, including fibre recovery and reject handling system for its mill near Fuyu City, Songyuan in Jilin Province.

When it starts up in the second quarter of 2023, the OCC line will have a capacity of 950 bdmt/d to produce fluting paper. Its special process set-up will meet the requirement for higher efficiency and lower power consumption.

General manager of Shanying Paper (Jilin) Yang Zhenliang says: “With this project, we are investing RMB 11.2 billion in the mill’s production of pulp and industrial packaging paper.

We will generate about 2,000 new jobs and are targeting an

economic and ecological winwin situation by using plantbased agricultural residue of local origin. The professional technology, numerous OCC references and an ideal energysaving solution were the decisive criteria for us to place the order with Andritz.”

Shanying Paper (Jilin) was started in 2018 and produces about one million tons of pulp and industrial packaging paper per year. The company is part of Shanying International Holdings, which is a leading enterprise producing various paper products, such as cultural paper, kraft papers, various grades of packaging paper and board, and corrugated cardboard boxes.

United Pulp and Paper Co (UPPC) has had a new OCC line its Bulacan mill in the Philippines started up by Andritz.

Delivered on an EPS (Engineering, Procurement, Supervision) basis, the stock preparation system features a pulping system comprising a FibreSolve FSR pulper with FibreGuard detrashing system to provide top performance, even when handling highly contaminated furnish.

Fractionators and fine screens are equipped with innovative PrimeRotors for excellent removal of stickies with lower energy consumption than conventional rotor types.

The OCC line has a design

capacity of 870 admt/d and processes old corrugated container and mixed wastepaper as raw material to produce corrugated medium. Detailed engineering and supply of all auxiliaries for the line were also part of the scope.

Pornchai Kumpeesirivutikul, project manager at UPPC, a subsidiary of SCGP, says: “Despite the pandemic, our new line was started up successfully. Andritz supervised the installation remotely and managed to support the start-up on site – this worked exceptionally well. We are absolutely convinced that we will achieve our profitability and sustainability goals in the very near future.”

July/August 2022

32 PEOPLE

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Seppo Parvi takes responsibility for Stora Enso’s paper division after Kati ter Horst departure

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ati ter Horst, executive vice president of Stora Enso’s paper division and part of the paper maker’s leadership team, left the company at the beginning of July to pursue other career opportunities.

She had been with Stora Enso for 25 years, joining in 1996 and leading the paper division since 2014.

Kati ter Horst said: “I have had

Kati ter Horst had been at Stora Enso for 25 years

3

a fantastic international career at Stora Enso, and I am very thankful for all that I have learned and for the opportunity to work with great people. This is a good moment for me to leave and start something new.”

Commenting on ter Horst’s decision, chief executive of Stora Enso Annica Bresky said: “As a highly valued member of our Group Leadership Team, Kati has been instrumental in driving Stora Enso’s transformation journey into a renewable materials company by contributing to strategy development. She has showed strong leadership and has played a key role in the extensive restructuring process of our paper business. I want to express my gratitude to Kati for her significant contributions to Stora Enso, while wishing her all the best in her future endeavours.”

Chief financial officer Seppo Parvi

Interim chief at Stora Enso’s Paper Division is Seppo Parvi assumed responsibility for the paper division from July, in addition to his other duties.

Stora Enso is looking into the possible divestment of four of its five paper production sites, a process that was announced in March. It has also has started a feasibility study at its paper mill in Langerbrugge, Belgium, for the conversion of one of the two paper lines into a high-volume recycled containerboard line.

New government affairs manager for the American Forest & Paper Association David Ross has joined American Forest & Paper Association as manager of government Affairs.

Ross will advocate for member interests, managing a portfolio of high-profile federal legislative initiatives for the association including transportation, tax, printing and writing and chemical issues.

David comes to the AF&PA from the office of US Representative Rodney Davis, where he served as a legislative aide.

David Ross has joined the AF&PA to manage government affairs

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