Pulp, Paper & Logisctics

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 81

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

VALMET: Sustainable, cost-effective and high-quality tissue with hybrid technology

INDUSTRY NEWS

GREEN PACKAGING NEWS

ANDRITZ

PU LP & PAPE R

SPECIAL PROJECT BAMBOO REFINING FOR WORLD FAMOUS VIENNA ZOO

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at Schönbrunn Zoo so that steamed bamboo bread, an essential part of their nutrition, can be prepared.

ability to process various raw materials and respond very flexibly to customer requirements and challenges.

Using the dispersing technology at our Fiber R&D Center, we refine the bamboo for them. This highlights our

For further information, please contact us at: fiber@andritz.com

ANDRITZ AG ⁄ Stattegger Strasse 18 ⁄ 8045 Graz ⁄ Austria ⁄ andritz.com

IN THIS ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE

COMMENT

W

elcome to the November-December issue of Pulp, Paper & Logistics. Having completed this year’s reader re-registration we are pleased to report that our global circulation now exceeds 24,000 individuals in more than 100 countries.

During the re-registration process we also had some great feedback about the topics we should be featuring in 2024, and where possible all of these have been incorporated into the schedule for next year.

My annual trip to Lucca and the MIAC exhibition went well yet again. It is always good to find out what suppliers are offering in terms of equipment and solutions for the tissue production industry.

A new feature in this issue covers fibre-based consumer and industrial packaging products. This is a growing sector of the packaging business with strong sustainability credentials that has previously been included in the Industry News section. But it is big enough to stand alone.

There will be more on this subject in next year’s first issue for January-February 2024. We will also be featuring machine clothing, including rolls, wires, felts & inspection, pre-show news for the Pulp & Beyond show in Helsinki and forest-based bioeconomy developments. Submissions for this issue should be with us no later than 16 January.

And finally, I am sad to report the passing of Einar Johansson, who had worked for Pulp Paper & Logistics magazine from the very first issue almost 14 years ago.

Einar was both a friend and work colleague and he will be sadly missed. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends, and I dedicate this edition of PPL to the memory of Einar. May he rest in peace.

Vince Maynard, publisher

Einar Johansson, RIP

INDUSTRY NEWS

LOGISTICS

Two new hybrid freight-passenger vessels delivered to Finnlines

GREEN PACKAGING NEWS Koehler wins award for its functional barrier paper

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 PRODUCTION Anthony Wiffen Tel: +44 (0) 1460 261011 Mobile: +44 (0) 7851 612799 Email: anton_print_1@mac.com

9 10

ANDRITZ

16

VALMET

18

Pulping technology helps feed giant pandas

Voices on sustainability in the tissue industry

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

21

PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

24

PEOPLE

32

Front cover picture: Valmet, page 18

Vol. 14 Issue No. 81, November/December 2023

2

PRINTER KNOCK OUT PRINT +44 (0) 1892 823540 Unit 2 The Coppice, Petteridge Lane, Matfield, Kent TN12 7LP info@knockoutprint.co.uk http://www.knockoutprint.co.uk

2 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Amazon cuts plastic with made-to-measure paper packaging

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s part of an effort to eliminate plastic in its packaging, on-line retail giant Amazon has converted a fulfilment centre at Euclid in Ohio to use only paper for packing products being shipped to US consumers.

“This is a major milestone for our US fulfilment centres, and I’m incredibly proud of the teams that developed new technologies to eliminate plastic packaging,” said Pat Lindner, VP of mechatronics and sustainable packaging at Amazon. “This is just the beginning, as we continue to discover more ways to eliminate and reduce plastic packaging for our customers.”

Innovative ideas were used to replace plastic packaging at the Euclid site. Amazon says that to meet a need for products to be delivered in correctly-sized, easily-recyclable packaging that arrives in the best condition with the minimum impact on the environment, and where additional protection is required it has historically used plastic air pillows.

But these need extra effort for customers to compact them for delivery to a local recycling facility.

By transitioning to 100 percent recycled paper filler, customers are able to easily recycle them in their kerbside bin.

Amazon says it also wants to use as little packaging as possible to minimise its impact. In recent years, Amazon says it has significantly reduced packaging using machine learning to identify products that can be safely delivered in lighter, smaller packs.

These are up to 90 percent lighter

November/December 2023

Lighter and more easily recyclable paper packaging is being produced in a range of shapes automatically by Amazon to replace plastic at fulfilment centres than similar-sized rigid corrugated boxes.

To produce packaging that was lighter, smaller, and kerbside recyclable, Amazon’s packaging engineers redesigned machines that were previously packaging items in non-padded plastic bags.

The machines now use a built-in sensor to identify the correct size for non-padded paper packaging of products, including clothes, kitchen supplies, and sports equipment.

Heat-sealing is then used to ensure items are securely closed.

This process enables a reduction in empty space and excess waste, without compromising product safety. In addition to updating the machines, a heat-sealable paper was developed that stretches, and is more weather-resistant.

“We had machines that were creating durable, right-sized, light packaging, but it wasn’t kerbside recyclable, so we took on a challenge and heavily invested in creating a new packaging that cus-tomers can easily recycle,” said Lindner. “We’re proud of this innovative work from our teams of scientists and engineers, and

we look forward to testing this technology on a larger scale.”

Amazon has also been developing a machine that creates on-demand, kerbside-recyclable, made-to-fit packages for products that require more protection than a non-padded bag.

This machine measures an order’s dimensions and then creates a right-sized, protective package using a type of corrugated paper that is flexible and lighter than the typical box.

Amazon recently also rolled out the transition away from plastic in Europe. Thais Blumer, head of sustainable packaging for Amazon, Europe, said: “We are constantly innovating, testing and learning when it comes to packaging solutions for our customers. Our trials already show that this technology is efficient, secure and reliable. To adapt the machines, our engineers added new components, allowing them to process thin coated paper, instead of plastic.

“Our material scientists developed a light but durable paper which stretches, is more weather re-sistant than regular

In Brief l Smurfit Kappa has won this year’s PepsiCo ‘Supplier of the Year’ award, which recognises excellence across sustainability, speed to market and overall business performance. The paper maker is PepsiCo’s sole supplier for its European food business providing innovative solutions for many of its brands including Walkers, Doritos, Lay’s and Cheetos. It also supplies PepsiCo in several countries in the Americas including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and the US. l Valmet and Metsä Group are jointly developing a comprehensive operating model to ensure sustainability in technology and maintenance investments. The model will address various aspects of sustainability related to the environment, social responsibility and governance (ESG). It will be used to verify the sustainability of the process technology projects delivered

by Valmet to Metsä Group and the related supply chains.

Valmet and Metsä Group have set up a joint working group to develop and use the sustainability model. The goal is to adopt the model by 2027. paper, and can be heat-sealed like plastic – but it’s all easily recyclable in your household collections,” added Thais.

Amazon’s new automated packaging machines create madeto-measure paper bags. The first of these machines, located in Amazon’s fulfilment centres in Mönchengladbach in Germany and Bris-tol in the UK, have already packed thousands of items for customers.

INDUSTRY NEWS 3

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Valmet completes acquisition of Körber’s tissue business

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almet has completed the €380 million acquisition of Körber’s Business Area Tissue, the provider of innovative process technologies and related services for converting tissue jumbo reels into final tissue products. The closing of the deal follows an agreement announced in July.

The new Tissue Converting business will operate as a unit integrated in Valmet’s Paper business line. It focuses on delivering converting lines for rolled and folded tissue products, packaging equipment and on providing

digital solutions and services.

It enables Valmet to serve the tissue industry with wider expertise, process technologies and services covering endto-end systems including automation and flow control equipment.

Pasi Laine, chief executive of Valmet, said: “Today we are happy to welcome the market leader in tissue converting and close to 1,200 new dedicated colleagues to Valmet. The acquisition is a good strategic fit and complements Valmet’s tissue making offering with strong expertise and complete solutions from tissue converting

to packaging. By entering the tissue converting business, we take again a step forward with strengthened capabilities to serve our global customers even better.”

Former chief executive of the Körber tissue business unit Oswaldo Cruz jnr, now head of Tissue Converting at Valmet, added: “Today marks the beginning of an important new chapter in our his-tory, and we are very excited to be joining Valmet. Being part of Valmet will support the growth of our operations in the tissue converting business and allow us to boost innovative projects.

Pasi Laine, chief executive of Valmet: Körber Tissue Business Unit is a “good strategic fit” Now we can be even closer to customers as a one-stop-shop market leader.”

Advanced corrugated box factory opened by Visy in Queensland Australia-based packaging manufacturer Visy has opened a new corrugated cardboard box factory at Hemmant in Queensland.

The factory, which will make up to a million cardboard boxes a day for domestic customers in the food and beverage industries and in agriculture, was opened by Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick and Federal Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic.

The modern plant is part of Visy’s commitment to invest A$2 billion in Australia – of which A$700m will be in Queensland – to cut waste to landfill, reduce emissions and create jobs.

Praising the Queensland Treasurer’s support for the state’s manufacturing industries, Visy

Visy’s executive chairman Anthony Pratt (right) with staff at the new Hemmant corrugated plant executive chairman Anthony Pratt commented: “The Queensland Government has created a great business environment for manufacturers to invest and

grow in Queensland,” he said.

“We’ve invested A$175 million to build the most productive and technically advanced corrugated box making facility in

the country. We’ve installed the latest 2.8m-wide corrugator – the most modern corrugator in the southern hemisphere.”

Visy recycles mixed paper and cardboard from Queensland businesses and households at its Gibson Island recycling facility and remanufactures it into 100% recycled paper. The factory at Hem-mant will use this recycled paper to make corrugated boxes.

“We are transforming Australia’s recycling and manufacturing, and creating thousands of green collar jobs,” said Pratt. “100% recycled boxes from this facility are one of the ways we’re using all of Australia’s paper and cardboard, so it doesn’t have to be landfilled or exported.”

November/December 2023

4 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Suzano invests in tissue, fluff pulp and efficiencies

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eading global market pulp producer Suzano is planning to invest R$1.66 billion (US$345 million) in Brazil that will dramatically increase its capacity for fluff pulp and tissue, and improve its commitment to operational efficiency.

Three projects were revealed during the company’s thirdquarter results and investor day, and are said to be “aligned with Suzano’s strategic business avenues and underscores its commitment to constantly adapt its operations to evolving demand in Brazil and the global markets”.

Suzano is to spend R$650m (US$135m) on the construction of a tissue mill at Espírito Santo, where it will also invest R$520m (US$107m) in the replacement of a biomass boiler. The company is also planning to expand fluff pulp capacity at São Paulo in a project costing R$490m (US$101m).

Commenting on the investment, Suzano’s chief executive Walter Schalka said: “Suzano’s competitive edge in the production of sanitary papers and fluff pulp, and the long-term growth of

these markets driven by changes in consumption habits, underpin the strategy of strengthening our presence in these segments. We are the leaders in the Brazilian tissue paper market and pioneers in the production of fluff pulp from eucalyptus, which is why we must always be ready to serve our cus-tomers.”

The new fluff- and tissue-based products will respectively reach the market by the end of 2025 and in the first quarter of 2026, and will add 340,000 tons of fluff and 60,000 tons of tissue to Suzano’s production capacity.

The third investment involves the continuing modernisation its Aracruz Unit, says Suzano. The new biomass boiler will make the mill more efficient and stable, resulting in environmental gains for the operation. The boiler is expected to be operational before the end of 2025.

The $101m investment in a new fluff pulp line will support the conversion of a line at the Limeira mill into a flex machine to produce Suzano’s Eucafluff or BHKP. Suzano’s annual installed capacity for fluff pulp production will

Suzano’s chief executive Walter Schalka: more investments increase from 100,000 to 440,000 tons, with production expected to begin by the fourth quarter of 2025.

The global fluff market is currently estimated to be 6.4 million tons a year, with a growth forecast of 4.2 percent a year, according to independent consultants, driven mainly by the growth in demand for adult diapers, due to the aging population and a growing global middle class using more hygiene products.

Suzano said its third-quarter results were impacted by weak global pulp prices with net sales of R$8.9bn (US$1.89bn), down 37 percent on the same three

months in 2022. A net profit of R$5.4bn (US$1.1bn) in last year’s third quarter was turned into a net loss this year of R$729m (US$150m), which Suzano said was impacted by the weakening Brazilian currency.

Pulp volume in the three months was down 11 percent at 2.46m tons while tissue volume held at 331,000 tons. Suzano reported adjusted EBITDA of R$3.7 billion and operating cash flow of R$1.9 billion.

Suzano adds that its massive Cerrado Project, a pulp mill in Mato Grosso do Sul with capacity to produce 2.55 million tons a year, is on target to be completed in June 2024.

In Brief l With continuing overcapacity in the graphic paper market in Europe forcing Sappi to take extended periods of downtime, the paper maker has completed the consultation process into the possible closure of its Stockstadt mill in Belgium and has started the process its Lanaken mill in Germany. Lanaken is an integrated pulp and paper mill with a production capacity of 165,000 tons per year of pulp which is used to produce 530,000 tons per year of coated woodfree paper. Stockstadt is an integrated pulp and paper mill, with a production capacity of 145,000 tons per year of pulp (for internal use) and 220,000 tons per year of coated and uncoated woodfree paper.

November/December 2023

l UPM Communication Papers has confirmed the closure of its Plattling mill in Germany. Graphic paper production on the mill’s two machines was due to cease by the end of November, reducing publication paper capacity by 595,000 tonnes in Europe. “Together with the Workers’ Council, we entered into a fair dialogue with the aim of creating responsible solutions for our employees. Thanks to the considerate and collaborative attitude of all parties involved during the consultations, socially acceptable solutions were achieved with a clear focus on possible follow-up employment, ultimately mitigating the impact of the closure for our employees,” said general manager Gerhard Mayer.

Moving forward towards more autonomous operations

More and more companies aim to increase the autonomy of their mill or plant operations. In an autonomous mill or plant, an autonomous system can monitor its own performance, which brings several benefits, like improved safety and efficiency, lower costs and reduced environmental impact. Digitalization and more autonomous operations also mean that there is less need for human intervention. The role of people will continue to be important, evolving towards supervising and ensuring that different process areas perform well together, and towards managing exceptions. Operations and maintenance work will become more collaborative in the future as well.

Whether you are just beginning your digital transformation journey or you’re further along in the process, Valmet’s framework helps you recognize the necessary steps and building blocks. Our experts are there to support you as you move towards more autonomous and optimized operations.

More on valmet.com/autonomousoperations

6 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Koehler celebrates 25 years at the Greiz mill

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he Koehler Group mill in Greiz celebrated its 25th anniversary in September attended by current and former employees and their families, as well as business partners and representatives from the worlds of politics and industry.

Chairman of the Koehler Group Wolfgang Furler, deputy chairman Klaus Furler, and finance direc-tor Frank Lendowski, welcomed the 500 guests and reflected on the history of the site.

In a speech, Frank Lendowski said: “When we look at the Koehler Paper site in Greiz today, we can see a site that

Celebrating the 25th anniversary at the Greiz mill are (left to right) Koehler Group chairman Klaus Furler, Greiz mill director Lars Helge Peters, managing director of Koehler Paper at Greiz Udo Hollbach, deputy chairman Wolfgang Furler, director of technology and operations at Koehler Renewable Energy Birgit Hagebölling, director of wind power, solar, hydro & business development at Koehler Renewable Energy Nicolas Christoph , and finance and admin director Frank Lendowski

has integrated very well into the group. We have created synergies that are now valuable

for many areas of the group.

The topic of circular economy is becoming increasingly im-

portant and, with its focus on recycled paper, Greiz has thus developed into a strategically important site.”

Koehler has operated the Greiz mill since 1998, when it was bought from Dresden Papier AG, along with Papierfabrik Euler.

This was followed by extensive investment measures, enabling it to produce testliners to highquality coloured office and speciality card made from 100 percent waste paper.

Since the takeover, the Koehler Group has invested about €56 million in the Greiz site, most recently around €8 million in converting the power station to the use of biomass for fuel.

West Fraser agrees to sell two mills in North America US-based international paper make West Fraser has agreed to sell two mills in North America to Atlas Holdings for about US$120 million.

The two mills are at Quesnel in British Columbia, and Slave Lake in Alberta, and includes related woodland operations and timber holdings and a long-term fibre supply agreement. Atlas owns and operates several pulp, paper and wood products businesses in Canada and the United States.

When the deal is completed the Quesnel River and Slave Lake pulp mills will be operated by Millar Western Forest Products, which became part of Atlas in 2017. Millar Western is a more than 100-year-old Canadian forest products company based in Edmonton with existing pulp mill operations in Alberta.

“We believe this transaction November/December 2023

One of Miller-Western’s forest-product operations in Canada provides these two great assets and teams a strong strategic future while allowing West Fraser to focus our resources on our objective to be the premier wood building products company in North America,” said chief executive of West Fraser Ray Ferris. “Atlas Holdings and Millar

Western bring deep experience in the pulp sector, and we look forward to continuing to work together as a key fibre supplier to Quesnel River Pulp.”

David Anderson, chief executive of Millar Western, added: “This transaction will provide the dedi-cated and skilled

teams at Quesnel River and Slave Lake with a solid future.

Our team intends to continue investing in these high-quality mills and we look forward to collectively strengthening our product offerings and value proposition to the global BCTMP marketplace.”

INDUSTRY NEWS 7

Pulp Paper & Logistics

A.Celli applauded by China’s Sun Paper Group

O

n the 40th anniversary of Sun Paper Group, A.Celli has been named as ‘Outstanding Supplier’ after supplying a large amount of equipment to the Chinese paper maker over the last 20 years.

By the end of September, Italybased A.Celli has supplied Sun Paper and its joint ventures with five sets of double-width tissue rewinders and 15 sets of paper and board rewinders, including the three E-Wind P100 machines for linerboard and corrugating medium currently under installation at the new Sun Paper mill in Nanning.

Sun Paper Group chief engineer

Sun Paper Group’s chief engineer Ying Guangdong and purchasing director Luo Shi, with Calvin Liu, president of A.Celli Shanghai Machinery Co Ying Guangdong and purchasing director Luo Shi presented the award to Calvin Liu, president of

A.Celli Shanghai Machinery Co and representative of the manufacturer for the occasion.

“This is our way to express our great satisfaction for the performance ensured by the A.Celli machines and for the unparalleled quality of the service provided,” said Ying.

“Now, we look forward to the start-up of the three rewinders in Nanning and to our next project, already planned, which will involve A.Celli solutions once again”.

With headquarters in Jining City, Shangdong Province, Sun Paper group was founded in 1982 and produces premium coated packaging paperboard, art paper, cultural and office paper, household paper, and industrial paper.

November/December 2023

8 INDUSTRY NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Record-breaking start-ups for new packaging machines at Sun Paper

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wo new packaging paper machines were commissioned in record-breaking time

by Sun Paper at its Nanning mill in China within the month of October.

The PM2 and PM3 XcelLine projects represent long-standing cooperation between Sun Paper and technology group Voith.

During its start up the PM3 set a world record of taking just one hour from stock on the wire to producing the first saleable roll, says Voith. Furthermore, PM3

reached its design speed after two weeks, while PM2 achieved its design speed in three weeks.

Chairman of Sun Holdings Group Li Lu commented: “PM2 and PM3 in Nanning are the 13th and 14th paper machines in the partnership between Sun Paper and Voith. Our long-standing cooperation with Voith has taught us that a good business relationship is not only based on one-time success but also on mutual support and long-term growth.

“We continue to work closely

together in the packaging paper business. From PMs 31/32 and PMs 36/37 in Zoucheng to PM 1/2 in Laos and PM 2/3 in Nanning, we and Voith have demonstrated through concrete actions that a true partnership is based on deep mutual trust and shared values.”

The PM2 and PM3 machines in Nanning both have a wire width of 7.3m and have design speeds of 1,200 metres per minute in the production of high-quality packaging paper. While PM2 produces a basis weight of 140-

Two Voith packaging paper machines have been started up in record time at Sun Paper’s Nanning mill in China

250 gsm and an annual capacity of 520,000 tons, PM3 produces a basis weight between 100-160 gsm with an annual capacity of 480,000 tons. As the leading full-line supplier, Voith delivered and installed all components from headbox to reel, including automatic control systems and a digitalisation system from its Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, such as MCS, QCS and OnCare.Health.

In Brief l Metsä Fibre is planning to demolish its pulp mill at Kemi following the recent start-up of the new adjacent bioproduct mill which has a design capacity for 1.5 million tonnes of softwood and hard-wood pulp. The securing and preparation for dismantling of the old mill started after the shutdown with the demolition due in early 2024 for completion during 2025. “The demolition project will employ a few dozen people and will involve November/December 2023

both our own people and external operators,” said Erkka Tahvanainen, VP for production development at Metsä Fibre. l Mondi’s complete portfolio of kraft papers for packaging has been certified as compostable, according to regulations NF T51-800:2015 (home) and EN 13432 (industrial). The certification reaffirms the group’s MAP2030 commitment to make all

its packaging and paper products recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. l UK-based James Cropper, which makes luxury packaging and paper products, won seven prizes at the Pentawards, a celebration of global packaging design excellence, held in London. The wins included four gold awards for the papermaker’s collaborations with Perrier-Jouët, Dom Ruinart and Off-White.

LOGISTICS 9

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Two new hybrid freight-passenger vessels delivered to Finnlines

T

wo new hybrid freightand-passenger vessels are expected to be in operation between Finland, Åland and Sweden by the end of 2023 as part of a €500 million New Greenbuilding Programme by freight and passenger shipping company Finnlines.

The first of the new ro-pax hybrid ships, Finnsirius, with length of 236 metres and a gross tonnage of almost 66,000 tonnes, was delivered in July and started operating on the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route in September.

The second vessel, Finncanopus, is expected to be

delivered by the end of 2023.

The two ships are the largest ropax vessels in the Finnlines fleet, with cargo capacity increasing by nearly 24 percent to 5,200 lane metres and passenger capacity doubling from 554 to 1,100.

Key emission reduction technologies on the hybrid vessels include air lubrication, battery packs, exhaust gas abatement, onshore power, automooring, waste heat recovery, and ballast water treatment.

The Green Newbuilding Programme comprises both ro-pax and ro-ro vessels all equipped with state-of-the-art sustainable power systems.

Three new hybrid ro-ro vessels

Finnsirius, the first of two new hybrid freight-and-passenger vessels operated by Finnlines in the Baltic started operating in the summer of 2022.

Describing the objectives of the investments, Tom Pippingsköld, chief executive of Finnlines, commented: “Finnlines’ Green Newbuilding Programme has been a massive investment which will benefit our freight customers

and private passengers. These hybrid ro-pax vessels are not only the largest in the company fleet so far, but they transport cargo in a more sustainable manner.

“For example, the vessels have been equipped with enormous high-powered battery banks and onshore power supply in order to have zero emissions while at port. In addition, port operations will also be more efficient with auto-mooring.

“Finnlines combines cargo with passenger traffic in this Naantali– Långnäs–Kapellskär route, and therefore our investment will strengthen services to our freight customers as well as to our passengers.”

Our net works Finnlines operates numerous routes and vessels all the year round between the main ports in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and Finland. In-house transhipments of all types of commodities to and from the Mediterranean, West Africa, North and South America with Grimaldi and ACL.

Read more: finnlines.com

November/December 2023 Finnlines_Pulp_Paper_186x130mm.indd 1

18.10.2023 11.31

10 GREEN PACKAGING NEWS

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Koehler wins award for its recyclable barrier product

K

oehler Paper has won a prize for its NexPlus Advanced packaging paper in the BadenWürttemberg Environmental Technology Prizes for 2023.

The product, which offers barrier protection against acids, fats, and mineral oils, won third prize in the Material Efficiency category.

NexPlus Advanced is designed for packing products such as chocolate and snacks, is recyclable and – with a score of 19 out of a possible 20 points – has been certified in line with the ‘Made for Recycling’ standard from environmental service provider Interseroh.

Germany-based Koehler Paper (part of the Koehler Group) says that in comparison with standard plastic packaging, flexible paper packaging such as this has the potential to significantly reduce a brand’s carbon footprint.

Explaining what the award

The Koehler team accepting their award for the NexPlus Advanced barrier paper meant to the company, Frank Lendowski, finance and administration director for the Koehler Group, said: “Sustainability is a basic guiding principle for the way the Koehler Group does business, a cornerstone of our company’s

strategy, and therefore an integral part of our organization.

It is an honour to be awarded this Environmental Technology Prize for our flexible packaging paper, but it is also our motivation to go further and develop even more innovative paper solutions for

the future.”

Dr Markus Wildberger, corporate director for technology at Koehler Innovation & Technology, also explained how the paper was developed: “The base paper – which we developed in-house – has been designed to be as compatible as possible with existing packaging plants, in order to reduce the investment costs involved in switching to paperbased packaging. The functional coating provides barrier protection against acids, fats, and mineral oils, and is also sealable, using either a cold seal adhesive or a hot sealing system directly on the packaging machinery.”

The award ceremony took place at the end of October at the Schwabenlandhalle conference centre in Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany, and was presided over by Dr Andre Baumann, the German State Secretary for the Environment.

Hybrid carton bottle launch for China by SIG Swiss packaging company SIG launched a smaller size of its DomeMini carton bottle for on-the-go drinking at the Gulfood Manufacturing 2023 show in Dubai.

SIG says the bottle, first launched as a larger version in 2017, has been designed to provide the convenience of a plastic bottle along with the sustainability benefits of a regular fibre-based carton pack.

The bottle will first be rolled out for the Chinese market, said SIG, with plans to expand it to other countries in future.

November/December 2023

SIG says its latest version of the DomeMini bottle is recyclable Commenting on the launch, Abdelghany Eladib, general manager for the IMEA region at SIG said: “This innovative

product is an exciting step forward – particularly amidst the urgent global challenges posed by pressing environmental

issues – providing consumers and beverage manufacturers an opportunity to embrace sustainable packaging alternatives.”

SIG DomeMini can be recycled and is made using a high share of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paperboard.

The company said that the manufacturing process of the bottle also uses 100% renewable electricity.

The new SIG DomeMini has a space-saving design and multiple ergonomic benefits that are especially helpful for travellers and commuters.

GREEN PACKAGING NEWS 11

Pulp Paper & Logistics

Functional barrier paper from Mondi replaces plastic for rice packaging

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aper-packed dry rice is being launched in the UK for the first time by award-winning rice supplier Veetee in a collaborative project with Mondi.

Veetee’s new rice packaging has been created using Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper, providing an alternative to the industrystandard plastic packs.

Mondi says it has used its customer-centric approach to evaluate the needs of the product, customer and consumer to deliver a fit-for-purpose design – using paper where possible and plastic only when useful.

An in-house project for Veetee sourced certified renewable materials, producing the kraft paper, adding barrier functionality and printing it before delivering the final reels to Veetee for conversion and filling.

The new packs have been certified by OPRL as widely

Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper: shared vision for rice brand Veetee accepted for kerbside recycling in the UK, making disposal easy for consumers and supporting a circular economy. Exploiting the high printability of the paper, Veetee is able to communicate the disposal messages on-pack and retailers can clearly promote the brand on-shelf.

“This is a quality collection of food products, being sold in a recognised UK retailer,” James Yarrow, Mondi’s regional sales manager for UK & Ireland consumer flexibles, commented.

“Like us, Veetee has their eyes on sustainability at all times: targeting net zero carbon emissions,

reducing single-use plastic and increasing closed-loop recycling – our MAP2030 target is to make all our packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Veetee on their transition to a paper-based packaging.”

James Brett, group marketing director for Veetee, adds: “Our goal was to eliminate unsustainable packaging and we are very proud to have achieved that as a first to market in the UK – both with paper packaging and our unique Rice Box. “Mondi shared our vision and was committed from the outset; the team’s expertise is second to none and we have both thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration. Following some capital investments that enable us to handle this new paper packaging, we are excited about this launch which we know consumers will welcome.”

Micro-fluted corrugated board gift packs offer lightweight alternative A lighter gift package that has strength performance close to that of the rigid boxes currently used for premium products such as cosmetics has been developed

by Metsä Board.

With the new design, made from micro-fluted corrugated board, the company says it wanted to offer a gift box that uses less material and has a lower carbon footprint than traditional rigid boxes.

The team at Metsä Board’s Excellence Centre at Äänekoski in Finland started work on the

alternative a few years ago. “We were looking to provide the same experience by remodeling a box that was strong and rigid but lighter and with a smaller environmental impact,” Ilkka Harju, Metsä Board’s packaging services director, explained.

The best design turned out to be micro-flute, which has a significantly smaller and lower flute size than traditional corrugated boards. The packaging consists of a separate base and lid made of micro-flute. Its surface liner can be uncoated or coated

white kraftliner. Of these, the latter gives the package the best printing properties.

According to Harju, the gift packaging is an ideal fit for cosmetics, chocolate, beverages and other premium products: “Cosmetics are probably the number-one application area, but the material can be customised very easily to create unique packaging solutions.”

Compared to recycled fibrebased rigid boxes the micro-flute version is up to 50 percent lighter: “Thanks to its lightness, the new

Metsa has developed a gift box range that uses less material and has a lower carbon footprint than traditional rigid boxes packaging solution can help our customers reach their carbon reduction targets,” Harju adds.

November/December 2023

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Tough paper from Mondi packs Coca-Cola’s bottles

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oca-Cola HBC Austria and Mondi have collaborated to create an innovative paper sleeve that tightly wraps and secures PET bottle bundles during transit.

The sleeve was designed to replace conventional plastic shrink wrap for 1.5-litre soft drink multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Mezzo Mix brands sold in Austria.

Mondi’s Hug-IT, which keeps six bottles together during transportation, is made of Mondi’s Advantage SpringPack Plus. The Hug-IT sleeve has high tensile strength and is claimed to offer

incomparable stretchability, wrapping around the six bottles tightly, keeping them upright and held together during transportation.

Advantage SpringPack Plus is 100 percent kraft paper made from wood that is FSC Certified as being made with responsibly sourced fibres, and recyclable in existing paper recycling streams.

Felix Sprenger, supply chain director at Coca-Cola HBC Austria, says: “The careful use of resources and recyclable materials is one of the most important pillars in our sustainability strategy and plays a central role in the design of the sustainable packaging mix

for the Austrian market.” He said that the new packaging would enable Coca-Cola to reduce the amount of plastic it uses in Austria by 200 tons a year. “It was a pleasure to work with Mondi and our other partners to jointly walk the talk contributing to a circular economy.”

Silvia Hanzelova, sales director for speciality kraft paper at Mondi, adds: “Our approach is paper where possible, plastic when useful – and the shrink wrap solution that is used for bundling bottles across continents and industries provides the ideal opportunity to put that into practice.”

Mondi’s paper wraps cut the use of shrink film at Coca-Cola

James Cropper toasts packaging award with Perrier-Jouët partnership A champagne gift box made from paper pulp and vine shoots has won British firm James Cropper a Formes de Luxe trophy and is one of the judges’ choices for the Luxe Pack in Green accolade, for its work with France’s Maison Perrier-Jouët.

James Cropper Paper Products worked with the champagne house to create the Belle Epoque Cocoon: an ‘eco-designed’ gift box for the luxury market. It was designed for Maison PerrierJouët’s vintage cuvées Belle Epoque and Belle Epoque Rosé.

The Belle Epoque Cocoon is 93 percent lighter than the previous gift box used and doesn’t include any varnish or glue. It is designed with paper pulp prepared from FSC-approved sustainablymanaged forests, and vine shoots from France.

November/December 2023

The sustainability credentials of the Belle Epoque Cocoon gives more meaning to moments of celebration, says James Cropper’s Richard Bracewell Furthermore it is made using 100% renewable energy with the majority of power being generated on site by James Cropper’s own solar and hydro plants.

The vine shoot inclusions are recovered after pruning at the end of winter, ensuring that this naturally-derived agrifibre is given a second life and that the packaging is both recyclable

with other paper products and circular in design. The upcycled vine shoots also add a coloured speckled effect to the finished gift box.

The award comes in a year during which the James Cropper group’s established Speciality Paper business combined with Colourform, the award-winning moulded pulp innovation to form the new Paper Products division, now led by managing director Richard Bracewell.

Bracewell commented: “We’re delighted to be recognised at Luxe Pack Monaco for the pioneering work we have done in partnership with Maison Perrier-Jouët. The sustainability credentials of the Belle Epoque Cocoon gives greater meaning to moments of celebration, disrupting and recreating the codes of luxury.”

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DS Smith develops sustainable cardboard-based multi-pack handles

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S Smith has been working with CocaCola HBC in Austria to replace the plastic handles used on 1.5 litre PET soft drink multi-packs with cardboardbased outer packaging.

Delivered on packs in September, the packaging design, DS Smith Lift Up, is a 100 percent recyclable corrugated handle that improves carrying functionality for consumers and is designed to contribute, together with other partners to the kraft paper and cardboard designs that cut the use of around 200 tonnes of plastic each year at Coca-Cola HBC Austria.

DS Smith’s Liftup: “first-ever packaging solution of its kind for 1.5-litre multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite” DS Smith Lift Up was designed using the paper maker’s Circular Design Metrics approach, resulting

in a significant reduction in carbon footprint for the packaging and manufacturing line of products.

Lift Up can be applied to different bottle sizes and is manufactured in partnership with Krones, a leading packaging machine manufacturer.

The carrier handle has a soft grip that makes products easy to carry while the product remains secure.

Marcel Martin, CCHBC’s chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer, said: “This is the first-ever packaging solution of its kind for 1.5-litre multipacks of Coca-Cola, Fanta and Sprite. It’s the result of our entrepreneurial mindset, an absolute belief in collaborating with trusted partners and our focus on reaching net zero emissions by 2040.”

Versuni’s domestic appliances to benefit from more sustainable packaging UK-based DS Smith has collaborated with Versuni, which produces some of the world’s most renowned domestic appliance brands, to produce and deliver 100% recycled and recyclable box packaging.

The new boxes are made with 100% recycled paper with durability for transportation. This packaging will be extended across Versuni’s Phillips home appliance global product portfolio and will initially be applied to Versuni’s top selling Phillip’s products including the Air fryer, Espresso Machine with Latte Go, Stream Iron 3000 series, Air Purifier, and Cordless Vacuum 800 series. Versuni will expand this to encompass the whole Phillips portfolio globally.

DS Smith is also working with Versuni to replace singleuse protection buffers (EDF)

plastics inside the packaging with sustainable fibre-based alternatives. This is a step forward in fulfilling Versuni’s commitment to deliver 100% plastic-free packaging within the next four years.

Additional sustainability measures that are being introduced include reducing the outer printed area of the packaging box, resulting in a 65 percent reduction in ink use. By focussing on space optimisation and minimising empty areas in each product box, the dimensions of the sustainable packaging are also being reduced. Traditional paper-based instruction guides within the box are also being replaced with scannable QR-codes printed on the product packaging.

Safety instructions, warranty information, and simplified start

Sustainable cartonboard packaging made by DS Smith for Versuni will soon contain fibre-based protection buffers up guides will remain available in the box.

Wouter van Tol, head of sustainability at DS Smith, commented: “Our purpose as a business is to redefine packaging for a changing world and we can only do this in partnership, so it is enormously encouraging to see a company such as Versuni proactively work with us towards a more circular economy. We are so

proud to help them achieve this.

“We have partnered with Versuni at all levels of the design and production process to replace plastics and optimise sustainable supply chain processes. Our pioneering Circular Design Metrics tool created in collaboration with the Ellen McArthur Foundation was an essential driver for the innovative solutions we have achieved together.”

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Wind farm bearings packed sustainably by Mondi Grünburg

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ondi Grünburg has partnered with NKE, a prominent manufacturer of roller bearings used for wind, railway and industrial applications, to create new packaging for wind power components.

With roller bearings sold in more than 80 countries, including the booming wind farm market in the United States, NKE faced mounting complaints due to shipping damage. A Hybrid bearing, which costs thousands of euros and weighs more than 20kg, features inner and outer rings made of high-quality steel and ceramic balls. Unfortunately, damage often goes unnoticed until installation, resulting in costly delays in wind energy production.

Mondi’s ISTA-certified offsetprinted box features internal shock sensors and additional flexo print inside to present user instructions.

Victor Zaera, head of operation & quality at NKE, commented: “This

Shock sensors are used in Mondi’s packaging for premium wind power bearings collaboration means not only an improvement in the bearing itself but also in its protection during transport and, most importantly, until its installation in the wind turbine tower. The packaging also incorporates several technological advances. It not only perfectly fulfils our stringent requirements for unparalleled protection and efficiency but also demonstrates a steadfast commitment to sustainability.”

Tarik Aniba, sales & marketing director at Mondi Corrugated

Solutions, emphasises the power of collaboration and customercentric innovation, stating: “This remarkable achievement is a testament to the exceptional collaboration between NKE and Mondi. Our combined expertise delivered a cuttingedge packaging solution that is meticulously tailored to meet our customer’s exact requirements.

It showcases Mondi’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the packaging industry and creating

lasting value for our valued partners.”

The design’s performance earned it recognition from external experts, receiving an award in the ‘Wellpappe konstruktiv’ category during the Forum Wellpappe Awards ceremony in Vienna in October.

This means that Mondi’s packaging for wind turbine components now also qualifies for the international WorldStar competition by the World Packaging Organisation.

Injection moulding deal signed by moulded fibre developer PulPac Sweden’s PulPac, developer of Dry Molded Fiber packaging, has signed a turnkey machine partner deal with Huarong Group, a Taiwanese specialist in injection moulding equipment.

Dry Molded Fiber is a process that turns paper pulp into packaging applications.

The result is a fibre-based alternative, both biodegradable and recyclable, that is said to be November/December 2023

a perfect alternative to singleuse plastic.

As the technology owner and inventor, PulPac says its main focus is getting sustainable, good-quality products out on the market and making Dry Molded Fiber accessible on a large scale. To enable swift global scale-up, the company employs a partnership strategy.

PulPac’s chief partnership officer Viktor Börjesson

explained how it’s great for business: “We invented a revolutionary technology that can replace unnecessary plastic.

All of it. We are great at what we do, and by teaming up with the best from other industries, we’ll get the packaging producers going, and they can provide much-needed, sustainable packaging alternatives to the market. Everyone wins when we collaborate, and the

environment wins the most.”

Huarong Group has built injection-moulding machines for more than 40 years. Steve Yu, who is overseas sales manager at Huarong, commented: “Learning about Dry Molded Fiber directly from the inventors has been refreshing. This technology is very cutting-edge, and we are happy to be part of PulPac’s Dry Molded Fiber network and the journey to

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Beauty kit is a creative invitation from Holmen Iggesund

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olmen Iggesund has developed a premium paperboard kit for beauty brands to experiment with in their targeting of future consumer trends.

Called the Creator Kit Beauty it is hoped will help beauty brands to face an increasingly complex consumer landscape, in which brands are expected to address sustainability and inclusivity in

their offerings, particularly with their packaging.

“The look and feel of packaging have always been important,” says Johan Nellbeck, chief executive of Holmen Iggesund. “But that’s no longer enough. Today, premium brands must address how their packages are manufactured, what they are made of, and whether they allow for more inclusive communication.

Holmen Iggesund’s Inverkote board is used for this demonstration Creator Beauty Kit make it a success.”

Börjesson explained what he expects from the partnership: “In making Dry Molded Fiber a new standard for sustainable packaging, we are excited about venturing into the Asian market.

We needed a partner capable of building the machines fast to ensure the continued success of the technology’s global expansion. Huarong was a great fit; they have the capacity and expertise to help us take the next step.”

PulPac is also planning to launch its Dry Molded Fiber on the Japanese market, following

the signing of a deal with Correns Corporation, making the Japanese based company with German roots its dedicated sales partner in the Japanese market.

“We’ve seen the development of this technology since the start, and we are impressed with what PulPac has accomplished in this short time,” says Tomoaki Miyata, manager of the Dry Molded Fiber promotion team at Correns Corporation. “For Correns Corporation to get in at this stage is amazing.

We see a great future for Dry Molded Fiber products as

“Holmen Iggesund has a long track record of working with some of the world’s most prestigious brands, particularly beauty brands. The Creator Kit Beauty will give us an opportunity to explore with our customers what’s next in the beauty industry and the possibilities with our premium paperboard.”

The kit is built around four beauty trends: Beauty in biodiversity, Inclusive beauty, Natural health, and Zero waste beauty. Holmen Iggesund has translated these trends into creative paperboard solutions and effects to make them more tangible than brochures or videos.

Another key aspect of the kit is the sustainable material used.

“Our paperboard, Invercote, is renewable, recyclable and completely biodegradable with a low climate impact. It is made from leftover wood from Holmen’s sustainably managed forests, and the energy used in the manufacturing process is bio- or

Johan Nellbeck, chief executive of Holmen Iggesund hydro-based.”

The Creator Kit Beauty is an invitation to brand owners and other stakeholders to join in creative workshops and discussions.

“To us, the real value is the opportunity to co-create and share knowledge,” says Nellbeck.

“Some brand owners will want to start with the packaging and the creative possibilities. Others will have shifting consumer behaviour and business challenges foremost in their minds. There the kit can guide them towards concrete changes. The Creator Kit Beauty offers so many opportunities.”

PulPac’s chief partnership officer Viktor Börjesson: “We invented a revolutionary technology that can replace unnecessary plastic. All of it.” they fit Japanese customer requirements of fast production

ramp-up, short cycle time, and small production footprint.”

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Pulping technology helps feed giant pandas Following an unusual request in 2019 from the Vienna zoo in Austria for the refining and preparation of bamboo feed for its giant pandas, the cooperation between the zoo and Andritz successfully continues

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he Vienna zoo in Austria is famous for not only being the world’s oldest, it is also one of the few zoos worldwide with giant pandas.

This year, the zoo is celebrating 20 years of cooperation with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association. It’s a cooperation of great success: Yang Yang (a female giant panda) has lived at Vienna since 2003 and during that time gave birth to five baby giant pandas, including twins. All of the babies have been returned to China.

Rare animals need special nutrition Not only are giant pandas very rare, but their nutrition is highly specialised as well. They more or less solely eat bamboo. At the zoo, an essential part of their nutrition is steamed bamboo bread. Rice flour, corn flour and above all bamboo form the basis of their diet. It is an important addition to the natural bamboo sticks as it delivers important nutrients and energy.

In 2019 a new male called Yuan Yuan arrived at Vienna zoo. As Yuan Yuan’s teeth were a bit worn, he couldn’t chew the entire bamboo sticks – only the leaves – and therefore has a higher demand for the bread. And this is how Andritz came into play.

One of the giant pandas at Vienna zoo that has been enjoying bamboo bread prepared using Andritz technology

Specialist for alternative raw materials So far, the Vienna zoo refined the bamboo manually so that the November/December 2023

The R&D centre at Graz

resulting bread could be prepared.

But the increasing demand exceeded the zoo’s capacity and a solution needed to be found.

Denis Jozic, fibre and product manager at Andritz, explains how he approached the challenge: “Technology managers at the Fiber R&D Center have to deal with a lot of different requests.

For example, developing new pulping processes for new raw materials. However, this most unusual and interesting request came in 2019 from the Vienna zoo.

“We were asked to grind up bamboo in a special way into flour so it could be used for preparing the bamboo bread and the task immediately got the full attention of the team in Graz.

“We investigated different solutions and in close cooperation

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Laura Liukkonen, global director of fibre R&D centres at Andritz checks the incoming bamboo with the zoo we developed a process that was the easiest and most optimal for both parties: the zoo pre-shreds the bamboo and Andritz grinds the material in the disperser at the pilot plant in Graz.

“Since the first contact with the zoo, Andritz has ground the bamboo to full customer satisfaction four times and it’s now a well-established process.

We hope that this cooperation will continue for many years to come.”

In fact, the giant pandas liked the Andritz solution so much that cooperation with the zoo continues and there are orders for the specially-prepared bamboo going well into the future.

Laura Liukkonen, global director of fibre R&D centres at Andritz says, “It always puts smiles on our faces at the R&D centre when we see the van from the zoo delivering the unprocessed bamboo.

“We generally receive a delivery of 500kg of raw bamboo in bags, which we then hand feed onto our conveyor. Everybody at the centre generally gets involved as

this is a manual process; we feed the bamboo through the disperser twice. This regular project really shows that Andritz can take on any task when it comes to raw

material refining, especially since the pandas are such important customers.”

Dr Eveline Dungl, zoo curator and animal trainer at Vienna

zoo, concludes, “The way Andritz dealt with this unusual and out-of-the-ordinary order was exceptionally kind and professional.”

The raw bamboo before preparation into a bread for panda consumption November/December 2023

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Voices on sustainability in the tissue industry Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face, and we can already see its effect on people and the environment. In this context, it is important to highlight the many promising initiatives and the willingness to make a difference. Anna Boström Mora reports

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nergy crises, water scarcity and the rising raw materials costs – these topics are being discussed daily among tissue producers around the world. Are we prepared for what is coming?

Are we being sufficiently innovative to meet tomorrow’s challenges? Are we moving fast enough to slow down climate change? And how can my business stay profitable in these circumstances?

When these questions arise, it’s important to remember that there are many ways to contribute. Working together and sharing experiences and expertise give us a great starting point for change.

Valmet has worked with these topics in the pulp and paper industry for years, collaborating with customers and experts in the field, and we are now seeing significant results in the reduction of the industry’s environmental footprint. In this article, we share experts’ and producers’ voices to discover what is on the tissue industry’s horizon.

Improving tissue machine dewatering to increase energy efficiency All the producers who are up-to-date on the research front will certainly benefit from the continuous development of new strategies for efficiency in tissue production. Currently, some of the most critical aspects are achieving lower emissions and energy use, with lower raw material consumption.

“I believe emissions will be significantly lower if we can develop more efficient dewatering strategies together and thereby decrease the need for excessive heat and pump capacity,” says Björn Sjöstrand, senior lecturer at Karlstad University.

One of the incentives for an ongoing research co-production project at Karlstad University in Sweden is energy efficiency in tissue production. Valmet is heavily involved in the project, which aims to acquire deeper November/December 2023

knowledge of tissue vacuum and model vacuum dewatering during tissue production, both with conventional tissue manufacturing method and with Through Air Drying.

It will contribute to the efforts to implement a circular forest-based bioeconomy by increasing the fundamental understanding of the dewatering of tissue materials, and it

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involves several studies on the laboratory and pilot scale, as well as modelling work.

Sjöstrand believes improved knowledge of tissue dewatering mechanisms, forming and material transportation during and after dewatering are able to increase process efficiency.

He says: “Valmet and the other sponsors will potentially be able to develop new products based on the knowledge of novel machine and clothing designs acquired during the project.

“Further understanding of dewatering will be important for all of us who have identified increasing demand for quality and sustainability in our work.

“And by investing in both knowledge and state-of-the-art machinery, tissue producers can reduce their costs and their energy use and emissions at the same time.”

Building industrial symbiosis The RISE Research Institutes in Sweden have seen increased global awareness among tissue

Integrating solutions with other sectors will be relevant when we take the next step toward lower emissions

producers of the need for a sustainability strategy. While reducing carbon dioxide emissions in production is one aspect, their perspectives need to be broadened to the system level.

Rickard Fornell, senior scientist at RISE, explains: “We believe that new technology solutions, with an approach to connect and collaborate locally with industries, agriculture and municipalities to convert different residual streams into valuable resources, will be one of the key factors in reducing the carbon footprint in the future.”

For example, taking a systems perspective on the use of resources and how to be more efficient through industrial symbiosis is something on which companies are increasingly focusing.

Fornell continues: “The EU, governments, regions and municipalities, and various industrial sectors are increasingly looking at this broader perspective. One reason for this trend is increasing water scarcity and the disruptions to the global markets and the European energy system. Building resilience by developing more local or regional markets and dependence is a way to address these trends.”

RISE also acknowledges that fibre as a raw material is, and will continue to be, the most important cost item for tissue producers. The competition for forest-based material from other industries as they try to align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal has increased the demand for tissue manufacturers to find alternatives.

Mattias Drotz, business development at November/December 2023

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Further understanding of dewatering is important for meeting increased demand for quality and sustainability.

Rickard Fornell, senior scientist at RISE: “We believe that new technology solutions... will be one of the key factors in reducing the carbon footprint in the future.”

Mattias Drotz, business development at RISE: “While wood prices are higher... we think non-wood fibre sources will be increasingly interesting”

RISE, says: “While wood prices are higher, and shortages due to competing recovery paper collection rates are slowing down, we think non-wood fibre sources will be increasingly interesting.”

Drotz and Fornell agree that to reduce emissions, we need to evolve how to generate heat and electricity and examine alternative heat sources for a green transition.

Steps toward this are already on the market. Drotz explains:“Drying is a big energy consumer in tissue production, and the total reduction in energy consumption for a tissue machine is steadily decreasing, but at a lower rate. We believe new drying technologies using less water in the process (for foam forming and other applications) and

integrating solutions with other sectors will be relevant when we take the next step toward lower emissions.”

Working with the industry is important, says Drotz. “We are currently collaborating with Valmet in the area of the Clean Energy Transition to develop prediction tools and find integrated solutions between other sectors for the development of industrial and urban symbiosis. We are also working together in the ongoing RP2021 Research Program at RISE for better product performance and process efficiency in tissue manufacturing.”

Two thirds of respondents say they will invest in equipment that helps reduce carbon emissions

November/December 2023

Tissue producers’ voice on the future What are tissue producers’ thoughts on their current business and their challenges, and how do they view the future? How can we use these insights to find new ways and areas to improve and focus on efficiency? How can we enable cross-border thinking and end-toend value creation through digitalisation and support a sustainable industry future? This is what we wanted to find out in a global market study conducted by Tietoevry with Fisher International, I-Plan and Valmet. Fifty tissue producers globally participated in the survey.

Profitability and sustainability were at the top of the list when we asked about important development and improvement areas. With

rising material costs and increasing inflation, the outlook for the industry is uncertain in many ways, and business fundamentals are being reviewed. One of the biggest concerns is related to the cost and availability of raw materials. Many respondents stated that digitalisation would have the biggest effect on production, and 85 percent chose production when they were asked about the areas to which they were going to apply new technologies.

In the next two years, nearly 70 percent of respondents plan to invest in producing green energy on-site with solar panels or wind turbines, for example. Two thirds of respondents are investing in equipment that helps reduce carbon emissions. More than half the respondents aim to reduce their use of plastic and are changing their fuels to fossilfree options.

This study also underlines that the tissue industry is at a turning point, and many investments, evaluations and testing are required to find ways to keep businesses profitable, sustainable and efficient in the future. At Valmet, we are confident that our technology solutions and wide expertise can play an important role, and we are eager to support our customers on their journey.

More information: Read the global market study to discover more about trends and attitudes in the tissue making industry at www.valmet.com/insights/articles/ tissue/market-study-report-2022/

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Valmet’s rotating consistency measuring technology updated

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pdated rotating consistency measuring technology for pulp and paper producers has been launched by Valmet.

With Valmet Rotating Consistency Measurement (Valmet Rotary) offering a new user interface and easier maintenance, the transmitter continues to offer highly-accurate fibre consistency measurements in critical applications.

“Built on well-known technology and long experience, the new measurement is robust and built to last. The patented technology ensures rapid measurement

response and fast reaction to consistency variations,” says Sami Laaksonen, product manager for the automation systems business line at Valmet.

The redesigned Valmet Rotary has a new mechanical design and electronics to improve reliability.

The third generation version retains high sensitivity and is as accurate as the previous one, but its simplified design makes on-site maintenance easier and faster for low overall lifetime costs.

Based on shear-force measurements, Valmet Rotary is said to offer excellent performance even in challenging environments

The simplified design of Valmet’s Rotating Consistency Measurement makes on-site maintenance easier and faster for low overall lifetime costs

with high temperatures or pressures and abrasive chemicals. A modular design secures a universal use covering a consistency range from 1.5 to 16 percent.

Commissioning, calibration, and operation have been enhanced with a new Valmet Link user interface, and a flexible platform

with secure remote connection possibilities. With a graphical display and a clear menu structure, set-up and operation are said to be fast and easy. An intuitive user interface and bigger display enable easier calibration and give a better overview of the calibration data.

Save paper and tissue with latest embossing technology Two new embossing technology products have been launched by Engraving Solutions, a service provider for the development of engraving patterns and the production of embossing rolls.

The first, Warm-Up Ready, based on an electromagnetic induction heating system, is a development of Warm-Up Contactless by Körber Business Area Tissue, the acquisition of which by Valmet was completed at the beginning of November.

Lucca, Italy-based Engraving Solutions, now a part of Valmet, says that by using Warm-Up Ready, customers are better able reduce paper use and resistance loss during embossing, as well as increase its firmness, for a more compact output that is easier to pack while retaining its integrity during transport.

Furthermore, laboratory analysis

Fler, or Fabric-Like Embossing Roll, is used with kitchen towel products and toilet rolls to simulate textured embossing has shown how hot embossing by a chemical process is guaranteed to provide higher performance on any type of paper.

Therefore, says Engraving Solutions, it is possible to reproduce any kind of decorative image with superior mechanical properties. In particular, using 4D engraving techniques it is possible to change the slope of the elements according to their orientation or shape, so as to

reduce embossing stress on the web where it is weaker. This results in engraving patterns that are 13 percent more elongated, and finished products that are 8 percent softer and 13 percent more elastic.

Fler, or the Fabric-Like Embossing Roll, is used with kitchen towel products and toilet rolls to simulate textured embossing. It is based on a micro-embossing system created through the

use of tips designed to produce the traditional look of textiles, replicating the texture and tactile properties.

Mauro Gelli, engineering and R&D manager at Engraving Solutions, commented: “In a highly competitive market scenario such as that of tissue paper, it is important to offer a value-added service that goes beyond the production of engraving rolls.

“The complete proposal of ad hoc solutions, branded Engraving Solutions, is the result of constant investments in R&D, latest generation technologies and indepth studies of new engravings.

It is an approach that has led us to develop Warm-Up Ready and Fler, two innovative embossing systems with multiple advantages, including significant cost containment and superior quality of the finished product.”

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Lubricating oil monitoring A.Celli Paper shows off system for fibre the new Smarnip-T shoe processing equipment press at its headquarters

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new application that remotely monitors oil lubrication in fibre processing equipment has been launched by Valmet.

Damage to rotating bearings in process equipment is mostly related to inadequate lubrication.

Typical failure modes such as bearing vibration and elevated temperatures are normally only detected when the failure is already advanced.

With Valmet Oil Monitoring, upcoming failures can be foreseen through changes in lubrication oil quality. The system enables corrective action to be carried out before the failure occurs, reducing unplanned shutdowns and the need for subsequent repairs.

“Valmet’s oil monitoring system provides constant remote lube oil condition monitoring visibility through its novel sensoring and data acquisition technology,” says Heikki Kettunen, senior manager for R&D, rolls and workshop services at Valmet.

Valmet Oil Monitoring was first

The Valmet Oil Monitoring system is able to forecast deterioration before the first signs of bearing failure and thereby improves process reliability

installed to follow the performance of the lubricating oil in the bearings of a TwinRoll wash press in a European pulp mill. The application detected contamination in the bearing-oil circulation unit. This was flagged, and the machine operators were able to react quickly with corresponding maintenance actions.

Valmet Oil Monitoring, together with the specific applications for chip feeders in continuous cooking and TwinRoll presses in pulp washing, is part of Valmet’s modular reliability monitoring platform, which is intended for fibre processing equipment and was introduced in 2022.

More than 100 guests from the world’s leading paper and tissue manufacturers attended an open house event at A.Celli Paper’s headquarters in Lucca, Italy, during the MIAC show in October to view new technologies.

Focus of the event was the unveiling of A.Celli’s Smarnip-T shoe press, which the company says will improve efficiency and performance while preserving the integrity of the final product and retaining its bulk and softness.

The pilot line included an operational module featuring the shoe press and a Yankee dryer section, both with a width of half a metre.

Also on view was 3-metre wide

Guests at A.Celli’s open house in October view the company’s new Smarnip-T shoe press

C&T extends its range of stripping machinery equipment from Mito The process of removing waste material from corrugated boards has been enhanced with the launch of the T-Rex Stripping Machine from C&T Matrix.

UK-based C&T Matrix has been selling the PlayMatrix 4.0, an automatic creasing matrix cutting system, since 2019. More than 50 machines have been sold, says C&T, offering benefits of time saving and accuracy to leading box November/December 2023

makers and large users of creasing matrix.

The T-Rex Stripping Machine is part of a range of electronic machinery from C&T in partnership with leading Italian manufacturer Mito (in which C&T has a half share), available in the UK and Ireland, all designed to improve quality and speed up the production of box making.

By using a chain with hardened

tissue shoe press in advanced state of assembly and R-Way Solutions: A display dedicated to intralogistics, featuring a roll handling system and A.Celli’s autonomous guided vehicles.

Daniel Galli, general manager of A.Celli Paper, commented: “We are incredibly pleased with the outcome of the open house. The event’s success and the enthusiastic response from our industry peers underscore our dedication to innovation and our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions for the tissue paper and paper industry.

We look forward to continuing our journey of excellence and to working collaboratively with our partners to shape the future of paper production.”

teeth, the T-Rex Stripping Machine automates the process, making it faster, more efficient, and less labour-intensive, saving up to 80 percent working time.

Another addition to the C&T range is the TSP Stripping Machine which, with teeth tooling, automates the stripping process for solid board, ensuring precise and efficient waste removal. Its intelligent sensors and adjustable

stripping tools are said to ensure precise and thorough stripping, even in intricate designs.

Simon Shenton, managing director at C&T, said; “By upgrading and embracing the power of these new stripping solutions users can discover new levels of productivity and quality in their packaging operations.

Visit our website to explore more about the Mito Stripping Machines and how they can revolutionise your business.”

More information from C&T Matrix at www.candtmatrix.com

10–11 April 2024 | Messukeskus Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre

The New Era for PulPaper Pulp & Beyond is the leading forum bringing together the latest forest-based bioeconomy innovations, products, services and technologies as well as key people throughout the ecosystem.

Pulp & Beyond offers new encounters, inspiration, networking and business possibilities for marketing global and sustainable solutions, products and services within the forest-based bioeconomy. The event provides the widest available showcase on the latest trends and innovative new products within the forest-based bioeconomy, supporting learning, employer branding and competence development.

CONTACT Hanna Mårtensson, Sales Manager +358 40 565 1433 hanna.martensson@messukeskus.com

#pulpandbeyond | pulpandbeyond.com

24 PROJECTS & CONTRACTS

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Sappi’s Kirkniemi mill switches to biofuels to cut carbon emissions

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appi Europe’s Kirkniemi Mill at Lohja in Finland has successfully switched from using fossil-based fuels to renewable energy in the production highquality printing papers.

A €16.5 million investment in facilities and machinery for the reception, storage and handling of biofuels is the latest in a number of efforts by Sappi to meet its Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)-approved emissionreduction goals.

The Kirkniemi Mill is said to be the world’s largest producer of coated publication papers. Its leading brand is Galerie, a range of high-quality papers used for luxury magazines and printed material.

The inauguration in August

Carbon dioxide emissions at Sappi’s Kirkniemi paper mill in Finland are being cut by 230,000 tons a year with the switch to biofuels was attended by Kai Mykkänen, Finland’s Minister for Climate and the Environment, who spoke about how the multiple environmental investments by

Sappi at Kirkniemi fit with the country’s ambitious goals for carbon neutrality and leadership in the new energy sector.

Biomass residues such as bark,

sawdust and wood chips, largely locally sourced, now fuel the mill’s operations, enabling an eventual 90 percent reduction in direct fossil greenhouse gas emissions.

This upgrade now works alongside the multi-fuel boiler built in 2015, enabling the mill to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 230,000 tons a year.

This means that Kirkniemi Mill is now able to slash the carbon footprint of the Galerie paper range by 40 percent.

Sappi says the CO2 emissions reduction brought about by the bioenergy switch has run-on benefits for the city of Lohja, by also reducing its overall emissions.

Much of Lohja’s economic, social and employment is already influenced by the Kirkniemi Mill.

More flexibility at Holmen Paper’s Braviken mill after PM52 rebuild One of the paper machines at Holmen Paper’s Braviken mill in Sweden is to be rebuilt

by Andritz to provide better production flexibility.

The rebuild of PM52 will enable Holmen Paper to increase production of fluting for corrugated boxes using a sophisticated technologies developed by Andritz that enable easy switches in production between different paper grades. Start-up is planned for autumn 2024.

The order follows Holmen Paper’s recent successful entry into the packaging market with an innovative lightweight corrugated board product.

November/December 2023

“The pilot trials convinced us that Andritz’s solution perfectly meets our high requirements.

It will give us the flexibility we need to increase production,” said Ola Schultz-Eklund, senior vice president of technology at Holmen Group.

Andritz will provide comprehensive services for the rebuild including engineering and installation. The project includes key components for several sections of the paper machine to meet Holmen’s stringent quality requirements.

The heart of the rebuild is the conversion of the existing former by using the patented Andritz shoe blade forming

Handshake to start a highly innovative rebuild project – Holmen Paper and Andritz partner for the upgrade of PM52 at the Braviken mill in Sweden technology for lowest MD/CD ratios. Andritz will also supply a clothing package, an extension

of the distributed control system and a dilution control automation package.

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Third tissue line for Sofidel’s Circleville mill in the US

Valmet is supplying a third tissue line to Sofidel at its Circleville mill in Ohio

S

ofidel America has ordered a third tissue line from Valmet for its Circleville mill in Ohio

in the US. The Advantage DCT tissue line will come with an extensive automation package, flow control valves and industrial internet systems, to meet increasing demand in the US for high-quality tissue products with low environmental impact. Start-up is scheduled for the second half of 2025. The value of the project was

not revealed.

The latest TM3 line follows the two Advantage NTT lines installed at the Circleville mill in 2017. Valmet has supplied 11 conventional and four hybrid lines to Sofidel.

Simone Capuano, operations and supply chain chief at Sofidel America, said: “Sofidel has a strong focus on sustainable and high performing technologies that can fulfill our targets to increase capacity with as low an environmental footprint as

possible. The experience from recent Advantage ViscoNip rebuild projects has convinced us that it’s possible to achieve both energy savings and excellent paper properties under stable operating conditions. The industrial internet solutions will help us to further improve the performance.”

With a design speed of 2,000 metres per minute and a width of 5.6 metres, the new tissue line will have capacity to produce 70,000 tons a year. Valmet says it will

be optimised to save energy and deliver excellent paper properties.

The line will include an OptiFlo headbox and Yankee cylinder, a ViscoNip press, AirCap hood with Air system, WetDust systems and a SoftReel reel. Valmet has also delivered detailed mill engineering, stock preparation equipment as well as automation, including a DNA Distributed Control System with built-in machine condition monitoring, IQ and Web Monitoring System.

China’s Yueyang Forest Paper orders fine paper line from Valmet A high-capacity fine paper making line is being supplied to Yueyang Forest Paper in China by Valmet with delivery scheduled for the third quarter 2024.

The PM11 line will be delivered with automation, spare parts and consumables packages and will include stock preparation to reel and winders with air systems and clothing. The stock preparation delivery will include bale pulping, cleaning and refining, as well as broke, white water and approach flow systems.

With an 11.15m-wide fabric and a design speed of 1,800 metres per minute the paper machine will produce woodfree uncoated, offset, and copy paper grades with the basis weight range of 50–120 g/sqm.

The value of the order was not disclosed.

Xiangdong Zhu, area president for China at Valmet, said: “Valmet has been in China for 90 years, and witnessed the rapid and healthy development of China’s pulp and paper industry

and participated in it. Therefore, we have a strong connection with Yueyang Forest Paper. From their line 1 project of Juntai pulp mill to the cooperation in the PM8 project.

“Valmet and Yueyang Forest Paper have worked closely together, not only building high-quality projects but also deepening the partnership. We feel honoured and confident to build the new PM11 together with them.”

The automation package

includes the Valmet DNA Automation System for process and sectional drive controls, runnability and condition monitoring as well as the Valmet IQ Quality Control System.

Formerly known as Yueyang Paper Mill, Yueyang Forestry & Paper Co was founded in 1958 and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2004. It is a subsidiary of China Paper Corporation, is the only stateowned company mainly engaged in the forest-pulp-paper business.

November/December 2023

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DS Smith invests in Romania to increase capacity and reduce costs

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S Smith in investing more than €13 million at a plant in Romania to increase printed box capacity and improve sustainability.

The upgrade of the Ghimbav plant will raise productivity by 20 percent and when it is completed by the end of 2023 is expected to differentiate DS Smith’s products in Eastern Europe by supporting customers to reach environmental targets.

The investment will include the installation of ‘cutting-edge’ machinery that will include advanced technologies such as seven-colour HD Flexo printing and precision die-cutting.

Reinier Schlatmann, regional

DS Smith is “accelerating circular and sustainable packaging solutions” in Romania managing director of DS Smith Packaging East Europe, commented: “With 56 percent of consumers actively seeking reduced plastic usage, we will be able to better support our customers with their sustainability targets and further decarbonise our operations, accelerating circular and sustainable

packaging solutions.”

The upgrades at Ghimbav are expected to reduce the site’s gas consumption by 12 percent and cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 210 tonnes per year through the introduction of a steam optimisation system to the cardboard machine.

The installation of a new LED lighting system, part of a rollout across the DS Smith group, will contribute to its target to reduce carbon emissions by 46 percent by 2030. The company has also introduced advanced waste management technologies on site that reduce electrical consumption by around 10 percent.

“We’re thrilled about the significant investment which is enhancing our machinery capabilities and production capacity,” added Christian Schmidt, managing director of DS Smith Packaging Romania. “It empowers our team to deliver innovative packaging designs, improve quality, and deliver state-of-the-art graphics.”

New stock preparation line and machine rebuild for Enstra Paper Enstra Paper, one of the largest producers of recycled containerboard grades in South Africa, has commissioned Voith to rebuild its PM6 line at Springs, near Johannesburg, to produce packaging paper.

Voith will supply a new BlueLine OCC stock preparation line to improve efficiency, runnability and paper quality. The full-line supplier will also undertake substantial rebuild measures on the existing paper machine that was converted from newsprint to packaging papers in 2015.

The rebuild will increase capacity at Enstra Paper when the rebuilt line starts up in early 2025.

“In Voith, we have found a partner committed to long-term collaboration that at the same time November/December 2023

offers the most modern solutions in the sector,” confirms Nic Campher, head of paper at Enstra Paper. “We have been won over by Voith’s flexibility and its adherence to project budget and deadlines.”

Enstra Paper is part of the Corruseal Group. Joint chief executive Rajiv Mehta commented: “Enstra Paper’s new production line 6 will significantly improve our competitiveness, cost situation and product quality. The partnership with Voith is the next important investment step for the future of our company.”

Components on the BlueLine OCC stock preparation line include an IntensaPulper, IntensaMaXX for pulper cleaning, IntensaScreenDrum for reject washing, InduraPro

The team at Enstra Paper in South Africa, where the PM6 line will be rebuilt by Voith and InduraClean cleaners, and other products for screening and fractionation.

The existing PM6 will be fitted with technologies to enable more efficient and sustainable paper production. To optimise sheet formation, the forming section will be equipped with a DuoFormer D

and a DuoShake DG shaking unit.

In the press section, a compact DuoCentri NipcoFlex shoe press will ensure dewatering while saving energy and production costs, meeting the Corruseal Group’s sustainability goals such as reductions in electricity, boiler fuel and fresh water consumption.

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Pulp Paper & Logistics

Production starts at Metsä’s Kemi bioproduct and paperboard mill

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etsä Fibre started operations at the new Kemi bioproduct mill and paperboard mill expansion – Finland’s largest-ever investment in the forest industry – in September.

Operations started department by department with pulp being delivered to customers from October.

With capacity to produce 1.5 million tonnes of softwood and hardwood pulp a year, the Kemi mill uses fossil-free fuels and Metsä says it will be completely waste-free by 2030.

The bioproduct mill will use 7.6 million cubic metres of wood per year, 4.5m more than the old mill. Metsä says the wood supply will be based on regenerative forestry with the aim of achieving a verifiable improvement in the state of nature by 2030.

The modernisation and

The new Metsä bioproduct and paperboard mill at Kemi in Finland – the country’s largest-ever forest products industry investment bottleneck investments made in Kemi paperboard mill will increase the annual production capacity of white top kraftliner by around 40,000 tonnes to 465,000 tonnes. This increase will further strengthen the Kemi mill’s position as the world’s largest producer of coated white-top kraftliners, whose products are used worldwide as surface material for corrugated packaging.

Metsä said that the integration of the bioproduct mill and the

paperboard mill, as well as the modernisation of the paperboard mill’s production line, will considerably improve its water and energy efficiency. The investments will reduce the mill’s water consumption by 40 percent and energy use by 5 percent per tonne of paperboard produced.

Jari-Pekka Johansson, director of the bioproduct mill project at Metsä Fibre, commented: “The start-up of the mill is an important milestone for us and now our joint

effort towards next mile-stones continues. I’m looking forward to see how the most significant investment in the history of the Finnish forest industry will achieve its full production capacity.”

Valmet supplied the complete production process from wood handling to baling as well as flow control systems and mill-wide automation.

The mill features leading process technology and the most advanced automation systems. Valmet’s delivery includes the wood handling, cooking and fibre line, pulp drying and baling, evaporation, recovery boiler, recausticizing, lime kiln, biomass dryer and gasifier, ash crystallisation, millwide non-condensable gases handling solution, and dry and wet electrostatic precipitators for the recovery boiler and lime kiln.

Valmet also delivered a rebuild of the existing fibre line including new chip feeding and washing systems.

Turnkey tissue line for Softys in Mexico Softys, the leading tissue manufacturer in South America, has ordered a complete tissue line for its mill at Altamira in Mexico.

Toscotec will be supplying a new Ahead 2.2 machine on a turnkey basis for the PM5 line with start-up expected in the first quarter of 2025.

Included in the Altamira project is stock preparation, fibre recovery and water systems, Toscotec’s patented Short Approach Flow system with Double Dilution, the Ahead 2.2 machine with electrical systems and controls, auxiliary

equipment, along with dust and mist removal systems.

Other key equipment includes boiler plant, and air compression, chemical preparation and hall ventilation systems.

Pedro Urrechaga, managing director of the Softys subsidiary in Mexico, said, “We pursue our strategic growth in the Mexican market with a focus on the efficiency of our operations. With a clear view of our future, we selected Toscotec for the supply of a state-of-the-art, energy efficient tissue line, in order to support our target of generating

The Softys tissue mill at Altamira in Mexico where a new Toscotec line is being installed sustainable value for all.”

Softys has subsidiaries in Chile, Brazil, México, Argentina, Perú,

Uruguay, Colombia, and Ecuador, with a range of tissue brands such as Elite.

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Quality control systems bring “significant improvements” at Green Bay

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reen Bay Packaging, which makes corrugated shipping containers, folding cartons and coated label products in Wisconsin in the US reports “significant improvements” on its production line following the installation of an OnQuality Quality Control System (QCS) by Voith.

William Cone, general manager of Green Bay Packaging commented: “Along with our newly-built PM4, the installation of Voith’s QCS was a game changer for Green Bay Packaging. The OnQuality.Scanner has proven to be a critical component in our paper production, allowing us to accurately monitor and maintain

The Voith OnQuality.Scanner before installation at Green Bay Packaging in Wisconsin product quality throughout production.

“The system has been extremely reliable from day one and has brought us significant improvements, including increased operating efficiency and cost savings. We have noticed less curl, improved machine

runnability and smoother grade changes. Green Bay Packaging is very pleased with Voith’s equipment and service, which has exceeded our expectations and contributed to our continued success in the paper industry.”

Precise measurements with the OnQuality.Scanners and

OnQuality.Sensors enabled Green Bay Packaging to achieve accurate results even in a demanding production environment. The scanner’s high traverse speed and reliable signal processing using the CAN bus provide high-resolution profiles that enable precise control of paper quality in machine direction and cross-profile.

Founded in 1933, Green Bay Packaging is a family owned, vertically integrated company comprising corrugated container plants, a folding carton facility, recycled and virgin containerboard mills, pressure-sensitive label roll stock plants, timberlands, a paper slitting operation, and a sawmill facility. It operates 41 facilities in 16 US states.

Asia Symbol Group calls on ABB for MES systems for three tissue mills Asia Symbol Group, one of the biggest wood pulp producers in China, has engaged ABB as a longterm strategic partner to supply management execution systems (MES) for three of its tissue mills in the People’s Republic.

The deal covers the delivery of ABB Ability MESs for the mills at Guangdong, Shandong and Jiangxi as Asia Symbol, part of the global Royal Golden Eagle Group, expands its pulp and paper business into tissue manufacturing.

ABB will be installing the MES and, by integrating with thirdparty systems such as distributed control system (DCS), QCS, transportation management system (TMS), and SAP Enterprise Re-source Planning (ERP) software, November/December 2023

One of the three Asia Symbol tissue mills in China where ABB will be installing management execution systems supporting improved data flow and connectivity across Asia Symbol’s operations.

The systems offer real-time data collection and analysis capabilities, scheduling and trim optimisation, tracking with full traceability and quality management, to help Asia Symbol achieve sustainable

production and resource utilisation, improve efficiency and competitiveness.

“Owing to the added complexity of producing fine paper – which demands faster, more flexible and complex production processes – Asia Symbol required additional digital solutions in order to build a

resilient, sustainable and efficient production operation,” said Zhang Wei, local digital business line manager for Process Industries China at ABB. “This latest expansion of our highly valued, long-term partnership with Asia Symbol reflects the trust they have in ABB’s technology and deep domain expertise in the pulp and paper segment. Our MES will help provide greater visibility, data management and quality control across Asia Symbol’s operations.”

Asia Symbol’s main products are bleached hardwood kraft pulp, needle bleached kraft pulp, dissolving pulp (DP), liquid packaging board, high grade ivory board and uncoated wood-free printing and office paper.

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Multiple orders for Valmet from Liansheng Pulp & Paper in China

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iansheng Pulp & Paper (Zhangzhou) in Fujian Province in China has ordered a number of technology deliveries from Valmet for its Zhangpu mill.

Valmet will supply a coated board making line (BM2) with related automation systems, bleached chemi-thermo mechanical pulp (BCTMP) technology and two smaller tissue machines (TM5 and TM6).

In addition, Valmet will supply four headboxes for the TM7, TM8, TM9 and TM10 tissue machines at the same mill.

The start-up of the coated board machine and BCTMP technology are scheduled to start up in the third quarter of 2025, the tissue machines for the fourth quarter of 2024, and the headboxes for the third quarter of 2024.

The BM2 board machine will have a forming fabric width of

8.85 metres and with a design speed of 1,400 metres per minute will produce folding boxboard grades with a basis weight range of 210-400 g/sqm.

Daily capacity will be more than 4,700 tonnes.

The two smaller tissue lines (TM5, TM6) will include two IntelliTissue 1600 lines including approach piping, and TM auxiliary systems like oil lubrication, S&C system, hydraulic system, mist removal on machine and dust removal system and a UTM pulper.

The machines have a width of 2.85m and a design speed of 1,600 metres per minute, producing tissue with a basis weight between 11.5-31.3 gsm/ sqm and daily capacity of 72 tonnes.

Objective for the installation of the IntelliJet hydraulic headboxes is to improve tissue quality and

The Liansheng Pulp & Paper mill at Zhangpu where Valmet tissue making technologies are being installed runnability of the current TM7TM10 machines at the mill.

Valmet has delivered five board and two tissue machines over the past 15 years to Liansheng Pulp & Paper’s mills at Longhai and Zhangpu.

Chen Jiayu, chairman of Liansheng Pulp & Paper, commented: “Liansheng Pulp & Paper is deeply involved in environmental protection and

recycling, taking the development of circular economy as our concept. Liansheng Zhangpu base is our first time to use virgin pulp for pulping and papermaking.

In the first phase of the project Valmet’s unique offering and service laid a solid foundation for us, establishing our competitive position in the market. This is also the key factor why we chose to cooperate with Valmet again.”

Chemical recovery upgrade for The Navigator Company pulp mill Portugal Portuguese pulp and paper producer The Navigator Company has ordered chemical recovery technologies from Andritz for its pulp mill in Setúbal, with start-up scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.

The order comprises a HERB recovery boiler, new ash leaching system and an upgrade of the non-condensable gases (NCG) collection and incineration system.

The NCG collection and incineration system is part of

Andritz is to supply a HERB recovery boiler, ash leaching system and an upgrade of the NCG collection and incineration system to The Navigator Company in Portugal Andritz ’s CircleToZero initiative that focuses on eliminating

unused side streams, create new added-value products and lay a

foundation for zero emissions and waste.

Paulo Francisco, head of the CIS-CR4 Project at The Navigator Company, said: “The new equipment and systems will substantially improve Setúbal mill’s environmental performance and enable stable production capacity over a long period of time.” ● Andritz has also received an order for a new HERB recovery boiler to be installed at Moorim P&P’s pulp and paper mill in Ulsan, South Korea.

November/December 2023

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Pulp Paper & Logistics

Water treatment plant unveiled at Smurfit’s Belgrade mill

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he Prime Minister of Serbia attended the unveiling of a “pioneering” purification and waste water treatment plant at Smurfit Kappa’s paper mill in Belgrade.

A €5 million investment at the mill, which was acquired by Smurfit Kappa in 2019, enables water to be purified to a level high enough for it to be returned to the environment, or reused, reducing consumption by 90 percent.

Ana Brnabić, Serbia’s premier, said: “Today is an important day for environmental protection in Belgrade and throughout Serbia.

This is a day that represents a turning point for the sustainable development of our country.

By 2025, all companies have a deadline for introducing wastewater treatment plants.

Smurfit Kappa did this two years ahead of schedule by building the first industrial biological plant.

Pictured at the launch of the water treatment system at Smurfit’s Belgrade mill are: Goran Vesic, Serbia’s minister of construction, transport & infrastructure; Saverio Mayer, chief executive of Smurfit Kappa Europe; Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia; and Milan Markovic, general manager of Smurfit Kappa Belgrade This is an example of how all business people in Serbia should join the policy of sustainable development.”

Saverio Mayer, chief executive of Smurfit Kappa Europe, added: “The opening of this state-ofthe-art facility demonstrates our ongoing commitment to sustainable water management.

In Brief l Jujo Thermal has selected ABB to upgrade the drive control systems at its mill in Kauttua, Finland, for improved runnability and efficiency. The package includes the provision and commissioning of the upgrade for the existing PM2 with new drives. One of the world’s leading suppliers of durable, direct thermal papers for labels, tickets, tags and point-of-sale use, Jujo Thermal also produces one-side coated self-adhesive label stock with production volume of almost 72,000 tons per year.

We are proud to be the first company to bring this innovative purification and water treatment system to Serbia as part of our continued investment to ensure the process is as sustainable as the product. Smurfit Kappa continues to lead our industry towards more innovative and sustainable methods of water treatment.”

Deinking pulp line started up at Zhejiang Jingxing Paper in China China’s Zhejiang Jingxing Paper has successfully started up an Andritz deinking pulp (DIP) line at its mill at Pinghu City in Zhejiang Province.

The line processes a mix of office waste and old books with a capacity of 200 bdt/d to produce de-inked pulp for making a range of papers. With three loops for flotation as well as de-ashing and double dispersing it enables highest stock quality that can even be used for production of white top linerboard and other papers.

November/December 2023

Li Liubai, vice chief engineer at Zhejiang Jingxing Paper, commented: “We already have Andritz tissue machines in operation. The Andritz team’s approach to our most recent project has again been highly professional and supportive.

“As a result, the start-up went as smoothly as expected.

The new DIP line helps us to improve our end-product quality and enrich end-product variety. In addition, our operating costs have decreased remarkably.”

Inside Zhejiang Jingxing Paper’s Pinghu City mill in China, where a new de-inking line has been started up by Andritz

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Complete press section rebuild at Cartiera Pirinoli in Italy

A

packaging paper machine at the Roccavione mill operated by Cartiera Pirinoli in Italy has been restarted

by Toscotec after the complete rebuild of its press section.

Toscotec installed a first nip with double felted press roll and a second nip with a Voith NipcoFlex shoe press designed for a maximum load of 1,600 kN/m.

The project also included a fullyautomatic tail feeding system, felt runs, showers, rolls, doctors, as well as guide and stretcher systems.

The rebuild increases PM1’s post-press dryness, and cuts paper breaks and thermal energy consumption. A high operational flexibility across a large basis weight range and the compliance with new safety regulations are also crucial aspects of the project.

Silvano Carletto, president of Cartiera Pirinoli, said: “The

‘Effortless’ start up after a press section rebuild of Cartiera Pirinoli’s packaging paper machine successful completion of this machine upgrade allows us to cut PM1’s consumption and achieve higher flexibility in the press section’s operation. We especially appreciated the fact that we could find the correct settings of the machine immediately after startup, almost effortlessly. Toscotec accompanied us throughout this strategic project with high

expertise, competence and reliability.”

Founded in 1872, Cartiera Pirinoli became a cooperative in 2015. It specialises in multilayer coated cartonboard for foldable boxes and grey carton for packaging, cores, interlayers, and tubes. Its mill near Cuneo has capacity for almost 100,000 tons per year.

Upgrade for tissue line at Paper Prime in Portugal An Ahead 2.0 tissue line at Paper Prime’s Vila Velha de Rodão mill in Portugal that was installed in 2017 is being upgraded by Toscotec to save energy and improve productivity.

The PM1 is having its suction press roll upgraded to the latest shoe press TT NextPress to improve drying efficiency in combination with the existing TT SYD Steel Yankee Dryer.

A TT TurboDryer, which uses the heat recovered from the air system to strengthen the shoe

press de-watering action and increase post-press dryness, will also be added.

Objectives are to cut thermal energy consumption by a quarter and increase the machine’s speed from 2,000 to 2,100 metres per minute.

Paulo Lobo Correia, chief executive at Paper Prime, said: “Focused on production efficiency, this technological upgrade will boost Paper Prime competitiveness and allow us to serve our customer base even better in the future.”

Energy savings and more productivity are expected with the upgrade of Paper Prime’s PM1 line in Portugal

In Brief l Despite the challenges presented by the war in Ukraine, A.Celli and Kochavinska Paper Factory teams managed to start up a new tissue line at a plant located in the Lviv region. A.Celli said the war forced it to find new ways to complete the planned work. The equipment was installed and commissioned using few field resources and intensive remote support. The line includes an Ideal Start 1.500 tissue machine, an R-Way roll handling system, a threeply E-Wind T80S slitter re-winder, an Evo-Lock yankee dryer with a 12-foot diameter and a width of 2,850 mm at the reel.

l Stora Enso is having the fibreline at its Enocell pulp mill in Uimaharju optimised

by Andritz so that it will be able to meet growing demand non-bleached renewable packaging materials while reducing its ecological footprint.

The mill in eastern Finland is part of Stora Enso’s Biomaterials division, producing softwood and hardwood pulp with an annual capacity of 630,000 tonnes.

November/December 2023

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Pulp Paper & Logistics

Hans Sohlström appointed new chief executive of Stora Enso

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ans Sohlström has been appointed as president and chief executive of Finnish Paper maker Stora Enso, replacing Annica Bresky, who has left to pursue new challenges outside the company.

Sohlström, 58, has more than 30 years of business leadership experience including more than a decade mostly in the forest and renewable materials industries.

Most recently he led Ahlström Corporation, Ahlström Capital and Rettig Group. Prior to that,

for more than 20 years, he held several leadership positions at UPM-Kymmene Corporation, such as mill director, business unit vice president and was a member of the group executive team responsible for marketing, new businesses and biofuels, and corporate relations and development.

Commenting on the appointment, Stora Enso’s chair Kari Jordan said: “Hans Sohlström has shown strong business acumen and leadership skills in his previous positions. He has extensive experience in the forest industry and has gained

strong insight into Stora Enso after serving more than two years on its board of directors. The board of directors is confident that Hans Sohlström is the right person to lead Stora Enso through the current challenging market environment towards achieving the long-term financial goals.”

Sohlström, who holds technical and economic masters degrees, added: “I would like to thank the Board of Directors for its confidence in me. Stora Enso is a company whose purpose, values and heritage I strongly support and believe

Dr Heather Starkey joins Monadnock as research scientist

Pulp Corporation, and most recently Ingredion, where she led cross-functional product teams developing new starch technologies for adhesive applications and barrier coatings.

She gained BSc degrees in Pulp and Paper Engineering and Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University, where she also earned her doctorate in Forest Biomaterials.

“I’m delighted to join my new colleagues and get to work crafting 21st century solutions that meet the high reputational standards of the marketplace – I’m up for this new and exciting adventure,” said Dr Starkey.

to UPM’s chief financial officer Tapio Korpeinen and is based in Helsinki, Finland.

Sederholm has been working for UPM since 2008 and is currently vice president at business control in UPM Fibres. Earlier he led strategy and business control at UPM Energy. He is also the chair of the audit committee on the board of Pohjolan Voima Oyj. With a master’s degree in economics, Sederholm has participated in executive leadership programmes at Harvard Business School and Singularity University.

Dr Heather Starkey has been appointed as research scientist at Monadnock Dr Heather Paper Mills, Starkey the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the US. Starkey will be working closely with the manufacturing and sales departments in developing the next generation of sustainable and durable materials for the printing and packaging industries.

Rajan Iyer, vice president of research development and technical service at Monadnock, which is based in Bennington, New Hampshire, commented: “Dr Starkey is an ideal choice to help drive Monadnock’s efforts in introducing highestquality materials for our growing customer base.”

Dr Starkey has worked at Georgia-Pacific, Chung Hwa November/December 2023

Promotion for Tomi Sederholm at UPM Tomi Sederholm has been appointed as senior vice president of UPM’s Tomi Sederholm business control and finance operations from December 2023. He reports

Nathalie BödtkerLund joins PulPac as head of impact and sustainability PulPac, the developer of Dry Molded Fiber technology, has appointed Nathalie Bödtker-Lund as its new head of impact and sustainability.

In her new role, Bödtker-Lund will lead PulPac’s strategies to further enhance the company’s commitment to sustainability.

She will work closely with crossfunctional teams to develop and

New Stora Enso chief executive Hans Sohlström has more than 20 years of experience in the forest and renewable industries in. It has strong foundations and many growth opportunities. I look forward to working together with my new colleagues in leading our profit turn-around, increasing shareholder value and delivering on our commitment as the renewable materials company.” implement innovative practices that align with PulPac’s mission to replace singleuse plastics.

Nathalie Bödtker“We are truly excited Lund to welcome Nathalie to PulPac. Her leadership will be pivotal in driving our sustainability agenda forward, as we remain committed to leading the race for sustainable packaging,” said Linus Larsson Green, chief executive and founder of Sweden-based PulPac. Bödtker-Lund commented: “Packaging is fundamental to the modern economy, but the system is inefficient, linear, and leads to pollution. Plastic can be a fantastic material for long-term uses but not for convenience products like in food service. We welcome the ongoing packaging revolution, and PulPac is very much a driving force in this movement. With the Dry Molded Fiber technology, we have what’s needed to replace singleuse plastic.”

Stop collecting paper samples!

SmartScan™ measures paper dryness 24/7, safely.

EPIC™ control unit Up to 16 sensors connected to measure web dryness in forming, press and dryer section

SmartScan™ on line paper dryness sensor

Improve your press section efficiency!

SmartScan™ contactless sensor accurately measures paper web dryness after the press section 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Using a proprietary microwave technology, it is developed to overcome the typical limits of the NIR (near-infrared) sensors.

SmartScan™ is available both for fixed point positions or traversing web scan.

To save hundred of thousands of Euros in energy costs, stop collecting samples, choose the safe accuracy of SmartScan™ technology.

Web

DCS

Giuseppe Cristini S.p.A. Diagnostic Systems Via Bombardieri, 5 – 24020 Fiorano al Serio (BG) Italy Tel +39 035 715 111 Fax + 39 035 711 451 email diagnostic.systems@cristini.it website www.cristini.com

— Automation Software Maintenance.

Flexible upgrade paths for proactive management of pulp and paper software.

If you need a versatile solution to better manage your software lifecycle, look no further than Automation Software Maintenance (ASM). ABB’s newest lifecycle management program removes the complexity and cost of accessing new software releases and features, corrections and enhancements between major system upgrades.

ASM is available for DCS, QCS, Paper Machine Drives and Pulp and Paper Process Control Library.

Learn more: abb.com/pulpandpaper