Friday, 29 March 2013 12:36

Metso to supply paper-to-packaging grade conversion rebuild for Blue Paper in France

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The target is to produce packaging materials based on recycled raw materials

Metso will supply Blue Paper with a grade conversion rebuild of their paper machine at their mill site in Strasbourg, France. The target is to produce packaging materials on a paper machine that previously produced LWC, light weight coated paper, a grade that is suffering from a drastic decline in demand. The start-up of the rebuilt machine is scheduled for the last quarter of 2013.

“This delivery is an example of much called-for innovative approach to the structural change the paper industry is facing.  By retrofitting the existing printing paper machine with a few new key components Metso is able to provide the customer and the Strasbourg papermaking community with a solution that enables continuation of industrial operations on-site,” says Markus Laitila, Vice President of Paper Mills business unit, Metso.

The main part of the order is included in Metso’s Pulp, Paper and Power fourth quarter 2012 orders received. The automation system modification is included in Automation’s fourth quarter 2012 orders received.

Technical information

Metso’s delivery will comprise headbox and forming area modernizations and modernization of the press, dryer and sizing sections and reel. Metso will also modify air systems and automation systems.

The original paper machine has a trimmed width of 8.5 m and it produced LWC paper at a speed of 1,500 m/min. After the grade conversion rebuild, the paper machine will have a high annual capacity of fluting and testliner grades in the basis weight range of 70-130 g/m².

Blue Paper SAS is a joint venture established by the Belgian VPK Packaging Group NV and the German Klingele Papierwerke. VPK Packaging Group NV is an integrated packaging group with 33 companies across twelve European countries. Klingele, a German family-owned company, is one of the leading independent producers of containerboard and packaging made of corrugated board. The company consists of one paper mill, six integrated corrugated plants and seven converting plants in Europe and Africa. Klingele and VPK have a combined corrugated packaging production of more than 1 million tonnes per year and a paper production of 600,000 tonnes per year.  

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