Displaying items by tag: Metso Group

The new Metso Pulp Analyzer (Metso MAP) features the first on-line measurement of micro-scale details of fiber properties. It provides pulp and papermakers a tool that helps to predict how fiber properties will affect final sheet strength properties. The new analyzer also enables precise furnish preparation and low consistency refining management resulting in better sheet runnability, higher machine efficiency and lower furnish costs.

Metso introduces the next generation's pulp analyzer (Metso MAP) that features a new high definition fiber imaging module. This module represents the first on-line measurement of micro-scale details of fiber properties, including fibrillation, vessel segments, flocs and other particles. The fibrillation measurement, combined with other fiber properties measured by the analyzer, can be processed in a modeling tool that helps to predict how fiber properties will affect final sheet strength properties.

This next generation's analyzer provides online measurement of fiber dimensions including kink, curl, size distribution and fractionation. The Metso MAP has established an excellent reputation for measurement accuracy and reliability in the pulp and paper industry.

Several advantages for pulp and paper makers

The new product is intended for managing fiber properties in papermaking furnish preparation as well as in mechanical, recycled fiber and kraft pulp mills. To provide the highest measurement application flexibility, the analyzer samples from up to 20 process fiber streams. This new analyzer also utilizes brand new manual sampling stations that can be located throughout the plant. To date, the product has been installed in paper, tissue and board mills.

With a freeness measurement module included in the same platform, the Metso MAP provides pulp and papermakers with a quickly updated and complete fiber and furnish measurement solution. More precise furnish preparation and low consistency refining management provides better sheet runnability, higher machine efficiency and lower furnish costs. Pulp mill operations will benefit from minimum shives in mechanical and chemical pulps, and reduced fiber quality variability. In addition to providing operators with an unprecedented window into pulp quality, these measurements are an integral part of pulping and refining controls.

Flexible and modular design

The Metso MAP builds upon a flexible and modular design. Already installed analyzers can be upgraded easily with the new high definition fiber analysis module. This underlines the original analyzer design philosophy which allows for upgrading the platform as new technology becomes available without making the original investment obsolete. The useful lifecycle of the product is thereby extended.

To ensure maximum uptime and process measurement performance, the Metso MAP analyzer has been designed with remote access and service support in mind. From anywhere in the world a Metso expert can access an analyzer - with permission and through a secure access port - and work out a solution to technical and process applications very quickly.

Metso has concluded the statutory employer-employee negotiations covering personnel in its units serving the paper industry. As a result of these discussions, 400 employees will be reduced and a further 136 positions will be outsourced in Finland.

The statutory employer-employee negotiations initiated in Metso units serving the paper industry in September this year and covering personnel reductions and layoffs have ended. Following the negotiations, which involved a total of approximately 4,100 employees, Metso has decided to reduce 400 jobs and outsource a further 136 positions. A total of 152 employees will take retirement and 15 will transfer to new positions in other Metso units. At the start of the negotiations on September 18, it was estimated that a maximum of 480 employees would be affected, and around 150 positions likely to be outsourced.

As a result of the negotiations temporary layoffs will only be implemented if they are required by the low production and order book in 2013. Temporary layoffs could affect jobs in units serving the paper industry in Juankoski, Jyväskylä, Järvenpää, Raisio, and Valkeakoski.

Metso will assist those affected through a comprehensive program aimed at helping them to set up their own company as well as retrain and find new jobs.

The redundancies and outsourcing that have been decided on are intended to achieve savings of approximately EUR 25 million in annual operational costs. Cost reductions in 2013 are expected to yield savings of approximately EUR 20 million.

“It’s very unfortunate that we have been forced to implement such large-scale measures affecting our personnel,” says Pasi Laine, President of Metso’s Pulp, Paper and Power segment. “By working closely and proactively with employee representatives, however, we will try to minimize the impact of the redundancies through a comprehensive program aimed at helping people find new employment.”

Metso’s decision to make these reductions in personnel is the result of the need to adjust the manufacturing capacity of the Group’s paper business unit to the permanent structural changes that have impacted the business and weakened its competitiveness and profitability.

As a result of restructuring, Metso will book non-recurring cost of around EUR 10 million in its fourth quarter results.

Metso has been awarded a repeat order for four complete tissue production lines for HengAn Group in China. Two of the lines will be located at Shandong HengAn Paper Co., Ltd, in Weifang City, Shandong Province, and two at HengAn Wuhu Paper Co., Ltd, in Wuhu City, Anhui Province. Start-ups are planned to be successive with the first in December 2013 in Weifang. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

Xu Lianjie, President, HengAn: "We like to continue the relation with Metso, being active in developing the tissue machine technology."

“We are very proud that HengAn once again trusted Metso technology to support their continued growth in the tissue industry,” says Anders Björn, President, Metso Paper Karlstad.

The new lines will add another 240,000 tonnes a year of high-quality facial, toilet and towel grades to HengAn Group's total production. This will consolidate their position as China's leading tissue producer. The raw material for the new machines will be virgin pulp. The order follows the successful start-ups of four similar tissue lines at the company’s Anhai mill in Fujian Province and Weifang mill in Shandong Province in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The order is included in Metso’s Pulp, Paper and Power fourth quarter 2012 orders received.

Technical information

Metso’s delivery will comprise four tissue production lines featuring Metso’s stock preparation equipment and Advantage DCT 200 tissue machine. Each machine will include an OptiFlo II TIS multi-layer headbox, a Metso Yankee cylinder with deep rib for highest energy efficiency, an Advantage AirCap hood, an Advantage WetDust dust management system and an Advantage SoftReel P reel. The tissue lines will also feature Metso’s new MicroBar refiner segments for short fiber refining and VacuFox polyurethane roll covers for tissue machine press sections.

The new lines will have a width of 5.6 m and an operating speed of 1,900 m/min.

HengAn is a leading, fast-growing Chinese consumer product company with a nationwide sales and distribution network. It is a fully owned subsidiary of HengAn International, whose shares are listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Their turnover in 2011 was approximately EUR 1.7 billion and they have 20,000 employees.

Visit Metso at Hall 3. Stand F46 at Valve World, 27th to 29th November 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany

Metso's state-of-the-art solution portfolio is designed to improve safety and productivity in the oil & gas, pulp and paper and power industries. Metso aims to maximize production efficiency and reduce safety risks throughout the lifecycle of a plant starting from simplifying valve selection, maximizing process availability and maximizing production performance.

The right valve for the right application

During Valve World Metso experts are available on the stand to guide visitors through product selection steps and demonstrate the company's approach to optimizing the valve selection process. Metso offers benchmark services that cover all facets of the purchase experience including expert application personnel, benchmark product sizing tools, pre and post sale and drawing submittal tools, project management services that assure total contract compliance and a globally deployed direct service network to provide optimum performance through the entire product life cycle.

On Metso stand visitors also can familiarize themselves with Metso developed tools such as Nelprof® which is the world's first software for safety valve calculation, and new RapidDraw3D™ one-of-a-kind valve model generator to quickly create realistic, to-scale, 3D valve assemblies and export them to any CAD program for use in plant piping diagrams.

Metso will also have its latest innovations beginning with an extended capability version of famous Q-Trim™ noise reduction technology and Metso Valve Manager™ representing state-of-the art 3rd generation valve diagnostics.

Intelligent shutdowns

Metso's customers are constantly looking for better ways to maximize process availability and increase process efficiency and Metso has developed a full service portfolio to address these business issues.

On the Metso stand visitors can find out more about Metso's Intelligent Shutdown solution, one solution in its portfolio, targeted to improve availability but simultaneously reduce the time, effort and cost of shutdowns. Several Metso customers have already benefitted from this service through operational savings.

Metso papers in the conference

During Valve World Conference Metso's experts host workshops and Ville Kähkönen, Product manager, will be presenting the following papers in the conference:


- CONTROL VALVE: 'Aerodynamic noise attenuation in rotary control valves', Tuesday 27 November 2012 at 11:50

- SAFETY & INTEGRITY: 'High end intelligent Emergency Valves - Depressuring and Pressure Protection Systems', Wednesday 28 November 2012 at 11:50

On-going investments in global customer support

Besides offering an extensive product and service offering, Metso is also investing in its global portfolio and presence to constantly improve our solution portfolio for customers in the oil & gas, pulp and paper and power industries. Last Spring, Metso announced the acquisition of a globe valve technology and service company, Valstone Control Inc., in South Korea and the establishment of a new supply and service center in India. Just recently, Metso completed the expansion of its valve production facility in North America. Last year, Metso opened a new valve technology center in Finland, and another one in 2010 in Shanghai, China. These are complemented by existing high-class industrial valve facilities in Brazil and Germany.

Experienced in valves

Metso is the leading valve solutions and services provider. Metso's Flow Control solutions include control valves, automated on/off and emergency shut-down valves, as well as smart positioners and condition monitoring. Metso's world-leading brands include Neles, Jamesbury and Mapag.

Södra Cell Mörrum enhances process management in kraft pulping with new Metso Kappa Q analyzers.

Metso has delivered a second order for a large Kappa Q analyzer unit to Södra's Mörrum plant. The delivered analyzer replaces Mörrum's retiring Metso Kappa analyzers after a long service of over fifteen years. The new analyzer includes the online Kappa and Brightness measurements and, as a new feature to the previous ones, online Fiber and Shives measurements. The fiber properties measurements open a new door to even tighter pulp quality and process control through the whole fiber line from cooking to baling.

"The start up was successful and now the production has got an additional strong tool to improve both quality and capacity. Metso's way of managing and running things for the installation and start up is very professional," says Project Manager Sigurd Björkman, Södra Cell Mörrum.

A first order for a new Metso Kappa Q analyzer was placed in May 2011 to replace the existing analyzer installations. The analyzer had two cabinets both with separate washing and measuring chambers. One of the cabinets was equipped with brightness and the other with kappa and brightness measurements. Additionally, there was online fiber and shive measurement for all process sampling locations.

Södra Cell Mörrum mill is a Nordic pioneer in using Metso Kappa and Brightness analyzers as the key online measurements to manage kraft pulping in producing high quality pulp for global markets. The Mörrum mill purchased their first Kappa analyzer from Metso over fifteen years ago, and Mörrum's impact on solutions development of the online brightness analyzer, in cooperation with Metso in the mid-nineteen-nineties, was substantial. During their lifecycle, the analyzers carried out altogether 4.5 million measurements. After well over a decade's usage of two Kappa analyzers and a Brightness analyzer the mill decided to gradually replace the old analyzers with recently released modern Metso Kappa Q technology.

The Södra Cell Mörrum mill has several other Metso analyzers and sensor installations, such as Metso Alkali analyzers in the caustification plant and different versions of Cormec and Polarox inline-measurements of pulp brightness and residual chemicals.

Södra Cell Mörrum is a leading paper pulp producer in the world and part of the Södra company. Annually, Södra Cell produces 360,000 tons of pulp of which 87% is exported.

The long-term relationship between Sappi Ngodwana and Metso is strengthened by a new contract for automated valves and services to increase the mill's efficiency.

Metso will deliver all the automated process valves required for Sappi's fiberline expansion in the Ngodwana mill in South Africa. In this project, called Go-Cell, the existing fiberline is being expanded to produce chemical (specialised) cellulose, also known as dissolving pulp. In total, over 700 automated valves will be delivered during the final quarter of 2012, and the mill start-up is scheduled for early 2013.

Metso was chosen as a supplier because of the proven quality and reliability of its solutions in similar applications worldwide. The existing, large installed valve base in the mill makes it beneficial for Sappi to select Neles products once again, as this will facilitate the successful management of shutdowns, inventories and spare parts. The decision to choose Metso was further reinforced by the long relationship between the organisations and the excellent service support provided to the mill.

Metso will supply all the automated on-off and control valves with intelligent Profibus positioners for the new fiberline, and for upgraded process areas in evaporation, recausticising and ash leaching. The delivery includes valves in stainless steel, duplex stainless steel, titanium, SMO and ceramic material in sizes from DN25 to DN500. All valves are equipped with pneumatic cylinder actuators and intelligent positioners or limit switches. The delivery also comprises Neles metal-seated ball valves, segment and triple eccentric Neldisc butterfly valves as well as Jamesbury soft-seated ball valves.

In addition to typical process valves, Metso will also supply specially designed high-consistency valves for the fiberline as well as capping and discharge valves for six batch digesters for the cooking plant. All these high-performance solutions will support the mill's goals of increased efficiency and reduced energy consumption.

The expanded fiberline will produce 210, 000 tonnes per annum of chemical (specialised) cellulose, which is widely used in the textile, pharmaceutical and food industries. Sappi is the global leader in chemical (specialised) cellulose production.

Experienced in valves

Metso is the leading provider of valve solutions and services. Metso's Flow Control solutions include control valves, automated on/off and emergency shut-down valves, as well as smart positioners and condition monitoring technology. Metso's world-leading brands include Neles, Jamesbury and Mapag.

Due to Metso's strong position in advanced valves technology, services are a major part of their offering. Several of their service centers are located close to major production facilities in order to support customers. For valve customers, Metso already has 32 service centers around the globe, and a new supply and service center was opened in India last spring. 

Xiamen Xinyang Paper’s new Metso-supplied tissue machine came on stream one week ahead of schedule on September 10, 2012, in Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China. Only nine days later, after five days of continuous operation, the machine reached the operating speed of 1,900 m/min.

“We are very satisfied with the new record we have set on the process of commissioning, start-up and speed-up,” says Chen Qi, Chairman of Xinyang Paper Corporation.

“This record fast start-up process is the result of very good cooperation and efficient team work between Xiamen Xinyang Paper and Metso’s personnel. It also proves that our technology is optimized for customer needs, efficient installation and highly efficient production,” says Stefan Ziegel, Project Manager, Metso.

Metso’s delivery comprised a complete production line with stock preparation equipment and an Advantage DCT 200 HS tissue machine including an OptiFlo II TIS multi-layer headbox, a Metso Yankee cylinder, an Advantage AirCap hood, an Advantage WetDust dust management system and an Advantage SoftReel reel. The delivery also featured Metso’s patented AdvantageViscoNip pressing technology and BlackBelt shoe press belt. The production line will be optimized to enhance final product quality and save energy.

The delivery also comprised an extensive automation package including Metso DNA machine, process and integrated drive controls, and a Metso IQ quality control system with a Metso IQ Scanner and a Metso IQ Fiber sensor.

With a width of 5.6 m and a maximum operating speed of 2,000 m/min, the new production line will produce 60,000 tonnes a year of high-quality facial, toilet and towel grades. The raw material for the new line will be virgin pulp.

Xiamen Xinyang Paper Co., Ltd. was established in 2009 by four state-owned companies based in Fujian Province, China: Xiamen Shun-Cheng Asset Management Co., Ltd, Xiamen Haicang Investment Group Co., Ltd, Nanping Paper Co., Ltd and Xiamen Construction & Development Group Co., Ltd. The first phase in the company’s investment plan is a tissue mill for producing 60,000 tonnes a year of facial, toilet and towel grades. 

The new Metso Recovery Analyzer represents the latest generation of fully automatic titrators for chemicals recovery optimization. In addition to the well proven causticizing measurements, the new Metso Recovery Analyzer also features unique on-line reduction degree measurement technology which together with process optimizing controls enables more environmentally friendly operation, higher process throughput and maximum uptime and savings in cleaning chemical and fresh lime costs.

Using fully automatic real time sampling and standard titration methods, the new Metso Recovery Analyzer improves recovery boiler combustion and reduction efficiency. It consistently measures the absolute values of Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Sulfide, and Sodium Carbonate, in addition to Sodium Sulphate. It calculates Reduction Degree, Effective Alkali (EA), Active Alkali (AA), Total Titratable Alkali (TTA), Causticizing Degree (CE%), and Sulfidity (S%).

Multiple benefits for operations

Offering more environmentally friendly recovery boiler operation, the new analyzer measurements can be utilized in advanced recovery boiler process controls for dissolving density tank control, combustion air control and liquor burning optimization for improved and consistent chemicals reduction. The advanced diagnostics and remote assistance possibility ensure the analyzer uptime can be maintained at the highest possible level at any location in the world.

Better control of chemical recovery and causticizing efficiency provides consistent high quality white liquor for the digester, while improved process stability enables higher process throughput and maximum uptime with reduced scaling and fouling. Harmful over- and under-liming is eliminated and white liquor filters require less frequent cleaning, resulting in increased causticizing output, savings in cleaning chemical costs and reduced fresh lime consumption.

Built on years of experience

"What we have developed is genuinely new and revolutionary, the addition of the reduction degree measurement opens new potential for recovery boiler operation," says Jarmo Koskinen, Business Manager.

Built on years of experience gained with the earlier causticizing analyzer, the new device incorporates the most up-to-date technology with well tested techniques to cover the wider needs of the whole liquor cycle. Metso has paid special attention to the clear and informative interface providing basic measurement data for process operators, tuning and diagnostic information for E&I technicians and detailed measurement data for process development engineers via an Ethernet link.

Metso Paper Inc. has today signed a Letter of Intent with Walpella Oy regarding transfer of business and contract manufacturing concerning parts manufacturing, automation manufacturing, internal goods receiving logistics and warehouse functions at its Järvenpää unit in Finland. The target of the parties is to implement the transfer of business by November 30, 2012. The value of the deal (a transfer of business) is not disclosed. The deal will have no significant impact on Metso’s results.

The personnel of the respective operations, 87 persons in all, will transfer to the new employer under their existing employment contracts. Metso’s unit in Järvenpää has a total of over 900 employees.

The deal includes the machinery and equipment for manufacturing. The buyer will continue to operate in Metso’s premises as a contract manufacturer making equipment for Metso.

The sale is part of Metso Paper’s work to develop its production structure in order to improve customer service and competitiveness amid the toughening global competition. 

Metso announced on September 1, 2011 that it intended reviewing strategic alternatives for its Recycling business. As part of this process, Metso evaluated both external and internal options. The review concluded that integrating Recycling into the Mining and Construction segment was the best possible alternative for creating value for Metso. 

“We are committed to developing the Recycling business as part of our Mining and Construction segment,” says Matti Kähkönen, Metso Corporation’s President and CEO. “We believe that by integrating Recycling in this way we will add value to the Recycling business and for Metso generally in terms of volume growth, cost competitiveness, and developing our overall offering. We are a forerunner and global market leader in metal and waste recycling, and our goal is to further strengthen our position here.”

Recycling will be integrated into Mining and Construction as of December 1, 2012. Restated historical figures for Mining and Construction including the Recycling business will be published later this year.

Recycling had net sales of EUR 212 million in 2011 and the business currently employs approx. 660 people, mainly in Germany, the US and Denmark.