Valmet has made the decision to build a Service Center in Chile to further develop its local presence close to customers in South America. Valmet's new Service Center will be located in Concepcion province and it will be in operation by mid-2019.

The new Valmet Service Center will focus on the manufacturing of spare parts and the recovery of equipment for the pulp, paper and fiberboard industries and it will employ about 55 people.

"With a strong forestry based economy, Chile is an important market area for Valmet with customers in the pulp, paper, board, tissue and energy industries. Valmet has consistently strengthened its operations and competences in the country. Now it became the time to go one step further to better serve our customers by making the decision to invest in the new Valmet Service Center in Concepcion. With this step, we also show in concrete terms how serious we take our commitment to be close to our customers," says Celso Tacla, Area President, South America, at Valmet.

"Our customers will strongly benefit from this new Service Center. With the new Service Center, it will be possible to reduce the delivery time of our deliveries and have the needed expertise more easily available. Additionally, our Chilean customers will be closer to the best of Valmet technologies and products," says Elio Krummenauer, Valmet's Special Projects Director in South America.

Valmet's new Service Center in Concepcion is in line with Valmet's Shared Journey Forward service approach which aims to provide our customers the best service experience with our services offering for process reliability and to move their performance forward. 

Besides the new Service Center that will be located in Concepcion, Valmet has another three centers in South America all of them located in Brazil. Valmet has in total 120 service centers around the world.

The knowledge accumulated through committed long-term research and development as well as through mergers and acquisitions, the most recent ones being Ahlström Pumps in 2000, Scanpump and ABS Pumps in 2011, and Ensival Moret in 2017, has strengthened Sulzer’s pump know-how and further enabled a full-scale research for the development of pumps, mixers, and agitators.

As the home of the following known trademarks, we serve the installed base also beyond Sulzer: Ahlström Pumps, Scanpump, ABS, Ensival Moret, Serlachius, Enso, API, Sonesson, Gothia, JMW, and Warren.

With our full-line product portfolio, we offer eco-efficient product solutions, including products for complete water and effluent treatment applications.

• The AHLSTAR pump series has proven performance with stocks and various types of suspensions and especially with high volume flows and liquids containing a high amount of gas.
• The MCE™ medium consistency pumping systems combine excellent performance with energy savings for the highest pulp mill production rates in the world.
• ZPP and Z22 low pulse feed pumps are designed specifically for paper and board machines.
• The MBN multistage pumps cover a range of high pressure and shower water applications.
• SALOMIX^ä, Scaba and AGISTARä agitators offer optimum tank and tower mixing results.
• The TMS tower management system prevents channeling in storage towers, providing unique process advantages.

We have full-scale test facilities in Kotka, Finland, and an expanding pump and agitator portfolio that provides unique applications coverage. Every year, we bring a new product series or a major upgrade of an existing range to the market. Sulzer is the trusted and proven partner when it comes to performance, reliability, safety, and sustainability.

Sulzer is the key equipment supplier for many major recent pulp, paper, and board mill investments. Our products cover most of the processes, including water and wastewater applications. The ability to offer complete and high-efficient solutions for overall pumping and mixing needs in the pulp and paper industry together with the reliable services makes us a key partner for every new project in the industry.

Sulzer products equip the new greenfield pulp mill of Suzano Papel e Celulose S.A., one of the largest forestry-based companies in Latin America, in the state of Maranhão in northeastern Brazil. The package of around 400 Sulzer pumps contains double suction pumps type Z22, AHLSTAR and BE process pumps, submersible pumps types ABS XFP, ABS AFP and Scavenger, Salomix and Scaba agitators, as well as medium consistency pumps. The Imperatriz mill has a planned production capacity of 1.5 million tons of pulp per year.

In 2016, Sulzer was awarded a frame contract for process and medium consistency pumps to Fibria Celulose SA’s new production line in Três Lagoas, Brazil. The new production line has a planned annual capacity of 1.95 million tons of pulp. The pump package contains our efficient AHLSTAR process pumps, MBN multistage pumps and the latest generation of Sulzer MCE medium consistency pumps.

Also in 2016, Sulzer was granted an order for the delivery of an extensive process pump package to Metsä Group’s next-generation bio product mill in Äänekoski, Finland. The investment is the largest ever in the wood-processing industry in Finland. The mill’s planned annual pulp production is 1.3 million tons, of which 800’000 tons softwood pulp and 500’000 tons hardwood pulp. Besides pulp, the mill produces a broad range of bio products, such as tall oil, turpentine, lignin products, bioelectricity and wood fuel. We delivered efficient AHLSTAR process pumps, the latest generation of Sulzer MCE medium consistency pumps, as well as agitators and vacuum pumps to the bio product mill, altogether 400+ equipment.

The Sulzer equipment for these major projects is designed for high reliability and energy efficiency as well as for low operating costs, and will reduce the customers’ total costs of ownership (TCO).

Partnerships with the key players in the pulp, paper and board industry set the baseline for our research and development work. Long-term development forums that include pilots and demos are imperative for dealing with the fascinating future potential of the industry.

Deep applications understanding is the key for clever and high-performance suspension transfer and treatment solutions. We are an independent equipment supplier and a trusted application solver. Our knowhow and product reliability are based on close cooperation with the world’s leading pulp, paper and board producers, machinery suppliers, engineering companies and research institutes.

For the time being, the growth rate in the tissue and packaging boards markets is high. The increase in pulp demand continues strong for board, tissue as well as other hygienic products, and it will accelerate for textiles. The time is right to strengthen the already close cooperation between the players in the industry, to the benefit of all.

Forest companies, research institutes and other industry partners are actively investigating and developing new processes for additional higher-value wood raw material based products. Such developments are, for example, to replace cotton and oil-based synthetic fibers like polyester, or to produce higher-value carbon products and modified cellulose materials for packaging barriers, coatings for medicines and nutrients.

The pulp, board, tissue and paper segments offer a very interesting and important scope together with new additional wood based future products. We are committed to this new development trend.

Sulzer is using digital technologies such as cloud platforms, digital connectivity and advanced analytic algorithms to create new business opportunities.

As digital sensors are becoming cheaper and more physical devices are connected to the Internet (Internet of Things, IoT), there is an enormous potential to convert data from the devices into actionable business insights. Often, this machine-generated data cannot be analyzed using traditional techniques because it is not standardized in format, the generated data volumes are huge, the data resides in multiple systems, or the data quality is volatile and messy. A different approach is required.

Today, the technology involved is becoming more affordable, and transforming our pumps into smart, connected devices is a viable business proposition. This is particularly attractive in general industry, such as pulp and paper factories, sugar, food, and fertilizer industries, where configured pumps have traditionally not been equipped with such options.

Sulzer is developing a smart sensor that can be attached to process pumps. It will measure parameters such as temperature and vibration of pumps in the field, then transfer this information wirelessly to our data lake. Our customers will then be able to receive information about the asset’s performance, reliability and efficiency.

The idea for such a device arose at Sulzer in Finland and in Switzerland at around the same time. The teams defined the specifications for the sensor by listening to customers and recognizing their needs for cost savings by increasing pump reliability.

In 2018, the sensor will be tested at customer facilities. Afterwards, it will be ready to use in the field. Soon, Sulzer’s goal is to deliver its new process pumps with the integrated sensor so customers can benefit from the entire package, and Sulzer can leverage the data captured from the field to improve our knowledge of the operations of our products.

Read more about turning pumps into smart devices in Sulzer’s annual report 2017

Sulzer is a company with long and solid experience and proven expertise in several important customer segments. Pulp, board and paper processes and applications as well as new ones based on wood raw materials represent high-priority commitment and partnership areas for the business and product development organization of Sulzer Pumps Finland.

Sulzer is globally specialized in pumping and agitation solutions, rotating equipment maintenance and services as well as separation, reaction and mixing technology. The newest Sulzer division is Applicator Systems providing high-precision plastic molding, assembly, decoration and filling technologies for mixing and applicator solutions.

Sulzer serves clients worldwide through customer front-end experts, production sites, and a customer service network that provides qualified services for the entire product life cycle. The company also has a strong footprint in emerging markets. In 2017, the company achieved sales of CHF 3.0 billion with about 14’700 employees.

Pumps Equipment is the biggest Sulzer division by sales. Sulzer designs, develops and supplies pumping, mixing and agitation solutions and related equipment worldwide. Intensive research and development in fluid dynamics, process-oriented applications, products and special materials as well as reliable intelligent service and performance improvement solutions support the company to maintain its forerunner position in its focus market segments like oil and gas, power, pulp, paper, board, water and wastewater.

The main Sulzer competence center with the world’s biggest full-scale research facility for the pulp, paper and board segment and for new process applications based on wood raw materials is located in Kotka, Finland.

Thus, the main product platforms for these industries are developed in Finland where we have strong roots reaching back to the Ahlstrom Pumps era. The main manufacturing units for Sulzer products for these markets are also in Finland, but our global factory footprint covers all main regions

Strategic and committed partnerships and long-term development forums with pilots and demos are of crucial importance for coping with the fascinating future potential

Deep applications understanding is the key for clever and high-performance suspension transfer and treatment solutions. We are an independent equipment supplier and a trusted application solver, but you can never be strong if you try to work on your own. Our knowhow and product reliability are based on close cooperation with the world’s leading pulp, paper and board producers, machinery suppliers, engineering companies and research institutes.

Right now, today, is the time for even more active and committed partnerships. The growth rate in the tissue and packaging boards markets is high. The increase in pulp demand continues to be strong for board, tissue and other hygienic products, and it will accelerate for textiles.

Forest companies, research institutes and other players in the industry are actively investigating and developing new processes for additional products based on higher-value wood raw material. Such developments are, for example, to replace cotton and oil-based synthetic fibers like polyester or to produce higher-value carbon products and modified cellulose materials for packaging barriers, coatings for medicines, and nutrients. The pulp, board, tissue and paper segments offer a very interesting and important scope together with new additional wood-based future products. We are committed to this new development.

World leader in pumping and mixing solutions for the pulp, paper and board industry

The knowledge accumulated through committed long-term research and development as well as through mergers and acquisitions, the most recent ones being Ahlstrom Pumps in 2000, Scanpump and ABS Pumps in 2011, and Ensival Moret in 2017, has strengthened Sulzer’s pump know-how and further enabled full-scale research for the development of pumps, mixers and agitators. As the home of the following known trademarks, you can trust us to serve your installed base beyond Sulzer: Ahlstrom Pumps, Scanpump, ABS, Ensival Moret, Serlachius, Enso, API, Sonesson, Gothia, JMW and Warren.

• The AHLSTAR pump series has proven performance with stocks and various types of suspensions and especially with high-volume flows and liquids containing a high amount of gas.
• The MCE™ medium consistency pumping systems combine excellent performance with energy savings for the highest pulp mill production rates in the world.
• ZPP and Z22 low-pulse feed pumps are designed specifically for paper and board machines.
• The MBN multistage pumps cover a range of high-pressure and shower water applications.
• SALOMIX^ä, Scaba and AGISTARä agitators offer optimum tank and tower mixing results.
• The TMS tower management system prevents channeling in storage towers, providing unique process advantages.

With our full-line product portfolio, we offer you the most eco-efficient product solutions, including products for complete water and effluent treatment applications.

With full-scale testing facilities in Kotka, Finland and an expanding pump and agitator portfolio that provides unique applications coverage, Sulzer is the trusted and proven partner to achieve all your performance, reliability, safety and sustainability goals. Every year, we bring to the market a new product series or a major upgrade to an existing range.

Recent deliveries as proven examples

Sulzer is the key equipment supplier for many major recent pulp, paper and board mill investments in countries such as Finland, Sweden and Brazil. For example, Metsä Group’s new Äänekoski bioproduct mill has 400+ Sulzer equipment applications in key process positions throughout the main mill departments.

Please also note that the huge-capacity Sulzer MCE™ medium consistency pumping systems, developed and manufactured in Finland, manage all the pulp flows through the most modern pulp mill fiber lines in the world.

Sonoco (NYSE:SON) has just announced it is implementing a $50 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning July 2, 2018.  

Sonoco cited continuing inflation of input costs, especially freight and papermaking chemicals, and significantly longer backlogs at its mills as the drivers for this pricing action.

Sonoco is one of the largest integrated manufacturers of uncoated recycled paperboard in the United States and Canada, producing more than one million tons annually from 11 mills. For more information about Sonoco’s complete line of URB paper products, or to learn more about current pricing, please visit the Company’s website, www.sonoco.com, or contact the Company at 1-800-377-2692.

The winner of the international packaging design competition Better with Less – Design Challenge has been chosen. Exceptionally high-quality entries were submitted, and the winning design ‘Stretching Inner Part’ by Iiro Numminen, was considered by the judges to be extremely appealing, versatile, scalable and easy to implement.

The Better with Less – Design Challenge, organised by Metsä Board, aimed to find new environmentally-friendly and functional packaging solutions for some of the world’s most frequently used and fastest growing types of consumer packages. Launched in November 2017, the competition inspired designers around the world – altogether 302 design concepts were entered from 38 different countries. The international competition jury included renowned packaging design experts from various fields – related to packaging, design, brand strategy and innovation.

The winning design “Stretching Inner Part” was submitted into the e-commerce category. It is a corrugated box inner part that allows variable sized products to be packed without the need for bubble wrap. This versatile product could be used to pack various types of items and it ensures that the product stays attached to the package during transportation. Numminen will receive the main prize of 10,000 euros for his design.

“The winning design successfully eliminates the need for plastic thermoformed inserts of bubble wrap. The balance between the rigidity of the board and the strength required to support the product weight is well-thought through. This design is extremely appealing, versatile, scalable and adaptable for wide number of uses,” states the chairperson of the competition jury, Cyril Drouet, Design & Innovation Director of Metsä Board.

The 1st honorary mention went to the ‘Plastic banning toilet roll’ by Jeroen Caelen. His work was submitted to the ‘wild-card’ category. This new type of toilet paper packaging consists of a hexagonal tube designed from paperboard which also functions as a toilet paper roll holder. It appealed to both the judges and the wider audience as it was also the public’s favourite design.

The 2nd honorary mention was awarded to ‘The Moisture face creme cosmetic package’ designed by Abdullah Cam. The re-usable paperboard package is combined with a changeable plastic inner part. This solution makes plastic or foil coating unnecessary and recycling the package easier.

Pawel Krawczugo took home the 3rd honorary mention with his design ‘TWIST’, an inconspicuous but functional packaging design intended for the cosmetics industry and other industries. Both the 2nd and 3rd honorary awarded entries were submitted into the cosmetics category.

Metsä Board also offered an additional prize of an internship for one student with its packaging services team in Shanghai. ‘The Playing nature’, a snack packaging design that transforms into small puppets for children to play with, by Alessandro Grossi won the judges over in the student category.

“The honorary mentions and winner of the student category represent functional and fresh package designs with sustainability and consumer experience being at their core. Consumers are looking for brands and packaging that engage them, entertain and most of all connect them with good storytelling. Packages that are designed with sustainable materials and use materials smartly have a great story to tell and help enhance the consumer experience,” Drouet explains.

Learn more about the winning design and the finalists from the competition website, www.betterwithless.org

China’s largest producer of coated and uncoated white top test liner and world-class preprint home base, Sunshine Paper, has automated its scheduling process for its five cutters by integrating opt-Studio with its SAP ERP solution. The system went live last month (April 2018).

Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group Company Limited, founded in 2000, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Market in 2007 owning total assets of RMB 10 billion. Sunshine Paper has a total paper capacity of 1.3 million tons per year, is one of China’s top 15 papermakers and a global top 100 papermaker.

Mr. Li Jinhai, CIO, at Sunshine Paper said: “In our endeavours to improve and optimise production processes to mitigate the increased environmental costs due to the new Environmental Protection Tax which has been implemented in China, we approached Greycon which implemented its X-Trim trim optimisation application for us in 2009, to review the planning functionality for our sheeting processes. Following its review, and based on the success of its trim solution X-Trim which they implemented for us in 2009, we requested Greycon integrate its advanced scheduling planning software, opt-Studio, with our ERP to schedule the sheet orders in our five cutters.

“The adoption of opt-Studio provides us with improved short and mid-term planning capabilities; we can refresh the schedule automatically on every machine in seconds, giving the planner and other users full visibility of the impact of the decisions or external events.”

Tian Jinlong, Business Development Director at Greycon said: “Rising environmental costs will intensify the competition in the paper industry and companies are implementing new solutions and upgrading existing products to ensure efficiencies are maximised. Profitable Chinese companies are finding it easier to invest in upgrading however, smaller companies are under more pressure and may even be squeezed out the market.

“Sunshine Paper approached us with a brief to optimise its planning functionality on its cutters. The integration of opt-Studio enables the optimisation of schedules, improving the production throughput. Since the system manages the scheduling of the orders, the effort of the planners will now be diverted to analysis and optimisation instead of the routine work to feed the orders and their sequence into the ERP-system. opt-Studio will also change decision-making from that of being based on past experience, to fact-based decision-making. The powerful what-if functionality allows the planners to perform different kind of analyses to determine the most efficient way forward.

“The integration was organised using Greycon’s standard methods, Integration Manager and schedule release to Microsoft SQL Server based database table,” said Jinlong.

Innovative high resolution web monitoring system designed for the fastest paper, board or tissue machines.

ABB, the pioneer in Web Imaging Systems, introduces their new ABB Ability^TM Web Monitoring System, for the paper industry. Part of ABB’s suite of Quality Management Systems (QMS), the Web Monitoring system incorporates a new generation of imaging hardware and software to provide real-time web monitoring and analytics, for the quick identification of product deviations that can result in sheet breaks and lost production. With this technology, the paper production can run efficiently at its highest speed while maintaining the highest quality.

Accurate web defect detection, imaging and identification all play crucial roles in process improvement. Through the QMS Web Monitoring System’s unique level of integration with the QMS Web Imaging System, critical insight is provided for the diagnosis and prevention of web breaks and improved sheet stability.

ABB Ability^TM Web Monitoring System includes a new generation of high-speed cameras that deliver the required high resolution and sharp images. This is complimented by high speed video processing and synchronization, unique analytics, and operator interface features to reduce disruptive events and analyze process behavior.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner of Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 135,000 employees. www.abb.com