Runtech Systems delivers a RunEco vacuum system rebuild to Sonoco Products Co. Subang mill in Indonesia. The delivery includes a RunEco EP600 Turbo Blower with EcoDrop water separator and EcoFlow dewatering measurements.

“Our EP Turbo Blowers are ideal for rebuilds as they are compact and easy to install and very economical to own and operate. Upgrading the vacuum system not only saves energy but also brings flexibility. With our turbo blower technology, the turbo speed is automatically adapted to the needed vacuum level,” says Hannu Kääriä, Sales Director, Runtech Systems.

Environmentally friendly and energy efficient, RunEco vacuum system provides a reliable, completely water free vacuum solution. Less energy and no water contribute to lower CO₂ emissions and smaller environmental footprint. EP Turbo Blowers are always variable speed and capacity, which allows the vacuum system to be optimized quickly without bleed air and with minimal throttling and expansion losses. With integrated high-speed motor controlled by a frequency converter, rotation speed and vacuum level can be adjusted according to the process requirements.

RunEco EP Turbo Blower

EcoFlow dewatering measurement provides accurate real-time feedback about the dewatering performance along the paper machine which can be used to optimize dewatering and vacuum levels in the forming and press sections.

About Sonoco Products Co.

Since 1899, Sonoco has partnered with customers to provide dependable service and quality products. Today, the team includes approximately 22,000 employees working in 300+ operations around the world.

More information:

Hannu Kääriä, Sales Director, Asia-Pacific; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel. +358 40 828 6840

Read more about RunEco solution https://www.runtechsystems.com/en-fi/energy-and-vacuum-systems

Runtech Systems is a global provider of engineered systems tailored to the pulp and paper industries. Runtech works with customers to better understand and control their operational conditions to maximize efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Runtech Systems delivers a RunEco vacuum system rebuild Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited Stainland mill in United Kingdom. The delivery includes a RunEco EP600 Turbo Blower with ABB motor and drive, transformer, new EcoSep pre-separators, EcoFlow dewatering measurements and detailed engineering.

“With today’s energy challenges and the aim to lower carbon footprint it is even more important that our Turbo Blowers are very economical to own and operate. A tailored solution with flexible and variable capacity can help balance supply and demand, leading to optimized dewatering and minimized power consumption,” says Jussi Lahtinen, Sales Director, Runtech Systems.

“Runtech vacuum system concept is very interesting for us because by using Ecoflows we can actually see how much vacuum is needed. We started the project by doing a Runtech vacuum audit and after that pre-engineering including the 3D scan and 3D modelling of the existing vacuum system. Pre-engineering gave us all necessary information to calculate the project costs and ROI accurately. Now we are able to execute the project much quicker when a big part of the engineering is already done so good pre-engineering saves also time,” says Peter Donnelly, Mill Manager, Sonoco Board Mill, Stainland, Halifax.

Environmentally friendly and energy efficient, RunEco vacuum system provides a reliable, completely water free vacuum solution. Less energy and no water contribute to lower CO₂ emissions and smaller environmental footprint. EP Turbo Blowers are always variable speed and capacity, which allows the vacuum system to be optimized quickly without bleed air and with minimal throttling and expansion losses. With integrated high-speed motor controlled by a frequency converter, rotation speed and vacuum level can be adjusted according to the process requirements.

EcoFlow dewatering measurement provides accurate real-time feedback about the dewatering performance along the paper machine which can be used to optimize dewatering and vacuum levels in the forming and press sections.

About Sonoco Products Co.

Since 1899, Sonoco has partnered with customers to provide dependable service and quality products. Today, the team includes approximately 22,000 employees working in 300+ operations around the world.

More information:

Jussi Lahtinen, Sales Director, Runtech Systems; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel. +358 40 079 0950

Read more about RunEco solution https://www.runtechsystems.com/en-fi/energy-and-vacuum-systems

Runtech Systems is a global provider of engineered systems tailored to the pulp and paper industries. Runtech works with customers to better understand and control their operational conditions to maximize efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Valmet has received an order from Yueyang Forest & Paper Co., Ltd. to supply IQ Web Inspection System for its paper machine PM 8. The IQ Web Inspection System will replace an existing system from another supplier. Yueyang Forest & Paper’s PM 8 has already been equipped with Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System in 2019. After the implementation, Valmet’s machine vision systems will improve the operating efficiency and optimize the final paper quality of the PM 8.

The order is included in Valmet’s orders received of the fourth quarter 2023. The delivery will take place in July 2024. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

“We have been using Valmet IQ Web Monitoring System since 2019 and we are pleased with its performance. That is why we continue our cooperation with Valmet. The new investment of IQ Web Inspection System will help us to quickly detect quality defects and identify their root causes quickly and easily, which will improve our runnability and product quality,” says Mingyi Yu, Automation Manager at Yueyang Forest & Paper Co., Ltd.

“We are very happy that our advanced technology can support Yueyang Forest & Paper stay competitive in the market. The upgrade will significantly improve image quality and provide a good basis for analysis and precaution for defects,” says Zhifeng Pan, Sales Manager, Automation Systems business line, Valmet. 

Valmet has received an order from Yueyang Forest & Paper Co., Ltd. to supply IQ Web Inspection System for its paper machine PM 8.

Technical information about the delivery

Valmet IQ Web Inspection System (WIS) delivery includes ultra-high resolution 8K dual-line cameras with advanced image processing and synchronized high power stroboscopic LED lighting. Real-time and history defect maps with defect details and trends are available on operator stations. IQ Web Inspection System also supports both rule-based classification as well as classification based on artificial intelligence (AI) with easy drag and drop teaching. In addition, a two-year optimization service is also included.

About the customer Yueyang Forest & Paper Co., Ltd.

Yueyang Forestry & Paper Co., Ltd., formerly known as Yueyang Paper Mill, was founded in 1958 and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in May 2004. The company is a subsidiary of China Paper Corporation, part of China Chengtong Holdings Group Co., Ltd. China Paper Corporation is the only state-owned company mainly engaged in the forest-pulp-paper business.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. With our automation systems and flow control solutions we serve an even wider base of process industries. Our more than 19,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers’ performance forward – every day. 

The company has over 220 years of industrial history and a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal. Valmet’s net sales in 2022 were approximately EUR 5.1 billion. 

Valmet’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki and the head office is in Espoo, Finland.     

Follow us on valmet.com

Recently, Sun Paper's two state-of-the-art packaging paper machines PM 2 and PM 3 were successfully commissioned at the Nanning, China site within one month. PM 3 successfully passed the tests in only three weeks and achieved a record-breaking start-up time of only one hour from stock on wire to the first saleable paper roll. With the start-up of the two state-of-the-art XcelLine machines from Voith, Sun Paper consolidates its leading position in the global paper industry and sets another milestone in the long-standing cooperation between the two companies. The exceptional performance is the result of many years of trust and close cooperation between the Sun Paper and Voith teams. The daily exchange of knowledge and thorough project preparation led to significantly reduced downtimes during project implementation.

• Within a month, Sun Paper has started up two packaging paper machines ahead of schedule – this is the fourth follow-up order of this kind between Voith and Sun Paper
• PM 3 sets a new start-up world record: Only one hour from stock on wire to the first saleable paper roll
• Voith's XcelLine machines are characterized by the highest performance: PM 2 reached the designed production within three weeks after start-up, PM 3 within two weeks. The paper produced is of stable quality and already meets customer requirements from the first reel

“PM 2 and PM 3 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,” says Li Lu, Chairman of Sun Holdings Group. “We continue to work closely together in the packaging paper business. From PMs 31/32 and PMs 36/37 in Zoucheng to PM 1/2s in Laos and PMs 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 highly efficient implementation and rapid commissioning of the Nanning project is just one example of this successful long-term strategic alliance,” confirms Ying Guangdong, Vice General Manager and Chief Engineer of Sun Paper. “It not only strengthens the cooperation between Sun Paper and Voith in the field of packaging paper but also shows our determination to jointly seek sustainable and innovative solutions.”

Operating efficiency is an important parameter to judge the success of a project, according to Fu Guoling, Project Director of Nanning PM 2/3 and Zoucheng PM 36/37 production line, and continues, “Voith's machines have superior performance: PM 2 reaches designed production within three weeks after start-up, PM 3 within two weeks”, Guoling explains. “The paper is of excellent and stable quality and has been very well received by the market. At the same time, excellent management on both sides has significantly shortened the project duration, resulting in an even faster economic profitability. In addition, the installation of two machines for the left and right sides optimizes the investment by reducing operating and maintenance costs, maximizing the utilization of raw materials, and thus further improving economic return.”

The PM 2 and PM 3 machines in Nanning have a wire width of 7.3 m and has achieved a design speed of 1,200 m/min. PM 2 produces high-quality packaging paper with a basis weight of 140-250 gsm and an annual capacity of around 520,000 tons. PM 3 specializes in high-quality packaging paper with a basis weight between 100-160 gsm and has an annual capacity of around 480,000 tons. As the leading full-line supplier, Voith supplied all components from headbox to reel, including industry-leading automatic control systems and digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, such as MCS, QCS and OnCare.Health.

Kurt Yu, President of Voith Paper Asia, says, “We are very honored to be the key partner in Sun Paper's ambitious plans for the packaging paper sector. Each follow-up order is not only a recognition of the product, but also an expression of appreciation for our many years of trustful cooperation.”

With the successful commissioning of the two machines in Nanning, Sun Paper achieves a significant milestone in the coordinated development of the Guangxi Beihai-Nanning region and its sites in Shandong, Laos and Guangxi. This step strengthens the company's position and promotes the creation of a self-sufficient forest pulp-paper system. Through a low-carbon, circulating production chain, Sun Paper ensures efficient raw material control and strengthens its competitiveness in the market.

About Sun Paper
Founded in 1982, Shandong Sun Paper is a leader in the papermaking industry in China. It ranks among China's Fortune 500 companies and is one of the world's 30 largest paper manufacturers. It has been awarded the National Green Factory recognition. The company possesses strong technological innovation capabilities, being responsible for one project in the National 863 Program and over 30 technology research projects at national and provincial levels, as well as being the proud recipient of significant technology innovation awards such as first place in the National Prize for Progress in Science and Technology, the Commendation Award in the China Grand Awards for Industry, and second place in the National Award for Technological Invention. By inventing the world’s first process of continuous cooking of dissolved wood pulp, extracting xylose from hydrolyzed liquid, and making the world’s first sheet of chemical-free paper in its “Additive Free” household paper range, the company has achieved “Three World Firsts” with its technological innovations.

Sun Papers strives to implement its ESG policies to create a sustainable and respected world-class enterprise. Based on its leading implementation and outstanding achievements in years of environmental, social and corporate governance management, Sun Paper (002078.SZ) has been incorporated by Hang Seng Indexes as one of the constituents in the Hang Seng (China A) Corporate Sustainability Benchmark Index. The company is proud to be amongst China's Top 100 ESG Listed Companies, and has been incorporated into the China Securities Index’s Securities Times ESG 100 Index.

About Sun Holdings
Shandong Sun Holdings Group Co. Ltd. is the controlling shareholder of Sun Paper and a leading cross-national papermaking group integrating forestry, pulp and papermaking. For a long time, Sun Holdings has been unwavering in its implementation of new development strategies, deepening its promotion of replacing old energies with new, expanding foreign business, implementing the “double carbon” strategy and actively participating in the “One Belt One Road” initiative. It has strived to create a green circulatory production chain that integrates forestry, pulp and papermaking, pushing ahead with a highly efficient and coordinated development of the three important bases of Shandong, Guangxi and Laos. In 2022, Sun Holdings achieved a 70.6 billion Yuan turnover, becoming one of China's 500 largest companies and one of the top 500 Chinese private enterprises. It ranked first in an Overall Review of the Top 10 Papermaking Enterprises in China's Light Industry.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has around 21,000 employees and earns 4.9 billion euros in sales. It has locations in more than 60 countries and is one of Europe’s major family-owned companies.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services and products on the market, and offers paper manufacturers integrated solutions from one source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations facilitates resource-conserving production and helps customers minimize their carbon footprint. With its comprehensive automation products and leading digitalization solutions from the Papermaking 4.0 portfolio, Voith offers its customers state-of-the-art digital technologies to improve plant availability and efficiency for all sections of the production process.

Shandong Huatai Paper has successfully started up a mechanical pulping line rebuilt by ANDRITZ at the mill in Dongying, Shandong Province, China. The rebuild not only increased the line’s capacity from 100,000 t/a to 300,000 t/a, making it the world’s largest mechanical pulping line for printing and writing paper production. It also considerably reduced the line’s energy consumption and increased its pulp yield and quality.

Wei Lijun, Director of Shandong Huatai Paper, says: “Thanks to the close cooperation between the teams of ANDRITZ and Shandong Huatai, we were able to start up the rebuilt line as scheduled. We are delighted about the massive increase in capacity as well as the additional benefits of the modernization. Energy consumption has dropped by about 15% and pulp quality has greatly improved. The amount of fiber shives has also gone down significantly. As a result, we are able to cut back on imported chemi-mechanical pulp in our raw material structure, which lowers costs and supports our environmental performance.”

Successful start-up of the world’s largest mechanical pulping line for P&W grades at Shandong Huatai Paper, China. Photo Andritz

ANDRITZ rebuilt the two high-consistency (HC) refiners and the screw presses, disc filters, and screens, and supplied new equipment for other process steps. The line now features the following technological highlights:

• New PrimeMSD Impressafiner for optimum wood chip maceration and chemical impregnation
• New Side-Entry Plug Feeder (SEPF) feeding system for constant and efficient HC refiner feeding
• New DCS system as a future-oriented control system for the new fiberline
• ANDRITZ Hydraulic Commander to improve the HC refiners’ operability and supply top quality fiber with lower energy consumption

ANDRITZ also provided the basic engineering and supervised the mechanical installation, commissioning, and start-up.

Shandong Huatai Paper Industry Shareholding is part of the listed Huatai Group, an important global player in the paper and chemical production sectors. The group is the world’s largest producer of newsprint and China’s largest producer in the chlor-alkali industry. In addition, the group makes all sorts of P&W paper, tissue, and specialty paper grades. The Huatai Group produces three million tons of paper and board as well as two million tons of chemicals per year.

ANDRITZ GROUP

International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydro and Separation. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 30,000 employees and over 280 locations in more than 40 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER

ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.

The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, flue gas cleaning systems, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.

Toscotec will supply an entire dryer section rebuild to Hamburger Turkey, part of the Hamburger Containerboard Group, at their paper mill in Çorlu in Northern Turkey. The project focuses on their containerboard machine (PM3) and is planned for the end of 2024. 

Targets: production increase and basis weight range expansion 
The rebuild has two main targets. Firstly, the replacement of the existing cast-iron dryer cans with Toscotec’s custom-sized TT SteelDryers will increase the sheet drying width by 90 mm while maintaining the same face length and using the existing machine frame. This will lead to an increase of PM3’s production capacity. 
The second target is to expand the basis weight range and produce lower grammages to enter a new market for lighter testliner products through an improvement in the wet section. 

The scope of supply 
Toscotec will supply thirty seven TT SteelDryers for a full upgrade of the dryer section and new TT UniRoll vacuum rolls in the first dryer group. The scope also includes all the mechanical drives and doctor blades of the dryer section. Toscotec will also upgrade PM3’s press section and the sheet stabilization system from the press to the second dryers’ group. The service package includes the erection supervision, training, commissioning, and start-up assistance. 

Hamburger Turkey’s paper mill in Çorlu (Turkey).

Faik Ozturk, Project Manager at Hamburger Containerboard, says, “Our cooperation with Toscotec began in 2020 when we purchased our first TT SteelDryer. This new rebuild is part of an important market strategy. It will bring great results with minimal intervention because it maintains the non-technological components of the machine. Therefore, we will realize the complete upgrade of PM3’s dryer section in an easy and cost-effective way.”  

Fabrizio Charrier, Sales Manager of Toscotec’s Paper & Board division, says, “I’m very proud to have reached this agreement with Hamburger Containerboard in Turkey. Toscotec’s customized technology precisely meets the needs of this project. This order also comes from an efficient and professional approach during the technical analysis phase. I’m confident that this synergy will lead to a long-term cooperation with their group on future projects.”

About Hamburger Containerboard Group 
Hamburger Turkey, part of the Hamburger Containerboard Group, is a leading manufacturer of high-quality corrugated base paper. It has two production facilities: in Çorlu and in Denizli, where it manufactures corrugated case material products. The Hamburger Containerboard Group, part of the Austrian Prinzhorn Holding, dates as far back as 1853. With 10 locations in 5 different countries, the group has a total production capacity of more than 3 million tons/year, which comprises brown and white uncoated papers, white coated papers, and plasterboard.

Metsä Group and Sweco, a specialist in the built environment and industry, have signed an agreement for the implementation planning of the new Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski, Finland.

"We have strong confidence in Sweco's expertise and resources from our previous collaboration projects. It is therefore natural that we continue our cooperation in this project to develop the Äänekoski mill area," says Jaakko Anttila, Executive Vice President at Metsä Wood.

Sweco is responsible for the complete implementation planning of the mill project, including structural, process and plant design. Sweco was also responsible for the design of Metsä Group’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill, which started operations in 2017, and the planned wood product mill will apply the synergy benefits offered by the mill area.

"For example, the steam needed in the production process of Kerto LVL will be produced at the Äänekoski bioproduct mill, and the condensate generated in the process will be utilized for heating the building. It is great to be involved in designing a resource-efficient production plant whose material-efficient wood products store carbon and reduce the carbon footprint of construction," says Tuulamari Helaja, Business Unit Director, Industry and Energy at Sweco Finland.

Construction of the Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski has progressed according to plan. Land construction works and the main frame installations are currently underway in the area.

The mill will have an annual production capacity of around 160,000 cubic metres of Kerto LVL and is expected to start production in the second half of 2026. When completed, the mill will employ around 150 people directly and 200 people in its value chain.

Metsä Group
www.metsagroup.com

Metsä Group is leading the way in advancing the bioeconomy. We invest in growth, bioproduct development and a fossil free future. The raw material for our products is renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. We focus on the growth sectors of the forest industry: wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards, as well as tissue and greaseproof papers.  

Metsä Group’s annual sales amount to approximately EUR 7 billion, and we have around 9,500 employees in 30 countries. Our international Group has its roots in the Finnish forests: our parent company is Metsäliitto Cooperative which is owned by more than 90,000 forest owners.  

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Kartogroup España S.L. to supply a new high-temperature PrimeDry Hood HT and an air system for a tissue machine rebuild at the mill in Burriana, Spain. Start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.

The new gas-heated hood will enable Kartogroup to achieve a higher drying capacity with a hood design impingement temperature of 530°C, a higher heat transfer rate and a significant reduction of energy consumption per ton of paper produced.

The special set of advanced solutions for the drying section rebuild include optimized impingement distribution of the hood nozzle boxes, a heat recovery system, a state-of-the-art burner management system and Yankee head insulation. Representing ANDRITZ’s latest developments in tissue drying technology, these solutions maximize the heat transfer rate, ensure higher safety, lower emissions and significantly reduce steam consumption.

ANDRITZ’s scope of supply also comprises supervision of installation, commissioning, start-up, and training.

PrimeDry Hood HT at the ANDRITZ Novimpianti workshop. Photo Andritz

This order reflects the trustful relationship between the two companies, which started in 2020 with a turnkey order for ANDRITZ that included a steel Yankee with steam and condensate system, two dust removal systems, and an air-to-air heat exchanger.

Pascual Gómez, COO Kartogroup, says, “We trust in ANDRITZ’s expertise to upgrade machines for a more efficient and sustainable tissue production. The innovative high-temperature hood perfectly meets our requirements for energy saving, high thermal efficiency, and stable drying results. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with ANDRITZ on new R&D energy efficiency projects next year.”

Kartogroup España S.L., a member of the Cominter Group, has more than 40 years’ experience in the tissue business. At its mills in Burriana and Hernani, Spain, the company produces high-quality tissue grades for household and industrial applications.

ANDRITZ GROUP
International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydro and Separation. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 30,000 employees and over 280 locations in more than 40 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER
ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.

The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, flue gas cleaning systems, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.

Sappi, a member of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA), recently announced that five small timber growers in KwaZulu-Natal have made history by becoming the first participants in the Sappi Khulisa programme to achieve forest certification through the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) in the Sappi Group Scheme for small growers.

The five timber growers, with a total 8,143 hectares of timber area, have been successfully audited and awarded a PEFC Group Scheme certificate. The recipients of this significant award and founding members of the Sappi PEFC Group Scheme are the iMfume Cluster, consisting of more than 20 individual small growers from the Mfume district near Scottburgh, Sobengwe Trading from Ixopo, MG Farming from Richmond, Mclean M from Underberg, and Braecroft Timbers from Underberg.

The Sappi Khulisa Programme is a tree-farming scheme. Established in 1983, it initially focused on subsistence farmers who had between one and 20 hectares of land on which to grow trees for commercial use. Today, the programme has expanded to include community forestry projects as well as supplementary agro-forestry enterprises such as beekeeping and vegetable farming.

The certification follows years of intensive efforts by Sappi, working together with other players in the forestry industry to address the barriers of entry for small growers to achieve certification. This international certification provides the crucial assurance to end-use consumers. 

Forest certification is used as  a tool to ensure that responsible forest management practices are implemented in the forest, and that wood from certified forests can be identified throughout the supply chain. Certification systems establish specific forest management, woodfibre sourcing, Chain of Custody tracking and marketing requirements for certified organisations; provide a framework for third-party auditing; and govern the use of promotional and product claims.

Certification enables conscious consumers to choose responsibly sourced wood-based products. It gives consumers the assurance that the woodfibre used to manufacture the products they are buying has been legally harvested in accordance with sound environmental practices, and that social aspects, such as indigenous rights, have been taken into account. Forest certification and other voluntary codes of conduct are key tools for promoting sustainable consumption and production, and for combating deforestation, forest degradation and illegal logging by providing proof of legality and responsible management, harvesting and manufacturing practices.

In 2021, Sappi announced that it had achieved the first PEFC endorsed SAFAS (Sustainable African Forest Assurance Scheme) certification in South Africa, after starting with the process in 2015 - a journey which entailed participation in the development of a Forest Management Standard for South Africa, the development of mechanisms to support certification requirements and, in 2018, the endorsement of the standard and certification procedures.  A certification tool was developed by the team to assess plantations, based on several factors including environmental, social and economic conditions specific to South Africa.

"After years of collaboration and dedicated commitment to developing a forest certification standard for South Africa, this achievement marks a historical moment in our long journey to support and make forest certification more accessible to the small landowners that participate in our supplier programmes," commented Duane Roothman, Vice President of Sappi Forests.

Runtech Systems rebuilds vacuum system and improves dewatering at Enstra Paper (Pty) Ltd PM6, South Africa. The delivery includes two low vacuum blowers, three EP600 Turbo Blowers with EcoDrop and EcoSep water separators and an EcoFlow dewatering measurement system for couch save-all and full press section. The new RunEco system replaces 16 liquid ring pumps, which significantly reduces both energy and water consumption. Delivery also includes new double doctor for 1^st press bottom roll and suction roll save-all with integrated double doctoring.  

“We selected Runtech because their vacuum system is compact, simple and flexible. Runtech understands full paper making process so they were capable of offering a total solution that includes doctors and dewatering measurements in addition to turbo blowers. Measuring water flow accurately is essential for optimizing vacuum levels,” says Nic Campher, Head of Paper, Enstra Paper.

“In case of a bigger rebuild it is essential that vacuum system has flexibility so that vacuum levels can be optimized after the start-up. In many cases machine suppliers oversize the vacuum systems by 30-50% so by selecting an unsuitable supplier, end customers will pay extra operating costs. Difference in vacuum system power consumption is easily 25-30%.

Combining dewatering improvement and EcoFlow system with vacuum system rebuild often brings very significant benefit. We have seen up to 1.5% increase in dryness after press and 20-30 m/min increase in machine speed. Optimized vacuum level will reduce vacuum system power consumption even further as well as press section drive loads,” says Jussi Lahtinen, Sales Director, Runtech Systems.

About RunEco vacuum system

RunEco vacuum system is developed specially to take into account the challenges and demands related to the dewatering and runnability of paper machines. EP Turbo Blowers are designed to operate efficiently across a wide range of vacuum levels and air flows allowing paper mills to optimize vacuum levels. High speed motors, driven by frequency converters, allow a typical EP Turbo Blower to provide vacuum levels between 30 and 70 kPa. A wide range of impeller designs allows highly efficient levels across the operating range.

The EP Turbo Blower's water-free design not only reduces water and chemical consumption within the vacuum system but also eliminates the need for water-related equipment like cooling towers and circulating pumps. Nip dewatering, combined with doctoring, significantly improves energy efficiency and machine performance. A well-designed and operated dewatering and doctoring system is crucial for both energy consumption and paper quality. Runtech’s EcoFlow, save-alls, and double doctors offer a tailored approach to meet these needs.

About Enstra Paper

The Enstra Paper site is based in Springs close to Johannesburg. With over 60 hectares of manufacturing space, Enstra Paper is not only strategically located in South Africa with regards to proximity to the largest waste paper supply, but also the biggest market for recycled paper. Due to these factors Enstra is a leading producer of recycled wastepaper grades in the country. With two uniquely capable paper mills on site, Enstra is positioned for the growing consumer market. Enstra produces high quality security paper and packaging paper products for use throughout the industry. PM6 produces Containerboard and PM2 Bag Grades and other specialty grades. Drawing upon a successful history of over 75 years, the name “Enstra” is derived from its chief raw material: Enterprise Straw. Enstra is part of the Corruseal Group.

More information:

Jussi Lahtinen, Sales Director, Runtech Systems; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel. +358 40 079 0950

Read more about RunEco solution: https://www.runtechsystems.com/en-fi/energy-and-vacuum-systems

Runtech Systems is a global provider of engineered systems tailored to the pulp and paper industries. Runtech works with customers to better understand and control their operational conditions to maximize efficiency and cost effectiveness.