International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Mpact Operations (Pty) Ltd. (“Mpact”) to upgrade a pulping line at its Mkhondo Paper Mill in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The upgrade will boost the line’s capacity and improve the strength properties of the product. This will help the customer respond to the strong domestic and international demand for high-quality sustainable packing solutions.

As Brian Smith, project director, Mpact explains: “With the technological solution proposed by ANDRITZ, we can increase our mill’s performance and make our production more sustainable at the same time. In addition, we get everything from a single source – three good reasons for choosing ANDRITZ as a partner.”

ANDRITZ will upgrade the entire neutral sulphite semi-chemical pulping (NSSC) line, which processes eucalyptus and pine to provide fluting and linerboard for the production of containerboard. The comprehensive ANDRITZ solution comprises key equipment for the wood processing, cooking, washing and refining sections to increase the line’s capacity from 225 bdmt/d to 365 bdmt/d and at the same time enhance product quality.

• A new chipping line will provide excellent chip size distribution to secure a homogenous cooking result with minimal amounts of fines for improved material efficiency.
• The conversion of the cooking system will maximize fiber quality and pulp cleanliness.
• The use of clean condensate to generate fresh steam for chip pre-steaming will provide clear environmental benefits in terms of fresh-water usage and primary steam utilization.
• Excellent washing results with the new generation Compact Press technology will lead to high humidity resistance of the product.
• ANDRITZ TwinFlo Prime refiners will optimize the fiber quality prior to washing and thus the product quality. Using water-lubricated bearing technology, the latest LC refiner innovation allows a more environmentally friendly operation.
• ANDRITZ PrimeFilter D will ensure superior preparation of clear and super clear filtrate.

ANDRITZ will also provide the supervision over the erection, commissioning, and start-up as well as the training of the operating personnel. Start-up of the upgraded line is scheduled for the first half of 2025.

The upgrade to the pulping line is part of the bigger mill upgrade project where Mpact announced in December 2022 the approval of a R1.2 billion (~ EUR 60 million) capital investment project at its Mkhondo Paper Mill. It forms part of Mpact’s portfolio optimization and strategically positions the mill to meet the increasing demand for quality, sustainable, fresh produce packaging solutions driven by robust growth in the South African export fruit sector.

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 29,700 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.

MPACT
Mpact Operations (Pty) Ltd is the largest paper and plastics packaging manufacturer and recycling business in Southern Africa. It is an accredited manufacturer of recycled-based packaging and industrial paper grades, such as containerboard and cartonboard.

The company has three mills – Felixton (based in KwaZulu-Natal), Mkhondo (based in Mpumalanga) and Springs (based in Gauteng). Each of its three paper mills are ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, which means that its environmental management systems are aligned to an internationally accepted framework. These accreditations also mean that its quality management systems ensure the manufacturing of a consistent product offering.

Customers for Mpact’s packaging and industrial paper include corrugated board and box producers that require containerboard, while cartonboard is sold to folding carton and other producers of industrial products, as well as for other uses such as cards and book covers.

For more information on the division visit https://www.mpact.co.za/our-products/paper-business/paper-manufacturing