The installation of a new NipcoFlex shoe press was part of a comprehensive modernization of the Macedonian Paper Mills in Thessaloniki, Greece. With its help, the company was able to improve the quality and quantity of paper production. At the same time, the use of Voith technology reduced the plant's use of resources and therefore improved the company's competitiveness.

• Better board quality and runability a key criterion
• Voith's integrated overall concept impresses board manufacturer
• Detailed advance planning and close collaboration allow smooth rebuild and production start

The installation of a NipcoFlex shoe press was the first step in a comprehensive rebuild of the BM 1 at Macedonian Paper Mills (MEL) in Thessaloniki. This measure allowed the internationally operating manufacturer of board and packaging papers to increase machine production by 15 percent. But this increase is only one of the goals of the upgrade, as Georgios Georgiadis, the manager of the board factory, explains: “With the new press section we were able to improve board quality characteristics, reduce breaks and therefore significantly increase machine availability.” MEL mainly produces paper for packing foodstuffs on its BM1. In this segment, good printability is a major criterion. The investment in the new press section is therefore an important first step towards meeting customer requirements in the long term.

The NipcoFlex technology used on the BM 1 reliably corrects deviations in the CD profile and ensures a uniform thickness across the entire 4.110 millimeter wide paper web. A large Yankee cylinder and a coating system with drying function improve the smoothness of the surface.

Voith NipcoFlex shoe press at Macedonian Paper Mills BM1

One challenge associated with modernizing the plant was the tight time frame. The Voith service team had just three weeks to complete the project. Thanks to good preliminary planning and the smooth collaboration between all participants the BM 1 could be restarted on 23 July 2017. As the team from MEL was not familiar with the shoe press technology, comprehensive training including visits to similar systems was conducted in the run-up to the rebuild.

As well as improved paper quality and increased production, the new press section offers another advantage: The BM 1 now needs much less steam, which reduces the energy consumption of the machine. Despite this saving in resources, the NipcoFlex technology also enables a higher dry content in the paper web.

Several factors prompted MEL to work with Voith on this project. One of the key aspects was that Voith has more than 150 years of experience in building paper machines, is a technology leader in many areas and is renowned for the high reliability of its products. In addition, MEL has already worked with Voith on numerous projects, the results of which have been consistently positive for the board mill team. Ultimately, Voith also convinced the customer with an overall concept that was integrated technically and financially. That this was the right decision was not just confirmed by the smooth start to production.

“The atmosphere between the individual teams was excellent. The close collaboration with the colleagues from Voith Tolosa even resulted in some friendships,” says Georgiadis, adding: “I will certainly recommend collaboration with Voith to colleagues in the paper and board industry.”

The project is part of a comprehensive upgrade by the board mill. For example, MEL is investing in its own biomass power plant, which not only supplies power to the paper machine but is also used for steam generation.

Valmet has launched a new Valmet High Solids Measurement (Valmet HS) that enables stable and accurate measurements for industrial wastewater treatment, pulp and paper production and a wide range of other industrial processes. Valmet HS measures for over 30% solids or 1-70% moisture.

Originally designed for municipal waste water plants, Valmet HS is based on microwave technology and features a patented sensor structure. It extracts a continuous sample flow from a downfall or drop leg section in the process and returns it back to the process after the solids content has been measured.

"We see high potential for this solution especially in the pulp and paper industry where an accurate high solids measurement provides many benefits, such as improved high consistency control, cost savings and higher quality," says Jarmo Havana, Product Manager, Automation, Valmet.

Cost and fuel savings lead to better sustainability

The new measurement brings numerous benefits to its users. It helps to minimize transport costs of sludge in waste water applications and reduce supplementary fuel use where sludge fuels a boiler, thus improving the sustainability of industrial processes. Additionally, Valmet HS makes it possible to optimize total solids levels and follow up, in real time, the performance of dewatering or drying processes.

Already in use after a high-consistency roll press, Valmet HS provides accurate pulp consistency control to refining and consequently more stable-quality pulp to the paper machine. Benefits include lower press energy consumption, reduced fiber crushing and the prevention of too high consistency causing damage to process equipment.

Other proven applications of Valmet HS include wastewater sludge solids measurement after dewatering in pulp and paper applications, measuring sawdust moisture before pelleting in the wood processing industry and sludge moisture monitoring before incineration.

"The solution has been so successful that new applications are coming up all the time. Ongoing development work in various industries includes the measurement of moisture with starch, sugar and gypsum as well control of a thermal drying processes," adds Havana

The second generation TT SYD-16FT replaced a cast iron Yankee and it was started up on schedule in mid-January 2018. The scope of supply also included the complete Yankee steam and condensate system.

Toscotec is the inventor and the undiscussed market leader of steel Yankee dryers worldwide, supplying SYDs both for new tissue machines and in replacement of cast iron Yankees. This proves that paper mills across the globe acknowledge that TT SYD is the best technology currently available on the market in terms of energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Mr. Di Leva, CEO of Paperdi, said, “After monitoring the new TT SYD for a few months, we can say that it has been performing extremely well in terms of drying efficiency and allowed us to reach the top speed. We are particularly happy with the steam consumption figures, and we expect to bear the fruits of this replacement in the long run, by significantly cutting production costs”.

About Cartiera di Pietramelara

Located in the province of Caserta, Cartiera di Pietramelara mill belongs to the Italian tissue producer Paperdi srl. Since 1989, the mill has been producing tissue products such as industrial rolls, kitchen rolls, toilet jumbo rolls and towel tissue, with the household brand “Soavex” and the professional brand “paperdi”. The current annual production is 45,000 tonnes. Inspired by a strong ecological mission, Paperdi mainly utilizes recycled materials to reduce the environmental impact of the manufacturing process.

British master papermaker James Cropper attended this year’s Luxe Pack New York and is using the opportunity to impress the US market with its expertise in creating black papers, as well as its latest innovations in sustainable paper packaging.

The premier trade show, took place on 16 and 17 May at Pier 92, James Cropper demonstrated its Tailor Made paper service, its collection of black papers for packaging, while introducing attendees to its award-winning CupCycling initiative and Colourform moulded fibre solution.

James Cropper works closely with clients to develop custom papers as part of its Tailor Made service. With colour expertise across the spectrum, its in-house colour lab holds recipes for over 50 shades of black alone.  The business will showcase examples of recent packaging projects that demonstrate its black capability at the show, including a unique solution for luxury online handbag retailer Zesh.

In addition to its paper ranges, James Cropper will showcase its pioneering CupCycling initiative, which ‘upcycles’ used disposable cups, giving them another lease of life by transforming them into beautiful papers and packaging.  A great example of the work the business is doing to create value from this waste stream is the closed-loop collaboration with British retailer Selfridges, where cups from the brands own offices and retail outlets are transformed into paper for its iconic yellow shopping bags. 

The company will also be presenting Colourform plastic-free packaging that is renewable, recyclable and biodegradable.  Colourform provides all of the premium appeal that discerning consumers expect from packaging and demonstrates a significant environmental benefit when used in preference to plastic alternatives.  Made using 100 per cent renewable paper fibre from well managed forests and recycled coffee cups, it can be manufactured in any colour or shape, is fully recyclable with household paper and is naturally biodegradable – so if it is inadvertently discarded then it will leave no trace in the environment.

Colourform’s mission is to offer brands a sustainable packaging option for their products, without losing the excitement and quality of experience that outstanding packaging provides.  Every Colourform project is bespoke in terms of colour, shape, surface finish and functionality with the packaging used for a wide range of product categories from cosmetics to consumer electronics.  It is already used by environmentally conscious brands such as Lush handmade cosmetics and Floral Street fragrances.

Ivan Iannetta, USA sales manager at James Cropper, said: “It’s a really exciting year for James Cropper, particularly when it comes to our sustainable solutions for the luxury packaging market, and we look forward to demonstrating our expertise in this arena at Luxe Pack.

“Using our 173-year heritage, superior craftsmanship and innovative approach to paper production, we’re able to inspire creativity while helping brands to do their bit for the environment. CupCycling and Colourform are true examples of sustainability and ingenuity colliding and we can’t wait to see how they’re received at the show.”

Hardwood pulp manufacturers in Europe have some of the highest wood fiber costs in the world despite prices for hardwood pulplogs having trended downward in most key markets on the continent over the past six years. In the second half of 2017, this trend reversed, with fiber prices going up in both the local currencies and in US dollar terms. In the 4Q/17, prices for hardwood logs in Spain and Finland were the highest on the continent, while French and Swedish prices were on the lower end of the hardwood cost spectrum, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. 

Hardwood fiber supply in Sweden tightened in late 2017 because of an unusually wet and mild early winter season. The tight supply resulted in odd importations of Eucalyptus chips from both Brazil and Uruguay in late 2017 and early 2018 at prices reported to be that was substantially higher than those for domestically sourced wood fiber. The limited availability of logs resulted in higher prices for hardwood pulplogs during most of 2017 ( after being at an 11-year low in the 4Q/16). Despite the recent price rise in the 4Q/17, birch pulplog costs were about 15% lower than their 10-year average (in US dollar terms).

Prices for softwood chips and pulplogs were also up in Sweden during 2017 because of an imbalance between domestic supply and demand. The higher domestic fiber prices resulted in an increase in importation of softwood chip to Sweden in 2017, which reached almost double the volume imported five years ago. In the last quarter of the year, imports reached the  second highest quarterly volume on record. 

Historically, most imported chips have been destined for the country’s pulpmills, but over the past two years there has been an increase in imported chips to be used for energy. Latvia, Norway, Estonia and Finland, in ranking order, are the major suppliers of softwood chips, accounting for 95% of the total import volume in 2017. With a higher percentage of lower-cost energy chips over the past few years (predominantly from Norway), the average value for imported chips has declined by about 40% 2013 to 2017, according to the WRQ in its 4Q/17 issue. Of the four major supplying countries, Finland supplied the highest cost chips, while Norway was the lowest cost supplier in 2017.

Modest increases in wood fiber costs and a substantial rise in market pulp prices have improved profitability for many market pulp manufacturers worldwide during the second half of 2017, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly

Pulp manufacturers in many countries have seen their wood fiber costs go up during 2017, with the biggest increases in US dollar terms occurring in Western North America, Europe, Russia and Australia, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). The Global Softwood Fiber Price Index(SFPI) increased for the third consecutive quarter to reach $89.08/odmt in the 4Q/17, 4.0% higher than in the same quarter in 2016.

Hardwood fiber prices have also trended upwards over the past year, with the Global Hardwood Fiber Price Index(HFPI) reaching its highest level in almost three years during the 4Q/17. In US dollar terms, hardwood fiber prices have gone up the most in Europe, Russia and Indonesia during 2017. The only region that has experienced a decline in wood fiber costs has been the US South, where hardwood pulplog prices were 2.3 % lower in the 4Q/17 than in the 4Q/16.

Wood fiber costs remain the single largest cost component in the manufacture of wood pulp, ranging between 40-60% of the total cash costs, depending on region and pulp grade. The wood fiber costs as a percentage of the price of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft market pulp (NBSK) have been on a downward trajectory over the past eight years.

The substantial increases in market pulp prices during the 4Q/17 and only small upward price adjustments of pulpwood resulted in the wood fiber cost percentage reaching a record low of 23.2% in the last quarter of 2017 (down from 36% in 2012). Since wood fiber costs account for a majority of the pulp manufacturing costs, the low wood cost share has improved profitability for market pulp manufacturers throughout the world during 2017.

With the launch of the new Voith OnCumulus offering, Voith customers can now benefit from an IIoT platform with specific visualization and analytics functionalities as well as the first industry-proven applications. OnCumulus enables paper producers to leverage data across the enterprise from all equipment within all facilities to optimize reliability, achieve targeted performance and increase savings that impact the bottom line.

OnCumulus.Platform: one central data hub for digitalization
The IIoT platform OnCumulus.Platform serves as the data hub for data from all kinds of sources – for example plants, production lines, machines and devices. Customers benefit from one central platform for their data from which they can launch their digitalization initiatives. The OnCumulus.Platform is based on open-source and highly standardized technologies. It provides fast, reliable and secure access to data from local machines and systems in the cloud as well as fast provisioning for value creation. The platform is scalable, flexible and extensible at any time.

With OnCumulus, Voith brings value-adding industry-proven applications to the cloud, benefiting from a unique, modular offering of an IIoT platform.

With OnCumulus, Voith offers an IIoT platform that meets the highest privacy, security and compliance industry standards and best practices, such as CSA, NIST and OWASP. Voith cybersecurity experts ensure end-to-end security, so that the full life cycle of data is secure at all times. OnCumulus customers stay in control of their data in every usage scenario and define the data access. Furthermore, Voith supports local control of the data by providing data centers in every region.

OnCumulus.Suite: the first step towards visualization and analytics
Besides the IIoT platform, the OnCumulus.Suite offering already provides the first possibilities to benefit from data intelligence: by prestructuring the available data using visualization and analytical functionalities, customers benefit from the first basic, easy-to-use tools, namely: Information Flow, Monitoring and Alarming Tool, as well as Analysis. Therewith, customers can access their data in near real time and take the first step for optimizing their operating process by using persona-based dashboards.

Industry-specific applications: OnEfficiency and OnCare
In addition to OnCumulus.Suite, Voith is offering further value to its customers by launching the first solutions from the existing product families OnEfficiency and OnCare as cloud-based OnCumulus applications. Examples from the paper production industry already show the efficient and value-adding use of the new IIoT platform OnCumulus.

Applications in the Voith OnEfficiency product family:
• OnEfficiency.Pulp: Achieving the required product quality along with reduced raw material costs can be provided thanks to integrated, real-time insights and continuous guidance along the production process.
• OnEfficiency.Strength: Optimizing fiber utilization and strength agents result in a reduced off-spec production. Furthermore, the paper quality during grade changes is ensured by the reduction of fluctuations and peaks.
• OnEfficiency.DIP: Rebuilding the flotation cell in combination with Papermaking 4.0, Advanced Process Controls and modern sensors, increases yield and reduces operating costs.
• OnEfficiency.Dewatering: Using vacuum in the forming section as an actuator to stabilize the dry line will improve ply bond, increase runnability of the forming section and save energy.

From the Voith OnCare product family:
OnCare.Asset: Implementing tools for maintenance management increases the efficiency of maintenance activities, while at the same time reducing costs and saving resources. The next step is to anticipate and optimize the overall process.

Using the applications on the same cloud-based technical platform, customers benefit from bridging information and data views cross-site and cross-app, and therewith leverage untapped correlation possibilities for more advanced insights and transparency. External information such as raw materials prices, weather data, or connections to webshops or warehouses, can be easily integrated and correlated with existing operational data.

By combining the OnCumulus.Suite with the new cloud-based applications of the proven solutions, paper producers profit not only from the increase in efficiency, productivity and quality of the entire production supply chain, but also gain new additional possibilities.

“Thanks to the enormous developments within information and communication technologies, customers can now take the chance to benefit from technologies that offer faster data exchange, big data analytics and cloud solutions,” says Dr. Roland Münch, CEO Voith Digital Solutions. “OnCumulus enables our customers to intelligently benefit from this digital transformation – with optimized processes, improved use of resources, flexibility and security – so that they improve competitiveness and achieve future viability.”

Riverdale Paper has invested in a new UNTHA QR shredder to support the company’s business diversification.

The Gateshead firm quickly established itself as the North East’s leading paper recycler. But contracts with some of the UK’s largest commercial organisations in retail, financial services and public arenas, has seen demand for Riverdale’s wider expertise grow.

Now, the team is being increasingly tasked with tackling plastic waste including polypropylene, HDPE and pre-consumer material from the automotive industry, to name just a few. With volumes of around five tonnes per week, the QR1700 therefore made for the perfect purchase.

With a current processing capacity of two tonnes per hour, the shredder is reducing the plastics to a 30mm fraction that is then sold on to reprocessors for granulation and recycling. The QR is also bein configured to suit different plastic grades.

“The speed and simplicity of machine changeover is very impressive,” comments Riverdale’s assistant general manager Kevin Brown. “The QR is also very easy to clean down which reduces the risk of cross-contamination. This is crucial, given recyclate quality has never been so important.”

Riverdale acknowledged the rising plastic challenges within industry and made the bold move into this recycling niche, in late 2017.

“Plastic is a difficult material to handle, but despite the doom and gloom headlines, it is also a material rich with opportunity,” elaborates Kevin. “We knew that by recycling a ‘waste’ stream that many other firms shy away from, we could provide a better overall service to both existing and new customers.

“By carefully segregating and processing plastics in the way that we do, we’re also able to attract larger rebates than if we were producing mixed bales.”

This project marks the first QR installation since the ground-breaking new technology was introduced to the UK market last Autumn.

Commenting on the project, UNTHA UK’s sales manager Dan Fairest said: “We were incredibly excited to unveil this shredder at the PPMA Show in October, and industry feedback has surpassed our expectations.

“Interest in this machine is also high because of the extent to which plastic waste is dominating media headlines at present. China is pushing back on material quality, pollution in the oceans has never been so severe, and even Chancellor Philip Hammond raised the mounting single use plastic issue in his spring statement. The problem isn’t going to go away, so operators are looking for plastic recycling systems that will address this critical industry concern.

“The QR has been successfully installed and is performing as specified. This is therefore a very exciting time for companies like Riverdale.”

Developed in conjunction with recyclers worldwide, the QR was 18 months in the making. It can process an array of materials including plastics, film, mixed rigids, packaging waste, pallets and wood for biomass. It is available to trial, for free, in UNTHA UK’s North of England test centre.

Rottneros has appointed Kristin Israelsson as mill manager of Rottneros Mill. Kristin most recently comes from BillerudKorsnäs, where she has been for the past 16 years, most recently as sectionhead in the pulp mill of Gruvön. She will take office no later than September 1, 2018 and will be part of the Rottneros Group Management Team.

As part of strengthening our organization, I am very pleased to welcome Kristin Israelsson to Rottneros Mill and the Group Management Team. With her solid experience in the pulp and paper industry, Kristin will contribute with her competence, leadership and energy in developing Rottneros to the next level. Agenda 500 is gradually coming to an end. Within its framework, we have successfully implemented major investments in Rottneros Mill to increase capacity, strengthen product quality, and significantly improve our environmental performance. As we are now entering the next phase, Kristin is the right person to lead the mill operations. We will focus even further on optimization and efficiency, at the same time as we have all employees' safety as top priority, says Lennart Eberleh, President and CEO of Rottneros.

Since its inauguration in 2016, this fully integrated plant has been operating at full capacity, implementing the entire production cycle of Toscotec’s TT SYD, from metalworking, precision mechanical machining to thermal treatment and surface metallization, up to non-destructive tests and certifications.

The sixteen TT SYD that are presently under construction feature different sizes, with diameters ranging from 3,650 mm to 6,705 mm and width from 3,100 to 6,050 mm. Toscotec has been manufacturing the world’s largest diameter steel Yankee dryers and their demand has been steadily going up to this day: 50% of the TT SYD currently under construction have diameters from 18 to 22 ft. In view of this, the strategic choice of the Technology Lab’s location offers a clear logistical advantage, by ensuring that large diameter Yankees get easy access to the seaport for expedite shipping operations.

The market’s demand for medium and large diameter TT SYD is far-reaching around the globe. The orders for these sixteen Yankee cylinders come from paper mills situated across four continents: Asia, North and South America, Europe and Africa, with Asia and the Americas together taking the lion’s share.

Toscotec sustained operations in the manufacturing of TT SYD are testament to the success of Toscotec’s design, including large diameter Yankees. Feedback from the first installations of 18 ft Yankees and of 22 ft Yankees have been of substantial improvements in drying efficiency, attracting paper mills to the opportunity of cost savings. Toscotec’s global market share of steel Yankee dryers exceeds 60% and nearly all new steel Yankees currently installed in paper mills in Western Europe are Toscotec-supplied.

Parallel to the success of its manufacturing operations, Toscotec is relentlessly striving for new breakthroughs with its R&D division. Following the engineering of the second generation TT SYD in late 2013, with improved rib design and metallization, as well as increased thermal exchange, Toscotec’s steel Yankee dryers are now looking into the future with their third generation’s design, which will be presented later this year.