International Paper, a global producer of planet-friendly packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products, and one of North America’s largest recyclers with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., announced that the company will permanently close its containerboard mill in Orange, Texas, and will permanently cease production on two of its pulp machines – the #20 machine in Riegelwood, N.C., and the #4 machine in Pensacola, Fla.
The permanent closure of the Orange mill will reduce the company’s containerboard capacity by approximately 800,000 tons. The company’s remaining containerboard mill system in North America will include 17 mills with an annual production capability of 13MM tons. The actions in Pensacola and Riegelwood will reduce IP’s pulp capacity by approximately 500,000 tons (300,000 tons fluff pulp and 200,000 tons southern bleached softwood). The company’s remaining pulp mill system will include eight mills with an annual production capability of 2.7MM tons.
The company expects the Orange mill and the #20 machine in Riegelwood to cease production by the end of the year. The #4 machine in Pensacola is currently idled and will not resume production.
(INTERNATIONAL PAPER)
2023/10
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ProJet BV, headquartered in the Netherlands, a company with many years experience in the paper, board, tissue and nonwovens industries, announced that it received an order for 2 Forming Fabric Cleaners (ProCleanersTM) from Kipas Kagit Paper for their Paper Machine # 1 in Turkey. PM1 produces Fluting and Testliner on a 8.6 meter wide machine, using 100% OCC. OCC is known for its extreme contamination on the Paper Machine Clothing. Delivery will be in Q2 of 2024.
(PRO-JET)
2023/10
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that it will convert the idled paper machine PM3 at Steyrermühl mill in Austria to produce kraft papers for sustainable flexible packaging. The machine previously produced graphic paper for UPM. The conversion project has been launched by the Heinzel Group, which will take over the Steyrermühl mill from UPM by January 1, 2024.
Once rebuilt by Andritz, the paper machine (then PM6) will produce up to 150,000 tons of brown and white low-basis weight kraft paper per year to be sold under the Heinzel Group’s well-established StarKraft brand. The PM6 will have a design speed of 1,500 m/min and a paper width at the reel of 6,300 mm. The paper will be used for shopper bags, pouches, and other flexible packaging products.
(ANDRITZ)
2023/07
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that it has received an order from DS Smith to supply a complete stock preparation line and an innovative reject treatment system for the mill in Porcari (Italy) that produces new packaging papers from 100% recycled paper.
The equipment provided by Andritz will be used on the new paper machine, due to start up mid-2025, that will provide a range of paper grades for the FMCG and e-commerce sectors serviced by DS Smith. The new stock preparation line will have a design capacity of 1,650 bdmt per day and process various types of raw material, such as OCC (old corrugated containers), mixed papers and board as well as new shavings of corrugated board. DS Smith, a leading provider of sustainable fibre-based packaging worldwide and headquartered in London, operates in more than 30 different countries.
(ANDRITZ)
2023/07
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Palm, one of the leading companies in the European paper industry with its 5 paper mills (7 paper machines / 2.7 million tonnes of paper produced per annum) for the manufacture of paper and 29 plants (700,000 tones of corrugated board packaging) for the manufacture of corrugated board, announced that the ground surveys are currently taking place for the new construction of the corrugated board plant of Wellpappe Alzenau in the industrial area of Alzenau-Nord (Germany).
(PALM)
2023/06
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Klabin, Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging paper and sustainable solutions in paper packaging, having 23 mills, 22 in Brazil and one in Argentina, announced that it has taken another important step forward in its expansion strategy with the startup of Paper Machine 28 (MP28) in Ortigueira, Paraná (Brazil).
The new 300-meter-long machine can produce 460,000 tons per year, with flexibility for White Top Liner and Kraftliner production. With the startup of MP28, the Company’s annual pulp and paper production capacity increases to 4,7 million tons. At an outlay of R$12.9 billion, the Puma II Project is Klabin’s biggest investment in its 124-year history and the biggest by a private company in Paraná.
(KLABIN)
2023/06
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Rondo Ganahl, an Austrian family firm that traces its roots as far back as 1797, announced that it opens printing centre in St. Ruprecht (Austria) by investing 36 million Euros in the site. The new Rondo print centre will allow production to increase by up to 30 per cent a year.
Technical details of the Rondo print centre: Delta SPC 130 Flex Line Automatic by Koenig & Bauer Durst, König & Bauer Rapida 164 offset print, Bobst master cut 1.7 flatbed die cutter, Bobst master fold 2.3 adhesive machine.
A large part of the packaging business of Rondo in St. Ruprecht involves the food industry. Furthermore, Rondo also supplies products to industrial and pharmaceutical companies as well as wine growers. As well as its sites in Austria, Rondo Ganahl today also has plants in Hungary, Romania, Turkey and Germany and is one of the top players in the industry.
(RONDO GANAHL)
2023/06
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RDM Group, headquartered in Milan, the leading producer in the recycled cartonboard business and the largest producer in Italy, France, the Netherlands and in the Iberian Peninsula with its 9 manufacturing plants (3 in Italy, 1 in France, 1 in Germany, 2 in Spain and 2 in the Netherlands), announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Fiskeby, a producer of packaging board made from 100% recovered fiber, with one manufacturing facility in Sweden.
The transaction is expected to close by the third quarter, subject to anti-trust clearance. Fiskeby, founded in Norrköping (Sweden) in 1637, is the only company in Scandinavia to manufacture packaging board made of 100% recovered fibre. The capacity of the mill is 170.000 tonnes per year.
(RDM GROUP)
2023/05
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Holmen, headquartered in Stockholm (Sweden), a Swedish forest company with the business areas of Forest, Renewable Energy, Wood Products, Paperboard and Paper, announced that the company is investing SEK 450 million in rebuilding a paper machine at Braviken Paper Mill. Rebuilding PM52 at Braviken Paper Mill (outside Norrköping, Sweden) will broaden the product range for book paper while enabling Holmen to efficiently increase the production of fluting for use in the centre layer of corrugated boxes. The rebuild is planned for autumn 2024.
(HOLMEN)
2023/05
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it will deliver a comprehensive paper machine clothing (pmc) package to the new board making line (PM 3) of Batı Kipaş Kağıt Sanayi İşletmeleri in Söke, Turkey. Valmet’s paper machine clothing package for the start-up of the customer’s new container board line includes forming fabrics, press felts, shoe press belts and dryer fabrics. The PMC start-up package will be delivered by the end of 2023. The start-up of the PM 3 is scheduled to take place at the end of 2023.
Kipaş has two paper machines: PM 1 in Kahramanmaraş with an annual production capacity of 450,000 tons and PM 2 in Söke with a production capacity of 720,000 tons of coated grades. Kipaş is currently installing another Valmet containerboard machine in Söke with a scheduled start-up at the end of 2023. The new 9,100-mm-wide (wire) board machine will produce recycled fluting, testliner and kraft top testliner grades with a basis weight range of 60–110 g/m2. The design speed of the machine will be 1,800 m/min and the annual capacity approximately 650,000 tons.
(VALMET)
2023/04
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that MG TEC Industry successfully started up its second complete tissue production line from ANDRITZ at its mill in Dej, Romania. The first line went into operation in 2021. The tissue machine (1,900 m/min design speed, 2.85 m paper width) is equipped with a steel Yankee for energy-efficient drying, specially designed forming fabrics, a press felt for high dryness, and a suction pressure roll cover for efficient machine throughput.
(ANDRITZ)
2023/04
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Norske Skog, headquartered in Oslo (Norway), a world leading producer of publication paper (newsprint and magazine paper ) with strong market positions in Europe and Australasia, operating four mills in Europe and one publication paper mill in Australasia, announced that Norske Skog Bruck (Austria) started its containerboard production, introducing 210 000 tonnes of competitive testliner and fluting capacity to meet the growing demand for renewable packaging. The production is based 100% on recycled fibre and will use steam from the new waste-to-energy plant, which opened in April 2022. Norske Skog Bruck will start to deliver containerboard to customers in the second quarter. Full production utilisation of 95% is expected in the second half of 2025.
(NORSKE SKOG)
2023/04
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it will supply a new container board machine with extensive packages of automation, services, and industrial internet applications to DS Smith Paper Italia S.r.l at their Porcari (Lucca) site in Italy. The 8,600 mm wide (wire) BM 3 will produce recycled liner grades with a basis weight range of 70–135 g/m2 at production speed of 1,500 m/min and mechanical design speed of 1,700m/min.
The annual capacity is approximately 450,000 tonnes. The start-up of the machine is scheduled for middle of 2025. DS Smith, headquartered in London, is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging worldwide, and it operates in 34 countries.
(VALMET)
2023/03
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it will supply a new tissue production line with the latest technology to Metsä Tissue’s mill in Mariestad, Sweden. The new tissue machine will have a design speed of 2,200 m/min and is optimized for low energy consumption and enhanced quality of the final product. The new line will add 70,000 tons of tissue made from virgin fiber to the mill’s current production. The mill’s total annual capacity will increase to 145,000 tons.
Metsä Tissue, part of Metsä Group, is one of the leading tissue paper suppliers to households and professionals in Europe and one of the leading greaseproof paper suppliers globally.
(VALMET)
2023/03
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Toscotec S.p.A., designs and manufactures machines, systems and components for the production of Tissue and Paper & Board, based in Lucca (Italy), announced that UNIPAKHELLAS, a member of INDEVCO Group, contracted with Toscotec for the supply of a complete paper production line to be installed at UNIPAKHELLAS Central (UHC) mill in Pelasgia, region of Fthiotida, Greece.
UNIPAKHELLAS aims to produce high quality test liner and fluting grades to Greek and export markets. The new machine has a wire width of 3,000 mm and will produce corrugated paper in the range of 90 to 200 gsm at the maximum operating speed of 800 m/min, processing 100% waste paper. The paper machine is scheduled to start up soon. Established in 2008, UNIPAKHELLAS S.A. operates several facilities in Greece, including locations in Athens, Pelasgia, Thiva, Thessaloniki and Crete.
(TOSCOTEC)
2023/03
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MM Board & Paper, Europe’s leading producer of sustainable packaging solutions, producing premium cartonboard and liner for the packaging industry, as well as paper and mechanical pulp in six cartonboard mills in Frohnleiten (A), Gernsbach (D), Kolicevo (SLO), Kotkamills (FIN), Kwidzyn (PL), Neuss (D), and FollaCell (N) pulp mill, announced that it will rebuild the Board Machines in Frohnleiten, Neuss and Kolicevo.
Fully automated and optimized production processes will significantly increase the efficiency of the stock preparation while reducing specific energy consumption of Board Machine 3 in Frohnleiten mill. The rebuild in the Neuss mill will transform the current Board Machine into a state-of-the-art Linerboard Machine. The aim of the conversion in Kolicevo mill, Slovenia is to raise product quality and expand capacities.
(MM-BOARDPAPER)
2023/02
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Progroup AG, one of the leading manufacturers of containerboard and corrugated board in Europe, headquartered in Landau (Germany), announced that it starts operating state-of-the-art corrugated sheetfeeder plant. The first sheets are officially being produced at the PW14 corrugated sheetfeeder plant in Stryków, Poland. The new high-tech plant will produce up to 200,000 tonnes of corrugated sheetboard. Together with the existing PW07 plant next door, it will in fact have a production capacity of 825 million square metres per year. Almost all standard grades of corrugated board can be produced at the PW14 plant, with a working width of 3.35 metres and a production speed of 400 metres per minute. PW14 together with PW07 and the PW10 plant in Trzcinica is Progroup’s third production site in Poland – and the family company’s twelfth corrugated sheetfeeder plant overall.
(PROGROUP)
2023/01
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The MM Group, headquartered in Vienna (Austria), a leading global producer of cartonboard and folding cartons with its 72 production sites on 3 continents, announced that The Mayr-Melnhof Group (MM) has sold its two Packaging sites in Russia, St. Petersburg and Pskov, to the local investor Granelle following approval by the governmental authorities. The selling price amounts to approx. EUR 134 million.
(MAYR-MELNHOF)
2022/12
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Mondi plc, a global leader in packaging and paper, announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its three Russian packaging converting operations to the Gotek Group for a consideration of RUB 1.6 billion (around €24 million at current exchange rate), payable in cash on completion (the ‘Disposal’). The three packaging converting operations comprise a corrugated solutions plant and two consumer flexibles plants, producing a range of packaging solutions for the domestic Russian market. The Gotek Group is a leading Russian packaging producer, headquartered in Moscow. The Disposal is conditional on the approval of the Russian Federation’s Government SubCommission for the Control of Foreign Investments and customary antitrust approvals and is expected to complete in the first half of 2023.
(MONDI GROUP)
2022/12
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The Voith Group, a global technology company, founded in 1867, announced that it successfully started up the world’s largest kraftliner machine for SCA, the Swedish forest industry company and founded in 1929, at its Obbola site (Sweden), at the beginning of November. The state-of-the-art machine features a design speed of 1,400 meters per minute and a wire width of 10,200 mm. The Voith XcelLine paper machine will produce 725,000 tons of high-quality kraftliner per year with basis weights between 100 and 200 gsm. Compared to the old line, the new machine increases SCA’s production capacity by 270,000 tons. The XcelLine paper machine will be supplemented by a new BlueLine stock preparation system, which is scheduled to replace the existing system next year. Voith’s BlueLine stock preparation plant will save up to 40 kWh per ton produced compared to conventional plants. In addition, the fresh water requirement is around 30 percent lower than the previous production.
(VOITH)
2022/12
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The Voith Group, a global technology company, announced that Austrian paper manufacturer Laakirchen Papier AG has commissioned the leading full-line supplier Voith to implement the comprehensive rebuild of PM 11 at its Laakirchen site. The company, which is part of the Heinzel Group, is converting the plant from the production of graphic papers to containerboard. The planned start-up of the rebuilt production line is in the second quarter of 2024, increasing the production volume from 350,000 tons of SC papers to 500,000 tons of containerboard per year.
Laakirchen Papier AG, based in Laakirchen (Upper Austria) and a member of the Heinzel Group, specializes in the production and further development of environmentally friendly publication papers and lightweight corrugated base papers based on recycled paper for the European market.
(VOITH)
2022/11
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International Paper, a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products, has announced major investments totaling more than 20 million euros to increase both capacity and capabilities of its box plants located in Bellusco, Catania and Pomezia, Italy.
The Bellusco plant will leverage a new four-color flat-bed die cutter to advance the production of corrugated punnets for the fruit and vegetable sector. At the Pomezia plant a new state-of-the-art corrugator will increase the plant’s production capacity while also allowing a higher level of service for customers. The Catania plant will utilize a new casemaker to produce more high-quality printed boxes designed for the industrial sector. Also at Catania, the investment into modern wastewater treatment facilities will reduce water consumption at the plant. Kicked off in the fourth quarter of 2022, the investments are expected to be completed during the first half of 2023.
(INTERNATIONAL PAPER)
2022/11
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Palm, headquartered in Aalen (Germany), announced that it has acquired the family-owned company Orsini Imballaggi with effect from September 2022. The acquisition of Orsini Imballaggi, the corrugated board plant southeast of Milan, increases Palm’s production capacity in Italy.
Palm Group, one of the leading companies in the European paper industry, is divided into Papierfabrik Palm with its 5 paper mills (7 paper machines / 2.7 million tonnes of paper produced per annum) for the manufacture of paper and Palm Packaging Group with 29 plants (700,000 tones of corrugated board packaging) for the manufacture of corrugated board.
(PALM)
2022/11
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Göpfert Maschinen GmbH, headquartered in Wiesentheid/Germany, an internationally leading and globally active manufacturer of machines for processing corrugated board, announced that it takes over 100 % of Dücker Corrpal AB in Ystad/Sweden. Göpfert Maschinen GmbH has already owned 51 % of the shares since 2019, now Göpfert has taken over the remaining 49 % from Dücker International in Langenfeld/Germany. At the same time, the company will change its name to Corrpal Systems AB.
(GOEPFERT)
2022/10
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Klabin, founded in 1899, Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging paper, announced the launch of PineFluff eXcel, a fluff pulp made from a mix of fibers (eucalyptus hardwood pulp and pine softwood pulp) targeting the hygiene products market (baby and adult diapers, sanitary pads, pet mats, etc.)
It’s noted that PineFluff eXcel, which is being produced by the Puma Unit in Ortigueira, Paraná, was designed to be delivered to clients in the form of single-ply reels, which can be used in the production of different absorbent products.
(KLABIN)
2022/10
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Voith, founded in 1867, a global technology company and one of Europe’s larger family-owned companies, announced that the Chinese paper manufacturer Shanying Suzhou Paper commissioned Voith to supply two XcelLine paper machines with comprehensive digitalization and automation solutions as well as services and spare parts packages for its new site in Zhongying, Anhui Province, in eastern China.
With a design speed of 1,300 m/min and a wire width of 9,300 mm, the two PM 71 and PM 72 will produce corrugating medium with basis weights between 50 and 120 gsm. The total production capacity of the corrugating medium machines is 812,000 tons per year. Shanying Paper founded in 1957 is part of Shanying International Holding. Shanying Suzhou Paper is an established subsidiary of Shanying Paper at Suzhou site.
(VOITH)
2022/10
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that it has received an order from Bracell SP Celulose Ltda. to supply four PrimeLineTM W 2000 tissue production lines to its mill located in Lençóis Paulista, São Paulo (Brazil). The four tissue machines are of the type PrimeLineTM W 2000, with a design speed of 2,100 m/min and a working width of 5.68 m. The lines will produce household paper, such as toilet paper, napkins, handkerchiefs, towels and facial tissue. Start-up is scheduled for 2024. Bracell SP Celulose Ltda., one of the global leaders in the production of specialty cellulose, is part of the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group.
(ANDRITZ)
2022/10
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Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel (PKV), founded in 1938 and headquartered in Germany, announced that PKV has entered into intensive preliminary planning for an additional site in Wilhelmshaven, where light and ultra-light corrugated board papers for more climate-friendly packaging could be produced. The current status of preliminary considerations is a plant that could produce 600,000 tonnes of corrugated board base paper annually. At the same time, PKV could work towards climate-neutral production at the Wilhelmshaven site right from the start. The wind and solar power potentially available there, as well as green hydrogen, offer a wide range of possibilities for a flexible, CO2-neutral energy supply.
PKV has a production capacity of 930,000 tons with 2 paper machines (4 & 5) producing corrugated as well as brown and white liner papers for the production of corrugated board, and 2 board machines (2 & 3) producing board for packaging in the food, hygiene and medical sectors.
(PKVAREL)
2022/09
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Stora Enso, a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world, headquartered in both Stockholm and Helsinki, announced that it acquires De Jong Packaging Group, based in the Netherlands, for an enterprise value of approximately EUR 1,020 million. The acquisition of De Jong Packaging Group will significantly strengthen Stora Enso’s European market presence in corrugated packaging and provide an entry into the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK. With this acquisition, Stora Enso’s Packaging Solutions division will increase its corrugated packaging capacity by approximately 1,200 million m2 to more than 2,000 million m2, including De Jong Packaging Group’s ongoing expansion.
Founded in 1996, De Jong Packaging Group is one of the largest corrugated packaging producers in the Benelux countries. The company specialises in corrugated trays and boxes mainly for fresh produce, e-commerce and industry. De Jong Packaging Group is also active in containerboard production through the acquisition of the De Hoop paper mill in the Netherlands in 2021. De Jong Packaging Group has 17 sites in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK.
(STORA ENSO)
2022/09
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Toscotec S.p.A., designs and manufactures machines, systems and components for the production of Tissue and Paper & Board, based in Lucca (Italy), announced that Turkish cardboard manufacturer KMK Paper selected Toscotec for the complete rebuild of PM1 at its Kahramanmaraş paper mill in Turkey. Scheduled for the first quarter of 2023, the project will increase the machine’s production capacity and significantly improve paper quality. The rebuild encompasses the entire paper machine from the forming section to the reel and it incorporates both Toscotec and Voith’s leading technology. PM1 produces packaging paper grades, including fluting, testliner, kraft paper, and gypsum board.
Kahramanmaraş Paper Industry Inc.(KMK Paper), founded in Kahramanmaraş in 1988, has a total capacity of 220.000 t/y in the PM1 and PM2 lines at its site in Kahramanmaraş, and a production capacity of 120.000 t/y in the PM3 paper machine in Kütahya.
(TOSCOTEC)
2022/09
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AFT, headquartered in Canada, a global supplier serving customers in many key markets (pulp and paper, food, mineral) with advanced components, capital equipment and system optimization services, announced that Kahramanmaraş Kağıt Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. (KMK Paper) has selected AFT for their PM1 approach flow rebuild project at the Kahramanmaraş mill. PM1 is a 2-ply board machine using 100% OCC to produce corrugating medium and linerboard grades. The new system is scheduled to start up in the first quarter of 2023.
Kahramanmaraş Paper Industry Inc., founded in Kahramanmaraş in 1988, has a total capacity of 220.000 t/y in the PM1 and PM2 lines at its site in Kahramanmaraş, and a production capacity of 120.000 t/y in the PM3 paper machine in Kütahya.
(AFT-GLOBAL)
2022/09
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Mondi plc, a global leader in packaging and paper, announced that it has agreed to acquire the Duino mill near Trieste (Italy) from the Burgo Group for a total consideration of €40 million. The mill currently operates one paper machine producing lightweight coated mechanical paper. Mondi plans to convert this paper machine to produce around 420,000 tonnes per annum of high-quality recycled containerboard for an estimated investment of around €200 million. The acquisition is subject to competition clearance and other closing conditions and completion is expected in the second half of the year.
(MONDI GROUP)
2022/08
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Mondi plc, a global leader in packaging and paper, announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its most significant facility in Russia, Joint Stock Company Mondi Syktyvkar, together with two affiliated entities to Augment Investments Limited for a consideration of RUB 95 billion. The Disposal is conditional on the approval of the Russian Federation’s Government SubCommission for the Control of Foreign Investments and customary antitrust approvals. The Disposal is also subject to the approval of Mondi’s shareholders at a General Meeting.
Syktyvkar is a wholly owned integrated pulp, packaging paper and uncoated fine paper mill located in Syktyvkar (Komi Republic), and it is a leading provider of uncoated fine paper and containerboard to the domestic Russian market.
(MONDI GROUP)
2022/08
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Klabin, founded in 1899, Brazil’s largest producer and exporter of packaging paper, announced the investment of R$1.6 billion to build a corrugated board packaging plant in Piracicaba, São Paulo. The new plant, whose startup is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024, will have annual production capacity of 240,000 tons of corrugated board. The project’s scope initially comprises the installation of two corrugator machines and nine printers. Klabin’s new installed capacity will reach approximately 1.3 million tons of corrugated board packaging annually.
(KLABIN)
2022/07
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Toscotec S.p.A., designs and manufactures machines, systems and components for the production of Tissue and Paper & Board, based in Lucca (Italy), announced that Vajda-Papír started up a double-width AHEAD 2.2L tissue machine supplied by Toscotec (PM2) at its Dunaföldvár facility in Hungary. The AHEAD 2.2L machine features a net sheet width of 5,600 mm, a maximum operating speed of 2,200 m/min, and a production capacity of over 80,000 tons/year.
Founded in 1999, Vajda-Papír is headquartered in Budapest and operates 3 sites in Budapest, Székesfehérvár and Hungary’s biggest and most modern integrated tissue mill at Dunaföldvár, south of Budapest. It manufactures 115,000 tons/year of toilet tissue, handkerchiefs, towels, and napkins.
(TOSCOTEC)
2022/07
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De Jong Packaging, founded in 1996, the only independent corrugated manufacturer in the Netherlands, announced that Dutch De Jong Packaging Group (DJPG) has acquired a majority share of The Wellpappenfabrik GmbH in Grünstadt-Sausenheim (WSG) which will keep the control over the daily operations. The transaction is subject to the approval of the local competition and consumer authorities.
(DEJONG VERPAKKING)
2022/07
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International Paper, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.(USA), a leading global producer of renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products, announced that International Paper plants in Mortagne (Société Normande de Carton Ondulé – SNCO) and Chalon (Emballages Laurent SAS) will benefit from investments of nearly € 23 million to adapt their production capacity to the growth of the e-commerce sector and to offer even more sustainable packaging to customers. This investment is the largest at the two facilities in several years, and includes the installation of new equipment that will increase converting capacity at the Mortagne and Chalon sites by 60% and 50% respectively.
(INTERNATIONAL PAPER)
2022/07
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Arauco, a globalized company with presence in 5 continents with its pulp, wood and forestry operations, announced the collaboration agreement between the company and the State of Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil for the construction of a new pulp mill in this country considering an investment of US$ 3 billion. If conditions allow for it, the construction stage of this new plant could begin in 2025. The plant would have a production capacity of 2.5 million tons of hardwood pulp and would be located 50 km from the area of Inocência.
(ARAUCO)
2022/07
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Progroup AG, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of containerboard and corrugated board, headquartered in Landau (Germany), announced that it is building a new corrugated sheetfeeder plant in south-west Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate. The company is investing more than 90 million euros in the new building and is thus continuing to pursue its growth strategy.
The planned production speed is 400 m/min with a working width of 3.35 metres. The production line is designed among other things to produce single-wall and double-wall Next Board® corrugated board sheets with B, C, E and F flutes and smaller grammages in all combinations. Production is set to begin in the second half of 2023. Progroup AG, founded in 1991, operates in six countries in Central Europe with three paper mills and eleven corrugated sheetfeeder plants.
(PROGROUP)
2022/06
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UPM, headquartered in Helsinki (Finland), delivering responsible solutions and innovate for a future beyond fossils across six business areas: UPM Fibres, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Communication Papers and UPM Plywood, announced that it has signed an agreement to sell 100% of the shares of its Austrian subsidiary UPM Kymmene-Austria GmbH to the HEINZEL GROUP, a leading pulp, packaging and paper producer and trader in Central and Eastern Europe.
The transaction comprises the UPM Steyrermühl site, including the newsprint paper machine with an annual capacity of 320,000 tonnes and the Steyrermühl sawmill operations with an annual timber capacity of 370,000 cubic meters. Closing of the transaction and end of newsprint production at UPM Steyrermühl are planned for the end of 2023. HEINZEL is considering the production of packaging materials to complement their existing product portfolio.
(UPM) (HEINZELPAPER)
2022/06
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Runtech, established in 1997 as Runtech Systems Oy and a part of The Gardner Denver Industrials Group which is a leading global provider of air compression and vacuum products, announced that it delivers a dryer section modification to Smurfit Kappa Wrexen Paper and Board GmbH PM3 in Germany.
With this rebuild, the mill benefits from improved runnability with less breaks and draw, ropeless tail threading with shortened tail threading times and improved operator safety. Smurfit Kappa Wrexen Paper & Board produces around 240,000 tons of paper (white top testliner, brown testliner, high performance recycled fluting and recycled fluting) and 80,000 tons of graphics board per year at the Diemelstadt-Wrexen site.
(GARDNER DENVER)
2022/06
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Smurfit Kappa, one of the world’s largest paper-based packaging companies, has announced the construction of a new packaging plant in Morocco, its first corrugated plant in the country. Located in Rabat and covering an area of 25,000 m2, it will enable Smurfit Kappa to supply innovative and sustainable packaging solutions quickly and efficiently to its local customer base. The plant will create packaging for sectors including industrial, agriculture, FMCG, automotive, pharma and ceramics and serve both local customers and multinationals based in Morocco. The new facility is expected to be operational in early 2023.
(SMURFIT KAPPA)
2022/05
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it will supply a Valmet IQ Warp Control System for corrugator to Dunapack Packaging‘s Plovdiv plant in Bulgaria. The target of the investment is to decrease warp waste and improve the total productivity of the plant. The delivery is scheduled for August 2022.
Dunapack Packaging in Plovdiv has been a leading producer of corrugated board and packaging in Bulgaria for more than 60 years. Dunapack Packaging is part of the Austrian Prinzhorn Group, a European market leader in the packaging, paper and recycling industry.
(VALMET)
2022/05
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WestRock Company, a leading provider of differentiated, sustainable paper and packaging solutions, headquartered in Atlanta (USA), announced that it will permanently cease operations at its mill in Panama City, Florida, by June 6, 2022. The mill produces containerboard, primarily heavyweight kraft, and fluff pulp, with a combined annual capacity of 645,000 tons. Select grades of containerboard currently produced at the mill will be manufactured at other WestRock facilities.
(WESTROCK)
2022/05
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it will supply Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), stock preparation and container board lines with a large scope of automation systems, Industrial Internet solutions and services to Eren Paper’s Shotton Mill Limited in the United Kingdom. The new container board making line (PM3) will produce high-quality testliner and fluting grades, and it will use 100% recycled paper. The board machine with a 10,110-mm-wide fabric will produce testliner and fluting grades with a basis weight range of 70–135 g/m2. The design speed of the machine will be 1,700 m/min and the annual capacity approximately 650,000 tonnes. The start-up of PM3 is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.
Established in 1969, Eren Holding is a family run conglomerate headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. It has business interests in paper, packaging, cement, energy, retail and port operations. Eren Paper’s Shotton Mill Limited is part of Eren Holding.
(VALMET)
2022/05
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Saica Group, one of the leading companies in Europe in the manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated board, with an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tons of recycled paper for corrugated board, announced that it has started its production of corrugated packaging in its new plant in Hamilton, Ohio (USA). The Hamilton facility is Saica’s first U.S. corrugated plant. The plant will have a production capacity over 1,500 MSF/year of corrugated board.
Along with the corrugator, the plant also has a 4-color 50×110” folder gluer, which allowed Saica to deliver its first orders late last year. With the finalization of the installation of a 4 color Rotary Die Cutter and a Vega specialty gluer, Saica will be able to operate at its full capacity. As part of a second phase of the project, Saica is already working to improve and expand its Hamilton facility. With the addition of two converting machines, a 4 color 36’’ Bobst Flexo Folder Gluer and a 2 color 66’’ Bobst Rotary Die Cutter, the company will increase its production capacity. Civil works for this stage are scheduled to start in the coming months with the objective of having both machines in operation in the second half of 2023.
(SAICA)
2022/05
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it has been selected as supplier for the modernization of the fiberline no. 1 plant to CENIBRA‘s pulp mill in Belo Oriente in Brazil. The fiberline will be prepared for a capacity increase of 100,000 tonnes of pulp per year. The modernization is part of CENIBRA’s project to increase the pulp mill capacity. The start-up is scheduled for September 2023.
Celulose Nipo-Brasileira S.A. – CENIBRA, established in 1973 and headquartered in Brasil, is one of the world’s biggest producers of bleached eucalyptus pulp (hardwood). Their annual production is approximately 1,200,000 tons, of which more than 90% is exported.
(VALMET)
2022/04
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The MM Group, headquartered in Vienna (Austria), Europe’s leading producer of cartonboard and folding cartons with its 49 production sites on 3 continents, announced that The Mayr-Melnhof Group (MM) acquired 100% of the shares in Eson Pac, headquartered in Veddige, Sweden. Eson Pac develops, produces and distributes high-quality secondary packaging solutions for the pharmaceutical industry. The company has three production sites in Sweden and one in Denmark focusing on folding cartons, leaflets and labels.
(MAYR-MELNHOF)
2022/04
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International Paper, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.(USA), a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa, announced another investment program worth 100 million MAD (10 million EUR) at its production facilities in Morocco for 2022.
Approx. 65 million MAD will be dedicated to new equipment enhancing the Tangier site’s box making capacity and capabilities in order to further strengthening International Paper’s position in the fresh fruit & vegetable (F&V) and the automotive segments. The investment will increase production capacity for high-quality printed F&V trays at the facility by an estimated 55 million units annually. In order to further advance energy efficiency at IP’s Kenitra recycled containerboard mill, approx. 35 million MAD will be dedicated to the installation of a new multi-fuel boiler which will enable greater fuel mix diversity.
In Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA), International Paper (IP) focuses on the production and marketing of fiber-based packaging and specialty pulp with a network of two recycled containerboard mills and 23 box plants in France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Spain. Specialty pulp is made in Gdansk, Poland.
(INTERNATIONAL PAPER)
2022/04
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Stora Enso, a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world, announced that it has initiated a sales process for a possible divestment of four paper production sites. Stora Enso’s paper production sites intended for divestment are: Anjala in Finland, Hylte and Nymölla in Sweden, and Maxau in Germany. Stora Enso has not committed to a deadline for the conclusion of the divestment process.
Anjala paper mill in southern Finland produces magazine paper and improved newsprint with an annual capacity of 435 000 tonnes. The Maxau Mill in southwest Germany produces supercalendered paper with an annual capacity of 530 000 tonnes. Nymölla Mill in southern Sweden produces wood free uncoated paper with an annual capacity of 475 000 tonnes. Hylte Mill in southwest Sweden is one of the largest newsprint mills in the world, and produces high-quality newsprint with an annual capacity of 240 000 tonnes.
(STORA ENSO)
2022/03
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that it has received an order from the Italian Burgo Group to rebuild the press section of its PM2, a test liner/white top liner machine, at the Avezzano mill, Italy. The new press section has a design speed of 1,200 m/min and a width of 5.32 m at the pope reel. The aim of the rebuild is to significantly increase the dryness content after the press. The scope of supply includes a new PrimePress X shoe press for the 4th nip, with a line load of 1,450 kN/m. Start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.
Burgo Group is a leading European manufacturer of papers for communication, speciality papers and paper for corrugated cardboard. The Burgo Group carries out its industrial activity through 11 plants, 10 in Italy and one in Belgium, operating 14 paper machines and two chemical pulp production lines and a mechanical pulp production line for internal use.
(ANDRITZ)
2022/03
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Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, announced that it is investing €280 million in Corrugated Packaging operations across four countries to boost production and to serve customers more efficiently. This includes around €185 million across its central and eastern European Corrugated Solutions plant network and €95 million at Mondi Świecie’s containerboard mill in Poland. Some highlights of the investment programme:
=>The upgrade of Mondi Świecie’s containerboard mill, comprising an extensive rebuild of paper machines PM2 and PM5.
=>The plant at Mondi Warsaw more than doubling in size and capacity, and receiving new machinery and automation, including a corrugator of an industry-leading 3.35 meters in width.
=>The modernisation and improvements across eight sites located in Poland (Simet, Świecie, Warsaw, Dorohusk, Szczecin, Bystrzyca), Germany (Eschenbach), and the Czech Republic (Bupak), as well as a comprehensive upgrade of Mondi Simet to erect a warehouse for finished goods storage and to automate internal material flows.
=>Investments in operations in Turkey focused on the newly-acquired Mondi Olmuksan plants, with Gebze specialising in eCommerce packaging production, and Bursa reinforcing its heavy-duty output with the addition of sheet production. Most of all, the Izmir site will be transformed by a comprehensive modernisation and expansion programme.
=>The expansion and upgrade of Mondi’s Kuopio semi-chemical fluting mill also remains on track. The €125 million capital investment project announced last year will increase the facility’s capacity by around 55,000 tonnes per annum to meet growing customer demand. Start-up is planned for the fourth quarter of 2023.
(MONDI GROUP)
2022/03
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Runtech, established in 1997 as Runtech Systems Oy and a part of The Gardner Denver Industrials Group which is a leading global provider of air compression and vacuum products, announced that it will supply a RunEco vacuum system to Ankutsan A.S. PM2, Turkey. The delivery includes two EP650 Turbo Blowers with ABB frequency converter, EcoDrop water separators and EcoFlow dewatering measurement systems.
Ankutsan, established in 2002, operates with five production facilities in Antalya, Mersin, Ankara, Adana, and Tekirdağ Çerkezköy producing 300,000 tons of Paper, 420,000 tons of Corrugated Cardboard Sheets and Boxes annually.
(GARDNER DENVER)
2022/03
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Runtech, established in 1997 as Runtech Systems Oy and a part of The Gardner Denver Industrials Group which is a leading global provider of air compression and vacuum products, announced that it delivers a RunEco vacuum system rebuilds to two Doruk Paper sites in Turkey.
RunEco systems with EP650 and EP315 Turbo Blowers will provide vacuum for the Doruk Paper and Packaging Industry Inc. paper machines PM1, PM2 and PM4. Deliveries include also EcoDrop water separators and EcoFlow dewatering measurements for all paper machines. Doruk Kagit Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, founded in 1994 in Kayseri Organized Industrial Zone, produces recycled packaging and specialty papers on its paper machines.
(GARDNER DENVER)
2022/03
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AFT, headquartered in Canada, a global supplier specialized in stock preparation, screening, refining and paper machine approach flow systems, announced that the greenfield 1,000 tpd recycled containerboard and special packing grade board machine of Kıvanç Tekstil will utilize a wet end system with AFT’s most advanced POM® technology. Compared to traditional systems, the POM paper machine wet end and headbox screening system has a smaller footprint, and the option to have no basement below the paper machine. Kıvanç Tekstil, founded in the early 1950s, is an integrated woven fabric producer in Adana, Turkey.
(AFT-GLOBAL)
2022/03
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BillerudKorsnäs, a world- leading provider of primary fibre based packaging materials, established in November 2012, through the merger of Billerud and Korsnäs, and headquartered in Sweden, announced that BillerudKorsnäs and the Norwegian forest owner group Viken Skog are forming a joint venture to explore the possibilities of working together to establish production of bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp at Viken Skog’s Follum mill in Hønefoss (Norway).
BillerudKorsnäs and Viken Skog plan to initiate a feasibility study about future pulp production at Follum. This will be completed during the first half of 2023. The intention is to establish a state-of-the-art production line for bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp (BCTMP) at the Follum mill with a capacity assumption of up to 200 kt/a.
(BILLERUDKORSNAS)
2022/03
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SCA, founded in 1929 and headquartered in Sundsvall, Sweden, announced to invest SEK 90 million in the pulp mill in Östrand. The investment will lead to cost savings but also increase the factory’s production capacity. The investment will also improve the local environment by reducing the risk of odour disturbances.
(SCA)
2022/03
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A.Celli Paper, headquartered in Lucca (Italy), announced that it will provide key equipments to Shanying Paper (Jilin) Co., Ltd. in China for its new paper machine. A.Celli Paper and PMT will handle the design and production processes respectively and the expected delivery time of the supply is 12 months. Once started-up, the new paper machine will be able to produce fluting with basis weight ranging from 70 to 170 gsm and web width of 7300 mm, all at a design speed of 1100 m/min.
Shanying Paper (Jilin) Co., Ltd. was founded in 2020 and is a subsidiary of Shanying International Co., Ltd. The company counts numerous production lines that use both domestic and imported waste paper as raw material to make packaging paper, including testliner and fluting, and newsprint.
(ACELLI)
2022/02
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Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (Canfor) announced a minimum six-week curtailment of BCTMP production at Taylor Pulp in response to significant transportation shortages that have resulted in inventories at the pulp mill reaching capacity. The curtailment will reduce the production of BCTMP by at least 25,000 tonnes.
Canfor is a leading global supplier of pulp and paper products, with four mills in British Columbia – three in Prince George,BC with a total capacity of 1.1 million tonnes of Premium Reinforcing Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (“NBSK”) Pulp and 140,000 tonnes of kraft paper, and one in Taylor, BC with an annual production capacity of 230,000 tonnes of Bleached Chemi-Thermo Mechanical Pulp (“BCTMP”).
(CANFOR)
2022/02
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Sonoco, founded in USA in 1899, one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, recently announced a significant investment to strengthen its Uncoated Recycled Paperboard (URB) mill system in the U.S., transforming its Hartsville, S.C., corrugated medium machine into a state-of-the-art URB machine.
As part of their investment, Sonoco chose A.Celli Paper for the supply of two new E-WIND® P100 paper rewinders and an R-WAY® automated material handling and packaging system. E-WIND® P100/P100H paper rewinders can be supplied at widths up to 8.4 m (330”), design speeds up to 2600 mpm (8500 fpm) and for basis weights up to 700 gsm (150 lbs/sq ft).
(A.CELLI)
2022/02
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International Paper, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.(USA), a leading global producer of renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products, announced that it achieved a major production milestone at its Madrid Mill in Fuenlabrada, Spain. In the last quarter of 2021, the state-of-the-art mill reached a total production volume of one million tonnes of sustainably made high-performance light-weight recycled containerboard since the completion of the conversion investment in August 2018.
(INTERNATIONAL PAPER)
2022/02
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that it started up the second of two PrimeLineTM W 2000 tissue machines delivered to Guangxi Sun Paper, China, for its mill in Beihai City, Guangxi Province. The tissue machine (TM6) has a design speed of 2,000 m/min, a working width of 5.65 m and a capacity of 60,000 t/a.
Guangxi Sun Paper is part of the Sun Paper Group. It was founded in 2019 with the aim of establishing an integrated pulp and paper mill in Beihai City. The new greenfield mill will presumably have a total pulp and paper capacity of 3.5 million t/year and will be built in two phases over approximately four years.
(ANDRITZ)
2022/02
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Smurfit Kappa, one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, has announced an investment of over USD33 million in Brazil to expand the capacity of its plant in Fortaleza to meet the growing demand for innovative and sustainable packaging.
The expansion, which includes the installation of a new corrugator, will significantly extend the plant’s Shelf Ready Packaging capability for FMCG customers in a range of sectors including fresh fruit, home appliances and pharmaceuticals. Several high-end printers will also be installed to provide the high level of precision and quality that is required for eCommerce packaging.
(SMURFIT KAPPA)
2022/01
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Runtech, established in 1997 as Runtech Systems Oy and a part of The Gardner Denver Industrials Group which is a leading global provider of air compression and vacuum products, announced that it delivers a RunEco vacuum system to Kıvanç Tekstil greenfield paper mill in Adana, Turkey.
RunEco system will provide vacuum for the new containerboard machine PM1 with design speed of 1,200 m/min and trim width of 6,600 mm. The delivery consists of several EP650 Turbo Blowers and EcoDrop water separators. The start-up of PM 1 is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023. Kıvanç Tekstil, founded in the early 1950s, is an integrated woven fabric producer in Adana, Turkey.
(GARDNER DENVER)
2022/01
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ProJet BV, headquartered in the Netherlands, a company with many years experience in the paper, board, tissue and nonwovens industries, announced that it received the first major order of 2022 from Natron-Hayat ; received and signed on the first business day of the New Year 2022. ProJet will deliver an undisclosed number of Dryer Fabric Cleaners and Press Felt Cleaners to Natron-Hayat in Maglaj, Bosnia-Hercegovina. Hayat’s PM4 produces Liner and Fluting, using 100% OCC. OCC is known for its extreme contamination on the Dryer Section, which is exactly the reason that Natron-Hayat chose ProJet. The equipment is scheduled to be delivered in Q2, ‘22 and installation & start-up later in 2022.
Natron-Hayat is a fully integrated unbleached pulp and paper mill producing various types of paper and paper packaging. The company was established in 2005 as the Joint venture of Natron Maglaj and Kastamonu Entegre, member of the Hayat Holding Group from Turkey.
(PRO-JET)
2022/01
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Andritz, headquartered in Graz (Austria), which is a globally leading supplier of the pulp and paper industry, announced that it has received a repeat order from Nine Dragons Paper Industries to supply third OCC line to Nine Dragons, China. The highly energy-saving stock preparation system will have a design capacity of 2,000 bdmt/d and will process 100% LOCC (Local Old Corrugated Container) for the production of high-quality packaging paper. Start-up is scheduled for the third quarter of 2023.
Nine Dragons Paper is part of the Nine Dragons Paper Group, an important global player in the pulp and paper industry with mills in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the United States. The group primarily produces linerboard, high-performance corrugating medium, coated duplex board, and printing and writing paper.
(ANDRITZ)
2022/01
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Stora Enso, headquartered in Helsinki (Finland), announced to invest EUR 23 million for increasing flexibility and capacity at the Varkaus containerboard mill. The Varkaus site produces unbleached softwood pulp and high-quality brown and white top containerboard for corrugated board, i.e. kraftliners. The investment will further increase the use of recycled fiber in the site. The annual production capacity of the packaging board site is 450,000 tons. Investment will be completed in the end of 2022.
(STORA ENSO)
2022/01
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Valmet, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, announced that it will supply an extensive paper machine grade conversion rebuild with an automation package to Model Paper Eilenburg in Germany.
In the project, the paper machine, which currently produces newsprint grades, will be rebuilt to produce lightweight, recycled containerboard grades. The board machine with a 10,050-mm-wide fabric will produce fluting and testliner grades with a basis weight range of 70 –120 g/m2. The design speed of the new parts will be 2,000 m/min with a daily capacity of approximately 2,000 tonnes. The start-up is scheduled for the beginning of 2024. Model Group, headquartered in Weinfelden, Switzerland, develops, produces, and supplies intelligent, innovative, and high-quality display and packaging solutions made of solid and corrugated cardboard.
