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ipw news

Mondi has announced the approval of a €400 million investment in a new paper machine at its flagship Štetí mill in the Czech Republic. The investment forms part of the Group’s €1 billion expansionary capital investment programme to accelerate growth in sustainable packaging and will further strengthen Mondi’s leading position in the market.

MP hygiène has selected Toscotec for the supply of its second tissue line at Annonay mill in France. Scheduled for start-up in 2024, the new Ahead 2.2 (PM2) will be supplied on a turnkey basis. This is Toscotec’s second turnkey supply to MP hygiène, following PM1 that came online in 2012.

Walki has introduced a new recyclable material for non-food packaging that does not need demand separation of the coating prior to recycling. Traditionally, most paper-based packaging solutions are coated with polyethylene (PE). Some countries have considered these solutions to be recyclable if the plastic content is very low. With an increased demand from consumers, retailers, brand owners and e-commerce providers for fully recyclable packaging, Walki innovated a material that is recyclable without separating the coating.

At this year’s Fachpack in Nuremberg between 27 and 29 September, Sappi presented its latest products and solutions in the areas of flexible packaging papers, barrier papers, label papers, corrugated board papers and virgin fibre board. This year, the world’s leading manufacturer of packaging papers devoted a special focus to the barrier papers and label paper segments.

Cepi has unveiled the update of its European harmonised recyclability test method, developed in collaboration with actors from the entire paper value chain, including specialised testing laboratories. Essential to the project was the support of 4evergreen members, which over a 9-month period carried out a battery of tests that informed the improvements of the method and the development of three technical annexes. The method is particularly relevant to the paper packaging industry. Many paper packaging solutions already enjoy high recycling rates, but are also increasingly fulfilling new functionalities. These need to be considered by brand owners aiming to reach ever higher performance in terms of circularity and sustainability for their products.

Klabin has successfully started up a sulfuric acid plant supplied by Andritz at its Ortigueira/PR plant in Brazil. The plant is a world first and has the capacity to produce 150 tons of commercial-grade sulfuric acid per day from concentrated odorous gases and elemental sulfur. It serves the pulp lines at Klabin's Puma Unit and makes the site completely self-sufficient in sulfuric acid by recycling sulfur from the waste streams.

Toscotec launches TT Hydrogen Burner, a new generation of 100% hydrogen fueled burners designed and tested for Yankee hoods. Within the context of the energy transition from fossil-based to zero-carbon industrial operations, Toscotec developed this patented innovation to drive the conversion of paper manufacturing to clean energy. TT Hydrogen Burner is an in-line burner featuring precisely controlled combustion and two safe operation modes. In carbon-free mode it runs on 100% hydrogen; in carbon-reduction mode it is fueled by a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, where the percentage of hydrogen is accepted across a wide range.

Voith and Koehler Paper have built a successful business relationship over many years. As family-owned companies, both companies pursue long-term objectives and innovative drive. As a result, many projects have been successfully implemented, such as the pioneering production line 8 in Kehl. Now, next steps in the development partnership are planned with a focus on decarbonization. A key initiative will be to further optimize the energy efficiency of the Koehler plants. Under this partnership, the Voith-Koehler team will validate alternative energy sources that can serve as future heat sources. Among other things, the focus is on replacing fossil fuels with sustainable CO₂-neutral alternatives and retrofitting the production lines accordingly.

bio-fibre news

Valmet will deliver a chip washing and EVO defibrating machine system to VRG Dongwha MDF, a joint stock company in Vietnam. The order is included in Valmet’s orders received of the third quarter 2022. The delivery is planned for September 2023. The value of the order will not be disclosed. A project of this size and scope is typically valued at around EUR 3–6 million.

Stora Enso’s new production site for cross-laminated timber (CLT) in Ždírec, the Czech Republic, was inaugurated earlier in October. Following a EUR 79 million investment, the new CLT site is one of the most modern in the world, supporting Stora Enso’s strategy of growth within wooden building solutions. With the new site, Stora Enso’s CLT production capacity will grow substantially to meet the increasing demand for sustainable, cost-effective and renewable building materials.

The new Rauma pine sawmill of Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, was inaugurated on Monday, 10 October 2022. The sawmill was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sanna Marin with Ilkka Hämälä, Metsä Group’s President and CEO, and Jussi Linnaranta, Chair of the Board of Directors of Metsäliitto Cooperative. With a value of EUR 260 million, the Rauma pine sawmill is the largest ever sawmill investment in Finland. The investment decision was based on the strong growth in global demand for sustainably produced premium sawn timber.