below please find a selection of the latest news from the world of pulp and paper.

ipw news

United Paper Public Company Limited has successfully started up an OCC (Old Corrugated Containers) line supplied by Andritz at its mill in Prachinburi, Thailand. This is the second OCC line from Andritz in operation at this mill. The new line – complete from pulping to the storage tower – has a capacity of 550 bdmt/d and processes a mixture of AOCC and LOCC for the production of high-quality linerboard grades.

Valmet will supply an Advantage DCT 100TS tissue production line to Papel San Francisco in Mexico. The new TM 10 machine will be installed at the company's mill in Mexicali and the start-up is planned for the second quarter 2025. The order was included in Valmet's orders received of the second quarter 2023. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

UPM Raflatac, global supplier of innovative and more sustainable self-adhesive paper and film products, has received a new certificate of validity from international assurance service provider, Dekra, for its Label Life service. This new certificate confers validity to the LCA calculation engine and the whole process of generating LCAs at scale. As a result, customers wanting to communicate their potential impact in the labeling value chain can now do so with increased assurance.

Sappi has joined forces with Xeikon in a developmental partnership. Sappi’s long-standing expertise in innovative, paper-based packaging solutions and Xeikon’s far-reaching knowledge of cross-sector digital printing applications and innovative ink technology ideally complemented each other in this collaborative venture. Together, the partners took an important step towards direct printing on paper-based materials and perfecting the recyclability of the resulting flexible packaging.

On August 13, Sichuan Huaqiao Fenghuang Paper successfully started up its highly efficient XcelLine packaging paper machine at the Guanghan site. Full-line supplier Voith delivered the entire line. The project set a new record for the fastest start-up of such a paper machine. Only six months passed from installation to successful start-up – two months ahead of schedule. The commissioning of the BlueLine OCC stock preparation system and the XcelLine paper machine took just four and five weeks, respectively.

Mondi is pleased to announce the expansion of its International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) and Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS) certified Performance Lab services to cater to the growing demands of eCommerce customers. Mondi's Performance Lab can now also test converted solutions such as MailerBAGs and corrugated boxes. Located in Ceské Budejovice, Czechia, the Mondi Performance Lab complements its eCommerce service offering for high-performance eCommerce packaging, from base material to converted solutions. The laboratory's state-of-the-art equipment simulates the typical impact of packed goods in each supply chain step.

In an effort to address prevalent supply chain uncertainties and to maintain the commercial viability of its Graphic Paper business, Sappi Europe will keep prices for its Woodfree Coated Paper grades stable at today’s level for the remainder of 2023.

Jarno Nymark (M.Sc. Eng.) has been appointed to the Andritz AG Executive Board as of October 1, 2023, assuming responsibility for the Pulp & Paper Business Area. Previously, the business area was led by Joachim Schönbeck for the capital business and Humbert Köfler for the service business. In the future, Joachim Schönbeck will focus on his role as President and CEO of Andritz, while Humbert Köfler will retire after 36 years with the company.

BW Packaging, Barry-Wehmiller’s global team of packaging professionals, is set to showcase new food and beverage packaging innovations in booth C-1800 at Pack Expo Las Vegas, held September 11 to 13. This year’s lineup includes new machines from well-known packaging brands in the industry, including Accraply, Angelus, Burt, Goldco, Graham + Sleevit, Hayssen, Hudson-Sharp, Pneumatic Scale, Symach, Thiele, Zepf and more.

Dr. Hans-Peter Sollinger, CEO of Voith Paper from 2005 to 2014, turns 70. In his more than 30 years of service at Voith, Sollinger played a key role in shaping the company and made a significant contribution to its success. “On behalf of Voith Paper, I would like to congratulate Hans-Peter Sollinger on his 70th birthday,” says Andreas Endters, current President & CEO Voith Paper. “As our former CEO, Mr. Sollinger had a massive impact not just on our organization but also on the people who worked with him. We would like to thank him most sincerely for his more than three decades of loyal service and wish him all the very best!”

Mondi has won the German Packaging Award 2023, which is awarded by the German Packaging Institute, in the category “material substitution" for Protector Bag ExpandForm. Developed in collaboration with Megaflex Schaumstoff, a family-owned manufacturer for flexible foams, mattresses and sleeping products, Protector Bag ExpandForm replaces the current plastic packaging for mattress rollpacking with a flexible and recyclable paper bag solution.

bio-fibre news

Greenply Industries Limited has successfully produced first fibers with its new high-performance pressurized refining system from Andritz at its MDF (medium-density fiberboard) production facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Sanidhya Mittal, Joint Managing Director, Greenply Industries Limited, says: “The pressurized refining system from Andritz is highly efficient and energy saving, which is in line with our environmentally friendly production process. We would like to thank Andritz and its team for their assistance during the installation and the high level of professionalism throughout the whole project.”