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

ipw news

Valmet has completed the acquisition of Körber’s Business Area Tissue, provider of process technologies and related services for converting tissue jumbo reels into final tissue products. The closing of the transaction follows the agreement that was announced in July.

International technology group Andritz has signed an agreement with Flowserve Corporation based in Texas, USA, to take over its NAF AB business. NAF AB engineers, designs and builds Flowserve’s NAF control valve portfolio. It is a supplier with long-standing experience in providing process control valves for pulp and paper and other related industries. With 50 employees at the facility in Linköping, Sweden, it has been a successful provider of process control valves for more than 100 years.

UPM Raflatac has achieved global approvals for its OptiCut™ Direct Thermal (DT) Linerless RL50 on Star Micronics mC-Label3 printers. These approvals further expand the label materials' proven performance in the hospitality environment. Extensive testing and approval processes have confirmed the exceptional efficiency and performance of the mC-Label3 printers when paired with OptiCut label materials. This synergy brings tangible benefits to quick service and fast casual kitchens, as well as other types of businesses in the hospitality sector.

As the end of the year approaches, the production of the forever-chemicals PFAS is also coming to an end. These have played a significant role in the paper industry, especially in the production of greaseproof papers.

Recently, Sun Paper's two state-of-the-art packaging paper machines PM 2 and PM 3 were successfully commissioned at the Nanning, China site within one month. PM 3 successfully passed the tests in only three weeks and achieved a record-breaking start-up time of only one hour from stock on wire to the first saleable paper roll.

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, has announced that its entire portfolio of kraft papers for packaging has been certified as home or industrially compostable¹. The certification underpins Mondi’s MAP2030 (Mondi Action Plan 2030) sustainability commitment to make 100% of its packaging and paper products reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025, ensuring a sustainable end-of-life for all paper and packaging products.

Valmet and Metsä Group are jointly developing a comprehensive operating model to ensure sustainability in technology and maintenance investments. The model will address various aspects of sustainability related to the environment, social responsibility and governance (ESG). It will be used to verify the sustainability of the process technology projects delivered by Valmet to Metsä Group and the related supply chains. Valmet and Metsä Group have set up a joint working group to develop and deploy the sustainability model. The goal is to adopt the model by 2027.

Toscotec started up a packaging paper machine at Cartiera Pirinoli after the complete rebuild of the press section at their Roccavione facility in Italy. Toscotec installed a first nip with double felted press roll and a second nip with a Voith NipcoFlex shoe press designed for a maximum load of 1,600 kN/m. The project also included a fully automatic tail feeding system, felt runs, showers, rolls, doctors, as well as guide and stretcher systems.

A global packaging and paper manufacturer has commissioned Voith to rebuild its production line into a state-of-the-art production facility for recycled packaging papers. Commissioning of the rebuilt production line is scheduled for 2025. Voith will deliver a customized solution that includes a resource-saving BlueLine stock preparation system, the rebuild of the existing machine into an efficient XcelLine paper machine, as well as comprehensive service agreements and a fabrics package. The project also involves the technologically complex rebuild of the existing winder for processing packaging papers.

bio-fibre news

On November 6, 2023, Södra and its collaboration partner Lenzing Group received the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) Award 2023 in the category "International Cooperation" for their joint achievements in textile recycling and circular economy.

Wood fiber insulation board manufacturer Gutex has successfully produced first fibers with its new Andritz fiber preparation system in Eschbach, Germany. This is the second system Andritz has delivered to Gutex. Oliver Bauch, Plant Manager, Gutex, says: “The new line will perfectly support the environmentally friendly production approach for our ecological insulation board products. Thanks to the excellent cooperation and the great effort of the whole Andritz team we were able to produce first fibers even ahead of schedule.”

Valmet will supply a biomass plant to Göteborg Energi AB in Gothenburg, Sweden. Göteborg Energi is building a new plant to produce energy and district heat from renewable and recovered sources by 2025. The order will be included in Valmet’s orders received of the fourth quarter 2023. The value of the order will not be disclosed.