Valmet will deliver key pulp mill technology to Shandong Sun Paper’s new Yandian pulp mill in the Shandong province in China. Valmet’s delivery includes cooking and fiberline, a recovery boiler, and ash crystallization. The scope also includes analyzers and measurements for fiber line as well as an optimizer and safety related systems for the recovery boiler. The new mill will produce 600,000 tonnes of pulp per year and is scheduled to start up during the last quarter of 2026. The order is included in Valmet's orders received of the second quarter of 2025. The value of the order will not be disclosed.
Feldmuehle has implemented all necessary steps to maintain business operations during the preliminary proceedings. On 01.08.2025, the insolvency proceedings under self-administration commenced as planned. As in the preliminary self-administration proceedings, the management will continue to be responsible for all operational processes, including financial management, under the supervision of the court-appointed administrator Andreas Romey.
In response to rising demand for high-quality, fiber-based sustainable packaging, Sappi North America announced that it is delivering commercial product to customers following the completion of Project Elevate, the $500 million conversion and expansion of Paper Machine No. 2 (PM2) at its Somerset Mill in Maine. Qualification processes are being completed with a number of customers, and production will ramp up to full volumes through 2026. The investment doubles PM2’s production capacity and strengthens Sappi’s position in sustainable packaging by transforming Somerset into one of the most advanced production sites for high-performance SBS (solid bleached sulfate) paperboard.
In 2022, full-line supplier Voith successfully commissioned a Compact Dispersion System in the stock preparation of PM 70 at Saica Paper in Nogent-sur-Seine followed in 2023 by a Compact Dispersion System for stock preparation on PM 60 at Saica Paper's Champblain site in Laveyron. Saica Paper, a reknown manufacturer of paper and cardboard packaging in Europe, has expressed high satisfaction with the modern and efficient technologies that optimize its production processes and increase product quality.
Lecta, a company specializing in the design and development of paper-based solutions for flexible packaging, is expanding its flagship Metalvac range with Metalvac Seal Oxygen Barrier— a new metallized barrier paper that meets the current industry demands for technical performance, industrial efficiency, and sustainability.
Mondi has expanded its portfolio with a high-performance digital printing solution, enabling customised, high-volume packaging following the acquisition of Schumacher Packaging’s Western European operations. Komsa, a distributor for digital infrastructure in Germany, has been using this option to print consecutive barcodes directly onto corrugated board packaging, without additional labels or manual labelling.
Hubei Gesalife Industry Co., Ltd. and international technology group Andritz have successfully commissioned Gesalife’s first Andritz neXline spunlace production line in a crosslapped configuration. Li Jun, Chairman of Gesalife, stated: “This new spunlace production line and the cooperation with Andritz marks a major leap forward for Gesalife. We look forward to leveraging this technology to support future innovation and growth.”
Valmet has received an order from Saica Group (Sociedad Anonima Industrias Celulosa Aragonsesa) to supply a biomass boiler and flue gas cleaning system for Saica Group’s plant in El Burgo de Ebro, Zaragoza, Spain. The order is included in Valmet’s orders received of the second quarter 2025. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The boiler plant is scheduled to be handed over to Saica at the end of 2026.
Södra posted a negative result for the second quarter of 2025. The result was strongly impacted by the current uncertain external environment combined with rapid currency fluctuations and continued high raw material prices.
ZELLCHEMING
From July 1 to 3, 2025, the Annual General Meeting of the ZELLCHEMING Association took place at the RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC) in Wiesbaden, coinciding with the ZELLCHEMING-Expo. At the General Meeting on July 2, 2025, Dr.-Ing. Frank P. Meltzer of Mercer Pulp Sales GmbH was elected as the new Chairman of the ZELLCHEMING Association. He succeeds Prof. Dr. Helga Zollner-Croll of the Munich University of Applied Sciences on a rotating basis. Dr.-Ing. Tiemo Arndt of Reflex GmbH & Co. KG was elected as Deputy Chairman. Carsten Melchert was confirmed as Treasurer.
With more than 1,000 installations worldwide on new and existing paper machines, Voith's Prevo solutions are the proven choice for efficient and safe tail threading within the paper machine. Voith has now launched a new, compact Prevo retrofit solution for the press section that addresses the limited installation space on some existing machines. Papermakers with smaller lines can now benefit from the tail threading solution that eliminates the need for manual intervention and thus makes the entire process safer, more reliable and more efficient.
The 38th International Exhibition for Fine and Speciality Chemicals has delivered a resounding success, proving that this industry thrives under pressure. Following a dynamic two-day run at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, the event generated significant impact at a pivotal moment for the global chemicals industry. A total of 424 key suppliers from 23 countries showcased their chemical substances, bespoke solutions and manufacturing services to an exceptionally engaged trade audience, bringing together around 7,000 industry professionals in productive networking and business discussions.