Valmet to Build the United Kingdom's Largest Paper Mill

Valmet to Build UK's Largest Paper Mill Valmet will make a major delivery to Eren Kağıt's Shotton Paper Mill in the United Kingdom, including an OCC, pulp preparation and corrugated cardboard line. The mill will be the largest and most technologically advanced paper mill in the UK. The mill is targeted to start operation in 2024. Valmet became the choice for Eren Kağıt's new mill in the United Kingdom with its state-of-the-art products. For Shotton Mill Limited, which Eren Kağıt completed purchasing last year, the company has agreed with Valmet on an Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), pulp preparation and corrugated box cardboard line that also includes comprehensive automation systems, Industrial Internet solutions and service offerings. The new corrugated cardboard production line (PM3) will produce high-quality testliner and fluting and will use 100 percent recycled cardboard. PM3 is planned to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2024. Hamdullah Eren, Chairman of Eren Kağıt/Modern Karton: "The new paper machine at Shotton will make our paper mill the largest and most technologically advanced paper mill in the UK. We have selected a paper production line with high performance, high speed and higher production rates," he said. Mika Ollikainen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Valmet: "Our technical features, including the speed of the corrugated cardboard machine and production potential, were absolutely decisive factors for Eren Kağıt. Valmet's OptiAir high jet velocity air dryer provides significantly higher operability while the hard nip gluing press will increase the strength properties of the produced paper. All these arguments were supported by results obtained from references we provided to Eren Kağıt. Additionally, the OCC pulp line will be the largest line delivered by Valmet," he said.

UK's technologically most advanced paper mill

Valmet's delivery includes a new OCC pulp line with waste handling, pulp preparation and pulp feeding system and a high-speed corrugated cardboard machine. The OCC line has the latest technology product portfolio for superior cleanliness and strength. The line is equipped with two bale handling systems; two vertical cellulose lines; HC-high consistency, LC-low consistency and reverse cleaning; coarse screening, classification and LF-long fiber screening; LF-long fiber dispersion; and SF-short fiber and LF-long fiber grinding technology. In addition to the OCC pulp line, a high-speed corrugated machine from pulp chest to buffer and reel will be included in the order. An OptiFormer Gap forming unit with OptiFlo Layering Gap—two-layer pulp chest with shoe and blade press technology will be followed by an OptiPress Linear press section. An OptiRun single row dryer section will be equipped with an OptiDry Twin jet high-speed air drying unit to provide superior drying efficiency, excellent operability and improved feeding control. OptiSizer Hard hard nip gluing press will provide higher strength properties. To meet the machine's high capacity targets, a very high capacity OptiWin Pro two-roll reel machine equipped with OptiReel buffer winding and Dual Unwind dual buffer feeding will be installed. A general-purpose cardboard machine with OptiAir high humidity removal air chest as well as starch preparation, continuous surface glue preparation and an OptiSizer feeding system will also be included in the machine, along with the machine process ventilation system. For the automation section: Valmet DNA Automation System including process and machine controls, operability and condition monitoring, Valmet IQ Quality Control System, Valmet IQ Board Inspection System, Valmet IQ Board Monitoring System, Valmet Paper Lab—paper laboratory and Valmet Retention Measurement are included. Commissioning of the new paper machine and advanced optimization will be reinforced by a Performance Agreement in cooperation with Shotton Mill to support continuity of a successful startup curve. Production will also be remotely supported by Valmet Performance Center. Industrial Internet solutions such as advanced monitoring and predictive applications will complete optimization of paper machine operation. Valmet paper machine clothing-felt, spare parts and consumables package will also be included in the delivery. The cardboard machine with a width of 10,110 mm will produce testliner and fluting in the range of 70–135 g/m². The machine's design speed is 1,700 m/min and its annual capacity will be approximately 650,000 tons.