Metso Paper celebrates its 100th OptiReel order - which goes to Kruger Wayagamack

Published Mar 27, 2003 14.02.00 +2 GMT

Metso Paper started the development of new-generation reels at the end of the 1980s together with some large Finnish papermaking companies. Studies showed that use of the conventional POPE reeling method resulted in substantial annual production losses in the papermaking line.

The new-generation OptiReel minimizes production losses due to bottom and surface broke and web breaks, which can amount to as much as EUR 2 million per papermaking line when the traditional reeling method is used. OptiReel allows the production of larger machine rolls. Moreover, the reel has practically no speed limitation which contributes to higher production speed and capacity.

The first OptiReel was delivered in 1992 to UPM Kymmene's Jämsänkoski PM 6. It was an SC-A paper reel with a design running speed of 1,600 m/min. The development since then has been revolutionary. At UPM Kymmene's Kuusankoski mill, for example, the OptiReel of the new coater has a running speed of over 2,000 m/min, while the diameter of a full machine roll is nearly 4 meters and its mass more than 120 tons.

We can calculate that, with these 100 OptiReels, the world's paper industry has gained a production increase worth approximately EUR 470 million. The 100th OptiReel, which we are celebrating now, will be delivered to the Kruger Wayagamack mill in Quebec, Canada for a new on-machine LWC line starting up in October 2003.

In 1993, the OptiReel was chosen as the most significant industrial innovation of the year in Finland and it received an award from SITRA, the Finnish National Fund for Research and Development. In 1996, the OptiReel received the ORNAMO award for industrial design and in 1997 OptiReel was one of the finalists in the Pro Finnish Design Competition.

Metso Corporation is a global supplier of process industry machinery and systems, as well as know-how and aftermarket services. The Corporation's core businesses are fiber and paper technology (Metso Paper), rock and mineral processing (Metso Minerals) and automation and control technology (Metso Automation). In 2002, the net sales of Metso Corporation were EUR 4.7 billion and the personnel totaled approximately 28,500. Metso Corporation is listed on the Helsinki and New York Stock Exchanges.

Martti Tyrväinen Tel+358 400 845 914 e-mail: martti.tyrvainen@metso.com