Metso-supplied corrugating medium production line is up and running at Nine Dragons Paper’s Taicang site in China

Published July 16, 2008 16.00.00 +2 GMT

Metso Paper supplied corrugating medium production line successfully started up in Nine Dragons Paper’s Taicang site, near Shanghai, on May 30, 2008. The 7.25-m-wide PM 21 production line is designed for a speed of 1,400 m/min and it produces corrugating medium with a basis weight of between 70 and 90 g/m2. The new production line was the first lightweight containerboard line in China. Lightweight fluting enables manufacturing of microflute products, which are environmentally friendly as less raw material is needed to produce boxes.

In addition to the board machine, Metso also supplied an OCC (old corrugated container) recycled fiber line, auxiliary equipment and a Sensodec runnability monitoring system for the machine, as well as on-site services.

PM 21 uses the latest ValFormer shoe blade forming technology, which improves the quality properties of the board and the machine runnability. The press section is a SymPress B type with high dryness capacity for high speeds. The drying section is a full single-tier SymRun dryer concept, which ensures excellent runnability, due to the fully supported sheet run with a HiRun runnability system and VacRolls. The machine includes a ValSizer film size press and a ValReel reel.

Installation started at the end of October 2007. Tommi Reinikka, Site Manager, values the occupational safety at the site, which was a top priority. “The installation was concluded safely, without any personal injuries or equipment damage,” he says. The good relationships and efficient co-operation established between the customer and the various equipment suppliers played a major role in the project. “It was the efficient co-operation we had with the customer that enabled us to reach the targets," points out Project Manager Jouko Luoma.

Established in 1995, and listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2006, Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited is the largest producer of containerboard products in China and one of the largest in the world in terms of capacity. The Group's paper machines are currently located in two locations in China – Dongguan in Guangdong Province and Taicang in Jiangsu Province. The Dongguan site produces linerboard, high performance corrugating medium and coated duplex board, while the Taicang site produces linerboard and high performance corrugating medium. Nine Dragons Paper's third and fourth production bases in Chongqing and Tianjin will commence production in mid-2008 and 2009 respectively.

Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2007 net sales of over EUR 6 billion. Its over 27,000 employees in approximately 50 countries serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries. www.metso.com

For more information, please contact: Jouko Luoma, Project Manager Paper and Board business line, Metso Paper jouko.luoma@metso.com, tel. +358 (0)40 558 6971

Juha S. Kinnunen, Paper Technology Manager Paper and Board business line, Metso Paper juha.s.kinnunen@metso.com, tel. +358 (0)40 724 1743