Valmet worker besides pilot paper machine

Pilot trials for secured investment decisions

Board and paper machine pilot trials: two pilot machines | from headbox to drying | for all paper and board grades

Looking to change up your production and want reliable results to support investment decisions?

Whether you are considering production line modernization to improve existing papermaking processes or investing in new production line we are talking about significant capital investments. To ensure right investment decisions, you should select solutions that you know to be well tested. Valmet offers extensive testing services at our Paper Technology Center in Jyväskylä, Finland, covering the entire board and paper machine processes.

Your R&D team is warmly welcome to join our experts in the pilot trials to develop the optimal configuration to support your papermaking demands also in the future.

Experience our Board and Paper pilot facility in Jyväskylä, Finland, where you can pilot and test latest paper machine technologies. The board and paper pilot facility has two pilot machines, machine sections from headbox to drying and it covers all paper and board grades. Our facilities allow you to run tests on a set up which mirrors that, which you have at your facilities, or alternatively the type of configuration you are looking to set up. We even encourage you to bring in your own base materials to ensure realistic testing results.

Flexible pilot concepts for different grades

Valmet Paper Technology Center in Jyväskylä, Finland, offers several configurations to serve your specific papermaking needs. Here are some examples of different pilot concepts of our two pilot machines:

Examples of innovations you can test at our board and paper machine pilot trials

OptiFlo Layering Fourdrinier headbox

OptiFlo Layering Fourdrinier tackles the board makers’ challenges in combining lower basis weights, faster speeds and higher ash contents resulting from the increased use of recycled fiber. This provides excellent layer coverage, considerably lower residual variation in basis weight as well as an excellent formation.

Aqua layering technology

This technology uses a thin water layer as a headbox wedge to stabilize layers while layers of stratified paper are being joined together. It prevents mixing of stock layers and also enables feeding of functional additives between the stock layers. Combine with OptiFlo Layering Fourdrinier and OptiFlo Layering Gap headboxes.

OptiFormer Gap with shoe blade

Novel gap forming technology OptiFormer Gap utilizes innovative shoe and blade technology to gain superior paper or board quality. The formation has beaten all other references.

Sleeve roll technology

The journey to innovate board and paper machine technology has led to the breakthrough known as Sleeve roll technology. This innovative technology redefines dewatering by harnessing the power of compression already in the forming section, reducing the need for energy-intensive vacuum methods that conventional forming technologies rely on.

Metal belt technology

Pressing with metal belt technology boosts production capacity by eliminating unsupported open draws. It also increases the dry content after the press by up to 6 % due to more effective water removal at the press nip and evaporation over the hot metal belt. Furthermore, it improves several end product qualities, such as strength and porosity.

Impingement drying

Revolutionary drying technologies for effective air drying.

Interested in pilot trials?

Interested in pilot trials?

We offer the opportunity to experiment and develop paper and board products and processes without having to put your own production on hold. Pilot trials are very cost-efficient compared to expensive tests in paper and board maker's own production.

Contact our pilot trial experts

Explore customer success stories, where pilot trials have played a significant role

WEIG KM 3: Reliable coating quality with OptiCoat Layer curtain coating station

Jun 16, 2025

In December 2024, WEIG Group’s latest investment in its KM 3 board machine, an OptiCoat Layer coating station, started up in Mayen, Germany. The curtain coating technology replaced an old air knife coater and has enhanced the quality of the board by improving coating coverage and reducing streakiness of the coating.

Mondi Ružomberok PM 19 – A complete delivery from OCC to board

Jun 7, 2023

Want to know the secret behind Mondi Ružomberok PM19's successful paper production? Check out this fascinating reference story that takes you behind the scenes of their new containerboard machine.

Palm Aalen PM 5 – a sustainable investment for the next 50 years

Oct 19, 2022

PM 5 at the Papierfabrik Palm Aalen-Neukochen site in Germany is the world’s widest high-capacity containerboard line. It is an investment for the next 50 years and has been producing high-quality and sellable board since the start-up in July, 2021.

Sappi Maastricht's rebuild for extremely good quality

Feb 28, 2020

Valmet’s unique three-layer headbox and metal belt calender have helped Sappi Maastricht Mill to produce outstandingly white and bulky board, with excellent printability and surface properties.

Sappi Maastricht: Extremely good quality with new 3-layer headbox and metal belt calender

Feb 11, 2020

Valmet’s unique three-layer headbox and metal belt calender have helped Sappi Maastricht to produce outstandingly white and bulky board, with excellent printability and surface properties.

Joining forces for innovation with SAICA El Burgo's new off-line coating machine

Dec 11, 2018

SAICA was aiming for improved quality, reduced costs, and responsible fiber use, but it found itself with innovative coated white top liner grades with better properties than they bargained for. This was a result of three partners – SAICA, Valmet and pigment supplier Omya – joining forces.

Propapier: Better strength with new hard nip sizer

Nov 30, 2018

With the new and innovative hard nip sizer, Propapier produces recycled liner and fluting grades with better strength properties and improved machine runnability.

High expectations met with Kruger's grade conversion rebuild

Aug 16, 2018

The interest in lightweight linerboard is on the rise in North America. In response, Kruger decided to let Valmet convert their newsprint machine to board machine.

Browse pilot trial related videos

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Reliable coating quality with OptiCoat Layer curtain coating station at WEIG KM 3

Jun 16, 2025

Watch the video and discover how WEIG Group invested in new coating technology and replaced an old air knife coater. In December 2024, their board machine KM 3 started up with new OptiCoat Layer coating station in Mayen, Germany. As a result the quality of the board has enhanced by improving coating coverage and reducing streakiness of the coating.

Pilot trials on finishing technology at Valmet Paper Technology Center in Järvenpää

Feb 25, 2025

Experience our Paper Technology Center in Järvenpää, Finland, where you can pilot and test latest finishing technologies. The pilot facility offers extensive pilot trials on finishing technology, covering all grades and different finishing technologies from sizing to reeling, winding, and runnability testing.

Innovation in Järvenpää Paper Technology Center: Hard nip sizing with curtain application

Oct 30, 2024

Watch the video to learn more about Valmet’s novel innovation OptiSizer Curtain. The most recent innovation in surface sizing, hard nip sizing with curtain application, was developed and tested in Valmet’s Paper Technology Center in Järvenpää. The results from the pilot machine have been exciting: the sizer can successfully run up to 1700 m/min.

Sizer pilot trial opportunities at Valmet Paper Technology Center

Sep 12, 2022

Experience our sizer pilot opportunities in Järvenpää, Finland, where you can pilot and test all the size application methods with your paper or board. The sizer pilot facility has been updated some time ago to be even better and to correspond more accurately to the mill environment.

Pilot trials at Valmet Paper Technology Center

Sep 12, 2022

Whether paper and board makers are looking to change their production or improve the efficiency of their existing process, it is a major capital investment decision that should never be taken lightly. To ensure peace of mind and investment security, investing in solutions that are known and tested is vital. This is the key to Valmet pilot trials – provide data to make secure investment decision – whether it is regards the technical concept, for example testing two alternative concepts, or raw m...

Board and Paper Pilot Trials at Valmet Paper Technology Center in Jyväskylä

Sep 12, 2022

Experience our Board and Paper pilot facility in Jyväskylä, Finland, where you can pilot and test latest paper machine technologies. The board and paper pilot facility has two pilot machines, machine sections from headbox to drying and it covers all paper and board grades.

Refiner pilot trials and sample analysis at the Valmet Fiber Technology Center

Aug 22, 2022

Pilot trials at Valmet’s Fiber Technology Center provide complete processes for pressurized ground wood (PGW), recycled fiber, stock preparation and pulp drying. Join us on a journey through the facility to conduct a virtual refiner pilot trial and sample analysis of your own.

Ready for the future changes with containerboard line - Virtual reference visit at Palm Aalen PM5

Oct 9, 2021

Dr. Wolfgan Palm, Managing Director and Owner, and Stephan Gruber, Managing Director, CTO, Papierfabrik Palm present a virtual reference visit to Papierfabrik Palm Aalen-Neukochen PM5: world's widest and very high-capacity containerboard making line with extensive services and mill-wide automation.

Explore our latest board and paper press releases

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