A smart move: Mondi SCP enhances operational efficiency with Valmet Calender Roll Cover CL-W
Mondi SCP was looking for an alternative solution to increase the lifetime of their calender roll covers. Valmet’s new Calender Roll Cover CL-W was a perfect match – at the first trial, the roll change interval was increased to fourfold.

Mondi SCP in Ružomberok is one of Mondi’s largest sites and is the biggest integrated pulp and paper mill in the Slovak Republic. Over the years, Mondi SCP and Valmet have built a strong track record of collaboration on both big and small improvements at the Ružomberok mill, fostering mutual understanding and trust. So when the opportunity arose to test Valmet’s new Calender Roll Cover CL-W, Mondi SCP welcomed it without hesitation.
"At Mondi SCP, we are continuously looking for ways to enhance operational efficiency and extend the lifecycle of our equipment. When Valmet introduced their new CL-W calender roll cover, we saw an opportunity to test a solution aligned with our commitment to operational excellence. The results were remarkable: the roll cover lifetime increased from one month to four months, with potential for even longer performance. Importantly, the paper profile quality remained consistently high throughout,” says Jaroslav Majer, Operation Manager at Mondi SCP.
Significant savings with increased roll cover lifetime
Valmet’s Calender Roll Cover CL-W was introduced in 2024. Its features include high wear resistance, load-speed durability and barring resistance. Due to the improvements in material technology, this cover type gives the longest regrinding intervals under the most difficult calendering conditions in soft and multinip calenders. In addition to graphical papers, it is suitable for specialty papers, as well as containerboard.
Extending the lifetime of our roll covers enhances operational excellence and reduces costs. Frequent roll changes, cargo handling and grinding had been resource-intensive. By significantly increasing grinding intervals, we’ve achieved substantial cost savings and also improved crane and staff availability for other tasks across the mill. This has contributed to more stable operations and fewer unplanned shutdowns, hence supporting our commitment to efficient production and continuous improvement,” Majer says.
Longer roll change intervals have also had an impact on maintenance planning at the mill.
“Previously, aligning roll exchanges with our scheduled shutdowns was a challenge. Thanks to the extended and more predictable lifetime of the new roll cover, we’ve significantly improved our maintenance planning. This enhanced predictability supports smoother operations and reduces disruption,” Majer says.
Valmet’s support is much appreciated
After installing the new Valmet Calender Roll Cover CL-W, the wearing resistance of the new cover technology led to faster wearing of the doctor blades.
“With Valmet’s support and optimising together, we were able to select new doctor blades and adjust the settings for long doctor blade running time. The cooperation has been very positive, and our questions have been quickly answered. I look forward to more improvements we can do together,” Majer says.
Valmet’s R&D team has advanced our top calender cover by integrating advanced polymer technology with cutting-edge material additives. The Valmet Calender Roll Cover CL-W now offers superior wear resistance, reducing profile wear and barring.
“On a high-performance production line using recycled furnish, the calender presented a roll cover bottleneck during extended running intervals. A solution was needed to address not only barring and wear resistance, but also cover cleanliness over significantly prolonged operation times. We were able to fulfill these demands by using the latest cover technology and doctoring know-how,” says Tatu Pitkänen, Global Technology Manager at Valmet.
Text: Marianne Valta