DS Smith and Valmet team up for maintenance excellence
As board and paper makers know, well-planned maintenance is the key to maximizing the availability of any production line. To ensure a smooth start-up and a successful life for their Lucca mill’s brand-new Valmet-delivered containerboard machine, DS Smith turns to Valmet for maintenance expertise.
DS Smith, an International Paper company, is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging worldwide, and their Lucca Mill in Italy is the country’s leading containerboard producer. To further strengthen their position, DS Smith’s Lucca mill is currently installing a new containerboard machine PM 3 supplied by Valmet.
In 2024, DS Smith signed a multi-year maintenance agreement with Valmet, ensuring a smooth maintenance establishment for the PM 3 as well as developing well-planned maintenance operations for the entire mill.
We are confident that the maintenance agreement is exactly what we need. It will support us at Lucca mill in establishing maintenance operations for the new PM 3 and continue the development of maintenance for the entire mill. The agreement ensures committed support and access to technology and maintenance know-how, aligned with multidisciplinary teamwork and low operational risk,” says Massimo Basta, General Manager at Lucca Paper Mill.
Massimo Basta, General Manager at DS Smith Lucca Paper Mill, presenting at the DS Smith and Valmet project launch event in October
Working side by side for mutual goals
At the Lucca mill, DS Smith will operate two machines – one brand new and the other from the 1970’s with several upgrades along the way – creating a need for a wide variety of specialist skills. The maintenance agreement provides DS Smith with professional support in electrical, automation and instrument maintenance as well as maintenance management.
Valmet’s maintenance support team will be working daily side by side with DS Smith’s personnel. The team is headed by General Maintenance Manager Anssi Tuuri.
“I’m looking forward to start working with DS Smith’s local maintenance team. Together, we will develop the mill’s maintenance operations further and at the same time increase the machine efficiency to the desired level. I'm confident that the cooperation between Valmet's experienced team and customer's maintenance organization will lead to a successful result,” Anssi Tuuri says.
Valmet was selected as the maintenance partner for their technical expertise, experience of proven maintenance processes at customer mills around the world, and ability to meet the customer needs.
“Valmet is proud to be a trusted partner of DS Smith. We will utilize our know-how and the latest digital tools to enhance the overall efficiency of the production lines. Additionally, a key factor for success is collaboration: by working together we will achieve the jointly set goals and optimize the maintenance operations of the mill,” says Timo Harjunpää, Director, Maintenance Development and Operations, Services at Valmet.
Image on the left: Stefano Simionato, Senior Sales Manager, Valmet (left) & Alessandro Rosellini, HR Manager at DS Smith Lucca Paper Mill (right)
