Valmet Press Felts: a history of performance and trust with UPM Paso de los Toros
At UPM’s Paso de los Toros mill in Uruguay, the pursuit of efficiency and stability in pulp production found a strategic ally: Valmet seamed press felts SMS and SMO.
Since the first delivery, the relationship between the two companies has been marked by close cooperation and strong commitment, with both teams working side by side to achieve consistent and outstanding results.
UPM’s decision to select Valmet press felts was based on three key aspects: Valmet’s global experience as one of the leading suppliers of clothing for pulp and paper machines, the availability of technical support, and a competitive commercial offering. This combination ensures not only high-quality products, but also expert support throughout the entire process.
“Valmet press felts have provided us with consistently long service life and excellent dimensional stability. We have built a strong working relationship with the Valmet team, both locally and globally. The technical support is especially valuable. Valmet has also implemented improvements in transportation and seam felt installation, always listening to suggestions from our production team to optimize each detail,” says Leonardo Bruno, Drying Area Supervisor at UPM Paso de los Toros.
In addition to their key role in the press section, Valmet press felts are designed to achieve high dewatering efficiency, contributing to lower energy consumption and improved final product quality. Their service life exceeds market standards, helping to reduce shutdowns and operational costs. This reliability supports more stable processes and smooth operation throughout the entire lifecycle of the product.
“Our relationship with UPM Paso de los Toros reflects what we strive for at Valmet - to be a reliable partner that delivers real value to our customers’ processes. Press felts are a critical component in pulp production, and our goal is to ensure performance, stability, and close support. We work to provide each customer with solutions that optimize their operations, always backed by a team ready to respond quickly and effectively.” explains Bastián Núñez, Sales Manager, Paper Machine Clothing at Valmet.
With solutions designed to maximize performance and a team committed to proximity and excellence, Valmet reinforces its position as a strategic partner for the pulp industry in Latin America.
About UPM Paso de los Toros
UPM Paso de los Toros is located in the Durazno region in central Uruguay and is UPM’s second pulp mill in the country. The mill started operations in 2023 and has a nominal production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes of eucalyptus pulp per year. It is currently the largest pulp mill in Uruguay.