It is the biggest investment in the mill's 300 year old history and Sappi said that it will create the world's largest papermaking machine producing one-side coated and machine glazed bleached kraft.
Rosemarie Asquino, Sappi Europe's sales and marketing director specialities, said: "Not only will it expand our capacity for producing high-demand speciality packaging materials, but it will reduce our environmental footprint and increase standards compliance."
The site's Papermaking Machine Two (PM2) will be converted from the production of coated wood-free graphic arts grade papers to the production of a wide range of speciality papers. The upgrade is expected to be operational by mid-October.
Asquino added: "This project certainly had its share of logistical challenges, not the least of which was the transport and installation of a 135-ton MG cylinder, 6.5 meters in diameter. This massive cylinder was moved from its manufacturing location in Karlstadt, Sweden, to the mill site with a combination of barges and trucks. Most of the transport was by sea and river, but it was moved the last kilometers by truck."
The installation of the cylinder, scheduled for mid-September, requires the use of one of Europe's largest cranes.? The crane itself weighs 1,200 tons and has a width of 80 meters and a height of 96 meters.? Sixty heavy-load transports are required just to move the crane to the mounting site.
According to Asquino, the move is a result of increased demand for speciality packaging paper. Meanwhile there has been a 6% decline in demand for graphic arts papers.
