Valmet Corporation, the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation, and services for the pulp, paper, and energy industries, has announced the start up of Kotkamills’ rebuilt board machine 2 (BM2) in Finland, on July 22, 2016.

Valmet supplied key technology and automation package for the extensive paper machine grade conversion project. The printing paper (MFC) production line was converted to produce a range of folding boxboards and food service boards.

Valmet’s delivery included equipment for stock preparation, a new coating section with two layering curtain coating stations, a blade coating station with roll applications, a sizing section with film application, and all related coating air dryers. A wide scope of equipment for coating colour kitchen and machine circulation for sizing and coating was provided. The delivery also included a centre driven reel, a two drum compact winder, modernisation of dryer section, and calender.

An extensive automation package for BM2 included Valmet DNA machine and drive controls with integrated condition monitoring, and Valmet IQ quality management solution with QCS, several profilers, and web runnability monitoring and inspection system. Automation deliveries for the pulp mill and the Chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP) plant comprise of a number of analysers and measurements including optimising process controls for various process stages.

Markku Hämäläinen, chief executive officer of Kotkamills said, “Our BM2 is the first machine in the world to have the capability to produce dispersion barrier coatings directly on the machine, producing barrier boards that can be recycled with normal paper waste due to having zero plastic content.”

Kotkamills Oy is a Finnish forest industry company with a long tradition of over 140 years in the business. (GK)