Bel Papyrus Ltd, a member of the Lebanese Boulos Group of Companies, Lagos,Nigeria, this past week reported that it concluded the purchase of a state-of-the-art tissue production line with an average production of 65 tpd from Toscotec, Italy. The new line will consolidate the company's position in the West African tissue market, raising total production capacity above 120 metric tpd. The new line integrates a new deinked pulp plant, also supplied by Toscotec, expected to come on-stream at the end of this year. With the new PM 3 line, installed within the Ogba compound, the company will become one of the largest and most advanced tissue producers in Africa.
Total cost of the project is financed by a combination of capital injection of $15 million from the shareholders and a $20 million term loan secured by Citibank. The loan to the company is guaranteed by the Overseas Private investment Corp. (OPIC) from the U.S. Government.
The Boulos group was established in 1936 by George Boulos and his sons Antoine and Gabriel, and by 1980 established a large capacity manufacturing plant for Suzuki motorcycles. In 1986, the group established Bel Papyrus and bought its first paper recycling and tissue paper production from Toscotec. In 2004 Bel Papyrus bought a Toscotec Modulo line and increased capacity to 50 metric tpd. At the same time, the group established a tissue paper converting factory, Bel Impex, to produce a large array of tissue paper products utilizing European machinery.
With a current tissue converting capacity of 22.000 metric tpy coming from Toscotec machines, Bel Papyrus produces and distributes several products and brands of tissue papers. The range includes toilet, facial, pocket handkerchiefs, table napkins, and kitchen towels. The company also has launched its third-generation baby diaper "Rose Tenders," and is planning to start production of aluminum foil, cling film, wet wipes, and sanitary napkins in the near future.
The new Toscotec line includes an AHEAD 1.5S crescent former tissue machine with single-layer headbox, single press configuration, a steel yankee dryer (TT SYD 12FT), machine auxiliaries, stock preparation plant for virgin pulp and for recycled paper including deinking cells, two-loop washer system, a hot dispersion system, and the electrification starting from medium voltage cabinets and control system.
The supply contract also includes: a steam generator, air compressors, a three-unwind-stand tissue slitter rewinder (TT WIND-P) with calendering station, and a jumbo reel wrapping machine. The machine design speed is 1,800 m/min, with a net web width of 2,850 mm. The project will be managed by Toscotec on an EPC basis.
TAPPI
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