After the rebuild, involving an investment of 25 billion yen, PM 6 will have a production capacity of 500 metric tpd. Startup of the rebuilt machine is scheduled for 2014.
PM 6, which was installed in 197, was damaged during the Great East Japan Earthquake, and it has become difficult to respond to recent needs for lightweight containerboard, the company says. Rengo thus decided to rebuild PM 6 "to ensure Marusan Paper Mfg.'s continued growth, to serve the current needs of the market, and to further improve product quality while striving to conserve energy and resources."
The rebuild will enhance the Rengo Group's containerboard supply system in the Eastern Japan region. It is also aimed at improving mid- and long-term performance by further strengthening the integrated production system from containerboard to corrugated packaging.
Marusan Paper Mfg. was forced to suspend operations for about three months immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 due to damage and the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. However, operations are currently proceeding as before, the company notes.
Rengo believes that the rebuild of PM 6 will contribute significantly to the region's reconstruction and revitalization through continuous industrial promotion in the company's local region of Minamisoma-shi and Fukushima, and by ensuring stable employment. The rebuild is eligible for the company relocation support subsidy for industrial recovery in Fukushima.
TAPPI
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