Sofidel, Italy, this week announced that the upgrade project at its Swedish Tissue site in Kisa, Sweden, have been concluded. The new and innovative converting plant is now fully operational with two active production lines: the first line is focused on toilet tissues, while the second line can produce both kitchen towels and toilet tissues. 

Works began in January 2014 and were completed in June, when the initial tests were carried out. This project was particularly challenging, Sofidel noted, as its implementation involved the diversion of the Kisa River by approximately 300 meters.

The plant is also distinguished for the extremely innovative choices made in terms of automation of the production process. By adapting techniques that have as yet been mainly used in the food and beverage sector, Sofidel developed an automatic reel conveying system process for the first time in its history, which transfers them between the paper mill and the converting plant, and the fully automated control system for the finished product—from the line ends to the loading bays via the warehouse. This choice has saved approximately 40% of the space.

The mill produces private label products intended for the Nordic markets, in particular Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway. Currently, the investment has required 25 new employees.

With more than 100 years since its establishment, Swedish Tissue represents a historical paper production site. The construction of the new converting plant is a significant indication of how important this production company is for Sofidel and demonstrates the company’s desire to strengthen its position in the Nordic countries.

The Sofidel Group, founded in 1966, has subsidiaries in 13 countries – Italy, Spain, Sweden, the U.K., Belgium, France, Croatia, Germany, Poland, Romania, Greece, Turkey, and the U.S.—with more than 5,200 employees. With a consolidated turnover of EUR 1,771 million (2014), Sofidel is the second ranking group in Europe in terms of production capacity in the tissue sector (1,050,000 metric tpy). It is the first company in the tissue sector to become a member of the WWF Climate Savers international program.

Swedish Tissue AB is a tissue company located in the Municipality of Kinda in Östergötland County, Sweden. Today, the company has a fully integrated tissue process that consists of the production of both parent reels and finished consumer products. There is a long history of papermaking on the site in Kisa, dating back to the 19th century when production of hand paper began in 1868. Since 2010 the company has been part of Sofidel. Swedish Tissue employs 165 people, has a turnover of EUR 82 million (2014), and has an annual production capacity of 56,000 metric tons (2014).