Sun Paper, one of the leading papermakers in China, has successfully started up the first of two new kraft liner paper machines with an annual capacity of 800,000 metric tons at its location in Zoucheng. The right-hand machine (PM 31) and the left-hand machine (PM 32), were both supplied by Voith, Germany. The recent startup of PM 31 marked a milestone in China’s papermaking sector, as it is the first time that two different packaging paper machines have ever been installed in a single workshop.

With a production width of 6,660 mm and an operating speed of 1,200 m/min, the PM 31 produces cardboard paper in the basis weight range of 110 to 250 gsm.

With support from Voith, the project will help Sun Paper achieve high production efficiency, significant cost savings, and efficient fiber utilization during the manufacturing process.

With a production width of 6,660 mm and an operating speed of 1,200 m/min, PM 31 produces testliner in the basis weight range of 110 to 250 gsm. It employs cutting edge technology of the three-layer MasterJet headbox, the Tandem NipcoFlex shoe press, and the SpeedSizer, as well as the hard nip calender. The installation of PM 31 started in October 2015 and it became operational on July 10, 2016.

With a relentless effort and close cooperation of the special taskforces from Voith and Sun Paper, PM 31 achieved paper on the reel earlier than Sun Paper had anticipated. In addition, it took only 12 hours from stock on wire to paper on reel. And it only took one day to produce saleable paper. Moreover, Voith reports, PM 31 is running smoothly and stable after startup.

The left-hand machine PM 32 is expected to start up next Monday (Aug. 8, 2016). PM 32 adopts the advanced technology of "one headbox, two layers" with tandem NipcoFlex, surface sizing, and hard nip calender. It produces corrugating medium and testliner in the basis weight range of 90 to 140 gsm.

With a fourdrinier (top layer) and a DuoFormer D II (bottom layer), PM 32 can guarantee product quality at a high operating speed. In addition, PM 32 is the first paper machine to adopt the most advanced double layer headbox MasterJet Pro F/B2, which offers high efficiency, good formation, even basis weight, high paper strength, and stable quality for production of top-quality kraft liner paper of low basis weight.

Sun Paper, headquartered in Shandong Province, is a major paper manufacturer in China and one of the TOP 500 enterprises in the country, with total assets worth 28.8 billion yuan and an annual pulp and paper manufacturing capacity of 4.5 million metric tons.