Andritz, Graz, Austria, has received an upgrade order from Sappi North America for a high-capacity debarking line and woodyard equipment to be installed at Sappi’s Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, Me., USA. The new line will further reduce wood losses and enhance the mill’s reliability and performance. Commissioning of the new line, which has a design capacity of 300 tons per hour of hardwood chips and 270 tons per hour of softwood chips, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2017. 

Andritz’s scope of supply includes upgrade of the log infeed, delivery of a new 38-meter-long debarking drum with energy-efficient steam deicing, an extra-large (XXL) HHQ-Chipper with Andritz TurnKnife and ChipperEKG condition monitoring systems, installation of a new scalping screen, and upgrade of the chip handling equipment. Andritz also will deliver an advanced automation and industrial Internet package, including optical systems for scanning wood, chips, and bark to optimize the debarking and chip production processes, as well as data acquisition and analysis tools to improve the mill’s operational performance.  

Andritz and Sappi North America have had a good business relationship for many years. Recently, Andritz completed a successful project to convert the Somerset Mill’s lime kiln from oil to gas firing, which resulted in significant savings in energy costs for the mill.