Andritz MeWa, part of international technology Group Andritz, Graz, Austria, has received an order from Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel, based in Varel, Germany, to supply a processing line for pulper rags. Pulper rags are a very tightly entangled mechanical compound of metallic and non-metallic components formed during pulping of recovered paper or pulp in the vortex center of a pulper. 

Andritz MeWa will supply a two-stage process for treatment of the pulper rags. In the first section of the plant, the rags will be pre-shredded using the Universal Rotary Shear UC 1300. The slowly rotating, twin-shaft cutter unit is well suited for powerful and, at the same time, energy-saving pre-shredding of the stringy input material and is largely insensitive to potential impurities. 

In a second step, the material is shredded further in the UG 1000 S granulator. By using a replaceable screen with variable screen slot diameters, the customer is able to influence the throughput and the shred-ding result. At the end of the process, the metal fractions produced have a high purity level. The residual fraction is used as substitute fuel. 

The convincing results obtained in extensive material tests in the test center at Anditz MeWa’s headquarters in Gechingen, Germany, were decisive in placing the order with Andritz MeWa, in addition to the higher throughputs obtained compared with competitors’ equipment.

Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel was established in1947 and is a medium-sized, family-run company. With more than 500 employees at its location in Varel, the company produces 850,000 metric tpy of high-grade paper and board on four production lines as raw material for the packaging industry.