Grupo Gondi, Mexico, has contracted Voith, Germany, to supply a new paper machine with an annual production capacity of 400,000 metric tons. The new paper machine will be located in a facility in Monterrey in Northern Mexico. Voith will supply the complete BlueLine stock preparation and XcelLine paper machine from wet end process to winder, which should minimize the number of interfaces for the customer and maximize the operating efficiency of the project. 

From early 2020, the new state-of-the-art PM 7 will operate at the new Papel y Empaques Monterrey (PEM) mill. The machine will have a working width of 6,660 mm at the reel and a design speed of 1,200 m/min to produce testliner and corrugated medium with basis weights in the range of 90 to 250 gsm.

"With the new paper machine, Grupo Gondi will strengthen its position in the Mexican market for high-performance, lightweight recycled containerboard. It will also enhance our integration levels since our converting capacity has risen in recent years as we have expanded converting plants and grown through acquisitions. Voith will supply an extended scope of services, including the stock preparation, the paper machine, supporting sub systems, and automation. Voith’s ability to deliver an advanced, full-line, state-of-the-art system was very important to us and we continue to work closely with our partners at WestRock in connection with project planning and execution," said Eduardo Posada, CEO at Grupo Gondi.

The XcelLine paper machine offers a range of special technical features that both improve the quality of the finished paper and reduce energy consumption. The scope of supply also includes a Tandem NipcoFlex Press, a TopFormer F, and an EcoCal calender. Moreover, PM 7 will be equipped with a VariFlex NG winder with an operational speed of 2,500 m/min, with MCS, DCS and QCS completing Voith’s scope of delivery. Voith will supply the project with an extended scope, including detailed engineering for process, automation, and electrical engineering.

In addition to the paper machine and the BlueLine stock preparation system, MERI, a Voith company, will supply the major sub-systems – material handling, internal water treatment, sludge handling, and reject handling. These systems are designed to lower operating costs while maintaining a clean and safe working environment.

Grupo Gondi is a leading paper packaging company in Mexico, strongly committed to its consumers, collaborators, investors, the environment, and Mexico – where, during the past 65 years it has positioned itself as one of the major players in the paper and packaging industry. WestRock Co., Atlanta, Ga., USA, a multinational provider of paper and packaging solutions for consumer and corrugated packaging markets, is a minority shareholder of Grupo Gondi.

Grupo Gondi is composed of 14 companies and a labor force of more than 7,500 employees. Thanks to its multi-plant approach, the company offers integral packing and packaging solutions, specializing in the production of recycled paper, corrugated cardboard boxes, pre-printed corrugated boxes and solid fiber containers, folding containers, micro-corrugated and digital cardboard boxes, as well as services that support the manufacture of these products.

Grupo Gondi relies on certified processes and international standards, which allow the company to offer high-quality products and services on the market, based on a vertical integration that comprises the manufacture of paper from 100% recycled fibers as well as the creation of consumables and tools that contribute to the manufacture of the final product. In addition, Grupo Gondi exports packaging products indirectly to over 189 countries, having presence in the five continents.