Toscotec (Italy) has been awarded a contract by Smurfit Kappa Cellulose du Pin in France to rebuild the entire dryer section of its 6m wire PM5 at Facture, Aquitaine, France.

Toscotec will rebuild the entire pre-dryer section of the machine, including 36 new TT SteelDryers with a diameter of 1.8 m, maintaining the same machine length of the existing 43 cast iron cans. The scope of supply includes 4 new TT Uniroll for the first battery. Toscotec will also rebuild the existing post-dryer section to improve the present design according to the new production rate, adding 2 new TT SteelDryers. The scope includes a rope-less tail threading system throughout the whole dryer section, an optimised tail transfer to the Film Press with a TT Ripper and TT Transfer (vacuum belt device) and an improved paper sheet transfer between press and dryer section. The main auxiliary systems will also be part of Toscotec’s scope, including the lubrication system, the hood with its air and ventilation system and the sheet stabilisation. The hall ventilation system will be also part of the package.

The PM5 produces White Top Kraft Liner with a reel trim of 5,500 mm. Toscotec’s rebuild will allow to increase machine speed up to approximately 900 m/min and will strengthen Smurfit Kappa’s position as the leading European supplier of White Top Kraft Liner. The supply is on a turnkey basis and includes engineering, erection, commissioning, start-up assistance and training.

This new rebuild reaffirms Toscotec as one of preferred partners for the Smurfit Kappa Group, with which Toscotec has been working for the past 10 years on several projects, in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Italy and Austria.

"It gives us great satisfaction to be selected for such an important rebuild project by Smurfit Kappa Cellulose du Pin. Thanks to the increased efficiency of the overall drying process, PM5 will significantly boost its capacity, and deliver actual energy savings, thereby cutting the mill’s energy bill" said Fabrizio Charrier, Toscotec’s Area Sales Manager.

Bruno Tormen, Smurfit Kappa Cellulose du Pin’s Mill Manager said: "At Smurfit Kappa, we offer our customers constant, secure and reliable quality thanks to our unrivalled standards. Toscotec’s design met our targets in terms of the dryer section’s performance and machine production increase. The high level of customisation of their turnkey solution was one of the deciding factors for our choice, along with the significant advantages of TT SteelDryers".

The project is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020.