Bel Papyrus Starts up New Tissue Line at Nigerian Mill

Nigerian tissue producer Bel Papyrus Ltd, a member of the Boulos Group of Companies, has started up a new Toscotec (Italy) complete tissue production line at its Lagos, Nigeria, mill. The new Toscotec's line, with an average production of 23,000 metric tpy, includes an AHEAD-1.5S crescent former tissue machine with a single-layer headbox, a single press configuration, a steel yankee dryer (TT SYD-12FT), machine auxiliaries, a stock preparation plant for virgin pulp and for recycled paper (including deinking cells), a 2-loop washer system and a hot dispersion system, and the electrification starting from medium voltage cabinets and control system.

The supply contract also includes a steam generator, air compressors, and a three-unwind stand tissue slitter rewinder TT WIND-P with a calendering station and a jumbo reel wrapping machine. The machine design speed is 1,800 m/min. with a net web width of 2,850 mm. The project has been managed by Toscotec on an EPC (engineering and procurement) basis.

The new line, designed according to the Best Available Technology (BAT) for tissue production, will allow Bel Papyrus to guarantee its own requirements for the existing converting facilities and to consolidate its leading position in the West African tissue market (ECOWAS countries), raising the company’s total production capacity above 45,000 metric tpy.

"Besides the long term and successful cooperation between our companies, the decisional factor for choosing Toscotec once again for this challenging project," said Riad Baloukji, managing director of Boulos Group of companies, "was its vocation to provide ‘state-of-the-art’ equipment and realize complex ‘turn-key’ projects worldwide."

Bel Papyrus’ PM 1 (a sloped wire machine) and PM 2 (a MODULO Crescent former) were supplied by Toscotec in 1990 and 2004 respectively
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In addition to the above, Toscotec is currently studying on-site in Nigeria the layout of Paper Mill No. 4, expected to have a capacity of 28,000 metric tpy, and to start production in September 2015, which will further consolidate the position of the Group in tissue supply for the whole West African market, with a foreseen capacity of 75,000 metric tpy.