Sepac, Brazil, has started up its new 35,000 metric tpy Voith (Germany) tissue machine (PM 5) at its mill in Mallet, Paraná state, Brazil, according to a report by RISI, Brussels, Belgium. The new machine is designed to operate at a speed of up to 2,000 m/min, with a production capacity of 100 metric tpd of single- and double-ply toilet paper having basis weights between 15-19 gsm, the report notes.

Sepac is currently running five tissue machines in rotation, producing some 95,000 metric tpy of tissue. The plan, however, is to have all five machine operating at 100% of capacity by the end of this year, taking production up to around 128,000 metric tpy, according to the RISI report.   

Total investment in the expansion project at Mallet, including three new converting lines, expansion  of water treatment, and new stock preparation plant, was approximately Real 180 million ($80 million).