ITALY
Lucart Group to add PM2 for France; cancels biomass
project
Lucart Group has decided to install a second paper machine (PM11) in its French
plant located in Troyes (Aube department in the Champagne-Ardennes region),
managed by the company Lucart France.
Lucart France plant is now running a 32,000 ton/yr paper machine. From the
beginning, a second machine was foreseen at the plant. Space has been left to
add the new machine alongside the first one (PM8), which will significantly
reduce the time required for installation, according to Lucart.
At the moment all paper produced in Troyes is converted on-site together with
jumbo reels coming from other plants of the Group. The new machine will make
35,000 tons/yr of paper. At the same time new converting machinery will be added
to handle its output. The suppliers of paper machine and converting lines are
now under selection.
Start-up of the paper machine is scheduled by the first half 2011.
Cancels biomass energy investment
Lucart has decided against investing in a new biomass energy plant at Decimo
in central Italy, blaming what it calls "the deterioration in the economic
climate and in particular the attitude of the local authorities mainly involved
in the sector“. The company had been working on the project for six years.
It notes that during its own planning and approval stage, several other European
paper companies have completed similar installations. Abandoning its own plans
will have damaging consequences for the Decimo plant, since the company will
be obliged to reorganise activities there and this will involve a reduction
in employment, which had been previously threatened.
Three years ago, Lucart says, it announced plans for an investment of €70
million at Decilmo, including the biomass plant, as part of its strategy of
developing ist Italian operations based on increased capacity in deinked pulp.
Without the biomass plant, however, the planned deinking expansion is no longer
feasible and this puts other aspects of the plant at risk.
"Already at that time it was clearly stated that failure to go ahead
with the biomass plant would lead to the removal from Lucca Province of this
production line, which is essential for the future of the enterprise.
“It is important to underline the fact that the company cannot continue to
maintain the same levels of production or employment in Italy without this installation,
with the result that production of deinked tissue has been transferred to Porcari
and France, the company goes on.
"Nonetheless, in the expectation of going ahead with the biomass plant,
the company has made sacrifices in order to maintain current employment levels
at the mill.
"After six years of preparation for the project, the problem of sludge
from the Diecimo and Porcari plants is still not resolved. This represents one
oft he main priorities facing the company. In this context, Lucart has decided
to install a new paper machine in France. When the new machine starts up, if
there is still no solution tot he sludge problem, it will have even greater
consequences for production and levels of employment in the Italian plants than
is currently the case.“
PEFC certification
In August Lucart Group obtained PEFC Chain of Custody certification (Programme
for Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) for the two Fato Professional
srl paper mills in the Provinces of Treviso and Venice. This international certification
completes the Group’s certification process carried out in the last three years
at Diecimo and Porcari paper mills in Italy and at Troyes and Laval-sur-Vologne
paper mills in France.
For further information on certification: www.pefc.org
CDM tissue mills' restart in doubt
Employee representatives are beginning to doubt that Italy's CDM Group, which
ceased tissue production several months ago in the face of financial problems,
will restart in the near term as had been negotiated with the local authorities.
In July, the local government announced that an agreement had been signed by
the authorities, representatives of the company's existing management, labour
bodies and members of the proposed new management company, CIM. The deal saw
CIM commit to leasing CDM's facilities and restarting production in the coming
months, employing the same staff members currently tied to the group.
However, the employees at the plant have thus far received no news, besides
approval from the local government to seek loans on favourable terms from local
banks in anticipation of ‘cassa integrazione' payments, which are supplied by
the Italian government to employees whose companies are forced to take downtime
for economic reasons.
The CDM Group and CIM have thus far been unable to clarify when or if production
will restart at the plants.
The group owns two tissue mills: Cartiera della Madonnina in Lucca, which
can produce 20,000 tons/yr; and the 30,000 ton/yr Villanovetta mill in northwest
Italy.
News from RISI(www.risiinfo.com)
Perini receives K-C supplier award
Fabio Perini SpA has received the 2009 supplier recognition award for
its innovative solutions and outstanding commitment to quality and service
from Kimberly-Clark Corporation. For more than 25 years Perini has provided
equipment to Kimberly-Clark all over the world.
According to Perini, in 2007 Kimberly-Clark engaged the Italian company
in “a joint development to commercialize a first-ever rolled products rewinding
technology that provided the benefits of both surface driven and centre
driven technologies. The requirement was for an all-in-one machine that
operated at throughput rates in excess of current industry benchmarks. “The
development of this machine greatly enhances K-C’s future flexibility, allowing
for more product forms at higher rates of operation than ever before,” Perini
reports.
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Supplier Recognition Award 2009 from Kimberly-Clark
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Sofidel orders Andritz re-evaporation system
International technology Group Andritz has received an order from Italy’s
Sofidel SpA to deliver a PrimeDry ReEvaporation system. Sofidel, headquartered
in Porcari, is one of the largest tissue producers in Europe, focusing on toilet
paper, napkins, and disposable tablecloths. Start-up of the ReEvaporation system
is scheduled for mid-2010.
The Andritz Pulp & Paper ReEvaporation system uses the waste heat from
paper production and feeds it back to the production process; the heated condensate
is recirculated to the drying cylinder (Yankee) as steam. As a result, steam
savings of up to 30% can be achieved in the drying process; the PrimeDry ReEvaporation
system for Sofidel has a steam saving capacity of 1,600 kg/hr.
FRANCE
Toilet roll cores in paper sculptures
Junior Fritz Jacquet has been fascinated by paper from a very young age,
according to the publicity for his sculpted toilet roll masks. “He explores
and experiments with folding and crumpling techniques, innovating with his
fingers methods still undiscovered to create forms and craft poetic objects,
that visually enhance any surrounding. The origins of his unique technique
are still heavily inspired by the traditional art of origami, using only
one sheet of paper or, as with this collection of 40 masks, with toilet
roll cores.” The masks are sculpted by hand, then coated with shellac and
different pigments. Each mask can be fixed on a flexible metal stalk, 10
to 100 cm long, and a black steel foot measuring 9x9 cm.
For more information:
www.juniorfritzjacquet.com;
contact@juniorfritzjacquet.com
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ROMANIA
Pehart Tec plans further expansion in Romania
Romanian tissue
production leader Pehart Tec is working on plans to add 1-2 new converting
lines. The company has already installed a new CMG converting line (start-up
April 2009) at its 60,000 ton/yr tissue mill in Petresti, Alba County, some
300km from Bucharest.
The company has called for tenders and is talking to suppliers from Europe
but also Taiwan, according to a spokesman. A decision is expected before
the end of the year.
Three months ago the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
took a 25% share in Pehart Tec. This reinforces the company’s financial ratings,
making it easier to proceed with its plans for development.
Earlier this year, the company started a 33,000 ton/yr Toscotec machine
at the mill. Another plan is to install in the mill a gas turbine covering
hot air demand of both tissue machines (PM7 and PM6) taking into account
also the fact that the Toscotec’s machine‘s hood ventilation system was designed
and delivered to be connected in a second step at a cogeneration unit.
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Two modern paper machines in the Pehart mill, including a Toscotec unit that started up in mid-2009. A feature article on the mill will appear in Tissue World January.
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FINLAND
New, soothing Serla Herbal Sensitive launched
Rounding out a range of speciality tissue products, Metsä Tissue has launched
a new, extra-gentle toilet tissue that combines ancient herbal remedies
with state-of-the-art environmental performance.
Containing vitamin B5, chamomile, sage, fennel, rosemary and witch hazel,
the herbal balsam in Serla Herbal Sensitive makes it softer, silkier and
extra-soothing on sensitive skin, the company says. The three-ply paper
is durable and made of recycled fibre. The product has been awarded the
Nordic Swan label.
“Serla Herbal Sensitive is a completely new type of product on our tissue
shelves. It caters for consumers who value their well-being and demand superior
quality and comfort, without sacrificing naturalness and environmental friendliness,”
says Brand Director Markus Reivala.
Serla Herbal Sensitive is sold in eight-roll packages, priced at €3.70-4
each. The product has been available at retail outlets across Finland since
September.
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Serla super soft tissue with herbal additives.
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SWEDEN
Climate smart tissue launched in Scandinavia
SCA has launched toilet paper Edet Soft Eco and household paper Edet Cuisine
Eco in Sweden and Norway. They are made from 100% recovered paper while
maintaining the luxurious feel of white, soft paper.
"We want today's environmentally conscious consumers to use environmentally
friendly paper without sacrificing the comfort of a soft paper," says
Camilla Smith, Brand manager for Edet in Scandinavia. Edet Soft Eco and
Edet Cuisine Eco are climate smarter alternatives for three reasons, the
company says:
The tissue is made from 100% recovered fibre, resulting in better resource
management.
The Edet Eco-range package consists entirely of bio plastics made from
corn. During its lifetime the material emits less carbon dioxide than petroleum-based
plastics.
The paper is locally produced at the mill in Lilla Edet, north of Gothenburg,
Sweden, close to the retailers in Sweden and Norway. Smaller sockets and
more paper on the rolls also mean less air to transport, more efficient
packing and lower carbon dioxide emissions during carriage.
The products are eco-labelled with Svanen, but live up to much higher
standards than that. In Norway the Edet Eco-range reaches retailers during
week 36, while they hit Swedish shops in week 41.
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New Edet products have been launched in
Sweden.
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SCA launches new Zewa tissue packs
Moe, Croco and Leo are the names of three new designs for Zewa tissue
cube boxes, making them more playful for children. The new packs will be
launched in the Adriatic countries, East and South East Europe in September.
SCA Packaging Innovation Centre came up with a range of new designs all
aiming at making the current cube tissue boxes more attractive. The designs
were submitted to various consumer tests throughout Europe. The animal design
came out as the most preferred one.
“We know that most kids do not like wiping their face. So the new box
will distract them from cleaning in a more interactive way.” thinks Urska
Hudnik, member of SCA’s product development team in Eastern Europe.
“This campaign ties in very well with SCA’s ambitions of ‘Hygiene Matters’
which is to create hygiene awareness and healthy habits at an early age.”
adds Juan Rossi, Product Development and Innovation Manager at SCA.
In September the cow ‘Moe’, the crocodile ‘Croco’ and lion ‘Leo’ designs
will be launched in the Adriatic countries, East and South East Europe.
But designs for a whole range of animals are already complete.
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Child-friendly
packs for new
SCA range.
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POLAND
Hanke Tissue starts up PMP Intelli-Jet V™ headbox
PMP has announced a successful and smooth completion of the replacement and
start-up of a new Intelli-Jet V™ hydraulic headbox for Hanke Tissue on 6 September
2009. The scope of supply covered a new hydraulic headbox, a new fan pump, complete
stock approach piping and design services for a stock preparation rebuild.
Hanke Tissue is a producer of high quality printed napkins, uni-colour napkins
and toilet, kitchen towels, handkerchiefs and tissue. Tissue and napkins are
manufactured in 30 different colours. All products are sold under the brand
'aha…‘ and a new exclusive brand Silver Square. Hanke Tissue sells its products
on the very demanding European market.
PMPoland supplied a single-layer Intelli-Jet V™ headbox and installed it on
the existing fourdrinier machine, PM1, which has a pondside width of 3.5 m and
a design speed of 800 m/min. The main goal of the project is quality improvements
in both basis weight and formation. The new headbox will also be designed to
increase capacity of the 12,000 t/yr machine by 20% by raising operating speed
from 650 m/min, with a significant improvement of basis weight profile and produced
quality tissue.
