(News from RISI) – Cuba’s sole tissue paper producer Productos Sanitarios (Prosa) has completed in the last quarter of 2014 an investment to replace a suction press roll at its mill in Matanzas, on the north coast of the country.
The new equipment was supplied by Hergen and enabled Prosa to resume its regular production capacity of 7,000tpy in October of last year.
According to Hergen’s application engineer, Maicon Avancini, the previous press was damaged and prevented the mill from achieving full capacity during a few months of 2014.
He said: “The paper machine is now able to operate at 400 metres per minute again, which was the original speed designed for it.
“Total capacity produced in tonnes might vary according to the product which is being manufactured.”
In the past, state-owned Prosa had announced plans to increase capacity to 10,000tpy but that move has not taken yet, Hergen’s executive said.
“To increase output the company still needs to move on with several investments in this mill. Our supply only involved the replacement of an existent equipment.”
The facility currently produces toilet paper and napkins on a 15-23g/m² basis weight and is the only tissue producer in the country.
As industrial statistics about Cuban companies are not disclosed, there are few details on Prosa’s real capacity.
Local papers reported it can’t meet all the country’s demand and that’s why the country faced tissue paper shortage in early 2014.
