(News from RISI) Brazilian tissue paper producer Sepac has started up its newest 35,000tpy tissue paper machine (PM) late in May.
The PM5 was acquired from German equipment supplier Voith in October 2013 and installed at Sepac’s sole 95,000tpy paper plant in the city of Mallet, Paraná state, southern Brazil.
The new equipment is designed to reach operating speeds of up to 2,000m/min, producing 100tpy of single and double ply toilet paper with basis weight between 15-19 g/m2.
Sepac’s administrative director, Renato Tyski Zapszalka, said: “We are currently operating five tissue machines which are working in rotation following our sales strategy.
“However, we expect to have every PM operating at 100% capacity – and thus sell all of our production – by the end of the year.”
Once all machines are running at full capacity, the company estimates a total tissue paper production of approximately 128,000tpy.
The PM5 project carried out at the Mallet plant also included the construction of an extra 21m2 of work space in the shed area, the expansion of the site’s water treatment facility, a new plant for stock preparation as well as three new paper converting lines.
“Together, the three converting lines will meet the new PM’s output in order to cut, bundle and bale the paper rolls produced,” Zapszalka added.
The total investment in the venture was Real 180 million ($80 million).
