Oji Papéis Especiais plan to increase thermal paper production capacity and strengthen competitiveness
OPE selects Valmet’s new off-machine coating machine. (Credit: Thanks for your Like • donations welcome from Pixabay)
Brazil-based Oji Papéis Especiais (OPE) has selected Valmet to supply new off-machine coating machine, PC4, to increase thermal paper production capacity.
The move is a part of OPE’s plan to boost its competitiveness globally, with focus on the Brazilian, South American and North American markets.
Valmet said that the PC4 off-machine coater will increase OPE’s thermal paper production capacity by 80%. It is scheduled to be commissioned in November 2021.
Oji Papéis Especiais industrial director Giovani Varella said: “Valmet’s curtain coating head is a coating application system with two simultaneous coating slides without contacting the paper and an optimum coating profile, and the low-energy consuming air dryers are highly efficient.
“The PC4 coater will also have the latest technology for distributed control system (DCS), the Valmet DNA automation system, as well as Valmet’s measurement and quality control systems (QCS). This new PC4 coater machine will position OPE among the world’s largest and most modern thermal paper mills.”
Valmet’s off-machine coater features OptiCoat Layer curtain coating station
Under the contract, Valmet will deliver off-machine coater featuring a new OptiCoat Layer curtain coating station to offer improved profiling and coverage even with thin layers.
The scope of contract includes supply of re-reeler, an OptiCalender Soft calender, an OptiReel Center reel and OptiDry Coat coating air dryers as well as supply system for the curtain coater unit.
Valmet said it plans to support the start-up and the optimisation of the new board machine remotely from Valmet Performance Center.
With a design speed of 1,200 m/min, the 4,200mm wide (reel) off-machine coater is equipped to produce thermal grades in the basis weight range of 44-55 g/m2.
Last year, Klabin, a large-scale paper producer, exporter and recycler in Brazil, has selected Valmet to supply a kraftliner machine (PM27), new fiberline, and a new continuous cooking and a pulp dryer rebuild.