Pulp Paper & Logistics


INDUSTRY NEWS 7


More investment for Smurfit Kappa’s Roermond Paper Mill


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murfit Kappa is investing in its Roermond Paper Mill in the Netherlands to


meet growing demand for paper- based packaging The Roermond Paper Mill has made a series of upgrades to its PM1 line over the last two years, including rebuilding the winder, the press section, the drying section and the film press. The final enhancement, recently


completed, was to install a state- of-the-art shoe blade gap former, a rebuild of the approach flow system and an extension of the machine hall. The 5-metre wide PM1 can now produce 85-135gsm recycled fluting and testliner at a speed of 1,200 metres per minute. Speaking about the investment


Upgrade for Roermond mill’s PM1 line


in the mill, Laurent Sellier, operations chief of Smurfit Kappa Paper Europe, said: “The investment in the Roermond Paper Mill has significantly


strengthened its capabilities as a leading provider of lightweight recycled paper grades. “There has been a growing demand for paper-based


packaging as a sustainable alternative to plastic and it is used widely in both the eCommerce and retail sectors. “Through our Better Planet


Packaging initiative we’re looking to extend our range of innovative, sustainable solutions that have a positive impact on the environment.” Smurfit Kappa, which operates 350 production sites in 35 countries and last year had sales of €8.9 billion (US$10.0bn), sees the Roermond paper mill as a “shining example of sustainability”. An integrated steam re-use system, which optimises energy usage throughout the mill, is one of the latest sustainability developments the company has implemented.


Coated freesheet mill to be closed by Verso


Verso Corporation, a leading producer of speciality and graphic papers, packaging and pulp in North America, is closing its mill at Luke in Maryland. The closure is a result of


what Verso says is a decline in demand for the grades of coated freesheet paper produced at the 130-year-old mill, along with rising input costs, a significant influx of imports, and rising compliance costs and infrastructure challenges associated with recent environmental regulation changes. Verso’s coated freesheet


production capacity will be cut by about 450,000 tons a year, reducing total annual paper


production capacity to about 2.7 million tons. The closure will be completed by the end of June, and around 675 jobs will be lost. “It is unfortunate that we had


to make the decision to close the Luke Mill, but the continuing decline in demand for the grades of paper manufactured there left us no choice but to close this facility that has struggled with profitability for a number of years,” said Verso’s interim chief executive Leslie Lederer. “The company explored


the possibility of producing alternate grades of paper products but the conclusion remained the same – we could not achieve profitability at the mill in today’s market


environment. Consistently matching the supply of our graphic paper products with customer demand for these products, reducing our costs and rapidly diversifying our product portfolios into growing markets remain essential drivers for Verso’s long-term success, and we continue to vigorously pursue these objectives.” Most of the Luke Mill’s paper


grades are already qualified to be produced on other Verso paper machines, and the company is working to assure that all customer needs are met, according to Verso’s president of graphic and speciality papers Michael Weinhold. “Because Verso is continually


evaluating the best use of our highly flexible manufacturing system to assure we deliver the quality, reliability and value our customers depend on, our Luke Mill customers can remain confident in Verso’s ability to meet their needs now and in the future,” Weinhold said. “We will be working closely with our customers to assure they continue to receive the high quality products and exceptional service they have come to expect from Verso.” Verso operates six other mills in the US: at Jay, Maine; Duluth, Minnesota; Escanaba, Michigan; Quinnesec, Michigan; Stevens Point, Wisconsin; and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.


May/June 2019


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