Increase in efficiency after Voith-modernization
Successful restart of Smurfit Kappa’s PM 1
Close collaboration is the prerequisite for a successful rebuild
Also the scheduling and coordination of the remaining project sub-phases like construction, electrical and piping works was achieved through close consultation between Smurfit Kappa and Voith. This close collaboration was the basic prerequisite for meeting the tight schedule. “For our company, this rebuild was of crucial importance,” says Jo Cox, Managing Director of Smurfit Kappa in Roermond, when discussing the magnitude of the project. “On the one hand, the timetable was very ambitious, and on the other, there were special challenges at the local construction site. When we were looking for a suitable partner we deliberately chose Voith because the company always responds in a very flexible and open manner to our concerns, even when work is already under way.”
The Voith team had only 47 days from shutdown of the old machine to startup following the rebuild. During this period almost all components of the PM 1 were replaced. The only items retained were the wire section with headbox and the reel. Voith had already integrated the latter into the PM 1 some years before. In addition, some parts of the dryer section, like the fabric cleaning device and cylinders, were re-used after conditioning. As a result, the costs of the rebuild could be reduced without compromising on performance and process reliability.
Precision work in a tight space
The limited space on site at Roermond turned out to be a further challenge for the project. The paper mill is located in an older, well-established industrial zone. It was not possible to enlarge the production hall, so the hydraulic unit for the NipcoFlex press had to be positioned in a basement with a clearance of just 1.8 m in places. Much like a made-to-measure suit, therefore, the individual segments of the unit were produced to fit within the space available and then had to be put together in the basement. Especially helpful for this process was a 3D scan of the PM 1 that had been produced previously.
Also the scheduling and coordination of the remaining project sub-phases like construction, electrical and piping works was achieved through close consultation between Smurfit Kappa and Voith. This close collaboration was the basic prerequisite for meeting the tight schedule. “For our company, this rebuild was of crucial importance,” says Jo Cox, Managing Director of Smurfit Kappa in Roermond, when discussing the magnitude of the project. “On the one hand, the timetable was very ambitious, and on the other, there were special challenges at the local construction site. When we were looking for a suitable partner we deliberately chose Voith because the company always responds in a very flexible and open manner to our concerns, even when work is already under way.”
The Voith team had only 47 days from shutdown of the old machine to startup following the rebuild. During this period almost all components of the PM 1 were replaced. The only items retained were the wire section with headbox and the reel. Voith had already integrated the latter into the PM 1 some years before. In addition, some parts of the dryer section, like the fabric cleaning device and cylinders, were re-used after conditioning. As a result, the costs of the rebuild could be reduced without compromising on performance and process reliability.
Precision work in a tight space
The limited space on site at Roermond turned out to be a further challenge for the project. The paper mill is located in an older, well-established industrial zone. It was not possible to enlarge the production hall, so the hydraulic unit for the NipcoFlex press had to be positioned in a basement with a clearance of just 1.8 m in places. Much like a made-to-measure suit, therefore, the individual segments of the unit were produced to fit within the space available and then had to be put together in the basement. Especially helpful for this process was a 3D scan of the PM 1 that had been produced previously.
After the machine was shut down on 1 February 2016, the critical phase of the rebuild began with the dismantling of the press and dryer section. Voith had already preassembled the dryer section and SpeedSizer with associated piping, which saved a considerable amount of time on site in Roermond. Delivery of these components had already started in December 2015.
Coordinated collaboration
Smurfit Kappa and Voith coordinated together numerous teams in various sub-phases. “Although in some cases there were people from up to 15 different countries on site, the collaboration went very smoothly and safely,” says Jo Cox appreciatively. This was reflected in the project progress, because despite the very narrow time window and the complexity of the job, Voith was able to hand over the machine exactly on schedule. This allowed Jo Cox to inform the Group Management of Smurfit Kappa earlier than expected about the start of production. “We have paper” simply said it all. The startup was very successful, with the machine producing the required A-grade paper after just two days.
Coordinated collaboration
Smurfit Kappa and Voith coordinated together numerous teams in various sub-phases. “Although in some cases there were people from up to 15 different countries on site, the collaboration went very smoothly and safely,” says Jo Cox appreciatively. This was reflected in the project progress, because despite the very narrow time window and the complexity of the job, Voith was able to hand over the machine exactly on schedule. This allowed Jo Cox to inform the Group Management of Smurfit Kappa earlier than expected about the start of production. “We have paper” simply said it all. The startup was very successful, with the machine producing the required A-grade paper after just two days.