Valmet will supply a fine paper line for Ittihad International Investment L.L.C. in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The new greenfield production line (PM 1) with a wide automation package will be producing high-quality printing and writing paper grades for the growing domestic markets and the Middle East and North Africa region. The start-up of the machine is scheduled for the end of year 2018.
The order is included in Valmet's first quarter of 2017 orders received. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The value of an order of this type is typically around EUR 45-70 million.
The order was placed by China Light Industry International Engineering Co., Ltd, an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction work) company, which will be responsible for the complete turnkey delivery of the mill site.
"Ittihad enters the papermaking business for the first time with this new OptiConcept M machine. By guiding and supporting from the very beginning of the sales process, Valmet wanted to ease Ittihad in the complex investment puzzle. We were also able to display well our papermaking concept with good references. The OptiConcept M line enables high productivity and resource efficiency, excellent quality and low operating cost," says Antero Kunnari, Sales Director, Valmet.
Valmet's delivery includes a complete fine papermaking line from a stock preparation line and headbox to a reel followed by a parent roll cart and two winders. The delivery includes also a wide scope of automation. The selected technology and automation improve runnability, quality, and the cost, material and energy efficiency. It is possible to lower basis weight still maintaining stiffness and opacity, which results in raw material savings.
The 7,100 mm wide (wire) paper machine will produce uncoated woodfree paper (WFU) grades. The design speed of the machine will be 1,700 m/min with daily capacity of 1,200 tonnes.
Established in 2008, Ittihad International Investment group governs several companies in the Middle East. Ittihad Paper Mill (IPM) is the first printing and writing paper production facility in the area of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
