Recently, Kotkamills Oy signed agreements totalling EUR 70 million on equipment deliveries for paper machine 2 to be upgraded in the summer of 2016. The deliveries will be divided between Valmet Paperikoneet Oy and Bellmer Vaahto Paper Machinery Oy.
This investment of more than EUR 100 million is aimed to convert the paper machine product from magazine paper to packaging boards. The capacity of the board machine will be 400,000 t/a, with the basis weight area of the end product being 150 – 500 g/m2. Primary products include a high-quality Nordic folding boxboard and recyclable barrier board for the food industry. By converting the paper machine product to packaging boards, Kotkamills Oy will secure its position as a globally significant manufacturer of forest industry products.
The new product includes the protection layers required to prevent grease, liquids or moisture from absorbing into the package. The versatility of the board is increased by its heat sealing capacity, cleanness, lightness and first-class printing surface. In the manufacturing process, special attention will be paid to the effective utilisation of wood raw material, and the minimisation of energy, bleaching chemicals and water consumption per each produced ton. A patent is pending for innovations associated with the manufacturing process.
The construction of the investment will be started at the beginning of 2016. Until then, Kotkamills Oy's paper machine 2 will produce high-bulk printing paper Solaris, the delivery of which will be continued normally until the end of the second quarter of 2016. The company will also increase its production volume of Absorbex laminating paper and Imprex products through new investments.
