German Wepa Group has put two new paper machines into operation in Lille, France and Marsberg, Germany. With these, more than 40 new jobs have been created at the two locations combined.
In Lille, start-up took place at the beginning of August. Following successful optimisation steps, the machine was already capable of producing high-quality raw paper for making bathroom tissue and kitchen rolls after only a few days. The paper machine is equipped with the best technology that is currently on the market and produces around 35,000 tonnes of hygienic paper per year at a rate of 2,000 m/min.
This raises the overall production capacity of the WEPA location in Lille to a total of 92,000 tonnes per year, which will be marketed primarily in France and Benelux as bathroom tissue, kitchen rolls and cosmetic tissue.
The second machine, which is essentially identical in construction, could also be put into commission at its location in Marsberg, Germany. After an absolutely troublefree construction phase, the first parent rolls were produced on 27 October. With a production capacity of 32,000 tones, the plant will raise the location’s capacity to more than 125,000 tones of raw paper per year. This will be processed into bathroom tissue and paper towels predominantly for the German market.
“The construction of each paper machine in less than a year from the ground-breaking ceremony to starting operations is setting standards for the future. The excellent cooperation with our longterm machine supplier Toscotec as well as with all other suppliers is what made this milestone possible,” Walter Hirner, member of the WEPA Group’s board of directors on technology said.
