HELSINKI, Finland, March 23, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metso Paper will supply ITC Limited Paperboards & Specialty Papers Division in India with a rebuild of their Bhadrachalam mill PM 4 board machine, in Andhra Pradesh state. The project, which will improve end-product quality and process performance, will be ready in spring 2007. The value of the order is not disclosed.
The modernization of the PM 4, which was supplied by Metso in 1997, consists of two new headboxes and upgrades to its forming, press and coating sections. Also included in the delivery is Metso Paper's first new ValReel Plus reel, which offers improved reeling performance. Typically the value of this type of rebuild ranges from EUR 5 to 10 million.
The PM 4 produces cigarette board, folding box board and solid bleached sulphate grades. Started up in 1997, the machine has a wire width of 4.2 m and a design speed of 600 m/min.
The Bhadrachalam mill, which is the country's largest single location mill, produces close to 280,000 t/y of paper and board. The two other ITC mills producing specialty paper grades are Tribeni near Kolkata and Bollarum close to Hyderabad. Additionally, the Kovai unit near Coimbatore produces 80,000 t/y of recycled board.
Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2005 net sales of approximately EUR 4.2 billion. Its 22,000 employees in more than 50 countries serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries.