Heidenheim, Germany, 11 August 2008 -- Oji Paper Co. Ltd. and Voith Paper have signed a contract for delivery and services of a woodfree coated paper production line. The PM 1 line will be installed in Nantong, China, in the Jiangsu province near Shanghai. Japan-based Oji Paper chose the location in part due to its close proximity to the harbor on the Yangtzi River. The 8200 mm wire-width machine, with a capacity of 400,000 tons/year, is scheduled for start in mid-2010.

Voith Paper will build the complete production line, from the stock preparation to the rewind – all designed according to the One Platform Concept (OPC). An off-machine coater with four blade coaters, two Janus off-line calenders, and two VariPlus winders are also part of the order. Additionally, the production line will be equipped with an extensive automation package, including machine control, process control, and quality control systems. As the single source supplier, Voith Paper will provide all auxiliary systems for the machines, as well as piping, tanks, pumps and instruments.

All equipment for Nantong PM 1 will be supplied from Voith Paper in Germany, Japan, and China. Oji Paper has selected to use Voith Paper’s Process Line Package (PLP) for the engineering, erection, commissioning, start-up and training process.

Voith Paper is a group division of Voith and one of the leading partners of the paper industry. More than one third of the world’s paper production is produced on Voith Paper machines. Voith's markets include the paper, energy, mobility, and service industries. Founded on 01 January 1867, Voith has a current workforce of 40,000, sales of EUR 4.2 billion, and more than 270 locations worldwide. It is one of the largest family-owned enterprises in Europe.