Appleton, Wisconsin, USA /Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA 06 September 2018 -- Construction is well under way of Pratt Industries new Wapakoneta, Ohio, corrugated packaging mill, which includes a customized BlueLine stock preparation system from Voith. The stock preparation system is designed to handle approximately 425,000 tons of recycled fiber each year when the mill begins operation, planned for the second half of 2019.

As the stock preparation supplier, Voith will provide Pratt Industries with all elements of the system, including reliable material handling with automatic wire cutting, reject compactors, sludge handling, water clarification and effluent treatment. These elements are similar to a previous stock preparation system installation by Voith at the Pratt Industries mill in Valparaiso, Indiana.

"Pratt was very pleased with the Valparaiso installation and the equipment performance there. With those successes, as well as the service and aftermarket support we provide, Pratt was interested in working with us again at Wapakoneta," said Michael Hmielewski, Vice President of Project Sales, Stock Preparation, Voith Paper North America. "Now we are working beside them to continuously enhance our services based on the raw material quality fluctuations."

About Voith Paper

Voith Paper is a Group Division of Voith and the leading partner and pioneer in the paper industry. Through constant innovations, the technology group is continually optimizing the paper manufacturing process and paving the way for resource-saving production. Thanks to Papermaking 4.0, paper manufacturers can interconnect their equipment in an optimum way and increase their competitiveness through the effective and secure use of generated data. With Servolution, Voith Paper offers its customers tailored service solutions for all sections of the production process.

About Voith

Voith is a global technology group. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, today Voith has more than 19,000 employees, sales of $4.7 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide, and is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe. For more information, visit www.voith.com.

About Pratt Industries

Pratt Industries is America's 5th largest corrugated box manufacturer and the world's largest, privately-held 100% recycled paper and packaging company, with more than 7,300 highly-skilled green-collar employees dedicated to the environment and sustainability.

Pratt was founded in the USA some 25 years ago and since then has shown dramatic growth, with more than 100 facilities in 27 states.

The Georgia-based company operates an extensive Recycling Division to supply four of the most modern, cost-effective containerboard mills in the country at our corporate headquarters in Conyers, Georgia and its sister mills in Staten Island, New York, Shreveport, Louisiana, and in Valparaiso, Indiana. Pratt has been honored by environmental leaders such as former Vice President Al Gore, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ted Turner, the Climate Group and Global Green for its recycling practices.