ESPOO, Finland -- Valmet upgrades the coating section of the board machine 5 at Stora Enso Imatra Mills, Tainionkoski in Finland. In addition to electric heated OptiDry Coat air dryers, the upgrade includes a drying capacity increase in the coating section, a new wire loop to the existing dryer group and automation. The upgrade will bring energy savings and reduce emissions.

The order was included in Valmet's orders received of the third quarter 2022. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The value of deliveries of this type is usually around EUR 5-8 million. The installations are planned to start in the fourth quarter 2023.

"The delivery helps the customer to take another step forward on their path to a CO₂ free future. By replacing the old gas heated dryers by modern electric heated air dryers, the customer can reduce energy consumption for the existing board grades and ensure higher production capacity. The new wire loop will create an additional draw point for the web and allows controlled operating in the modified area. This will bring more safety in tail threading and minimize oil leakages," says Kimmo Vehmas, Senior Mill Sales Manager, EMEA, Valmet.

The increasing energy prices and the uncertainty of natural gas availability are driving mills to convert from gas to electricity operation.

About the customer

Stora Enso Imatra mills in southeastern Finland was founded in 1935. It consists of two production units - Kaukopää and Tainionkoski - that produce pulp and consumer packaging board. The annual capacity is 1 200 000 tonnes of consumer packaging board, 1 300 000 tonnes of pulp and 455 000 tonnes of polymer coating. Imatra Mills is one of the largest mills producing consumer packaging board in the world, with over 90% of its production exported to Europe, Southeast Asia and other continents.

As part of the global bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world.