HELSINKI -- Valmet will supply a fine paper making line with stock preparation and an extensive scope of automation to Asia Symbol (Shandong) Pulp and Paper in Rizhao, Shandong province, China. The new high-capacity fine paper making line will be designed to produce top-quality woodfree uncoated paper (WFU) grades. The start-up of the new production line PM14 is scheduled for 2023.

The order was included in Valmet's orders received in the first quarter of 2022. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The total value of an order of this type and delivery scope is typically around EUR 80-100 million.

PM14 follows the long sequence of fine paper making lines delivered by Valmet to the RGE Group, Asia Symbol's parent company. PM13 in XinHui, announced in 2020, started up on March 27, 2022. Valmet-delivered PM12 was started up in XinHui in 2017 and PM11 in 2012. In addition, three other machines have been delivered to PT Riau Andalan in Indonesia.

"We chose Valmet to deliver Rizhao PM14 because of the excellent support and partnership we've had in the previous projects. We rely on both Valmet's and our team's experience and expertise to achieve another successful start-up together," says Steven Hung, Managing Director of Asia Symbol (Guangdong).

"The long-lasting cooperation between Asia Symbol and Valmet is seamless. The Asia Symbol's XinHui references have been operating reliably, and their performance is of world-class. Once again, we are building a world leading WFU line both in productivity and quality. Valmet's expertise supports Asia Symbol's strong know-how of the WFU production. Our technology suits these types of fast and wide machines," says Mika Ollikainen, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Board and Paper Mills, Paper business line, Valmet.

Technical information about Valmet's delivery

Rizhao PM 14 will be very similar to its predecessors (PM 11, PM 12, and PM 13). The delivery will include a high-speed fine paper making line from stock preparation to reel and winders with air systems and clothing for the whole machine line. The stock preparation delivery will include a Valmet TwinRoll Press for pulp mill dewatering; stock lines for softwood, hardwood and BCTMP (bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp); bale handling with automatic dewiring system; and broke, white water and approach flow systems.

The delivery will also include an OptiFlo Gap headbox and an OptiFormer Gap forming section with shoe and blade technology for the best paper quality, an OptiPress Linear press section with two shoe presses for excellent profiles and dewatering capacity, and OptiRun Single and Hybrid drying sections with Valmet HiRun Web Stabilizers to ensure runnability at high speeds.

The drying section will be followed by an OptiSizer Film surface sizer with a supply system and an air turn device, an OptiCalender Hard calender for finalizing the end quality, an OptiReel Center center-driven reel, transfer rails, and two OptiWin Drum two-drum winders. The delivery will also include runnability equipment and a closed hood for the paper machine.

The wide automation package includes Valmet DNA Automation System for process and sectional drive controls as well as runnability and condition monitoring and Valmet IQ Quality Control System. The delivery will also include paper machine clothing, spare parts and consumables.

The paper machine with a 9,350-mm-wide fabric will produce woodfree uncoated, offset and copying paper grades with the basis weight range of 50-120 g/m². The design speed of the machine will be 1,800 m/min.

About the customer Asia Symbol

Asia Symbol, established in China in 2002, is a leading producer of pulp and paper under the RGE (Royal Golden Eagle) Group. Using renewable fiber that is sourced responsibly, Asia Symbol has an annual production of 2.2 million tons of pulp, 600,000 tons of paper board, and 1.5 million tons of fine paper at its plants in Shandong (Rizhao) and Guangdong (XinHui) provinces in China. Its main products are BHKP, NBKP, liquid packaging board, high-grade ivory board, and uncoated woodfree printing and office paper.