Heinzel Group entrusts ANDRITZ with paper machine conversion for sustainable packaging paper production at Steyrermühl, Austria

International technology group ANDRITZ will convert the idled paper machine PM3 at Steyrermühl mill in Austria to produce kraft papers for sustainable flexible packaging. The machine previously produced graphic paper for UPM. The conversion project has been launched by the Heinzel Group, which will take over the Steyrermühl mill from UPM by January 1, 2024.

Once rebuilt by ANDRITZ, the paper machine (then PM6) will produce up to 150,000 tons of brown and white low-basis weight kraft paper per year to be sold under the Heinzel Group’s well-established StarKraft brand. The paper will be used for shopper bags, pouches, and other flexible packaging products.

Werner Hartmann, COO of Heinzel Pöls, says: “With this investment, StarKraft will become one of the world’s leading brands for bleached and unbleached kraft paper. ANDRITZ PrimeLine technology is already successfully operating at our Pöls and Laakirchen mills. The current rebuild by ANDRITZ will help us expand our product portfolio for sustainable packaging.”

PM6 at Steyrermühl will use an innovative ANDRITZ gap forming concept to produce bleached and unbleached calendered kraft paper grades. It is based on a unique headbox and shoe-blade gapformer combination. Together with an ANDRITZ PrimePress X shoe press and an upgrade of the existing steam and condensate system, it will achieve significant energy savings while producing high-quality end products.

The production of such kraft paper usually requires a Fourdrinier former. The PM6 gapformer rebuild will instead feature a new, unique concept that is based on the single-shoe setup of the PrimeForm TW: this fully adjustable shoe-blade gapformer (perfect for paper strength development and outstanding dewatering performance) enables crucial, grade-specific paper properties and will be combined with a PrimeFlow AT headbox with dilution control for excellent cross profiles. This concept was successfully proven in pilot trials during the sales phase.

A state-of-the-art PrimeCal Soft calender will replace an existing multinip calender to meet required optimum paper surface qualities in the future.

The PM6 will have a design speed of 1,500 m/min and a paper width at the reel of 6,300 mm. ANDRITZ’s scope of supply includes in addition upgrades of the stock preparation, approach flow, and broke handling systems as well as extensive upgrades of the automation systems (DCS, QCS, MMD), detail engineering packages, and mechanical erection. In addition, the existing steam and condensate system will be redesigned and upgraded, which will contribute to saving energy. Start-up of the rebuilt machine is scheduled for the beginning of 2024.

With its production companies Heinzel Pöls, Laakirchen Papier, Raubling Papier and Estonian Cell, the Austria-based Heinzel Group is one of the most important pulp and paper producers in Central and Eastern Europe. Heinzel and ANDRITZ look back on a long and successful business relationship. ANDRITZ converted the PM10 at Laakirchen and delivered Europe’s largest new MG paper machines (PM3 and PM2) to the Pöls mill.