Valmet’s OptiConcept M kraft making line successfully started up at Klabin’s Puma Project in Brazil

In 2019, Klabin decided to make the biggest investment in its 122-year history: Puma II project, which aims to produce 910 thousand tonnes of high-quality packaging paper annually in two paper machines. Besides the project’s giant size, a remarkable feature is that the kraftliner that is being produced in PM 27 uses 100 percent eucalyptus hardwood pulp. This disruptive innovation, which Klabin believes will strongly propel its future growth, goes against the traditional thinking that softwood pulp is required to make high-quality kraftliner.

“This project brings high efficiency, improved corrugators and printers runnability and recyclable packaging solutions to market. All challenges during this innovative project were solved fast by the Klabin and Valmet teams’ collaboration,” says Francisco César Razzolini, Industrial Technology, Innovation, Sustainability and Projects Director at Klabin.

In addition to the machine, the Valmet ́s deliveries in phase 1 of Puma II project include a new cooking and fiber line and operation simulators. The pulp technology delivery is the first reference for Valmet's new technology Continuous Cooking G3.

"Once more the companies are making history together with innovative projects such as PM 27 producing Eukaliner and the newest and most modern cooking system in the world. The machine start-up was really successful, and now we will continue working to reach the targeted paper machine performance, which is supported by several applications of Valmet Industrial Internet and a wide automation package," says Celso Tacla, President, Valmet South America.

Start-up work involved around 450 people in various places. During this period, a real-time integration system was used to dynamically manage the entire project progress wherever they were. In addition, advanced communication devices and remote support tools brought technology experts from Finland and Sweden into the job, ensuring high collaboration with the project team.

Technical information about the delivery
Valmet-supplied PM27 is a complete kraftliner paper production line with an extended scope of supply delivery, including a wide paper machine engineering package. The delivery consisted of equipment for stock preparation system and approach flow system as well as a complete multiply kraftliner machine (PM 27) from headbox to reel, followed by a winder with automated transfer rails and roll handling systems. The delivery also includes air systems for the machine, a hall ventilation system as well as a wet end chemical system and surface starch preparation and sizer supply systems.

The 9,000-mm wide (wire) machine is producing high quality kraftliner and white top liner grades with a design basis weight range of 80-200 g/m2. The design speed of the machine is 1,200 m/min and the design daily capacity 1,555 tonnes.

The automation delivery included Valmet DNA automation system for process and machine controls and Valmet IQ quality management solution. The start-up and further optimization are supported by a large Valmet Industrial Internet package with Manufacturing Execution System (MES) as well as Valmet Paper Machine Clothing package for start-up for all machine clothing positions.

The cooking and fiber line deliveries included a complete cooking plant and fiber line with a capacity of 2000 ADt per day. The cooking plant features Valmet's next generation continuous cooking technology and includes ImpBin technology for steaming and impregnation of the wood chips. The new cooking features improve the flexibility and deliver optimized bleachability especially for eucalyptus based hard wood production.