Full-line supplier Voith receives order from Shandong Huatai Paper to rebuild PM 11 for production of woodfree uncoated paper

In response to changing market demand, Shandong Huatai Paper decided to rebuild and modernize PM 11 in order to progressively convert newsprint production to high-quality graphic paper. The paper producer selected the full-line supplier Voith as a suitable partner. After the rebuild, the production line will have a significantly increased annual capacity of 520,000 tons at a design speed of 1,800 m/min. The rebuilt production plant, located in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, will start up in 2023.

"We are very pleased that Shandong Huatai Paper has chosen us again," says Hanson Zhao, Vice President Sales and Application Asia at Voith. "Our leading technologies, long-standing partnership and very good results were decisive in winning the order. After the paper machine rebuild, the system will be one of the most powerful of its kind in the world. With Voith's state-of-the-art solutions and outstanding service competence, Shandong Huatai Paper benefits from optimized plant production and paper quality."

"With the rebuild of PM 11, we are aiming for a stronger positioning in the segment of high-quality graphic paper," says Wei Lijun, Vice General Manager at Shandong Huatai Paper. "We are glad to have found a strong and reliable partner in Voith by our side. The order is another milestone in our successful business relationship."

With the help of leading Voith technologies, the annual capacity of PM 11 will be significantly increased. The tailor-made package enables state-of-the-art paper production, focusing on the efficiency, stability and reliability of the plant. In addition, the solutions ensure more sustainable production by minimizing the carbon footprint and reducing water and fiber consumption. Among other things, a new MasterJet Pro G headbox is used, which improves paper quality while enabling significant savings in energy costs. In addition, Voith experts are upgrading the forming section similar to the DuoFormer concept to achieve optimum formation and higher throughput. New ProRelease+ HighEnd boxes in the pre-dryer section guarantee improved web stability at high speeds. Futhermore, a SpeedSizer AT with its smooth film application will ensure even and high-quality paper profiles. In the after-dryer section, the efficient CombiDuoRun drying concept will be installed. The scope of supply also includes new automation solutions to efficiently upgrade the existing control systems.

Shandong Huatai Paper is one of the world's largest newsprint producers, with an annual production of 1.5 million tons. As a long-standing partner, the customer has already commissioned Voith with various orders for new plants. For the rebuild project of PM 10 to graphic paper, Shandong Huatai Paper also decided to work with Voith.