WEIG Introduces New Coating Line Concept to Enhance Board Quality, Sustainability, and Printing Results

The WEIG Group has taken a significant step in optimizing the quality of its board production. On December 11, 2024, a new coating line was successfully commissioned on the KM3 board machine at its Mayen facility. A modern curtain coater has replaced the previous pre-coating system, delivering a more uniform surface and enhanced print properties. An additional calender ensures optimized material characteristics.

Improved Efficiency and Higher Product Quality
The new coating line enhances surface quality and ensures consistent material structure. The curtain coater provides an even application with optimized coverage, reducing streaking and allowing for significantly improved printing results. Raster printing becomes cleaner, cloudiness and graying from varnishing are minimized, and lighter colors appear more vivid and defined.

Technical Specifications of the New Coating Line
The KM3 coating line in Mayen includes four key components:

• Reverse-Side Coating Unit (Reverse-Side Blade Coater): Binds fibers in the board and reduces dust formation.
• Calender: Smooths the raw board for optimal coating results.
• Pre-Coating Unit (Curtain Coater): Ensures even coverage, enhancing visual properties and whiteness.
• Top-Coating Unit (Blade Coater): Achieves the required smoothness and gloss.

This combination guarantees optimal printability of the board. Pigments in the pre-coating and top-coating layers play a critical role in determining the final whiteness level.

Customers benefit from consistent surface quality from WEIG's Mayen and Annweiler plants, along with enhanced processing efficiency. This advanced technology not only ensures consistently high board quality and increased production capacity but also meets the evolving demands of customers.

Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage
In addition to quality improvements, the modernization significantly contributes to sustainability. The new coating colors are formulated with a higher solids content, reducing drying energy requirements by up to 15%. This results in significantly reduced CO2 emissions, providing a clear advantage for customers striving to achieve ambitious sustainability targets. The advanced coating line supports WEIG's climate targets while reducing the company’s environmental footprint.

Efficient Project Execution
The project began on December 11, 2023, and, exactly one year later, the new coating line was operational. A total of 45 employees from project planning, plant engineering, production, and technology were involved in the successful, on-time implementation, which was completed without any disruptions to the supply chain.

Securing the Future for WEIG and Its Customers
“This technology represents a long-term enhancement in board quality, enabling us to offer tailored solutions for demanding packaging applications,” said Mario Nürenberg, Plant Manager in Mayen. “We combine high-quality standards with sustainable production to meet the increasing expectations of our customers in both areas.”

This modernization strengthens WEIG’s position as a reliable partner for sustainable packaging solutions and reinforces the company’s long-term market presence. Customers can rely on consistent quality and secure supply chains.