International Paper Approves $23 Million Paper Machine Project at Michigan Mill

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). International Paper (NYSE: IP) (Stamford, Connecticut) is moving forward with the installation of a shoe press at a pulp and paper mill in Quinnesec, Michigan (Plant 1012176). The company has contracted with Voith Paper Technology (Germany) to supply a shoe press for the mill's No. 41 paper machine. Jacobs Engineering Group, Incorporated (Pasadena, California) will provide engineering services. Site preparation is underway, while most of the dismantling and installation will take place in June, during a fourteen-day shutdown.

The Quinnesec mill is a single machine mill with onsite production of bleached kraft hardwood and softwood pulp. Approximately 800 T/d of the hardwood pulp is market pulp. The No. 41 paper machine is a Beloit fourdrinier with a 282-inch trim that produces nearly 800 T/d of coated free-sheet.

Primary benefits of the project include, an increase in machine speed from 3,800 feet-per-minute (fpm) to around 4,100 fpm, less drying variation and sheet shrinkage in the dryer section plus the ability to increase hardwood pulp (60%) and softwood pulp (40%) composition to around 90% on the hardwood side.

Additionally, the new press will allow for more broke pulp into the mix.

International Paper (http://www.internationalpaper.com) is the world's largest paper and forest products company. Businesses include paper, packaging, and forest products. As one of the largest private forest landowners in the world, the company manages its forests under the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program, a system that ensures the perpetual planting, growing and harvesting of trees while protecting wildlife, plants, soil, air and water quality. International Paper has operations in over 40 countries and sells its products in more than 120 nations.