BW Papersystems to Supply Cut-size and Folio Sheeting and Packaging Equipment for New Ittihad Paper Mill

First paper mill on Arabian Peninsula to convert WFU printing and writing paper

Original Article was published in Paper MiddlEast Magazine by ENP Group (www.PaperFirst.info) 

BW Papersystems and its brand WillPemcoBielomatik will supply the cutsize and folio sheeting plus packaging equipment to Ittihad Paper Mill’s (IPM) greenfield fine paper mill in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

With a scheduled start-up in late 2018, IPM’s new paper machine will produce uncoated woodfree paper (WFU) for high-quality printing and writing paper grades. The new sheeting and packaging equipment from BW Papersystems will enable IPM to convert paper reels into traditional copy paper sizes like A4 or 8 ½” x 11”, to various other US, metric, digital ream sizes and to large format paper sizes.

The order was placed by IPM’s EPC Contractor China Light Industry International Engineering Co., Ltd. (CLIEC). IPM will be the first paper mill on the Arabian Peninsula.

For the converting of copy paper, BW Papersystems will deliver a 10-pocket cut-size sheeter with dual high-speed packaging lines up to automatic palletizers as well as a highly flexible 6-pocket cut-size sheeter with adjacent ream wrapper. The 10-pocket line alone will contribute an output of more than 120.000 tons per year.

For the folio-size portion, BW Papersystems will supply a new Falcon folio sheeter for sheet formats ranging from 400 x 450 mm to 2500 x 1650 mm. The new Falcon sheeter with non-stop pallet change, combines well-known technology from the original brands E.C.H. Will, Jagenberg folio sheeters and MarquipWardUnited. A folio ream wrapper with single and double stack non-stop palletizer completes the large order scope, matching the size range of the Falcon folio sheeter.

This project evolved over a couple of years, which is normal for such large greenfield projects. We were able to support IPM over the whole period and worked very close with CLIEC to determine the right equipment for the future mill’s needs,” explains Harri Pohto, Sales Executive of BW Papersystems. “Our partnership and flexibility, combined with the Long and renown experience of all the brands under the BW Papersystems umbrella as well as the cut, wrap and stack quality of our machinery really were the key factors of this investment."

The new paper converting equipment will make this new paper mill the biggest and most modern plant in the Middle East area.