As a first step Folding Boxboard Eerbeek BV – FOLBB – will replace the current press with a new shoe press. The infrared installation used to dry the cartonboard will be upgraded at the same time. This will result in higher production efficiency and lower gas consumption.
“This is the first step in a multi-year investment process to modernise the mill and make it more sustainable”, says Otto van Beers, Managing Director, FOLBB. “To accommodate the press replacement, from 13 September 2022, production at FOLBB will be stopped for a month.”
The Eerbeek mill produces cartonboard for the food, personal care and pharma sector. This means it has to meet the highest quality requirements, which is why pure wood pulp is used as raw material. The press section is an essential part of the entire production process. It ensures as much water as possible is squeezed out of the cartonboard prior to the drying process.
The current press equipment section has reached the end of its technical life and will be completely replaced by a state-of-the-art shoe press. The investment will deliver better performance and increased efficiency for the pressing process. At the same time, the infrared burners used to dry the cartonboard will be upgraded. This yields approximately 5% savings on the use of natural gas.
The stopping of production will last between 25 to 30 days, but customers have already been informed well in advance. Intensive coordination and early deliveries will ensure that customers have sufficient stocks, even while production is temporarily stopped.
