Ilim Group has confirmed it has successfully completed the first water run of the Voith XcelLine kraftliner machine (KLB) at its new KLB mill in Ust-Ilimsk.
Start-up of the machine is scheduled for Q2 2023. Individual tests of its main equipment are underway. In December, the KLB Mill facilities were also energised; a full connection of the mill to the power grid is planned for April 2023. Additionally, checkout and commissioning began with the Digesters & Washers and Recovery Boiler.
The capacity of the new KLB machine is 600,000 tons of finished products per year. The maximum daily production rate is 2,150 tons. The equipment was custom designed for Ilim Group. The machine can produce kraftliner in a basis weight range of 80 to 175 gsm. The kraftliner will be suitable for main end-use applications which include food packaging (owing to certificates for food industry, including ISEGA international certificate).
“We are less than six months away from start-up of the KLB Mill in Ust-Ilimsk. Now Ilim Group is finalising the main work on the project,” comments Kseniia Sosnina, CEO, Ilim Group. “Along with the construction, there are a lot of efforts made to prepare for a launch of the KLB mill products in the market, first of all in China. Despite the economic environment and complicated logistics, our development strategy remains the same. By 2025, we plan to increase our exports to China up to 2.4 million tons.”
