The Strasbourg paper site Blue Paper, a joint venture of the Belgian group VPK Packaging and the German group Klingele Packaging since 2014, will be shut down for six weeks to rebuild the dryer section of its paper machine.
The paper mill specialising in the manufacture of corrugated base paper (PPO) operates a paper machine with 165 employees, which dates back to 1990 and was modified in 2000 and 2013. The 8.5-metre wide machine is one of the widest in Europe. Its dimensions make it possible to produce the common width of modern corrugated board mills. It has a pre-works capacity of 400,000 tonnes of paper per year.
From October 12 to November 22, 2020, the dryer section of the mill's paper machine will be completely dismantled and reassembled to replace the dryer rolls, increase the heat extraction and recovery capacity and improve the dryer section's steam supply pressure.
At the same time, maintenance work will be carried out. These will concern the biomass boiler, the turbo-alternator, the water treatment plant and methanisation plant as well as the paper machine (excluding the dryer). Repair and renovation work on the industrial buildings will also be carried out.
After these investments, the plant will be able to produce 440,000 tonnes of OPP.
Blue Paper will continue to serve its customers from inventory built up prior to the shutdown.
