| |
|
By focusing on high levels of automation, together with a work culture that emphasizes incentives and teamwork, Solvay Paperboard of Solvay, N.Y., has started up a second high-performance 100% recycled linerboard machine in just a little more than five years. Formed as a mini-mill with targeted production of 110,000 tpy in 1994, Solvay now produces 400,000 tpy— 220,000 tpy of which comes from the new No. 2 paper machine started up in 1999.
With growing demand for its product from both the partnership group that formed Solvay and from other industry customers, the mill soon found a second 100% recycled linerboard machine producing heavier basis weights to be a viable option. In 1998, construction began on the project, which included a new stock preparation system, automated roll wrapping line, warehouse, storeroom, maintenance, and office facilities. The project design incorporated the latest technology and equipment required for highly automated and efficient manufacture of containerboard.
Within just hours of its September 1999 startup, Solvay’s new linerboard machine produced saleable paper. The project was completed within its $130 million budget, and the machine, designed to produce 470 tpd, now produces up to 650 tpd. In addition, the targeted product strength and appearance characteristics have been quickly achieved, in part due to a unique fractionation and pulp washing system, along with highly automated control of the state-of-the-art No. 2 paper machine.
Designed to produce 470 tpd, Solvay Paperboard’s new 100% recycled linerboard machine currently produces 650 tpd.
NEW COMPANY:NEW MILL. Solvay Paperboard began as a concept of Southern Container Co.’s president Steve Grossman in the early 1990s. Headquartered in Hauppauge, N.Y., Southern Container was consuming over 350,000 tpy of containerboard, making it one of the largest independent corrugated box makers. However, the company’s growth was threatened at times by market cycles that made containerboard harder to obtain. In addition, Grossman had effectively applied the latest technology to establish extremely efficient box plants, making him interested in applying such an approach to a paper company.
To create his vision of an efficient paper company with high quality assets, Grossman turned to the mini-mill concept. With outsourced waste treatment and power generation, such a mill would focus strictly on utilizing high levels of technology and automation to efficiently manufacture paperboard.
In 1993, the paper company envisioned by Grossman and Southern Container was formed as Solvay Paperboard. Originally a partnership between Southern Container, Schiffenhaus Packaging of Newark, N.J., and Jamestown Container of Jamestown, N.Y., the company has included TenCorr Packaging of Toronto, Ont., with the addition of the No. 2 paper machine. As for the first paper machine, a 188-in.-wide Valmet twin-wire multi-ply paper machine was chosen to produce high performance100% recycled lightweight linerboard in basis weights from 26 lb to 35 lb due to growing demand for the grade.
Brownfield site. The Solvay site, near Syracuse, was an abandoned Allied Signal chemical plant that fit several criteria for a successful mini-mill. For one, the village of Solvay offered low cost electricity because of its allocation of hydroelectric power. In addition, there was an existing cogeneration facility across the street from the abandoned chemical plant.
The Solvay site was also ideal in that it is located at the center of 55 million people within an approximate $20 freight radius, insuring a steady supply of recycled fiber. Although focused mainly on New York state, Solvay pulls fiber from southern Ontario and Quebec, as well as from New England down to Northern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.
Work team philosophy. In late 1993, Solvay’s vice president James B. Porter joined the company. With construction underway on the No. 1 paper machine, Porter was tasked with building a business infrastructure, as well as creating a unique culture that would empower and motivate employees at the new non-union mill.
Solvay has centered its work culture on an innovative self-managed work team concept, covering not only vertical crews but also horizontal teams of area specialists and standing committees that oversee traditional managerial decision making. Vertical teams of technicians representing the skills of raw material receiving, stock preparation, papermaking, and shipping function as an independent unit capable of operating the entire plant 24 hours/day, seven days/week without management supervision. In addition, there are horizontal teams made up of area experts—for example, all wet end technicians on each of the four teams. Known as a home station group, these horizontal teams work with an area manager and are responsible for all safety, quality, cost, production, training, housekeeping, and ISO 9001 system administration/development for their area.
Both headboxes for the No.2 paper machine’s two ply mini-fourdrinier are an air padded rectifier roll design.
“If we are working on a problem or improvement opportunity involving the headbox, for example, we don’t have to get volunteers, since we have a permanent team that is aware of its responsibility,” describes Porter. “The home station groups are accountable for their decisions, but they have a very high degree of empowerment to make change and to solve problems, and to do things that will improve the business, as well as the quality of work in their areas.”
As an integral part of the Solvay team concept, employees are paid for their skills and not for seniority or for the particular job they hold. Additionally, representatives from each of the four vertical work teams and maintenance, together with members of line and administrative management, form various committees that oversee complete administration of the pay-for-skills system, including the training advisory committee and peer promotion committee.
The training advisory and peer promotion committees determine who is promoted based on testing, team member feedback, and analysis of that individual’s work relative to both knowledge and peer recognition. Raises are achieved through qualifying for new skills that are determined in a similar manner. Skills are demonstrated to other members of the home station group and, upon successful completion of testing and consensus of peers, pay increases are granted.
Other committees administer the functions of hiring, quality management, performance improvement, safety, and lockout-tryout. Porter reports that the work teams have been extremely well received by team members.
“We have found that all employees feel very enthusiastic about giving it their best,” explains Porter. “If they do well, they are going to be able to move their careers and their compensation along at a rate that is unbounded by traditional hierarchy or some management individual.”
According to Porter, the self-managed work team concept cultivated at Solvay was key in the success that led to the eventual purchase of a second paper machine.
PAPER MACHINE NO. 2 PROJECT. Although not envisioned when Solvay was originally formed as a mini-mill in 1994, a second machine soon became a viable option for several reasons. For one, the August 1994 startup of the No. 1 paper machine had allowed Solvay to quickly produce lightweight high performance linerboard. This product, made from 100% recycled stock, was “virtually interchangeable,” in Porter’s words, with virgin kraft linerboard used at its partnership group’s box plants. In addition, the group was still having to purchase linerboard from external sources, so it became “a natural evolution that we design a second paper machine, especially as the market continues to tighten,” according to Porter.
However, Porter stresses that Solvay’s decision for a new machine was judiciously made in light of the volume requirements from its partnership group, as well as other industry customers.
“Our goal is to still be a net buyer, not a net seller,” emphasizes Porter. “It seems that our industry is going through a responsible period of restraint, and we very much want to fall in line with that concept of matching capacity with consumption, instead of contributing to the problem that has historically plagued the industry.”
Engineer, procure, construct. In February 1998, Solvay embarked on an 18-month project to construct the No. 2 paper machine. Dick Engineering of Toronto, Ont., served as the engineering firm for the project, interfacing closely with Solvay’s vice president of technology, K.G. Rajan. Rajan oversaw the engineering phase and was responsible for the technology search and process design, which involved examining state-of-the-art technology from around the world.
After equipment selection, the project was broken down into several areas. Oscar J. Boldt Construction of Appleton, Wis., provided construction management for the project, which was overseen by Solvay’s vice president of manufacturing, John Telesca, who managed day-to-day timelines and project costs.
Other contractors included Triad for electrical and controls, VIP Structures for concrete and building erection, and Echleay for piping and mechanical erection. Various subcontractors were also employed for tasks ranging from sheet metal and steel fabrication to chest fabrication.
Construction challenges. Construction activities for the new paper machine began in May 1998. Although Solvay examined a side-to-side configuration with a common machine aisle between the new No. 2 paper machine and the No. 1 machine, such a configuration would have required a costly demolition of existing warehousing and mill offices. Ultimately, the company decided to knock out the wall following the No.1 paper machine reel, expanding the machine room from 450 ft to 1,000 ft in length. Such a configuration allows for a continuous crane rail from end to end, optimizing maintenance and crane sharing activities for both machines.
To support the No. 2 paper machine, a new 80,000-ft2 warehouse was constructed. With a four rail car capacity, the new warehouse can hold 4,500 tons of secondary fiber along with 1,700 tons of finished product.
The project was delayed 30 days from its original 18-month completion date due to changes made in the engineering and construction phase that ultimately provided improvements in the stock preparation system. The project was a budgetary and operational success, staying within the allotted $130 million and far ahead of the targeted production curve. In Porter’s words, “The proof of the project’s success came at startup, where we produced a saleable product on the second reel—a testament to the outstanding process design, construction quality, and preparedness of our people.”
Impact on No. 1 paper machine. A major concern for Solvay was minimizing the disruption for the No. 1 paper machine during the construction project. However, Porter notes that the No. 1 machine functioned “at very high levels throughout the project,” allowing the machine to set productions records throughout the process while keeping its ISO 9001 registration. Porter credits the operating personnel, technicians, and managers for maintaining focus during the project, noting that it required only three days of downtime on the No. 1 paper machine for tie-in of electrical and steam distribution systems.
Winder technicians Steve Scheibel (l) and Charlie Shaver (r) operate the new Win-Drum two-drum winder, which runs at 7,000 fpm.
STOCK PREPARATION. When designing the stock preparation for its new machine, Solvay placed great emphasis on closely controlling fiber length, as well as producing an engineered substrate by segregating the right fibers in the top and base ply of the sheet to produce the desired compressive strength and printability properties. This emphasis, according to Porter, was derived from the realization that, although the mill predominantly uses OCC, it will be required to accept a lower quality furnish in the future.
“As competition grows for recycle fiber, we want to be able to bore down into the waste stream while still providing an increasingly high quality sheet,” explains Porter. “Our goal was to design a system robust enough to handle 25% alternative fiber such as mixed office waste, brewery waste, or core stock.”
Furnish. Solvay uses 1,300 tpd of secondary fiber for its papermaking process, collected mainly from New York State, as previously mentioned. Incoming raw materials are examined and placed into three grade categories—A,B, and C—based on the amount of contaminants and the fiber quality. Fiber is fed onto the conveyor for pulping in a ratio of 50% grade A, 35% grade B, and 15% grade C, allowing Solvay to reduce the amount of variation in the pulping process.
Fiber control. At Solvay, there are two pulping systems—L1 and L2, which can be run independently or integrated. Originally associated with the No. 1 paper machine, the L1 system now receives the highest quality OCC, functioning primarily as a top ply system. The new L2 system, however, receives more lower quality and alternative furnishes and functions more as a base ply system, although some fibers will eventually end up in the other ply through the use of fractionation.
The L2 system is equipped with the latest equipment for handling contaminants. Recycle furnish for the L2 system is first sent to a 22-ft-dia. Thermo Black Clawson continuous Hydrapulper operating at 135º F. After repulping, scavenging, and centrifugal cleaning for heavy contaminants, the pulp is sent through Voith Turboseparators and Thermo Black Clawson pressure screens. Fiber is fractionated in the process, then sorted into three lengths—short, medium, and long. Long fiber goes to Thermo Black Clawson X-clone cleaners, while medium and short fibers are further washed.
To wash the fiber and capture clays, fillers, and other contaminants that reduce bonding efficiency and strength, the pulp is cleaned with Thermo Black Clawson double nip thickening (DNT) washers. The fractionated and cleaned fibers are stored and sent to a blend chest for ratio control and then fed to the base ply system.
The top and base ply streams are sent separately to the refiners, which include three new Beloit Jones low consistency double disc refiners. The top ply stream receives one final stage of forward and reverse cleaning afterwards, a sort of “polishing,” in Porter’s words, to provide the best possible appearance for graphics and printing applications.
“By sorting fibers into three lengths, we are able to recombine those fiber streams into both the top and the base ply on both machines in different ratios,” explains Porter. “For example, this allows us to use a ratio of short fiber and medium fiber on the top ply for improved smoothness and printability and to use medium and long fibers for improved strength on the base ply.”
Capable of handling 16 rolls/hour, the automated roll handling system bands, weighs, labels, barcodes, stencils, and transfers the rolls to an upender/lowerator, which places them in a new 80,000 ft2warehouse.
PAPER MACHINE NO. 2. Solvay’s new No. 2 paper machine is similar in design to its No. 1 paper machine, with some variations that allow it to produce heavier weight grades of linerboard, as well as technological enhancements as a result of being a newer paper machine. Principally designed to produce 35 lb and 56 lb high performance linerboard, the No. 2 machine will also produce up to 69 lb. The similarities between both two-ply mini-fourdrinier machines provide certain advantages, including the ability to interchange spare parts, which reduces Solvay’s overall working capital requirements.
As with the No. 1 paper machine, Valmet was the supplier. According to Porter, the mill did examine other technologies, but returned to the original supplier and similar design based on the success of the first paper machine.
“The machine design is very simple and robust, yet capable of providing the physical properties we need to differentiate ourselves from a lot of other sheets, so we decided to take a similar approach for the second paper machine,” explains Porter.
From the headbox to the winder, the new machine is 400 ft long. It has a wire width of 206 in., and a winder trim width of 190 in. Machine design speed is 2,500 fpm, and maximum drive speed for the Siemens variable speed AC master drive is 2,000 fpm, although actual operating speeds are grade dependent.
| Curtailed capacity, thriving economy should further boost containerboard prices
Solvay Paperboard started up its new recycled linerboard machine late last year at an ideal time for producers, with the U.S. market firmed up by reduced containerboard supply and consistent corrugated container demand. These dynamics led to the implementation of two price increases last year.
The key to the upturn in the market was the elimination of 2.2 million tons of containerboard supply that was indefinitely shut by three producers at the end of 1998. That reduction, amounting to about 6% of total U.S. capacity, reduced the supply line and total inventory. When the pared down supply line was combined with almost a 2% increase in box volume growth, the market price rose.
Containerboard producers implemented the two combination linerboard and corrugating medium increases in 1999, and planned the third one in 12 months in February 2000. If the $50/ton linerboard increase is implemented in February, linerboard prices will have increased almost 40% or $135/ton since January 1999. Market prices for 42 lb unbleached kraft linerboard would rise from $470/ton to $480/ton in the U.S. East – its highest mark since January 1996.
Along with the increases on the domestic market, U.S. kraft linerboard exporters planned increases of about $50/mton for Hong Kong in February and March, and for Western Europe in March or April.
The mill shutdowns in the U.S. helped reduce containerboard mill/box plant inventory throughout most of 1999, but the inventory did increase slightly and unusually in September through November to 2.7 million tons. Buyers were watching the inventory total closely to determine the market’s strength heading into spring and for the rest of this year.
Other than the Solvay machine, the only new capacity project for containerboard was planned in the U.S. Re-Box Paper Inc. planned to start up a 175,000 tpy recycled white-top linerboard mill in DePere, Wis., in October. Still, both machines at full capacity only add 1% to U.S. containerboard capacity. Overall, U.S. containerboard capacity was expected to expand just 0.5%/annually from 2000 through 2002, with a total of 578,000 tons of new capacity coming on from 1999 through 2002, according to the American Forest & Paper Assn. (AF&PA) survey.
Wall Street analysts believed that the reduced containerboard supply, the lack of new board capacity, and a humming U.S. economy that grew 4% last year would result in rising prices for linerboard and corrugating medium in the U.S. this year. Morgan Stanley Dean Witter estimated an average price of $481/ton for linerboard and Salomon Smith Barney estimated $470/ton. That’s up from last year’s average of $401/ton for 42 lb unbleached kraft linerboard in the U.S. East.
U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) growth was forecasted at 3.8% in 2000, according to J.P. Morgan Economic Research. The economy in Canada was estimated to grow 3.9% this year (an increase of 0.1% from 1999), and China’s economy was expected to grow 6.9% (a decline of 0.2%). World GDP was forecasted to grow 3.4%, up from 2.7% last year, according to J.P. Morgan.
While new containerboard capacity in the U.S. has been curtailed, the biggest growth in containerboard has been in the high performance recycled linerboard that Solvay produces. The high performance 34 to 37 lb linerboard is the fastest growing grade among linerboard. A market unknown 10 years ago with only a 1% share of linerboard production, the high performance grades today make up at least 13% of total linerboard production. In 1999, recycled linerboard production increased 10.5% and totaled 4.265 million tons, according to AF&PA.
— Greg Rudder, News Editor
|
Forming. Both headboxes for the No.2 paper machine’s two ply mini-fourdrinier design are air padded rectifier roll models from Valmet. Porter says that the wet end design has provided “a lot of capability to control the fiber orientation, which is crucial to our production of high performance grades and company strategy.”
The base ply fourdrinier is 15 ft longer than the No. 1 paper machine, and has 11 vacuum boxes. With a 0.5% consistency out of the headbox and a 250 pli lumpbreaker, couch solids exit at around 25% into the press section. The former also features James Ross Ltd. rotating showers with internal brushes, which are able to clean using process water rather than fresh water.
Press section. As with its No. 1 paper machine, Solvay’s machine features two long-nip presses with tandem bottom felts. The mill operates the first press at a loading of 1,500 pli, and the second press at 2,000 pli. Sheet consistency out of the press section is 48%. Porter reports the mill uses soft press roll covers at 20 P&J to maximize dewatering.
Drying. The dryer section for the No. 2 paper machine features 37 60-in. dryer cans operating at a 175 psi steam maximum. The new machine features eight more dryer cans than the first machine to support the higher basis weights. Moisture content out of the dryer section is a centerline of 7.5% for both paper machines. After the dryer section and calender, antiskid from Nalco Chemical is applied prior to the reel.
Automation, testing, and information systems. From drives to distributed control systems (DCS), all electrical devices for the No. 2 paper machine, as with the No. 1 machine, were provided by Siemens Automation. Porter reports that “everything in the mill is completely controlled by DCS—all valves, motors, stock prep, and the paper machine itself.”
The control system is a single window system driven off a common Ethernet bus that runs throughout the entire mill. This provides operating technicians the ability to control both the No. 1 and No. 2 paper machines and support systems from any place in the mill.
On the paper machines, a Measurex system scans for moisture, caliper, and basis weight, sending information back through the Siemens control system for headbox, basis weight, and steam adjustments. In addition, a new L&W Autoline 300 automated offline testing device allows Solvay to test a full web width sample from each reel to ensure that its customers receive guaranteed specifications. The Autoline tests for moisture, basis weight, mullen, polar angle (TSI/TSO), predicted STFI, caliper, and Sheffield smoothness.
In addition to the automated online and offline tests, Solvay also performs a number of manual tests, including Emveco, which involves a stylus that is drug across the sheet to measure microdeviations in the surface of the top ply. Porter says that the mill has found that this test correlates much better to printability than Sheffield smoothness.
Solvay has a variety of information systems to automate and support the various quality, business, and papermaking functions associated with both paper machines. Systems include DataStream MP2 for computerized maintenance management, APS for roll tracking, and Lawson for accounting, purchasing, and inventory management. In-house developed software exists for OCC procurement and freight booking. In addition, the Siemens control system interfaces with OSI’s PI system to provide production quality and process information.
One of the most powerful mill information management tools at Solvay, according to Porter, includes a Lotus Notes-based system that allows communication between every person in the mill regarding all databases through e-mail. In addition, the system provides access and management of ISO 9000 document control using software called System 9000.
Heat recovery system. Because of the climate in upstate New York and Solvay’s close proximity to the village of Solvay, the mill had to take dryer section heat recovery a step further than air heat exchangers alone. Realizing that expelling the moisture laden dryer exhaust would cause a fog—and even ice or snow—for the community and a major nearby road, Solvay looked to Valmet’s experience in the Finnish climate to help solve the problem.
Solvay worked with Valmet to develop an intensive heat recovery system that cools the exhaust gases so that they condense into water that can be returned to the process. The company invested several million in this system for both machines, and Porter says fog from the papermaking process has been substantially reduced and is not a problem in the community.
Reel, winder, and roll handling. The Valmet reel features hydraulic control with centerwind assist and is capable of building a 30-ton parent roll every hour. Parent rolls are transferred to the WinDrum two-drum winder, which has an operating speed of 7,000 fpm.
From the winder, rolls are transferred to a Valmet automated roll handling system, with an Orga-Pak strapper capable of handling 16 rolls/hour. The system bands the rolls, weighs, labels, barcodes, and then stencils the finished rolls. Next, the system transfers the rolls to an upender/lowerator, which places the rolls onto an automated conveyor in the new warehouse. An infrared bar code scanner on each clamp truck identifies the rolls and interfaces with the roll tracking and load planning system, which ultimately produces the bill of lading and automated invoicing available for EDI or other electronic transfer if desired by the customer.
People. Prior to adding the new paper machine, the Solvay mill and corporate staff employed a total of 95 employees. In the fall of 1998, Solvay began hiring to support its expansion, looking for the same type of motivated, team-oriented employee as it had when the company started. Currently, there are 160 employees at Solvay.
The team concept work culture process oversaw promotion of 50% of those needed for work on the No. 2 paper machine from the mill’s existing employees. Hired from outside the company, the other 50% came from all over North America. Training for many of these new employees included a combination of academic skills, focused training, ISO 9001 work instruction, and system level procedures, together with on-the-job training that involved working with personnel on the No. 1 paper machine.
In addition, mill personnel designed and executed a comprehensive static and dynamic checkout process for the new paper machine. This process involved mini and micro loops of mill processes that verified over 6,000 discreet checks upon completion of construction and prior to startup. This process both increased technicians’ knowledge of the process and removed potential problems that might have plagued the startup.
Startup. As previously mentioned, Solvay’s No. 2 paper machine produced saleable linerboard on the second reel during its September 25, 1999, startup, just a few hours after running pulp to the machine. Porter credits this success to the “incredible teamwork between the involved companies and employees, as well as to the outstanding design and quality construction of the machine.”
About 90% of Solvay’s products are consumed by its partnership group and integrated trade partners. Another 10% are sold to various customers in the Northeast. According to Porter, product from the new paper machine has reached the desired levels of MD/CD stiffness to provide excellent compressive strength for its customers. The mill has also been able to drive down the Emveco to below 140, which makes a substantial improvement to sheet printability, according to Porter.
The No. 2 paper machine was ISO certified six weeks after startup to go along with its No. 1 counterpart, further indicating the speed with which the mill processes came under control. The No. 2 machine operated at efficiencies within the 90th percentile in the first couple of months, and is approaching 95% currently.
In addition, Porter reports that breaks have not been an issue, and that both the No. 1 and 2 paper machines often run from one to two weeks without one. He attributes this to the detailed attention of Solvay technicians, quality fiber preparation, sound process chemistry, and automation that keeps draws and other process variables under tight control to create a process that is “very, very stable.”
|
