The white stuff

An Italian seminar shows the way ahead for this niche packaging grade

October 2007
By Justin Toland, Editor

White top liner (WTL) might be a relatively small planet in the containerboard universe, but it is one that is attracting a growing amount of interest. Evidence of this came in the form of a seminar dedicated to the grade, organized by paper machinery supplier, PMT Italia (see sidebar). The White Top Liner Producers' Meeting took place at Pinerolo, near Turin, Italy on July 23-24, 2007. As well as a series of technical and market-related presentations, delegates were given the chance to tour the PMT Italia workshops and see a new headbox and press section order prior to installation on PM 2 at the SCA Packaging mill in Lucca, Italy.

The Lucca rebuild

On September 3 2007, SCA Lucca produced the first saleable paper on the rebuilt PM 2. Originally installed in 1975, PMT Italia began work on the unit's latest upgrade on August 8, 2007. Targets included better dryness, formation, smoothness, machine efficiency and operating flexibility.

The Pinerolo-based supplier replaced the press section with an Inverted Tri-Ex press to improve paper quality and runnability. A new top headbox was installed to improve paper formation at high speed and the top fourdriner extended. PMT Italia also replaced the dryer section gearboxes and drives to make full use of PM 2's drying capacity.

Following the upgrade, PM 2 has a wire width of 5.5 m and a running speed of 970-1,200 m/min.

Output will rise from 200,000 tonnes/yr to 230,000 tonnes/yr of recycled containerboard, including an additional 20,000 tonnes/yr of WTL. The mill's PM 1 (1971) has a capacity of some 130,000 tonnes/yr of recycled containerboard.

Seminar delegates inspect the new press section for PM 2 at SCA Packaging in Lucca, Italy. The photo shows the section, with its Inverted Tri-Ex press, at PMT Italia's workshop in Pinerolo, prior to delivery

The PM 2 upgrade forms part of a Euro 20 million ($27.5 million) investment plan for the Lucca mill, that also includes an overhaul of the site's wastewater treatment plant and installation of a fluff reject dryer (due to take place last month). Production was expected to continue as normal during the course of these modifications.

Waste heat from the mill's manufacturing processes will be used to convert waste fluff into a fuel source for cement ovens and coal-fired plants.

A second round of investment may see a more radical overhaul of PM 2, including a new gap former and size press, an improved drying section, and a new afterdryer hood, drives and winder.

These changes to the board machine would boost output by 120,000 tonnes/yr, although the focus would be on improving grades. Discussions concerning this second phase are imminent, SCA Packaging Italia's managing director, Claudio Romiti, indicated to delegates in Pinerolo.

The Italian market

Romiti also spoke extensively about the development of the Italian market for WTL. In 2006, some 310,000 tonnes of white top was produced at six mills in Italy. The country's containerboard output was 2.85 million tonnes, from 32 companies. The six WTL mills were:

• Gorgione -- 90,000 tonnes/yr
• Romanello -- 60,000 tonnes/yr
• Carbonera -- 40,000 tonnes/yr
• SCA Lucca -- 35,000 tonnes/yr
• Peretti -- 35,000 tonnes/yr
• Cartiera di Modena -- 50,000 tonnes/yr.

On March 31, 2007 parent company Gruppo Masotina shut down Cartiera di Modena. According to Romiti, other swing machines will replace this output. The SCA Italia MD pointed out that his country's white top consumption is growing by about 1% more per year than the growth rate for brown grades.

PMT Italia deputy sales director, Paulo Momo, introduces SCA Packaging Italia MD, Claudio Romiti

Market trends - in Europe and elsewhere

According to SCA Packaging's sales and marketing director, Stefano Rossi, white top liner's share of the European case material market has grown from 4.8% in 1997 to 5.5% in 2006. For white recycled liner, the market share stood at 4.7% in 1997, rising to 6.2% last year. WTL accounted for 2.6 million tonnes out of a containerboard market of 22 million tonnes in 2006.

Rossi pointed out that the main markets for white liners are Germany, Italy, Spain and France. White top kraftliner is used for packaging processed food, fresh food, beverages and non-food fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). White top recycled is used for beverages, consumer durables and non-food FMCG.

Rossi told delegates that two-thirds of the European white top market consists of coated and semi-coated grades. Some 90% of WTL output is either grade A, B, or C. The B grade board has the largest share of the market (41%).

Some 60% of white recycled liner is either 125 g/m2 or 140 g/m2, with 37% of output at higher basis weights, the SCA Packaging sales and marketing director added. He predicts that white top liner will follow the lightweighting trend, but not to the extent that fluting producers have seen with microflute. "There will be a reduction, but we don't see such a big difference in basis weight," he said.

Switching to the other side of the world, Appita's Andrew Emmanuel provided an overview of the white top market in Australia and New Zealand. Four mills in the region currently produce WTL, in varying quantities:

• Amcor Petrie makes 'a little bit' of coated white top
• Amcor Fairfield PM 6 produces WTL in the 140-200 g/m2 range, as well as recycled liner and plasterboard liner
• Visy Coolaroo produces 240,000 tonnes/yr of recycled corrugating case material, linerboard and WTL on its PM 4 and PM 5
• In New Zealand, Carter Holt Harvey Kinleith produces kraft white top.

In total, 102,000 tonnes of WTL was produced in Australia and New Zealand in 2006, all for consumption within the two countries.

Demand drivers

Mondi Packaging's Kersten Deere, who is responsible for sales and marketing of kraft containerboard, kicked off day two of the seminar by looking at the some of the factors driving market demand for white top kraftliner.

"Retail-ready packaging (RRP) is the biggest growth driver at the moment," said Deere. Also known as 'shelf-ready' or 'display-ready' packaging, "RRP increases turnover, makes shopping easier and reduces supply chain cost," he pointed out. RRP is as much about aesthetics as protection - printed packaging with an eye-catching visual impact - which is good news for WTL producers. However, notes Deere, "Feedback from the market suggests cleaner tear is possible from shelf-ready packaging with fewer recycled fibers."

One possible threat to WTL growth could be the use of returnable plastic crates by supermarkets. For European producers, the medium-term may see some competition from China. As yet, there are negligible imports of white top into Europe from China, but reports indicate that a dedicated WTL machine may be in the pipeline, said Deere.

Technical trends

The latest technical developments also came under the spotlight in Pinerolo. PMT Italia's engineering manager, Luca Ghelli, presented delegates with an in-depth look at the forming section on WTL machines. Ghelli pointed out that as well as the typical strength properties of packaging grades, white top needs good printability.

According to Ghelli, a fourdrinier and top former combination is better than a fourdrinier alone. When it comes to the question of whether the white layer in white top liner should be the top-ply or the bottom-ply, PMT Italia's preference is for the top. "For the cleanliness of the ply and the strength of the fibers," commented Ghelli. Advantages of having the white layer at the top include being able to shut the top former when making brown grades and the ability to recover white trims.

For a quicker grade change it is possible to have two top units, with one for white top, the other dedicated to the brown grades.

For high-speed production, a gap former "has become a must", noted Ghelli. However, high-speed in the case of WTL = 1,200 m/min. To reach the 1,500 m/min mark achieved by testliner and fluting manufacturers would require a second gap former. A more economical way of increasing tonnage would be to make the machines wider, the engineering manager suggested. Another option could be to add a mini-fourdrinier to the forming section, rather than a second gap former.

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