Metso to rebuild board machines at M-real's Simpele and Kemiart Liners mills in Finland

HELSINKI, Nov. 30, 2010 (Press Release) - Metso will rebuild two board machines for M-real in Finland to increase capacity and improve quality: the BM 3 cartonboard machine at the Simpele mill and the BM 1 kraftliner machine at the Kemiart Liners mill in Kemi. The start-up of the rebuilt Simpele BM 3 machine is scheduled for the second quarter of 2011 and that of the rebuilt Kemiart Liners BM 1 machine for the third quarter of 2011. The combined value of the orders is below EUR 20 million.

Metso's delivery to the Simpele mill will include a rebuild of the forming section, press section including a new SymBelt shoe press and the dryer section. BM 3 produces folding boxboard in the basis weight range of 205 to 340 g/m2. After the rebuild, the annual capacity of the Simpele mill will be approx. 300,000 tonnes, making BM 3 the biggest folding boxboard machine in Europe.

Metso's delivery to the Kemiart Liners mill will include a coating section rebuild. Additionally, a coating drying rebuild will replace old gas infrared dryers with energy efficient high-drying-capacity PowerDry Plus and PowerDry Compact air dryers. BM 1 produces kraftliner in the basis weight range of 110 to 250 g/m2. The rebuild will further improve the coated white top liner quality produced by BM 1.

M-real is Europe's leading primary fibre paperboard producer and a major paper supplier. The company's customers include brand owners, carton printers, converters, publishers, printing houses, merchants and office suppliers. In 2009, the company's sales totalled EUR 2.4 billion, and it has approximately 4,700 employees. M-real is part of the Metsäliitto Group.