Recent Investments: C & D Lines

With the K6 project taking place on the Kemsley site, it might be easy to lose sight of the fact that another £30 million has been invested in the other paper making processes.

In 2007 the first stage of this investment programme saw installation of three dilution control headboxes, an up-rated stock preparation system and additional drying cylinders on K3 (PM3) machine. The result has been increased capacity and improvements in product quality for ivory plasterboard liner.

In 2008 the second stage of the investment was completed. This included the installation of a new stock preparation plant comprising two pulping lines (C and D) capable of processing white and brown, high strength, fibre streams.

C Line is a high consistency pulper designed to handle brown high strength fibre grades. D Line is a low consistency pulper for brown and white grades. Both lines benefit from high density cleaning and screening.

The specification for C Line also includes deflaking, a screw press thickener and additional refining. C Line allows the mill to make use of longer fibres.

This second phase was particularly beneficial for plasterboard liner as it enables grammage reduction.