The MG cylinder is 6.5 meters in diameter, 6 meters long and weighs 135 tonnes. It required the use of one of the largest cranes in Europe during the installation process. Products that are anticipated for production on the new PM2 include coated papers for flexible packaging, topliner for high quality corrugated packaging, label papers for wet glue applications such as can and jar labels, banderols and wrappers. Last but not least, the new paper machine will be producing silicone base papers for carriers for self-adhesive products such as plotter films, double sided tapes and stickers.

Rosemarie Asquino, Sappi Specialities Sales and Marketing Director, commented, “The MG cylinder will produce a very smooth top-side surface, high dimension stability, higher bulk and a surface that ensures lower penetration of coating colour. It offers significant improvements as compared to the previous MF set up and will enhance converting abilities. It will also allow us to continue to introduce new products to our growing family of offerings for the printing and packaging industries.”

New Additions to the Growing Sappi Family

Recent additions to Sappi’s expanded portfolio that will benefit from the PM2 upgrade include the renewable and compostable laminate structure developed by combining Sappi’s Algro Nature, which will be manufactured on PM2, and InnoviaFilms’ NatureFlex. This innovative laminate solution can replace plastic alternatives. There are also topliners for lightweight corrugated board  offering low glue consumption and low migration solutions for food safety that are being developed in collaboration with Henkel and Bobst Asitrade. A new one-side-coated high white flexpack grade, Algro Vitess, will also be produced using the new PM2. This new grade is designed for applications such as general flexible packaging applications. It is suitable for both flexo and gravure printing.

These grades will join other highly popular papers for flexible packaging from Sappi. These include: Algro Finess, ideal for high-end applications in the packaging market that include metallising and technically demanding laminated compounds for yoghurt lids, and Parade Prima G, a new one side double coated paper for reel-fed label and flexpack applications. The availability of Sappi’s well known flexpack papers was previously limited by capacity restrictions that the PM2 rebuild will address. Sales of the uncoated Flexible packaging grade Leine Kraft will similarly be enhanced, as it was produced on Alfeld’s fully-sold-out PM5.

The upgraded PM2 will also produce new Release Liners Algro Sol DN. In addition, Sappi will continue to develop other new products for the release liner segment with market launches expected for 2014. “As we undertook this ambitious project,” Asquino concludes, “we branded this exciting adventure as 'Project Leopard', symbolized by an image of a leaping leopard. This reflects the Sappi values of courage, speed and integrity that were inherent in this project whereby the image of the leaping leopard represents the leap we are making by transforming Alfeld Mill from a mixed mill into a 100% speciality paper mill.”