Cartiere del Garda takes a leap in energy efficiency with Valmet’s Air Drying Technology

Cartiere del Garda, part of Lecta Group, is located in the picturesque Lake Garda area in Northern Italy. The mill produces two-sided coated paper with an annual capacity of approximately 350,000 tonnes.

Cartiere del Garda is strongly committed to sustainability and actively strives to diminish its environmental footprint. Over the past decade, the mill has upgraded its machine line’s dryer section and offline coater with Valmet to improve the mill’s energy efficiency. For example, in 2012, a Valmet OptiDry Coat air dryer system was installed on the mill’s PM 2, followed by an upgrade to the mill’s offline coater dryer in 2018.

“We believe that the key to improved environmental  performance lies in reduced energy consumption, and our experience is that Valmet delivers excellence in this field. Over the years, we’ve achieved remarkable energy savings with Valmet’s air dryer technology while maintaining our products’ high quality,” says Antonio Di Blas, Mill Manager at Cartiere del Garda.

Valmet Air Dryer Nozzles increase coating drying capacity

The latest upgrade Valmet delivered to the Cartiere del Garda mill was an offline coater dryer optimization in 2023. The delivery included the installation of Valmet Air Dryer Nozzles, an air system control upgrade, and the installation of new heat exchangers.

The Valmet Air Dryer Nozzles installed in 2018 had proven their performance through remarkable energy savings, so it was only natural that Cartiere del Garda wanted to replace the rest of the conventional nozzles still used in the remaining two dryers. In addition, the heat exchangers were replaced with new ones, contributing to the air system’s overall energy efficiency.

“We’re talking about total energy savings of approximately 60 percent, which is an exceptional achievement. The project was delivered on time, and the mutually agreed targets were met. The minor challenges along the way were handled smoothly,” says Fabrizio Bassi, Project Manager at Cartiere del Garda.

“To provide the customer with the best available expertise, our teams in Finland and Italy combined forces. They worked seamlessly together, and I want to thank everyone involved for their dedication and good performance,” says Maurizio Sala, Mill Sales Manager at Valmet.

Open discussion leads to outstanding results

Cartiere del Garda and Valmet cooperated closely throughout the project. The plans and the project’s progression were continuously evaluated, and after the successful start-up, the teams got together for an official project closure meeting.

“I really appreciate the customer’s willingness to sit down and openly discuss any issues that come up – I feel it’s a matter of trust and shows that the customer believes in our eagerness to adjust and develop our way to operate when necessary. Over the years, we’ve built a mutually beneficial relationship with Cartiere del Garda, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next joint projects. It’s a privilege to  cooperate with such a development-oriented customer,” Maurizio Sala says.