Valmet paper machine at Norske Skog Golbey, France, sets new world speed record of 1822 m/min

Published July 11, 2000 00.00.00 +2 GMT

On 7 July the Valmet-supplied newsprint paper machine PM 2 at Norske Skog Golbey S.A. in Golbey, France, set a new paper machine world speed record of 1822 m/min (5,978 fpm). The world speed records for all major grades - newsprint, lwc, sc and woodfree fine paper, and base paper - are held by Valmet paper machines.

Eric d'Olce, Paper Production Manager at Golbey, reports: “We achieved the new world record in normal production during 24 hours on 7 July. Basis weight was 45 gsm”.

Golbey PM 2 has contributed to papermaking history since its start-up 18 months ago, being the first machine to be started up at a speed higher than 1500 m/min (1509 m/min). Currently it’s clearly no. 1 in terms of both production and speed. And there's more news to come later this year: Golbey PM 2 can be expected to be the first paper machine to achieve an annual average speed of over 1700 m/min.

Golbey PM 2's highest monthly average speed so far was recorded in June 2000: 1735 m/min, providing an average daily production of 928 t/d, which is another world record.

Assuming the current tempo continues, the machine also has a good chance of reaching a new second-year production record.

Golbey PM 2 has a wire width of 10.3 m and trims at 9.6 m.

Valmet-supplied machines currently dominate the speed statistics by leading all the major categories and also holding several runner-up positions.

The world speed records currently held by Valmet machines (& other Valmet positions) are:

Newsprint (Valmet holding 1st, 3rd and 4th positions): Norske Skog Golbey PM 2, France - 1,822 m/min (5,978 fpm)

SC (1st, 2nd, 3rd): Stora Port Hawkesbury PM 2, Canada - 1,703 m/min (5,587 fpm)

LWC (1st, 2nd, 3rd): UPM-Kymmene, Rauma PM 4, Finland - 1,712 m/min (5,617 fpm)

Wood free fine paper and base paper (1st, 3rd, 4th): Shinmoorim Paper, Chinju PM 3, South Korea - 1,472 m/min (4,829 fpm)

Valmet Corporation is the world's leading supplier of technology, systems and equipment for the pulp, paper, converting and panelboard industries. In 1999 Valmet had net sales of EUR 1.7 billion and employed 10,600 personnel.

Valmet is part of the Metso Corporation, which is a global supplier of process industry machinery and systems. Metso's business areas are fiber and paper technology, automation and control technology and machinery. The net sales of Metso Corporation were EUR 3.4 billion in 1999 and the personnel totaled approximately 23,000. Metso Corporation is listed on the Helsinki Exchanges and the New York Stock Exchange.

For further information: Mr. Juha Kinnunen, Communications Manager, tel. +358 20 482 5590.