Metso Paper to supply tissue machine to SPM

The machine will be installed in SPM mill's premises located in Dammam, the Kingdom's Eastern Province, Marco Marcheggiani, Metso Paper's president, said in a statement.

The statement did not give the value of the machine, but said that the machine is scheduled to start production during the fourth quarter of 2008. The order is included in Metso's second quarter order backlog.

The statement that the market value of these types of tissue production lines is in excess of 25 million euros, depending on the scope of delivery and production output. The total project investment made by Saudi Paper Manufacturing Co. is in excess of 50 million euros.

The statement explained that Metso Paper's delivery will comprise an Advantage DCT 200 tissue machine including quality control and distributed control systems (QCS/DCS). Metso will also supply all the basic and detailed engineering and project management services.

"The machine is designed for a cogeneration ventilation system. With a width of 5.5m and a design speed of 2,200m/min, the new machine will add another 60,000 tonnes a year of high-quality facial, toilet and towel grades to Saudi Paper Manufacturing Company's total production capacity. The raw material for the new machine will be virgin pulp and recycled fibre," the statement explained.

According to the statement, tissue consumption in the Middle East over the past five years has grown by 25 per cent.

Although per capita consumption is low compared to Europe, the population of 258 million means that the potential for growth is large.

The Saudi Paper Manufacturing Company was established in 1991 to produce a wide range of high-quality tissue paper. The products are sold in Saudi Arabia and to a growing number of countries in the Middle East and the region at large. The production capacity is today 80,000 tons. Currently there are three tissue machines in SPM's Dammam mill.

Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2006 net sales of approximately 5 billion euros. Its 25,500 employees in more than 50 countries serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries.