Rebuild of a paper machine for packaging papers

Two paper machines are operated at the Norske Skog site in Bruck an der Mur. PM3 has been producing up to 125,000 tons of newsprint paper for around 70 years and has been converted to produce 210,000 tons of corrugated base paper. PM4 has been producing up to 265,000 tons of LWC paper annually since 1989.

The site is part of Norske Skog ASA, one of the world's leading producers of publication papers with sites in Europe and Australia.

Following the rebuild of a second newsprint machine at the sister company in Golbey, France, Norske Skog will become one of the leading independent packaging base paper manufacturers.

At the plant in Austria, the decarbonization of the site was consistently driven forward in a multi-stage process. Investments in a new energy plant and the expansion of the existing wastewater treatment plant with an anaerobic pre-treatment stage ensure significant reductions in fossil CO2 emissions while at the same time expanding production capacities.

The production of corrugated base paper is Norske Skog's entry into a new business segment.

The core of the investment is the construction of an OCC pulp preparation plant for the preparation of brown waste paper grades and the conversion of paper machine 3 for the production of corrugated base paper.

The new systems were fully integrated into the existing plant, making the best possible use of the existing infrastructure. The technical challenges and the corresponding implementation of the demanding brownfield project are shown.

Thanks to a highly motivated and qualified team, the project goals were achieved in record time, both in terms of quantity and quality.

The investments initiated efficiency and environmental improvements that will have a lasting positive impact on the future of the site and the number of jobs.

In addition to paper, Bruck also supplies district heating to the surrounding communities, supports the stability of the electricity grid by actively balancing the demand for electricity and produces ash for use in road and dam construction.