Valmet to support Wuzhou Special Paper’s shift to recycled board grades through a complete paper machine conversion rebuild

Wuzhou Special Paper selected Valmet to carry out a comprehensive rebuild of its paper machine and to deliver two winders for the company’s mill in Hubei, China. The investment aimed to convert the recently relocated machine to the production of recycled fluting and liner grades. Through this grade conversion, the lifecycle of the machine – originally supplied by Valmet – will be extended, while at the same time increasing the production capacity of Wuzhou Special Paper. The start-up of the rebuilt line is planned for early 2027.

“This investment marks a significant step forward in our strategy to expand capacity and strengthen our position in the packaging market. The relocation and conversion of the paper machine allow us to utilize and leverage the already proven technology securing the machine efficiency. As the original equipment supplier, Valmet provides solutions that meet Wuzhou’s product quality targets and maximize investment savings. Over the past few years, we have also invested in several other key technologies from Valmet. We value the strong and active relationship we have built with Valmet and look forward to continuing our collaboration,” says Zhang Yanchen, Deputy General Manager, Wuzhou Special Paper.

With this latest order, Valmet reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the shift toward regenerative industrial solutions by supporting the production of bio-based packaging materials through state-of-the-art technologies and services.

“We are proud to support Wuzhou Special Paper in this exceptional rebuild project, which not only extends the lifecycle of existing machinery but also sets a new benchmark in the industry. Once completed, the machine will be the widest containerboard machine in China, with an impressive wire width of 11.3 meters. This project reflects the strength of our long-standing and active relationship with Wuzhou, who has repeatedly chosen Valmet to supply rebuilds and new winders in recent years,” says Pekka Tolvanen, Sales Manager, Packaging and Paper Business Area, Valmet.

Technical highlights of the delivery

The grade conversion rebuild supplied by Valmet will include:

• A new layering headbox equipped with a dilution profiler, along with a rebuilt forming section featuring shoe and blade technology and an upgraded press section to ensure containerboard quality parameters and improve machine runnability.
• A new film sizer designed to secure strength and surface properties of the final product.
• Two extra-wide, advanced winders to guarantee high-quality winding performance and meet the board machine’s capacity targets.
• A new machine control system covering the entire board machine to provide integrated and reliable process control.

The upgraded machine will also be supported by spare parts packages and data-driven connectivity services to ensure performance stability and production efficiency.

About Wuzhou Special Paper Group Co., Ltd.

Founded in 2008, Wuzhou Special Paper Group Co., Ltd., headquartered in Quzhou City, China, is engaged in the research, development, production, and sales of special papers. Its portfolio includes food wrapping paper, glassine paper, tracing paper, transfer printing paper, and various types of fine specialty papers. The company ranks among China’s largest producers of glassine and tracing paper.