Honeywell technology will be used to transform one of Europe’s oldest paper mills into one of the world’s most modern under a €30 million project being implemented by Sappi Austria Produktions-GmbH & Co. KG, to upgrade its paper mill in Gratkorn, Austria.
The mill – where paper has been made for more than four centuries – makes 980,000 tons of high-quality, multicoated paper per year for publications around the world. Honeywell will implement a range of upgrades that include server virtualization, process visualization and cybersecurity solutions. These new systems will increase product quality while cutting production costs.
In 2015, Honeywell upgraded the site’s flagship PM11 paper machine to its Experion PMD automation system, creating one of the most advanced coated fine paper production lines in the world.
“We selected Honeywell because of the company’s track record of success on previous projects and familiarity with the site and our business,” said Karl Weiss, automation project manager, Sappi. “This latest project will deliver quality and productivity improvements, cost savings measures and security enhancements that will future-proof operations at Gratkorn in line with Industrie 4.0.”
The new project will include integrating an Experion Virtualized Solution platform to allow centralized, remote monitoring of the mill’s operations; four Experion PMD automation systems to control processes, machinery and drives; and four Experion MX Quality Control Systems for use with quality sensors. Additional solutions include two ProCoat CD actuator systems that will help reduce the paper web’s cross-direction variation as it is being made, and Uniformance PHD historian and Process Studio solutions. For cybersecurity, HSSN remote access will facilitate Microsoft security patches and virus updates, and a Secure Media Exchange gateway will monitor and log the use of removable media throughout the facility to reduce risk and limit operational disruption.
“Paper has been produced at Gratkorn for 400 years, and today the site is one of the most modern and environmentally progressive in the world,” said Marko Jamsen, EMEA pulp and paper business leader for Honeywell Process Solutions. “We’re delighted to continue to work with Sappi to increase operational excellence – this time, through virtualization capabilities that will transform productivity and lower maintenance costs, and the application of our latest cybersecurity protection measures.”