Improvements of Existing Calenders by Utilizing Modular Rebuild Concepts, 2005 Papermakers Conference

Capital investment by North American paper producers has been anemic during the past years and many paper machines are no longer technologically up to date. In addition to papermakers having technologically outdated equipment, production demands have increased parallel to demands for higher quality paper. Lack of investment into operating machines can put a paper supplier into a vulnerable position (1).

With return on investment demands at an all time high, large one-time expenditures are almost never a possibility. Often times, when mills are granted rebuild funds the expenditure must directly increase productivity. These imposed limitations plague much of the market and the problem still remains: how can dated paper machines be kept optimized and competitive (2)?

North American paper producers are constantly searching for new ways to grow even as paper demand is stagnant and the market continues to mature. Competition remains strong despite massive amounts of production being removed from the market and recent increases in paper prices (3).

As the quality requirements of customers change, papermakers may need to alter production processes to retain customers. Machine suppliers have many opportunities for papermakers to develop and leverage existing assets to meet evolving customer and production demands. These opportunities include modular-type rebuilds which require a relatively small expenditure and have the potential to bring a machine up to the current level of technology. In addition to breaking down investment costs, this rebuild strategy ensures short installation shutdowns which could be scheduled in conjunction with customary downs. Whether a rebuild is to prevent equipment from becoming a production bottleneck or to meet the increasing quality demands of customers, modular calender rebuilds allow for maximum utilization of existing equipment with minimal investment and downtime. This paper discusses rebuild opportunities which improve safety, productivity, and quality with a special section devoted to supercalender rebuilds.