HELSINKI, Finland, May 10, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metso Paper will supply most of the technology for Nippon Paper Industries' new 350,000 tpy papermaking line to be built at its Ishinomaki mill in northeastern Honshu, Japan. The total value of the Metso order, which covers technology for papermaking, paper finishing, air systems and automation, exceeds EUR 80 million. The new production line is due to start up in late September 2007.
Nippon Paper Industries Ishinomaki PM N6 will be the first new papermaking unit in Japan since 1998. The new machine will produce both fine paper and lightweight coated grades in a basis weight range of 51 to 79 g/m2. With a wire width of 9.45 m and a design speed of 1,800 m/min, it will be among the largest paper machines ever constructed in the country.
Nippon Paper Industries, which forms a major part of Nippon Paper Group, is Japan's leading paper producer. The Ishinomaki mill currently runs 11 paper machines producing a total of 900,000 tons per year.
The entire Nippon Paper Group produces approx. 7.4 million tons per year of paper and board with a total of approx. 90 paper machines at 23 mills in Japan, 2 in the U.S.A., 3 in China and 1 in Finland. The Group dominates the domestic Japanese paper market with a 26% market share.
Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2005 net sales of approximately EUR 4.2 billion. Its 22,000 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.