Voith Paper Reaches Start-up at Huatai Paper in Record Time

Heidenheim, Germany 13 November 2006 -- The new production line PM 12 at Huatai Paper Company Limited in Shangdong, China, was successfully started up on 31 October 2006. Erection of the new paper machine began only five months earlier, on 01 June 2006.

PM 12 will produce high-grade newsprint for four-color offset printing. The new paper machine is the sister machine to PM 11, which Voith delivered in 2004. With a design speed of 2000 m/min, a wire width of 10,200 mm, and production capacity of 1210 metric tons/24 hours by 49 g/m2 , the PM 12 will join PM 11 as one of world's largest and fastest newsprint production lines. Like PM 11, it is based on Voith's One Platform Concept.

Voith Paper's scope of delivery for PM 12 included a recycled fiber preparation plant, the approach flow system, complete paper machine, two VariFlex two-drum winders with ElaGrip roll technology, and fully automated, robot assisted wrapping machine complemented by a fully automatic roll conveying system.

Voith Paper also supplied a comprehensive automation system, including the machine control system, quality control system, and information system.

Voith Paper was responsible for the recycled fiber preparation plant, from dump chest to storage tower. The system has a DIP capacity of 1300 bone dry metric tons/24 hours. The DIP line features the largest EcoCell pre- and post flotation lines Voith Paper has so far delivered to China.

Voith installed its Advanced Wet End Process to accommodate Huatai's objective for minimizing both space requirements and costs. A state of the art wet and dry broke system with CompactPulpers and screening as well as a Thune fiber recovery saveall were also part of Voith's supply package.

PM 12 is the fourth paper machine in series supplied by Voith Paper to Huatai Paper. It will help Huatai to maintain its position as the No.1 producer of newsprint in China, both in terms of quality and quantity. Production of high level newsprint at Shandong Huatai Paper will reach 1.2 million tons by the end of 2006, which will equate to almost 50% of the entire newsprint production in China -- all produced on Voith Paper machines.

The trust placed in Voith Paper by Huatai Paper reflects the long history and close cooperation between the two companies.

Voith Paper is a division of Voith and one of the leading partners to the paper industry. More than a third of worldwide paper production is produced on Voith Paper machines. Founded on 01 January 1867, Voith has a current workforce of about 30,000 people, sales of EUR 3.5 billion, and offices in more than 200 locations worldwide. It is one of the largest family-owned enterprises in Europe.