Peterson: Corrugated packaging industry of the future

Peterson, one of the leading suppliers in the Scandinavian packaging industry, is setting new standards in Industry 4.0 with its new production site in Halden, Norway: by utilising artificial intelligence, advanced and extensive automation technologies and a carbon-neutral manufacturing operation, Peterson is on the verge of commissioning one of the most technologically advanced packaging facilities in the world.

CO2-neutral thanks to a closed-loop energy system

The new site in Halden - which replaces the previous site in Sarpsborg - is fully operational. CO2-neutral designed and utilised for steam and heat generation Biogas. The boiler is fuelled with this biogas to produce steam for the corrugator. As more and more lorries are expected to run on biogas in the future, it will also be possible to refuel them at the local filling station.

As biogas is produced through the fermentation of organic waste, it represents a Completely climate-neutral energy source is the result. The energy efficiency of the system is optimised by an innovative Heat recovery system improved even further. This means that the entire factory building can be heated with residual heat.

Utilising organic waste to generate electricity and recover heat is an excellent example of how a closed-loop system improves the energy balance and reduces the environmental impact.

„The overall design of the system fits perfectly with our corporate goal: to use fully circular packaging solutions that are made entirely from renewable raw materials.“

Dan Johannessen, Managing Director of Peterson

World's first installation of the „Next Generation“ AI-controlled corrugator“

In addition to the plant's very high energy efficiency, the site also scores highly with its state-of-the-art machinery. The plant in Halden will be the first production facility in the world to operate the „Next Generation“ corrugator from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and will therefore be a pioneer in this field. Artificial intelligence integrated into the production of corrugated packaging solutions.

The new corrugator uses artificial intelligence to analyse sensor data and uses a model to quickly and accurately identify machine settings in order to improve the quality and productivity of the line and reduce the need for manual intervention by machine operators.

In addition, the system is able to recognise problems as soon as they become apparent and therefore before an actual failure occurs, which helps to reduce downtime in the factory.

„We believe that this new corrugator, in combination with artificial intelligence, can be the first corrugator of a new generation that will revolutionise the production of this packaging material.“

Giovanni Bettini, Sales Manager of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Europe

The corrugated board is also processed using state-of-the-art technology. One particularly impressive innovation, for example, is the heating of the corrugated board before printing. In this way, a Better colour penetration of the corrugated board and a Optimised print quality and a Lower energy consumption achieved.

Recruitment of additional staff and training

Due to the expansion of plant automation, a total of around 130 employees will be working at the site. Major redundancies have been avoided as part of the current workforce in Sarpsborg is retiring. Nevertheless Additional staff with specialised knowledge are required and set.

Peterson has also invested significantly in Further training programmes invested. In order to prepare the employees for working on the new machines on site, the most important machine operators have completed training courses at VPK companies in the Netherlands, Sweden and England.

The first packaging from Halden is expected to leave the plant in January 2020. The official inauguration of the plant is planned for May 2020.

Source: Klingele Papierwerke GmbH & Co. KG