The Koehler Paper Group has now put a new paper machine into operation at its Kehl site. The PM 8 produced its first reel spool on 22 October 2019. This marks the end of a lengthy construction and planning phase for the medium-sized family business.
The an Future technological challenges The paper machine is 150 metres long, has a working width of 4.2 metres and reaches speeds of 1,500 metres per minute. At its heart is a Yankee cylinder with a diameter of over 7.3 metres, the largest of its kind in the world. It is designed to give the paper a unique smoothness, which is of great importance for further processing.
Replace plastic with barrier paper
The paper machine is Papers for flexible packaging produce. „We are opening a new chapter in the Koehler story,“ says CEO Kai Furler, who represents the eighth generation of the family. The company will manufacture standard products in the coated and uncoated paper sector, as used in composite materials for bags, sachets and other applications. In addition, the Production of barrier papers that can replace plastic in packaging where this is possible and makes sense. At FachPack in September 2019, the company already presented a heat-sealable paper. There is great interest in the market, they say.
„What everyone involved has achieved cannot be overestimated. It is another quantum leap for the company,“ explains Dr Stefan Karrer, Technical Director Koehler Paper Group.
Joint research with universities
Koehler has not only built a new paper machine, but also a new coating machine - and thus continues to rely on its expertise in producing paper through the order of functional coating to increase its value and expand its function. The company took its first steps with carbonless paper over 50 years ago. This capability has been further expanded with the production of thermal paper since the mid-1980s.
„We have the ideal conditions to serve the market with innovative and sustainable products,“ says Karrer, who played a key role in the planning and realisation of the construction project with an investment volume of 300 million euros. He also points out that research and development is organised internally and with the TU Darmstadt drive forward. „The Green Coating Collaboration, Our laboratory on the Darmstadt campus is already showing initial results.“
„Our strategy is geared towards sustainability through modern machines, innovative products and renewable energies. We have worked hard to create these conditions. Now we are taking the next step,“ says a delighted Kai Furler, CEO of the Koehler Paper Group.
