Mpact contracts Andritz to upgrade its pulping line in South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA – Paper and plastic packaging producer and recycler Mpact has contracted international technology group Andritz to upgrade a pulping line at its Mkhondo Paper Mill in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The upgrade will boost the line’s capacity and improve the strength properties of the product. This will help the customer respond to the strong domestic and international demand for high-quality sustainable packing solutions.

Brian Smith, project director, Mpact explains: “With the technological solution proposed by Andritz, we can increase our mill’s performance and make our production more sustainable at the same time.

“We get everything from a single source – three good reasons for choosing Andritz as a partner.”

Andritz will upgrade the entire neutral sulphite semi-chemical pulping (NSSC) line, which processes eucalyptus and pine to provide fluting and linerboard for containerboard production.

The comprehensive Andritz solution comprises key equipment for the wood processing, cooking, washing and refining sections to increase the line’s capacity from 225 bdmt/d to 365 bdmt/d and at the same time enhance product quality.

A new chipping line will provide excellent chip size distribution to secure a homogenous cooking result with minimal amounts of fines for improved material efficiency.

Andritz will also provide supervision over the erection, commissioning, and start-up as well as the training of the operating personnel. The start-up of the upgraded line is scheduled for the first half of 2025.

The upgrade to the pulping line is part of the bigger mill upgrade project where Mpact announced in December 2022 the approval of a R1.2 billion (~ EUR 60 million) capital investment project at its Mkhondo Paper Mill.

It forms part of Mpact’s portfolio optimization and strategically positions the mill to meet the increasing demand for quality, sustainable, fresh produce packaging solutions driven by robust growth in the South African export fruit sector.

The approval of this project highlights the Mpact Board’s confidence in the growth prospects of the South African fresh produce sector.

“Our R1.2-billion investment in the Mkhondo mill demonstrates our strong belief in the growth prospects of particularly our fruit exporters who need our containerboard, and Mpact’s successful investment and project management record,” notes Mpact chairperson Tony Phillips.

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