Valmet to supply a fine paper line for Ittihad Int

Valmet Oyj's press release on March 29, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. EET

Valmet will supply a fine paper line for Ittihad International Investment L.L.C. in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The new greenfield production line (PM 1) with a wide automation package will be producing high-quality printing and writing paper grades for the growing domestic markets and the Middle East and North Africa region. The start-up of the machine is scheduled for the end of year 2018.

The order is included in Valmet's first quarter of 2017 orders received. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The value of an order of this type is typically around EUR 45-70 million. The order was placed by China Light Industry International Engineering Co., Ltd, an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction work) company, which will be responsible for the complete turnkey delivery of the mill site.

"Ittihad enters the papermaking business for the first time with this new OptiConcept M machine. By guiding and supporting from the very beginning of the sales process, Valmet wanted to ease Ittihad in the complex investment puzzle. We were also able to display well our papermaking concept with good references. The OptiConcept M line enables high productivity and resource efficiency, excellent quality and low operating cost," says Antero Kunnari , Sales Director, Valmet.

OptiConcept M fine paper machine

Technical details about the delivery

Valmet's delivery includes a complete fine papermaking line from a stock preparation line and headbox to a reel followed by a parent roll cart and two winders . The delivery includes also a wide scope of automation . The selected technology and automation improve runnability, quality, and the cost, material and energy efficiency. It is possible to lower basis weight still maintaining stiffness and opacity, which results in raw material savings.

The 7,100 mm wide (wire) paper machine will produce uncoated woodfree paper (WFU) grades. The design speed of the machine will be 1,700 m/min with daily capacity of 1,200 tonnes.

About the customer Ittihad International Investment and EPC contractor CLIEC

Established in 2008, Ittihad International Investment group governs several companies in the Middle East. Ittihad Paper Mill (IPM) is the first printing and writing paper production facility in the area of the Gulf Cooperation Council. IPM is located on a 230,000 square meter plot in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) and is the largest producer of printing & writing paper in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region covering around 10% of the MENA market.

China Light Industry International Engineering Co., Ltd. (CLIEC) was founded in January 1953. CLIEC has provided engineering design, consulting and project general contracting services for more than 5,000 medium and large scale projects in China and more than 60 medium, and large scaled projects abroad in more than 20 countries.

VALMET Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:

Markus Laitila, Vice President, Common Operations & Development, Paper mills, Valmet, tel. +358 40 575 1204

Antero Kunnari, Sales Director, China, Valmet, tel. +8613764199395 / +358 40 543 1036

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2016 were approximately EUR 2.9 billion. Our 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...7a0e57e5ae