Pro-Gest S.p.A.Selects Voith Technology For Mill Upgrades in Italy

Heidenheim, Germany, 31 August 2006 -- The Italian Pro-Gest Group has placed an order with Voith Paper for the rebuild of PM 2 at its Villa Lagarina mill in Trent, Italy. The group is one of the largest producers of fluting and testliner in Italy.

The order comprises a new stock preparation line and approach flow as well as a new DuoCentri NipcoFlex press section. The main target of the rebuild is to increase production capacity and improve product quality.

Following the rebuild, the 5750-mm wire width machine will produce up to 300,000 metric tons/year of fluting and testliner in a basis weight range of 90-180 g/m², at a maximum operating speed of 1100 m/min.

The new stock preparation line includes all necessary components to raise capacity from 600 metric tons/day to 900 metric tons/day, while significantly improving paper quality. A key component of the rebuild will be a UniPulper pulping system, complete with detrashing equipment, coarse screening, high density cleaning, and fractionation. For the approach flow, Voith Paper is supplying low consistency (LC) cleaning and MultiScreen slotted screening systems, together with broke preparation technology.

The DuoCentri NipcoFlex press will ensure maximum dry contents and production tonnages, as well as high machine runnability.

The order package also includes basis engineering, distributed control system components, supervision of erection and commissioning, as well as training services for the mill personnel.

The start-up of the stock preparation is scheduled for October 2006, machine and AFS brkoe pulper will follow in February 2007.

Voith Paper has a long-term close partnership with Pro-Gest and has carried out major rebuilds at other group mills in Italy to the customer's full satisfaction.

Voith Paper is a division of the Voith Group and a leading partner to the paper industry. Founded on 1 January 1867, with approximately 30,000 employees, a turnover of EURO 3.5 billion and over 200 locations world-wide, Voith is today one of Europe's large family-owned companies.