Valmet to deliver Mill-Wide Optimization to Mercer Rosenthal in Germany


Valmet will deliver a Mill-Wide Optimization solution to Mercer Rosenthal kraft pulp mill in Germany. The mill-wide production planning application and change management services will help to automate decision-making and optimize the production across the fiber line, recovery line and pulp dryer. An integral part of the solution is a two-year performance agreement for remote support via the Valmet Performance Center, ensuring sustainable results in the long term.

The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the second quarter 2023 and the optimization will be delivered during autumn 2023. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

The solution enables centralized, real-time decision-making. Operating decisions are based on the total mill production and inventory balance and forecast, and process area decisions are coordinated to maximize profit and stabilize the process.

“With Valmet Mill-Wide Optimization, our goal is to produce pulp and energy more efficiently by further equalizing and optimizing the plant operation,” says Christian Sörgel, Managing Director, Mercer Rosenthal.

We have a positive, long-term relationship with Mercer and I’m sure the Mill-Wide Optimization will support both their operators’ work and production targets. Additionally, their current automation system, analyzers and measurements provide a solid foundation for this kind of optimization,” says Markus Foigtmannsberger, Service Manager, Automation Systems business line, Valmet.

“A mill audit and a detailed “re-optimize the past” analysis was performed before the investment decision to minimize risks and evaluate the benefits. The analysis demonstrated how the production planning solution can be utilized to help balance the mill and achieve the desired pulp production,” says Greg Fralic, Product Manager, Automation Systems business line, Valmet.

Valmet Mill-Wide Optimization observes the entire mill production and inventory balance in real-time and considers both the current and future states of the mill. As a result, suboptimization of individual processes that do not align with mill goals can be avoided. The optimization also provides the ability to balance environmental sustainability with production, quality, and cost.

Valmet Mill-Wide Optimization Audit helps to reveal the true production potential and the corresponding return on investment. Based on historical data, the audit helps to evaluate production increase potential, identify limitations, and highlight use cases of Mill-Wide Optimization.