Honeywell To Transform Austrian Sappi Plant Into One Of The World's Most Modern Paper Mills

Honeywell technologies will improve product quality, reduce costs, enable first-ever visualization of operations and boost cybersecurity protection at 400-year-old mill

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Honeywell

Oct 09, 2018, 04:00 ET

GRAZ, Austria, Oct. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) technology will be used to transform one of Europe's oldest paper mills into one of the world's most modern under a €30 million project being implemented by Sappi Austria Produktions-GmbH & Co. KG, to upgrade its paper mill in Gratkorn, Austria.

The mill – where paper has been made for more than four centuries – makes 980,000 tons of high-quality, multicoated paper per year for publications around the world. Honeywell will implement a range of upgrades that include server virtualization, process visualization and cybersecurity solutions. These new systems will increase product quality while cutting production costs.

In 2015, Honeywell upgraded the site's flagship PM11 paper machine to its Experion^® PMD automation system, creating one of the most advanced coated fine paper production lines in the world.

"We selected Honeywell because of the company's track record of success on previous projects and familiarity with the site and our business," said Karl Weiss, automation project manager, Sappi. "This latest project will deliver quality and productivity improvements, cost savings measures and security enhancements that will future-proof operations at Gratkorn in line with Industrie 4.0."

The new project will include integrating an Experion^® Virtualized Solution platform to allow centralized, remote monitoring of the mill's operations; four Experion PMD automation systems to control processes, machinery and drives; and four Experion^® MX Quality Control Systems for use with quality sensors. Additional solutions include two ProCoat CD actuator systems that will help reduce the paper web's cross-direction variation as it is being made, and Uniformance^® PHD historian and Process Studio solutions. For cybersecurity, HSSN remote access will facilitate Microsoft security patches and virus updates, and a Secure Media Exchange gateway will monitor and log the use of removable media throughout the facility to reduce risk and limit operational disruption.

"Paper has been produced at Gratkorn for 400 years, and today the site is one of the most modern and environmentally progressive in the world," said Marko Jamsen, EMEA pulp and paper business leader for Honeywell Process Solutions. "We're delighted to continue to work with Sappi to increase operational excellence – this time, through virtualization capabilities that will transform productivity and lower maintenance costs, and the application of our latest cybersecurity protection measures."

For more information visit Honeywell Process Solutions.

Honeywell Process Solutions (www.honeywellprocess.com) is a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas; refining; energy; pulp and paper; industrial power generation; chemicals and petrochemicals; biofuels; life sciences; and metals, minerals and mining industries. It is also a leader in providing software solutions and instrumentation that help manufacturers find value and competitive advantage through Honeywell Connected Plant, Honeywell's Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution. Process Solutions is part of Honeywell's Performance Materials and Technologies strategic business group, which also includes Honeywell UOP (www.uop.com), a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Honeywell