A VIRTUAL TOUR of SSK BIRMINGHAM

Wednesday, 21st March 2012

THE MILL

THE MILL

THE MILL

Founded by 3 Victorian Gents (Smith, Stone and Knight) in 1862 22 Acre site 110 employees Single machine (PM4) Output = 200,000 t.p.a. Saleable width (deckle) = 4.7m Machine Speed = 850m/min max. Products manufactured: T2, T3 & Recycled Fluting Grammage range = 100 – 220 gsm 2 Bore holes providing process water requirements 2 CHP’s generating 8MW of electricity & 40t/hr of steam at 12bar 3 Package boilers generating 60t/hr of steam at 12bar An Anaerobic Waste Water Treatment Plant

STORAGE YARD – (The Front End)

14.9Kt stock capacity (up to 3 weeks supply) / 4Kt per week input 14.5Kt baled 400tonnes loose

THE PAPER MAKING PROCESS

Pulping: add water (96%) to recovered fibre (4%) = “thickstock”

Cleaning: the “thickstock” by sieving, screening and centrifuge

Spraying: Spray a jet of thinstock (99% water) onto a wire (a woven

synthetic fabric – the forming sheet - moving at 720 mtrs/min).

Drying: remove water from the forming sheet

Sizing: – add chemicals (starch etc) to achieve physical strength

properties by squeezing into the paper.

Reeling up, slit, and wind to required customer width and diameter.

Finishing/Transporting: - to finished reel warehouse.

PULPING and CLEANING

‘Stock’ preparation on twin stream pulping lines 17.5 Kt rejects p.a. (80% landfilled, 20% land spread)

PM4

SPRAYING – (The ‘Wet’ End)

DRYING

This is achieved in 4 stages:

Draining – by gravity 1% fibre:99% water

Drawing – by vacuum 20% fibre:80% water

Squeezing – by rollers 54% fibre: 46% water

Heating – by hot air 93% fibre: 7% water

SQUEEZING (PRESS SECTION)

Two presses working at 5 bar reduce water content to about 60%

A third, extended nip press (ENP) reduces water content further to about 47%

The ENP operates at 68 bar using hydraulic pressure.

HEATING and SIZING (The ‘Dry’ End)

Steam heated cylinders in the Pre-Dryer section are now used to bring moisture content down to about 12%.

Starched / sized products have to be rewetted in a size press as the chemical additives are absorbed.

More steam heated cylinders in the After-Dryer section are now used to bring moisture content down to the finished product specification of 7-8%.

WINDING

Jumbo reelsc.18 Tonnes

FINISHING

The Valmet slitter is fully automatic and capable of being run by 1 man

Jumbo reels are slit to customers orders

6 to 15 finished reels per jumbo are produced

Each weighs between 0.78 and 3.2 tonnes

WAREHOUSING – The Rear End

Fully automated unmanned forklifts(self guided vehicles – SGV’s)

ENERGY FROM WASTE PLANT

Energy• 2 Gas fired CHP’s

CHP1 Centrax KB5 built in 1985, generating 3.5 MW &20 tonnes/hour of Steam

CHP2 Centrax KB7 built in 1997 installed at SSK in 2000, generating 4.5 MW & 20 tonnes/hour Steam

• 3 dual-fuel, package boilers installed 1989, generating 20 tonnes/hour each of Steam

• Import and Export electricity dependant on product mix

• Typical specific electricity usage 315 KWh/gross tonne

WATER TREATMENT PLANT

THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Water is drawn from the aquafer under the city

Input from 2 boreholes at 3.5 m3/tonne

Input from city’s water main at 1.1 m3/tonne Output 3.1 m3/tonne to Severn Trent Minworth sewage works

Used water is treated on site before returning to Severn-Trent

THE ACTUAL TOUR

Health and Safety – Do

• Stay with your guide / supervisor• Follow all marked foot paths• Be alert

PPE • Wear High Visibility Vests• Use hearing protection in all production area as designated

Clothing• Wear stout footwear & preferably safety shoes

It’s loud, it’s hot, it’s humid, it’s wet – do you still want to see it?