The No.1 paper machine at Norske Skog's Albury mill required an upgrade to achieve a production rate of 265,000 tonnes of paper per annum, and Beca AMEC was commissioned for the project.
The role encompassed:
- structural and electrical design, and HVAC services for the winder building
- structural engineering for the paper machine rebuild
- redesign of the water treatment system.
The role was a sub-contract to Finnish forest industry consultant, Poyry Forest Industries, which has an agreement to provide engineering services to Norske Skog paper mills around the world.
From the start of the project in mid-2004 until project completion in June 2006, Beca AMEC had a number of staff from Australia and New Zealand on site supporting the construction effort of the water treatment plant, the new winder building and the mechanical installation.
The construction of the winder building was completed and the winder commissioned in October 2005. During the four week, 24 hour/per day shutdown in February 2006, the paper machine was dismantled and rebuilt, and Beca AMEC was again called upon to assist with the supervision requirements.
The paper machine rebuild was believed to have been the most ambitious of its type completed in the world at that time. It was certainly the biggest project that Norske Skog Albury had undertaken. Furthermore, the paper machine had never been shutdown for this length of time since it was first commissioned in 1981.