Operator replaced by computer - new technology of paper machine in Paper Factory in Čačak

Paper factory Božo Tomić in Čačak invested 262,700 EUR in procurement and import of electronic and other equipment that has recently been installed on "paper machine 3". It is a measuring frame for regulating paper's weight, humidity, ash and mass concentration.

– Production on the machine is now controlled by computer according to set parameters, with the extreme precision. We saw the positive effect the moment the frame was put in operation – Mileta Kostić, the Production Manager in the Paper Factory, told Politika.

This machine produces medium fine and packaging paper weighing between 50 and 180g (the weight of one square meter of paper), with the capacity of 60 tons per 24 hours, and it works non stop. Measuring of the contents of humidity is exceptionally important for the calculation of final weight of the ready-made product, ash is what is left after paper is burned, while the mass concentration is the quantity of paper fibers in the raw material that is prepared for the commencement of work.

– In the last twenty years, all these indexes were determined by the workers on the machines. Old measuring heads broke long time ago and, since it is an old technology, there were no spare parts for them, so that the measuring role was taken by operators – says Kostić.

New measuring frame, bought from the German manufacturer, was put in operation on March 1st, which led to reduction of waste from 10% to two or three per cents. That is, based on current monthly production of 1,500 tons, the saving of 105 tons or, in financial terms, 30,000 EUR. In that way, the investment will pay itself off already by the end of this year.

This paper machine was made in Austrian factory Foit and assembled in Čačak in 1961. The paper factory in this town has another active machine - Foit's paper machine 2 from 1937, which produces crepe paper and paper towels weighing between 28 and 40g, with the capacity of up to 8 tons per 24 hours. The paper from Čačak is mainly sold in domestic market, but 100 tons of mid-fine paper are currently being delivered to a buyer in Hungary.

Paper factory Božo Tomić was privatized in 2007 and the new owner - Bulgarian company Čestijm - took on the obligation to invest 52m RSD in it. The Privatization Agency confirmed that 63.7m RSD have been invested to the date.

This is, currently, the only factory in Serbia that produces paper. Other active manufacturers in the paper industry are factories Umka, which produces white-line chipboard, and Diva in Preljina near Čačak, which exclusively produces hygiene paper.

(Note: complete text is taken over from newspaper Politika of March 21, 2010)