January 23rd 2012
"Palm Paper"
Derek R Harman (Managing Director Business & Administration)
and Andy Nicol (Head of Mechanical Services)
Palm Paper, Kings Lynn.
An audience of over eighty members attended to hear Derek Harman present a comprehensive overview of the activities
of Papierfabrik Palm since its formation in Germany some 140 years ago and its recent development of a subsidiary company,
Palm Paper Ltd., King’s Lynn, which is the largest and most modern of its 22 production facilities, and Andy Nicol give
an insight into the challenges associated with the construction and maintenance of this highly efficient 24 / 7 operation.
Since its foundation this family firm has concentrated upon the production of high quality newsprint utilising 100%
recycled materials and cardboard casing for the packaging industry. The founding members of the company clearly demonstrated
an environmental awareness and commitment to recycling long before such attitudes were publicly and politically applauded.
Research and development of the products is a continuous process and is primarily driven by the need to supply product
which meets the needs of the publishing industry at a time when newspaper production is falling and the need to supply
lighter and stronger materials for the packaging industry.
Recent developments include a newsprint product which is 5%
lighter than its predecessor whilst maintaining the essential qualities necessary to meet the demands imposed by high
speed printing processes.
The packaging production has reduced its consumption of virgin fibre to less than 12% of finished product. The UK customer
base includes all the major national newspaper publishers and many regional titles. Palm Paper Ltd. currently supply over
30% of the U K market from its King’s Lynn operation.
Having successfully exported product from its European operations to the UK for some years Palm Paper decided to seek a site
in the UK for newsprint production. The former British Sugar Corporation site at King’s Lynn was selected as the most suitable
location and planning permission was granted in December 2007.
12,000 piles were driven into the site and the construction phase commenced. Large preformed reinforced concrete sections
were delivered to the site on a daily basis and more than 70,000 tonnes of precast concrete units were used. The official
topping out ceremony was celebrated on 11th December 2008.
During February/March 2009 up to 1000 workers were on site, working round the clock, to assemble the production machinery and
ancillary plant, utilising cranes with up to 100 tonne lifting capacity. Over 15,000 tonnes of machinery was installed,
together with 65 kilometres of pipework and 700 kilometres of electric cables.
The production machine, currently the largest and most modern in the world, has a working width of 10.63 meters and a planned
annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes. Production started in August 2009, 3 weeks ahead of schedule, producing its first
Jumbo roll in 45g/m2 at a start up speed of 1580 metres per minute. Production has reached its annual capacity, 18 months
ahead of schedule, whilst reducing actual tonnage to 370,000 tonnes due to improvements in the paper specification.
Andy Nicol, Head of Mechanical Services, has been associated with the project since the construction phase and gave an insight
into the issues associated with the maintenance of the operation. Routine maintenance of this £400 million investment requires
scrupulous planning together with efficient and knowledgeable execution.
Customers no longer keep stock to hand and expect just in time delivery of product, straight from the lorry to the printing
presses. Whilst the works has a fully automated warehouse this is geared to effective distribution rather than large scale
stockholding.
Delays in production are not an option and in order to maintain a constant supply of high quality base material
Palm Paper has recently acquired a waste collection and sorting facility.
During his introduction Derek described the facility as a lean mean production machine. The construction and installation
phases of the project gave employment to over 1,000 people on and off site. The production operation now employs some 110 people
on site working round the clock.
Palm Paper has shown that industrial re generation is possible given first class planning
and efficient execution, plus a willingness to meet the changing needs of the customer base. Palm has plans for further expansion
at the rate of one facility every five years and on the basis of its performance at King’s Lynn deserves its success.
More details about Palm's global operations as well as those of their UK sites can be found in their two main websites:-
The Palm Group worldwide
The Palm Paper in the UK
Carl Stone January 2012