Containerboard and paper products manufacturer Neopak has renewed its partnership with global technology company ABB to upgrade the existing automation system at its Rosslyn paper mill, in Pretoria, South Africa.

The mill produces a variety of paper grades, including high-performance recycled liner and fluting, paper bags, core board and plasterboard.

ABB will provide its latest Ability System 800xA distributed control system (DCS) for the mill’s Paper Machine 3 (PM3).

The existing system, which includes the ABB Quality Control System (QCS), a current ABB DCS, and variable speed drives, will be upgraded to leverage new technological advancements and digital integrations.

This upgrade is expected to allow Neopak to achieve optimal efficiency, productivity and consistency through smart manufacturing.

Since its construction between 2007 and 2009, Neopak’s PM3 has been operational for over 15 years, with recent process adjustments boosting production to about 85 000 t/y.

With ABB’s upgrade, Neopak expects to significantly enhance production efficiency and product quality, enabling the mill to meet rising market demand.

Looking ahead, Neopak’s future digital operations will emphasise advanced process control (APC), cybersecurity and increased accuracy and efficiency across the entire machine and process.

ABB has been tasked with defining a strategic digital roadmap for Neopak, and facilitating a phased implementation of digital solutions tailored for the pulp and paper sector, including enhanced cybersecurity and APC.

System 800xA integrates with various process components, aimed at streamlining operations and optimising production schedules.

This, along with the next stages of Neopak’s digital transformation journey, set to begin work in 2025, is expected to result in improved efficiency and higher throughput for the manufacturer, alongside significant improvements in yield and paper quality.

Additionally, the APC capabilities are said to enable more precise management of the paper machine, reducing waste.

The system is also said to foster streamlined operations through a centralised platform, simplifying process monitoring and control for operators. This would allow them to make informed decisions and respond quickly to process variations.

The project commissioning is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.

“ABB is a champion for the South African pulp and paper industry and a trusted partner in our business, consistently delivering solutions that expand the boundaries of what's possible. Expanding our partnership with them is a natural step towards achieving our digitalisation goals. Their digital toolkit, complemented by extensive industry expertise, is helping us unlock smart manufacturing at Neopak,” says Neopak operational director Nitesh Singh.

“We believe it is very important to support Neopak in the next stages of its journey towards smart manufacturing. This project demonstrates ABB’s commitment to supporting manufacturers globally in achieving their digitalisation objectives and optimising operations for sustained success,” says ABB South Africa pulp and paper account manager Arvin Ramjee.