MIPAC Completes Norske Skog Control System Upgrade Ahead of Schedule

MIPAC has completed a Paper Machine system upgrade 15 hours ahead of schedule, saving Norske Skog more than ¼ million dollars at its Albury Mill.

MIPAC, a leading provider of process control engineering solutions, has successfully completed an upgrade of Norske Skog’s Albury Paper Machine control system ahead of schedule. MIPAC completed the upgrade and returned the machine to production 15 hours ahead of schedule, saving Norske Skog’s Albury operation more than $250 000 in lost production revenue.

Norske Skog, Australia’s largest newsprint producer, originally selected MIPAC in 2002 to upgrade all measurement and automation systems. This latest phase of the project in Albury involved replacing a number of disparate legacy systems with one consistent system that automates the entire operation.

The 6 day planned shutdown was used to changeover the control system on the paper machine. The risks involved with such an important changeover were mitigated by MIPAC’s meticulous planning and faultless implementation. As a result, the changeover was completed well ahead of schedule.

“The team at MIPAC is first class,” said Guy Mycroft, Mill Manager, Norske Skog Albury. “Their attention to detail, thorough planning and process knowledge reduced the risks on a very complex project. MIPAC made a great contribution to the platform for success of the recent automation upgrade of Norske Skog’s Albury plant, delivering a high-quality result on schedule.”

“MIPAC worked closely with the Albury Mill personnel to integrate their changeover plan into the total shut schedule. The excellent co-operation between the two companies helped deliver such a good result” said Eddie De Rivera, Albury Manager, MIPAC.

These legacy systems, each with a proprietary user interface, made it difficult for plant operators to visualise an end-to-end process. This resulted in increased downtime costs, and increased maintenance costs due to unsupported equipment. As a result of the MIPAC control system upgrade, plant operators now have a single user interface, with improved control strategies and alarm management.

About MIPAC: MIPAC is a respected provider of process control, instrumentation and electrical engineering solutions. MIPAC is committed to working with our customers to help them achieve operational excellence. MIPAC specialises in industries that require continuous process control such as pulp and paper production, minerals and metal processing. We serve renowned companies such as Xstrata, BHP Billiton and Norske Skog in more than a dozen countries. MIPAC is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia and our key office for the pulp and paper market is in Albury, Australia. MIPAC employs some of the industry’s most talented process control professionals. Learn more at www.mipac.com.au.

About Norske Skog: Norske Skog is a global supplier of publication paper with mills and offices on five continents. The company is headquartered in Norway. In Australasia Norske Skog has three paper mills with annual sales worth around A$1 billion. In Albury, Norske Skog employs 270 staff and produces about 30% of Australia’s overall newsprint and related grades each year. Learn more at www.norskeskog.com .