Aquakraft Kağıt ve Ambalaj has signed a contract with Voith for a major rebuild project at its Ferizli mill in Turkey.

The rebuild will modernize both the paper machine and stock preparation systems, supporting a planned production capacity increase of around 60%.

Expanding Capacity and Product Range

The upgraded line is designed to strengthen Aquakraft’s position in the containerboard and kraft paper market.

Following the rebuild, the machine will produce:

• Corrugating Medium
• Testliner
• High Performance Testliner
• White Top Liner

within a basis weight range of 80–200 g/m² and at design speeds of up to 1,200 m/min.

Start-up is scheduled for Q4 2027.

Major Upgrades Across the Entire Production Line

The rebuild covers both stock preparation and paper machine technology.

Stock Preparation Improvements

Voith’s scope includes:

• BluePulp detrashing concept
• IntegraScreens
• C-bar Vertec screen baskets
• InduraCleaner technology
• InfiltraDiscfilter systems

The project will also integrate recycled fibre, bleached kraft pulp and unbleached kraft pulp processing into the upgraded line.

New Two-Ply Forming and Shoe Press Technology

On the paper machine side, Voith will install:

• MasterJet 4Tec headbox
• TopFormer F configuration
• DuoShake DG800 shaking unit
• NipcoFlex shoe press technology

These upgrades are designed to improve:

• paper quality
• runnability
• resource efficiency
• operational reliability

Extending the Life of an Existing Asset

The machine has an unusual history.

Originally supplied by Voith in 1992 as Zanders PM 3 in Germany, the machine was relocated to Turkey in 2025.

After startup and first commercial containerboard production in late 2025, Aquakraft decided to proceed with a full modernization program.

Industry Insight

The project reflects a growing trend in the paper industry:

many producers are choosing large-scale rebuilds over entirely new paper machines.

Modern rebuilds allow mills to:

• extend asset life
• improve energy efficiency
• increase speed and quality
• expand grade flexibility
• reduce investment cost compared with greenfield projects

For containerboard markets under cost pressure, rebuild strategies are becoming increasingly attractive.

Final Thought

The Aquakraft project shows how rebuild technology is evolving from basic modernization into full-scale production transformation.

Instead of replacing the machine entirely, the rebuild combines advanced forming, stock preparation and press technologies to create a more competitive and efficient containerboard operation.

Last Updated on 14/05/2026 by Jota Machinery