Neopak, a leading manufacturer of containerboard and paper products, has renewed its partnership with global technology company ABB, to upgrade the existing automation system at its Rosslyn Paper Mill in Pretoria, South Africa. At the mill, Neopak produces a variety of paper grades, including high-performance recycled liner and fluting, paper bags, core board, and plasterboard – essential materials for local industry applications such as building hardware, converters, and corrugators for packaging.
ABB will upgrade one of Neopak’s paper machines with the latest distributed control system to enhance productivity and quality.
ABB will provide its latest ABB 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 advances in technologies and digital integration. The upgrade will assist 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. Recent process adjustments have boosted production to around 85 000 tonnes per year. With the further upgrade by ABB, Neopak expects to improve production efficiency and product quality significantly. This will enable it to meet rising market demand for essential materials with the highest standards of quality and sustainability.
Working towards future digital operations, Neopak will aim for 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 to facilitate a phased implementation of industry-leading digital solutions tailored for the pulp and paper sector. These will include enhanced cybersecurity and advanced process control (APC). Designed for peak performance, the ABB Ability System 800xA DCS will empower Neopak to adopt sophisticated control strategies and automation techniques, to support long-term operational efficiency.
Nitesh Singh, Operational Director at Neopak, said: “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.”
Arvin Ramjee, Account Manager, ABB Pulp and Paper, South Africa, said: “We believe it is 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.”
System 800xA integrates with various process components, streamlining operations and optimizing production schedules. This, along with the critical next stages of Neopak’s digital transformation journey set to begin this year, will result in increased efficiency and throughput for the manufacturer as well as significant improvements in yield and paper quality. Additionally, the APC capabilities enable more precise management of the paper machine, leading to reduced waste. The system facilitates streamlined operations through a centralised platform, simplifying process monitoring and control for operators. This enables them to make informed decisions and respond quickly to process variations.
The upgraded process controls and automation strategies will position Neopak for long-term success and provide the flexibility to integrate ABB's digital solutions for future optimisation.
Project commissioning is expected to be completed in Q3 2025.
For more information visit: www.abb.com
