Siempelkamp to supply Arauco with plant and equipment for laminated board production

Appointment in Santiago de Chile between Siempelkamp and Arauco members (Image: Siempelkamp)

Producer of wood products Arauco has ordered a medium-density fibreboard (MDF) plant and a short-cycle press line from wood-panels plant supplier Siempelkamp.

According to Siempelkamp, Arauco decided in favour of a complete plant which covers the entire competence of the Siempelkamp Group from the delivery of the raw material to the finished laminated board.

The plant will be built in Zitácuaro in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, where Arauco already produces particleboard.

The scope of supply starts with the truck unloading, the silo discharge systems, mechanical and pneumatic conveyors. Siempelkamp subsidiaries CMC and Pallmann will contribute the screening and size reduction technology. Büttner will supply the dryer as well as the energy plant and was particularly convincing with its technical possibilities in the area of energy savings.

Siempelkamp’s air-cooled firing grate allows for a complete combustion of biomass and thus opens up a higher plant availability compared to the competitive concepts.

The order volume also includes the sifter system, gluing with EcoResinator, a forming and press line with ContiRoll in the 8ft x 33.8 m format and complete press extraction system.

The delivery spectrum is rounded off by the complete finishing line with cooling and stacking, two storage types, a sanding line with cut-to-size saw, and a packaging line.

Siempelkamp’s solutions for ‘Production Intelligence’ are also integrated in the plant concept for Arauco. The digital control system Prod-IQ optimises the production processes. The engineering is provided by the Belgian Sicoplan subsidiary. The second system, a short-cycle press, will be integrated into the finishing concept.

“We are happy to be able to provide the complete Siempelkamp competence in this region of Mexico. The quality of existing Siempelkamp plants within the Arauco Group is decisive for the customer’s decision to commission us with this project – and we are pleased to have once again set a quality benchmark,” said Daniel Hasemann, sales director Siempelkamp South America.

Installation is scheduled for 2024 or 2025.