- Customer selects ABB drives and motors for Lucca Paper Mill, which will be the biggest mill of its kind in the country
- New line is significant for Italy’s paper production industry as it will almost double production capacity on site and support lightweighting of packaging solutions
- Motors with customized winding and control via ABB inverters enable high performance, efficiency, reliability and sustainability
ABB has secured an order from DS Smith Paper Italia S.r.l, part of international packaging company DS Smith, to supply a new sectional drives system for a new containerboard machine at the company’s Lucca Paper Mill in Porcari, Tuscany, known across Italy for its recovered fiber and white liner products. Once operational, Paper Machine 3 (PM3) will have an estimated annual capacity of 450,000 metric tons.
ABB was selected for the flagship project – one of the most significant in the entire pulp and paper sector in Italy – thanks to its proven industry experience and reliability of its products. Used on paper machines for control, drive units and motors, ABB drive systems have been installed in more than 3,000 mills worldwide.
DS Smith selected the PMC800 drive system for its Lucca Paper Mill to improve performance, generate greater energy savings and achieve superior product quality, in addition to fast start-ups, high reliability and easy integration with other mill automation. The system will reduce the cost of ownership over the automation lifecycle and offer a high level of control precision and standardized communication between control systems.
ABB will support DS Smith's operations at the mill with reduced cost of ownership, control precision and standardized communication. Image DS Smith 
DS Smith's Lucca Paper Mill in Porcari, Tuscany, started its three-year project to build PM3 back in 2022. Image DS Smith
ABB’s scope of work also includes M3BP and AXR asynchronous squirrel cage induction motors with special winding for specific applications, as well as control via ABB ACS880 inverters, which are proven to achieve high performance and efficiency. The 8.6 meters wide (wire) PM 3 machine will produce recycled liner grades with a basis weight range of 70 to 135 grams per square meter at production speed of 1,500 meters per minute (m/min) and mechanical design speed of 1,700m/min.
“This project will help to significantly increase production capacity and improve energy efficiency at our plant in Porcari,” said Massimo Basta, General Manager at DS Smith’s Lucca Paper Mill. “Construction of the PM3 is well underway and we look forward to its successful integration which will make a significant difference to paper production in Italy, providing the high performing paper needed to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging worldwide”
“It is a moment of pride for the ABB team to partner with DS Smith on this major project – the most important in Lucca and a reference point for the national paper industry in Italy,” said Jan-Willem Bos, Paper Europe Sales Manager at ABB. “Customers in Europe and worldwide continue to recognize ABB as a leader in the pulp and paper industry, and the key role the company plays in achieving production and sustainability performance. Our people are key to making the difference for customers and in this case we recognized outstanding cooperation between the various ABB departments to reach this point with DS Smith.”
ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. go.abb/processautomation
ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and more than 105,000 employees worldwide. ABB's shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com
