GapCon to Supply New Tissue Machine for Copelme's Santa Cruz de la Sierra Mill

In February 2017, Italian-based GapCon tissue S.r.l. (since 2017 a member of the PAPCEL Group of companies) signed a contract with the Bolivian paper producer Copelme to supply a new tissue machine (paper width on reel 2,760 mm, operating speed 1,600 m/min).

It is a turnkey greenfield project. The new paper machine will be installed in a new production plant, which is located in a newly established industrial park in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. GapCon will act as a general contractor in this project, including complete engineering services, deliveries of all the accessories, mill site transportation and on-site mechanical and electrical erection.

The Copelme paper mill, part of Grupo Mendoza de Inversiones, established on 1996 by Charbel Mendoza Abs, is a leading Bolivian tissue paper manufactures with its brand NACIONAL. The main reason for building a new tissue plant is to increase the production and improve the logistic benefits. The new tissue machine startup is scheduled for mid-2018. GapCon will supply advanced tissue machine technology with a crescent former, including stock preparation line and complete auxiliary systems such as boiler house, compressed air system, overhead cranes and mill electrification. The machine capacity will be 85 tons/day (toilet paper, napkins and kitchen towels).

Through the acquisition of GapCon, the PAPCEL Group has actively entered into the tissue market and gained a strong partner with a long tradition and experience in supplies not only for tissue technology, but also for the production of graphic and packaging grades.