PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL - Purpose-driven automation powers Mondi Štětí’s new kraft paper production line. Kaj Fahllund, Vice President Pulp & Paper, Pesmel Oy - Paper Technology International 2026 - Book - Page 51

PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL - Purpose-driven automation powers Mondi Štětí’s new kraft paper production line. Kaj Fahllund, Vice President Pulp & Paper, Pesmel Oy

PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL - Purpose-driven automation powers Mondi Štětí’s new kraft paper production line. Kaj Fahllund, Vice President Pulp & Paper, Pesmel Oy
INTRODUCTION:
As global demand for sustainable packaging solutions continues to rise, manufacturers are investing heavily in advanced production
technologies capable of delivering both higher output and greater operational eficiency. At Mondi’s Štětí mill in the Czech Republic, a major
new investment in kraft paper production is demonstrating how intelligent automation and material handling systems are becoming essential
to the future of paper manufacturing.
At the heart of the project is a customized automated sorting and buffering solution supplied by Pesmel, integrated into Mondi’s new
210,000-metric-ton-per-year kraft paper production line. Designed to support the growing market for paper-based flexible packaging, the
facility combines high production capacity with advanced logistics automation to optimize material flow from production through to dispatch.
Building for the Future of Sustainable Packaging
The new PM10 production line of昀椀cially began operations
in December 2024 and represents one of Mondi’s most signi昀椀cant
recent investments in kraft paper production. The project supports
the company’s strategy to expand its portfolio of sustainable
packaging materials as industries increasingly shift away from
plastic-based alternatives.
Demand for paper-based 昀氀exible packaging has accelerated
across multiple sectors, including e-commerce, food and beverage,
industrial packaging, and consumer goods. This shift has created
pressure on manufacturers to not only increase production volumes,
but also improve operational ef昀椀ciency, reduce waste, and maintain
consistent product quality.
To achieve these goals, Mondi partnered with Pesmel to
implement a highly automated material handling and warehouse
solution capable of managing the mill’s demanding production
requirements.
A Warehouse Designed for Organization, Not Storage
“Every warehouse has its own purpose. In the case of Mondi
Štětí, it is not designed for storage, but for organization,” explains
Jani Matikainen, Sales Manager at Pesmel.
Rather than functioning as a traditional long-term storage
facility, the automated roll warehouse (ARW) acts as a high-speed
sorting and buffering system that ensures smooth product 昀氀ow
throughout the operation. The system supplied by Pesmel includes a
3,000-metric-ton-capacity warehouse speci昀椀cally designed to handle
sack kraft paper rolls ef昀椀ciently within a relatively limited footprint.
Incoming rolls are 昀椀rst directed through dedicated presorting channels where they are organized according to product
speci昀椀cations and dispatch requirements. From there, automated
stacker cranes collect the rolls and transfer them into deep-lane
storage channels.
Image 1: Mondi’s Štětí mill in the Czech Republic.
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