Increased productivity with durable valves at Twin Rivers Paper

Neles, now Valmet's Flow Control business line, has been working with Twin Rivers Paper for over 20 years. The application at Twin Rivers is very corrosive, so the valves need regular repairs. In early 2020, we started repairing Twin Rivers' capping valves and have since received four valves to be rebuilt.

What need were Valmet's flow control specialists able to solve or fulfill? How did these challenges affect Twin Rivers Paper’s business?

Gilles Theriault: I will answer this question in two parts.

We have eight digesters that cook woodchips under pressure; we were having issues with what in our language are 6” side relief, full bore, drain down valves. Our local distributor Everest Automation suggested replacing them with the Neles™ series M2 ball valves and the B1C17 actuator. Since the change, things have been working very well; the valves no longer leak. These split bodies provide a better seal. We buy a couple every year.

Another thing Valmet's flow control team has helped us with is the repairs on capping valves; so far, they have repaired a couple of them, and they are presently working on more. We used to send our valves out to be machined and the work was never perfect – it ended up being more costly and it slowed down our process.

There is, of course, a cost to their flow control service, but, in the long run, we operate more efficiently and with higher productivity. The premium quality is worth the cost. These valves will be good for several years.

The repaired valves come back in a great condition. They are then tested under pressure – no leaks – these valves are reliable. Hence, we want them all to be repaired by Valmet's flow control team. For our operations to run smoothly, we purchased a spare valve; when we send one in for servicing, we install the spare one. This rotation works well!

How was the repair service?

Speed of repair is important, because once we send a valve in, we no longer have a spare. The first valve took some time before everything was done, but the second and third valve was a lot quicker. We provided pictures and details to Mike Chenier, Service Manager from Valmet's Flow Control business line, so that he knew what to expect and could make sure that he had the right parts on hand. The service is also very accommodating.

What were the results of the new solution?

The results were good: increased productivity and fewer leaks, plus longer lasting valves.

The results were good: increased productivity and fewer leaks, plus longer lasting valves.The Neles™ M2 is a very dependable ball valve.

How would you describe your relationship with Valmet's flow control specialists and Everest Automation?

We have a very good relationship with Michel Cantin and Everest Automation.

Also, Mike Chenier and his team at Valmet are top notch. They are very knowledgeable about our process, the type of media being used, and so forth. We speak the same language, and we understand each other. His team has been here a few times, so they have a very good understanding of the process and the location of the valves. They always make sure everything is in working order.

Finally: are you happy with the new solution?

Yes, I am 100% very satisfied, and I will recommend Valmet's flow control team to anybody.

The long history of Neles™ capping valves

Did you know that over the years most of the paper industry-specific flow control innovations have come from Valmet's Flow Control business line and its predecessors? One good example of such an innovation is the capping valve for batch cooking. Thousands of these valves have been delivered to our customers over the years, and all those valves are guaranteed to meet the latest safety (SIS/SIL) regulations today. Read more about the history of capping valves from our previously published blog post.

Read more about the customer: https://www.twinriverspaper.com/

The text has been updated in April 2022, due to the company name change to Valmet.