Metsä Board
"We have full confidence in C-con"
Europe's leading paperboard supplier Metsä Board Husum has invested SEK 3.5 billion in a major project that is now, after four years, complete. The project has involved many people. One company that is on site every day is C-con, the pipe labeling company that has confidently taken on the task despite major technical and physical challenges.
At the Husum plant, a brand new building now houses a state-of-the-art recovery boiler, efficient turbine and control room. Previously, Metsä had two older boilers that had been in operation since 1978, having reached their technical lifetime, they have now been replaced. This means that the capacity can increase significantly.
The project involves extensive work on pipe marking. Thousands of new pipes need to be labeled and it needs to be done correctly. Which company businesses choose to bring in for a job like this makes a big difference. Some who know how important it is are site manager Torbjörn Sjödin and operator Jenny Sondell.
Jenny, who has a wide range of skills and experience, has seen the project develop at every stage. She reports working very closely with C-con and is impressed by their efficient approach.
- Recently I've been able to see more closely how they work and it's impressive. I normally have a great need for control but I have been able to let that go completely, we have full confidence in C-con, says Jenny.
The change has made the mill more self-sufficient and brought the company closer to its goal of becoming completely fossil-free by 2030. With the expanded board machine, Metsä Board Husum can continue to call itself Europe's largest.
In addition to the newly built part, C-con also works in the older parts of the plant. There, continuous labeling, inventory, documentation and updating of information takes place.
An example of work is the pipe bridge that runs from different points. The new section, consisting of 11 km of pipes, has joined the older sections that continue for 40 km. All these should be carefully marked and checked. Some markings are too dangerous to do when production has been running, so C-con has solved these during production stops.
C-con has access to the factory's databases and flow charts, allowing them to quickly identify and solve problems. The close cooperation means that nothing is left to chance and everything is addressed immediately.
- It is a security for us and our employees. We know that C-con knows this stuff, they know exactly what needs to be done and make sure that we follow the regulations, which benefits us enormously," says Torbjörn.
The decision by Metsä Board Husum to take on the company is based on the many advantages of the specialized company C-con. Pipe labeling must be done according to laws and regulations. It requires process knowledge and places high demands on the work being done correctly and properly, a mislabeling can mean danger to life.
This is particularly important as Metsä Board Husum is regularly inspected by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, any deficiencies can lead to sanctions and Metsä Board Husum is responsible for that.
- It is thanks to C-con that we can take the inspections in stride because we know that everything is done correctly," concludes Torbjörn.
Reliability and the close dialog between the companies are important to Torbjörn and Jenny. The fact that everything is done by C-con and therefore leads to uniformity with safety and quality in focus, is a security. This project has not only increased Metsä Board Husum's production capacity but has also strengthened their position as a pioneer in sustainability, safety and efficiency. Pipe labeling is a central part of this work and forms the basis for safe and future-proof operations.
Chemical preparation - 2020
C-con has inventoried, revised databases and then labeled pipelines, equipment and tanks, a complex work that ensures that our plant continues to be safe and complies with the Swedish Work Environment Authority's regulations regarding CLP.
Anders Thörngren – Operating engineer
