The hidden Potential of Biomass Fuel Handling

20.05.2025

The bioenergy market is growing rapidly, driven by renewable energy demand, tech advances, energy security needs, and global decarbonization efforts.

While these developments are promising, one key challenge remains: the efficient and reliable handling of solid fuels for wooden biomass-based energy production.

FMW’s solutions are tailored to tackle the challenges of handling solid fuels in biomass power plants. They offer low energy usage, high levels of automation, efficient fuel preparation, minimal dust production, and lower labor demands—ensuring smooth, efficient operations from raw material intake to final processing.

Optimized Biomass Flow with Advanced Conveyor Solutions

Our chain receiving conveyor enables a quick and safe unloading of the trucks, while downstreaming conveyor systems such as air supported, conventional Belt and chain conveyors ensure smooth and stable material flow.

To ensure an optimal combustion progress in a e.g. fluidized bed boilers, impurities must be removed and oversized biomass pieces re-crushed, and a controlled and even mass flow to the boiler maintained.

Improve Biomass Processing and Protection

Consistent particle size and impurity removal ensure an even mass flow – essential for efficient and stable boiler operation. For biomass fuel preparation, FMW’s Disc Screen separates oversized particles into a Re-Crusher, ensuring consistent quality regarding particle size, while the Stone Trap and the Magnetic Separator removes contaminants and protects downstreaming equipment, and ensures a smooth combustion process into boiler. This supports maximum efficiency and stable operation in biomass power plant.

Storage Systems

Tailored Solutions, more than 60 years of FMW- Quality

With the ongoing development of the bioenergy industry, dependable biomass handling systems are increasingly essential for companies to stay competitive and succeed.
FMW provides efficient, safe, and cost-effective solutions that meet the industry’s highest standards. With customized concepts, innovative technology, and extensive expertise, FMW Industries ensures that bioenergy plant operators can confidently overcome operational challenges.
.

Learn more about how FMW can optimize your biomass handling process?
Contact us today and unlock the full potential of your material handling process!

Streamlining Paper and Pulp Industries with Advanced Bale Handling Solutions: A Focus on Recycled Fiber Handling

Nov, 14. 2024

In today’s competitive landscape, the pulp and paper industry is grappling with rising labor costs, safety concerns, and a growing demand for efficiency and sustainability. These challenges not only impact the profitability and productivity of these sectors but also their commitment to environmental stewardship.

At FMW Industries, we understand these challenges and have dedicated our expertise to developing advanced solutions that address them head-on. This article will introduce you to our cutting-edge wastepaper and pulp bale handling solutions, designed to optimize operations while ensuring safety sustainability and reduce unexpected downtime.

Fully Automated Wastepaper Bale Handling Solutions

As recycled fiber has become more and more important to the paper industry, the demand for wastepaper handling machinery and expertise has increased over the years. FMW installed the first wastepaper dewiring system in 1985. Since then more than 100 plants worldwide have been equipped with FMW’s latest technology and machinery for this sector. The company engineers innovative pulper feeding systems including dewiring and wire cutting applications, a system for homogenization of materials, and conveyors. All machines are state of the art and adhere to the highest quality standards, enabling our customers to enhance their throughput, yield, and prevent unexpected downtime while increasing the safety of their employees. Let’s have a closer look at the process.

Extractor – Automated Bale Dewiring

The FMW-Extractor is the core process machine for pulper feeding. It is a fully automated dewiring machine that removes wires continuously from the wastepaper bales. The cutting device is situated on the bottom side of the bale, while the dewiring device is located on the top of the bale. The conveyor is designed to continue operating during the dewiring process, which increases throughput capacity and ensures a continuous material flow. Another benefit of this application is that the entire process takes place within the conveyor, which eliminates paper spillage around the machine.

When handling wastepaper bales, mills are often faced with the issue of different positions of the wired bales, requiring meticulous attention from on-site staff to ensure the bales are fed correctly into the process. This manual handling not only poses process safety risks but also impedes operational efficiency and consistency in product quality.

To address this challenge, FMW Industries engineered the FMW Bale Tipper, a comprehensive automated solution. It is designed to accept bales in their original orientation, irrespective of their wire configuration (horizontal or vertical). The system is programmed to detect the wires, rotate the bale if necessary, and convey into the Extractor.

Hydro-pulper Feeding

For the feeding of low consistency hydro-pulpers the wires do not need to be removed. Therefore, automatic wire cutters have been developed to meet specific functional and operational requirements. Here are some key differences:

• FMW ConCut focuses on continuous wire and steel/plastic strip cutting for various recycled paper bales, offering high throughput capacity (up to 4000 admt/d.).
• FMW AD-Cutter is specialized for cutting wastepaper bale wires, available in different types for single bales (AD/I) and cross-wired configurations (AD/II). Or for high throughput (up to 2750 adtm/d.) as a double bale application (AD/III).

For the feeding of high consistency hydro-pulpers the wires should be removed to minimize wear on rotors and screens. FMW’s Extractor automatic dewiring machine was designed specifically for this purpose.

For the feeding of Hydro-pulpers with wastepaper rolls (broke, etc.), FMW’s Paper Reel Splitter is tailored for industrial cutting and portioning of these materials.

Drum Pulper Feeding – EFT (Equalized-flow technology)

Drum Pulpers require a consistent mass flow of material for best performance. FMW’s EFT is designed to provide the best prepared and measured furnish stream to the pulper for optimal productivity.

As with our high consistency hydro-pulper feed systems, FMW drum pulper feed systems begin by efficiently removing the bale wires with an Extractor. By removing the wires, drum screen sections have a longer service life and much lower long-term maintenance expense.  

From the Extractor, dewired bales pass through FMW’s auger type bale breaker. The bale breaker loosens densely packed paper bales so that a free flow of loose paper is available to the EFT system.  

FMW’s Equalized Flow System. EFT utilizes a leveling wheel for volumetric control and a radiometric scale that adjusts the drum feed conveyor speed to ensure a consistent mass flow to the process.  

In conclusion, FMW’s fully automated bale handling solutions represent today’s state-of-the-art technology, offering smart, modern solutions for material handling with a strong focus on safety, process stability and decreased downtime. With decades of experience and know-how, FMW guarantees proven solutions tailored to meet individual needs, from existing plant modifications to the development of new turnkey plants.

Stora Enso commissions FMW Industries to supply complete, fully automated bale handling systems for the largest board machine in Europe (Oulu, Finland).

Feb. 30, 2023

Stora Enso is converting its existing paper machine at the Oulu site from coated graphic papers to the production of high-quality coated primary fiber-based board. With a planned production volume of 750,000 tons per year, the plant will be one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

FMW will supply the northern Finnish customer with four fully automatic pulper feeding lines with a total capacity of 2,700 tons of “virgin fiber bales” per day. Three production lines are designed for processing so-called „jumbo bales“ with a total capacity of 123 bales per hour. The fourth line is directed for the preparation and processing of so-called „export bales“ (market pulp). This can be adapted for a capacity of 220 bales per hour in the future.  

In order to make the recycling of the wire coils from the eight dewiring machines as efficient as possible, they are collected by a fully automatic magnetic conveyor belt system and transported to a collection container.

„We are very pleased that Stora Enso has once again chosen our solution. The order further expands our existing partnership and reinforces the successful commissioning of a similar plant in 2022,“ said Managing Director for Sales and After Sales and Services Martin Größ from FMW. With its own developed process technology and automation based on the know-how of more than 150 references worldwide, FMW stands out especially for innovation, quality and flexibility. “For FMW it’s another important step to further strengthen its market position for pulp bale handling systems.”, says Managing Partner Felix Sorger.  

About the customer Stora Enso

Stora Enso is a leading supplier of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. Stora Enso’s strategy is that everything made from fossil materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso employs about 22,000 people and had sales of 10.2 billion euros in 2021.

Taking Material Handling to the Next Level: FMW’s Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer

25.10.2024

You are likely familiar with the challenges faced at the woodyard, including constant change, safety concerns, efficiency, and quality control of materials. These topics are crucial to keep up with industry standards. In our last blog article, we discussed the two main factors that improve efficiency at the woodyard. Today, we want to introduce the solution that sets a new standard for efficient and reliable wood chip storage: the FMW Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer.

The very first Stacker/Reclaimer: The Story behind the Product

The journey of the Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer began in Cameroon, Central Africa, where the need for a safe, automated material handling equipment was identified. Our very first Stacker/Reclaimer installation was installed in 1979 in it’s very first design.

A new State-of-the-art in storing woodchips

The general wood chip storage solution in the 1980s was clearly different, but the industry has constantly evolved. Increasing costs of mobile equipment and maintenance, safety issues and increasing demand led to a new era of wood chip storage. Since 2001, the next generation of Stacker/Reclaimer has been installed setting a new state-of-the-art solution.

Simple and effective – FMW’s Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer

The Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer works in a simple yet effective manner. It stacks, blends, and reclaims materials, through an automatic „first-in first-out“ operation that ensures efficient handling, while the remote monitoring and reclaimer control provide ease of operation.

The automated process begins with the chips being transported via an inclined conveyor to a rotating stacker. The stacker rotates 360 degrees and creates the characteristic “round” storage pile. During the reclaiming process, the reclaimer rotates 360 degrees to collect chips on a first in / first out basis. A rake sweeps the chips to create a constant and homogenized flow down to a horizontal screw conveyor supported by the reclaimer boom, transports the chips to the central hopper for metered transportation to the process.

Here is an example of one of our references and hear what our partner at Mondi in Steti has to say about the equipment.

Benefits of the FMW Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer

The benefits of using the Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer are manifold. The system improves efficiency, maintains the quality of materials, provides active storage and homogenization of the chips, and reduces total investment costs. The system’s ease of maintenance and low energy and maintenance costs further add to its appeal.

With decades of experience, know-how, and more than 70 installed systems, FMW guarantees „proven solutions“. Our commitment to safety, energy efficiency, and custom-made solutions makes the Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer a valuable addition to any material handling operation.

Are you already facing the challenges?

In a nutshell, the Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer is an efficient, modern solution to the challenges faced by the material handling industry. It offers an easy-to-maintain structure, low total investment costs, and is backed with experience in the industry with more than 70 references around the globe.

If you have any further questions or would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We are happy to help improve your material handling process at any stage.

Two Main Factors for Maximizing Efficiency at the Woodyard

23.10.2024

In today’s fast-paced world, the pulp and paper industry is experiencing substantial change. Woodyard managers are under pressure to improve efficiency, meet deadlines, and manage costs effectively. Operational inefficiencies can lead to reduced productivity, waste of resources, and potential loss of revenue. So, how can these challenges be addressed?

In this Blog-Article we want to share our experience from more than 100 wood chip handling references around the globe and talk about the two key factors to face those challenges straight on.

Efficiency Starts Here: Streamlining Paper Manufacturing from Material Handling

The best place to enhance process efficiency is at the start of the paper manufacturing process, specifically in the woodyard. There are numerous chances to improve efficiency and, more importantly, safety, from the receipt of materials to the digester. This article will concentrate on the two main factors that can enhance safety and efficiency.

Key Factor: Efficient and safe wood chip storage

The most effective factor for efficiency can be found in the wood chip storage. A reliable storage solution is the linchpin of the entire process. In over 70 projects worldwide, a Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer has had a significant impact.

The FMW Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer

The FMW Blended-Bed Stacker/Reclaimer (DAX/REX) system is a fully automated operational solution with very high reliability that effectively manages your wood chip storage. This system “stacks” woodchips into a large pile, while the reclaimer removes the woodchips from the pile. This enables:

• A “first-in first-out” operation and
• guarantees a 100% active storage and reclaim volume, while providing
• gentle treatment and perfect homogenization of incoming different chips qualities.

This combination of benefits offers the highest internal rate of return possible in a chip handling system. For more technical details to the system, please click here.

Listen to one of our partners from Mondi in Steti, CZ.

The first Blended-Bed Stacker Reclaimer got installed in 2001 at their woodyard and is still running reliably. To be able to keep up with the rest of the mill, they added two further Stacker/Reclaimer systems over the years. The last and biggest one in 2017. Click here to watch the video:

Significant higher yields with the wood chip screening system

To enhance production efficiency, quality, and productivity, the wood chip screening system plays a vital role. This system removes oversized chips and fines, ensuring only acceptable material is retained. Our FMW Screening System consists of a primary and secondary screening. The primary screen separates oversized material and lumps from the chip flow, directing them to the Re-Chipper. The secondary screen separates overs and fines from the acceptable rate. Acceptable material is transferred directly to the downstream process, while fines are collected in a fines bunker.

Oversized chips pass through a metal detector and Stone Trap to remove impurities (s.a. stones, ferro and non-ferro particles) before being cut to the desired length by the Re-Chipper for re-screening. This efficient process boosts yield and minimizes losses in subsequent production stages.

Those are the two main factors that influences your efficiency and yield at the woodyard the most.

If you have any further questions or would like to learn more, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We are happy to help improve your safety, efficiency, and reliability. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to learn about the benefits of a Stacker/Reclaimer storage solution.

VPK Group Commissions FMW Industries to Supply OCC Pulper Feeding Line in Belgium

Nov, 19. 2024

VPK Group, a leading global supplier of sustainable packaging solutions, has tasked FMW Industries with this project. This significant collaboration, which also involved our Benelux sales representative XTECX, builds on FMW’s successful track record of supplying various systems to VPK Group plants in France.

The delivery scope includes a new OCC pulper feeding line for efficient and stable pulper operation, as well as a fully automatic OCC bale wire cutter (FMW Type AD1500-II) designed to cut the wires on both sides of the market bales, vertical and horizontal.

The state-of-the-art system, with a capacity of 1,200 BDMT per day, will be delivered to VPK Group’s Oudegem facility in Belgium. The commissioning is scheduled in October 2025, the delivery will also include transport and supervision services to ensure a smooth installation and start-up process. 

About VPK Group

VPK Group is a dynamic and innovative Belgian company specializing in the production of high-quality recycled paper, corrugated cardboard packaging, solid board packaging and cores. With a strong commitment to sustainability, VPK Group focuses on reducing its environmental impact while delivering exceptional value to its customers.