Hexham Conti-Roll Progress

Installation and commissioning of new Conti-Roll on schedule

EGGER invests in UK future

Construction work began in April 2006 to build on and improve the existing plant to bring it in line with the very latest production methods. The first board off the new ContiRoll chipboard press was achieved in mid April 2007 and has quickly gone onto 24 / 7 production.  Full commissioning of the new line and supporting infrastructure is due by September. 

Bob Livesey, Joint MD (Commercial) at Hexham, said: “We are very pleased at how work has progressed, the quick move to 24 hour production and the very high quality of the board already being manufactured, surpassing our expectations well ahead of schedule. The bedding-in process will continue until autumn as scheduled before the new line will be run at full production speed.”

With the installation of the new 48 meter long, 2.6 meter wide ContiRoll production line at its heart, the investment programme has also involved the application of the latest technology in many areas of the plant, with the latest environmental equipment, some of which is unique to EGGER.  The second phase now being entered into will incorporate the decommissioning of the existing old presses, demolition of old buildings, with the erection of new buildings and a restructuring of the existing site.

The Hexham plant specialises in three main product areas; furniture-grade chipboard Eurospan, melamine-faced chipboard Eurodekor, and Weyroc, a collection of tongue and groove chipboard products used in the construction industry.

It will soon become one of the most advanced chipboard manufacturing and finishing plants of its kind.

Bob Livesey said: “At a time when generally the only investments being made into particleboard production are being made outside of Western Europe, the magnitude of the investment signifies EGGER’s commitment to the UK.  We are replacing two outdated flat press production lines with one state-of-the-art ContiRoll facility that will improve quality, increase efficiency, and enable us to improve our cost: quality ratio.

With rapidly increasing raw material costs, it is important for both ourselves and our customers that we do everything possible to minimise the impact these significant cost rises have on the market, without impacting on quality, therefore helping maintain our customers’ market competitiveness.

The combination of this new facility with our relatively young facility in Barony (Scotland), gives us the ability to offer a range of chipboard products and specifications, along with a stronger security of supply.”

Basic details

Cost of investment: £100 million
ContiRoll dimensions:

• Length of press  48.5m
• Maximum length of board  5610mm
• Maximum width of board  2620mm
• Thickness   8-44mm

Programme:

• Start on site: April 2006
• 1st Board: April 2007
• old chipboard press decommissioned: November 2007

Factbox

• EGGER invests £100 million  in UK plant • Project has gone to schedule • First board off new ContiRoll press in April 2007- 24/7 production achieved • Commissioning work expected until September

	Aerial photo of the EGGER plant Hexham.
	The new log yard in Hexham.
	The dry chip preparation.
	The new ContiRoll press – forming line to pre press.
	The new ContiRoll press.
	The control centre monitors the production process.