Our two paper making machines.

The actual papermaking process at Irving Paper is controlled by a state of the art control room, known as The Flying Bridge.

The diluted pulp, which is 99% water, is then distributed onto a fast-moving, ten metre wide screen called a wire, where it begins to take the form of paper.

This is the point where the pulp mixture is sprayed onto the wire.

After this, we begin to remove the water from the pulp. Gravity starts the process and is then helped by vacuum pumps under the screens. After the sheet is formed on the wire the sheet is then pressed. After passing over the vacuum the paper is fed between felt blankets which remove even more moisture. From here the paper moves over a series of cylinders which are heated internally by the recycled steam from the TMP machine. [Off the wire the mixture is 75% water and 25% paper. After pressing the mixture is 50% water and 50% paper. After the dryers, it is 6% water and 94% paper.]

Now the paper must be smoothed for printing. The paper runs through a stack of rollers known as a calendar. Higher quality newsprint is calendared between rubber-coated, oil-heated steel rollers. The rubber creates a wider pressing surface between the two rolls, which produces a smoother finish. Standard quality newsprint is ironed between two steel stacks of cylinders.
	Steel roller calendar

The paper is then wound onto a giant roll weighing 20 tonnes, and spanning ten metres. The paper is spun off the giant roll onto cardboard cores, and is cut to the widths requested by customers.

20 tonne roll of paper.