KADANT : Your unique window to the paper machine

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AES, Black Clawson, Dry-Con, Johnson, Lamort. Do these names sound familiar? It’s very likely they do, given these are the biggest names in the equipment manufacturing industry, and have been so for the last 100 years. But what you may not have known is that many of these players, and a number of others as well, now operate under Kadant Inc, and Kadant Canada.

Kadant 14aug20 2Denis Martin, Regional Sales Director at Kadant CanadaSo who is Kadant, you ask? They are your unique window into everything that is pulp and paper. As a parts and service provider for key paper machine components, Kadant Canada helps ensure that papermakers get the most out of their equipment, on both the wet and dry end. “Our doctor and blade systems, our unique blade holders as well as our filtration products, and our steam and condensate systems all play a key role in our ability to enhance paper machine efficiency, to optimize energy demand and maximizing productivity in an intensive industrial environment,” explained Denis Martin, Regional Sales Director at Kadant Canada.

As a machinist and mechanic by training and as a manager of sales at Kadant since 2009, Martin notes that pulp and paper accounts for much of the company’s business.

The company offers an entire range of products and services geared toward training, machine showers, dryers and steam systems.

“Even though we cover the paper machine from one end to the other, we are more specifically specialized in the wet end, in the dryer and the doctor blades,” Martin notes. “As companies increasingly look to streamline operations and prioritize efficiency, as employees with decades of experience and expertise begin to retire, our customers are increasingly dependent on the expertise and technical support of our representatives.” With a mandate to optimize existing equipment, “We have expertise in all areas; specialty paper, cardboard, as well as in tissue paper, where our specialty is vapor recovery,” Martin explained.

High pressure shower - a flagship product

One of Kadant’s signature products is the M-Clean high pressure shower. With a modular system designed to clean paper machine fabrics, belts and rolls, the M-Clean shows unparalleled flexibility to replace an entire system, or simply replace operating modules. Key components of the M-Clean system, such as the sprinkler nozzles, are interchangeable to meet specific customer needs. Three adaptive systems are available: M-Clean PRO, M-Clean ULTRA and M-Clean BRUSH. Together, the systems clean the surface and structure of the canvas to remove impurities and prevent them from entering the paper itself. The M-Clean Ultra is designed for narrower positions, while the M-Clean BRUSH is suitable for removing coating residues and embedded contaminants.

One of Kadant’s customers, since installing the M-Clean shower for cleaning its Unirun 1A fabric, has been able to continuously operate with the same fabric for six months, without the need for chemical cleaning. Before installing the system, this customer had replaced its fabric every 42 days, which was not only expensive, but labor-intensive as well. “This situation caused delays in the replacement of other fabrics and made the customer vulnerable to unplanned production stoppages. The customer also experienced a number of breakages with its old shower. The M-Clean system was a game changer for them,” Martin noted.

M-Clean is not only an integral piece of paper machine equipment, it also offers an after-sales support network. In a follow-up email from a client, the customer noted, “the support provided during the problem we had and this during the holiday season, was key. For us, after-sales service is an important factor when selecting new equipment.”

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Scraping and Doctor's Blades

Scraping for roller cleaning purposes is a critical phase for many industrial processes and goes far beyond the choice of doctors or scraping blades. The doctor, or doctor blade holder, is vital to the roller cleaning process. The doctor blade holder positions the doctor firmly against the roller, which matches its irregularities and makes blade changes easier, all the while compensating for thermal expansion.

Kadant offers a wide range of doctor blades; 12 options are available. The Conformatic XL series is designed for Yankee hoods at operating pressures up to 80 PLI. It offers an open design for easy maintenance and smooth blade changes. The entire Conformatic range provides a uniform quality sheet, less surface wear in Yankee dryers and a better service life.

Other models of scraper blades are suitable for drying and calendering rollers. Such is the case with the Staclean range (DST and H), whose blades are proofed against contamination. "We have the doctor systems that work for your paper machine as well as for the production of all grades of paper and nanotechnology products," adds Martin.

Coronavirus

Despite the constraints and dangers posed by the Coronavirus, Martin commended Kadant employees for their diligence in continuing to provide exemplary service, and in the way they demonstrated flexibility and agility to adapt to an evolving situation. This dedication allowed the company to continue to offer outstanding products and services to its customers.

Kadant’s services were declared ‘essential’ at the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, as were paper mills. The company’s office in Vaudreuil, QC remained open and representatives worked remotely. "In terms of service, our customers never saw a difference. Our technicians performed exemplary service and performed a lot of work on machines that took downtime during COVID-19. Safety was taken extremely seriously by our staff, as it was by our customers. Our staff did an impeccable job, and without them, we wouldn’t be here,” Martin said.


About Kadant

Kadant Inc. is a global supplier of high-value, critical components and engineered systems used in process industries worldwide. The company's products, technologies, and services play an integral role in enhancing process efficiency, optimizing energy utilization, and maximizing productivity in resource-intensive industries. For more information, visit www.kadant.com

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Jaclin Ouellet
Journalist, Paper Advance