THE HISTORIC PAPER MILL BUILDING WILL BE FULLY RESTORED
The part of the building built of red bricks, on the edge of Pargi Street, where the paper mill started working in 1734, has undergone several reconstructions over the years.
The building to be restored is a nationally protected cultural monument in Estonia and one of the most unique examples of industrial architecture in Europe. Due to the uniqueness of the paper mill, it was necessary to coordinate the planned works with the Heritage Protection Board.
Part of the former paper mill building will be covered with a hand-rolled roof. The walls and window openings of the building were restored according to the old plans. In the 1730s, the local brick factory, which was once located above today's Ironman Park, produced bricks for the construction of the paper mill. In order to restore the old building, a large amount of whole stones were needed, matching the dimensions of the stones produced in the brick factory. For example, the stones used during the repairs also come from the old railway station in Lepassaare, Võrumaa, Estonia.
The hydroelectric plant, which is located in the old part of the paper mill and produces hydropower for the paper factory, was restored in 2023. This summer, a new river border was installed and the site in front of the hydroelectric plant was concreted.
The restoration works of the paper mill will be completed in November at the latest.
NEW MACHINE IN PAPER PRODUCTION UNIT
Räpina paper mill is innovating the next time-consuming production process by adding a starch boiling machine to its fleet.
The new starch cooking machine designed in Finland starts working using technology developed in Tartu, Estonia. 
In order to make starch mass, it is needed to add starch powder, water and hot steam into the machine. The necessary quantities are calculated by the device, dosed accordingly and next, the appropiate mass is boiled. The starch cooking machine is able to boil 1,2-4t of starch mixture per hour, which is directed straight into paper machine's pressure box.
Compared to the starch mixture used today, it is denser and aids to make the cardboard produced stronger and stiffer. The renewed quality of cardboard makes it possible to produce edge protectors, which are even more resistant, including to moisture.
The installation of the starch cooking machine started in the middle of August. In mid-September, the first tests can be run and the old starch boiling process can be replaced with the new one. As a result, the time and resource demanding manual production process used today, is automated.
Through innovation, the starch adding process in the paper production system is modernised.
FAIRS OF AUTUMN 2024
The team of Räpina paper factory participates in three great packaging-related trade fairs in Europe, Scandinavia and America during the autumn period of 2024.
The first fair will take place already on the 24-26th September in Nuremburg, Germany. FACHPACK is Europe's leading packaging fair, which focuses on the development of its technology and processes, shaping the sector's trends for the coming years. We are waiting for our cooperation partners at booth 657 located in hall no 3.
In October, we can be found at the Swedish fair, Scanpack from 22-25 October, in Gothenburg. Scanpack turns attention to the sustainable future of packaging industry, combining it with new digital technologies and smart solutions of biomaterials, being the most versatile packaging fair in Northern Europe. Our team is located at stand C00:06.
In November, we will participate as visitors in Pack Expo International, held in USA. The fair will be held November 3-6 in Chicago, Illinois. This year's largest trade fair in North America offers innovative packaging and processing solutions for any industry.
