New milestones in the long-standing trustful customer relationship between Kastamonu Entegre and Siempelkamp: At the end of July, the assembly of the new forming and press line with “Contiroll” Generation 9 in the format 7′ x 37.1 m for particleboard production started at the Samsun location. At the same time, the leading producer of wood-based panels – No. 1 in Turkey, No. 4 in Europe, No. 7 worldwide – ordered a modernization package for its MDF line made by Siempelkamp in Kastamonu City in July, which will be installed at the end of 2020.

With this package both companies confirm their strong partnership even in difficult times due to the restrictions caused by the Corona pandemic. With the installation, the continuous forming and press line in Samsun – replacement investment for an existing particleboard plant at the Yontas location acquired in 2009 – is entering the home stretch. Start-up is scheduled for early 2021. The Siempelkamp subsidiary Pallmann will supply the knife ring flakers – two “Microflaker” and two “Macroflaker” flakers as well as a knife ring flaker for dry particleboard processing. An automatic setting and sharpening machine from Pallmann for the automatic sharpening of the blunt knives in the ring is also included in the scope of delivery.

Kastamonu is also currently relying on Siempelkamp support at another of its six Turkish locations: In Kastamonu City, capital of the province of the same name in northern Turkey, an MDF line with “Contiroll” in the format 7′ x 55.3m will receive a modernization package from the Siempelkamp subsidiary Siempelkamp Logistics & Service GmbH (SLS). This package includes a lightweight board package with which the customer can produce lightweight MDF boards with raw densities down to 500 kilograms per cubic meter. In addition, the “Sico Master Gauge” measuring frame is also included in the scope of delivery. This novel measuring frame, which is mounted on the foundation, encloses the two heating plates of the “Contiroll” in the calibration area on the control system. Its advantages lie in the simultaneous measurement of the upper and lower hotplaten positions, independent of the influences of the mechanical expansion of the frames.

In addition, the “Contiroll” press receives an additional cylinder track in the press calibration area, combined with a single cylinder track control. This in order to further minimize the raw board tolerances and further reduce the amount of sanding of the raw boards. This modernization provides Kastamonu Entegre with considerable added value, as the wood-based materials producer is thus able to significantly expand its product portfolio, reduce raw material costs and raw material usage, and tap further market potential.

Kastamonu Entegre currently operates eight Siempelkamp plants with continuous press technology in Turkey, Russia, and Italy. The close connection to Siempelkamp began in 1969 with a belt-fed tray plant for particleboard production in Kastamonu City. The two current projects underline the innovative power of this business relationship, which does not stagnate even in challenging times. As a proven partner and connecting link of Siempelkamp in the Turkish market, GIM Export is again involved with its financing support. During the more than 25-year cooperation between Siempelkamps and Michael P. Krocker, owner of GIM Export, 29 new plants including the current project have been realized so far.

“Especially now we are proud to support the entrepreneurial energy of Kastamonu Integres with our services in two different projects and to contribute to the future orientation of our partner. We are now looking forward to the joint work on site with the Kastamonu team and a successful commissioning of both projects,” said Ulrich Kaiser, Head of Sales Wood Division, Siempelkamp, and Dr. Stephan Niggeschmidt, Managing Director of SLS.