Centrax Gas Turbines has strengthened its 35-year relationship with Smurfit Kappa with an order for two 5.3 MW gas turbine generator sets in the UK.

The gas turbine packager will supply two CX501-KB7 DLE units which will be linked with waste heat recovery boilers from another supplier.  The new CHP plant will replace a larger CHP installation due to be decommissioned in 2018 and will provide electricity and steam for Smurfit Kappa Townsend Hook’s paper mill in Snodland.

Martyn McArthur, Centrax’s UK Sales Manager commented: “This sale is a testament to the strong relationship that we have developed with Smurfit Kappa, since they bought their first 501 unit back in 1981.  They were the first manufacturing company to use an aero-derivative engine for factory use in the Netherlands and have been great ambassadors for the 501 since”.

Smurfit Kappa Recycled Paper UK CEO Jelte Bouma said: “We have been working with Centrax for many years now and they support the running of several Smurfit Kappa plants in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. These generator sets are a positive addition to the Townsend Hook paper mill.”

The units will be serviced by Centrax’s team of UK engineers, under a Long Term Service Agreement (LTSA).

In 2015, Centrax and Smurfit Kappa celebrated one million operating hours on four CX501-KB5’s at Smurfit Kappa’s paper mill in Roermond, the Netherlands.

Smurfit Kappa Townsend Hook produces approximately 250,000 tonnes of quality containerboard material per year for the corrugated packaging industry.