Iggesund Paperboard Cuts Costs with Emerson’s Predictive Control Valve Diagnostics

Emerson Process Management’s Fisher control‑valve diagnostics are enabling predictive maintenance that translates into significant operational savings at Iggesund Paperboard, a subsidiary of Sweden’s Holmen Group.

Iggesund is among the world’s most advanced, fully integrated pulp and paperboard mills. With an annual capacity of 330 000 tons of Invercote—a multilayered, solid bleached board—the mill has shifted from scheduled to predictive maintenance of its control valves to maximise uptime.

Diagnostic data from Fisher FIELDVUE digital valve controllers feed into Emerson’s AMS Suite, giving plant staff real‑time access to valve health. The AMS ValveLink application aggregates this information, helping operators prevent unplanned shutdowns, lower spare‑part inventories and cut maintenance hours.

“Nearly a decade ago we recognised that our valve and instrumentation maintenance approach needed improvement,” says Peder Hägglund, Iggesund’s technical manager. “We have since installed over 200 FIELDVUE controllers and heavily rely on their diagnostic capabilities.”

“We partner with customers across all sectors to build operating procedures around valve diagnostics,” notes Wendy Nancarrow, European director of Emerson’s Fisher valve business. “Iggesund stands out as a world leader in leveraging online diagnostics to drive plant performance.”

The FIELDVUE diagnostics are accessible online, delivering rapid, accurate insights into valve health. ValveLink can query FIELDVUE devices for deeper data or run advanced diagnostics. A key early indicator of valve issues is the Travel Deviation alert.

“The Travel Deviation alert activates when a valve fails to reach its commanded position within a set time,” explains Tommy Nielsen, site control‑valve specialist. “It can flag increased friction, air leaks, mechanical faults or blockages. We also find the Cycle Counter and Travel Counter alerts invaluable for detecting loop oscillations.”

Cycle and Travel Counter alerts signal potential control‑loop instability, which can lead to poor product quality, excess raw‑material usage, higher energy consumption and accelerated valve wear. The Iggesund maintenance team increasingly employs these alerts to enhance overall mill performance.

“Success at Iggesund comes from a genuine interest in innovation, a skilled team, and a culture that embraces online diagnostics,” Hägglund adds. “The results have spurred organization‑wide commitment to continuous improvement.”

Fisher valves equipped with FIELDVUE digital controllers form a cornerstone of Emerson’s PlantWeb digital plant architecture, connecting process automation systems and instrumentation to deliver efficient operations and technology‑driven predictive maintenance worldwide.

About Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business, leads the way in automating production, processing and distribution across the chemical, oil & gas, refining, pulp & paper, power, water & wastewater, metals & mining, food & beverage, pharmaceutical and other sectors. Fisher Controls International LLC, a global authority in final‑control system design and manufacture, drives Emerson’s mission of marrying high‑performance products with industry‑specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Emerson’s brands include PlantWeb, Fisher, Micro Motion, Rosemount, Daniel, DeltaV™, Ovation, and AMS Suite.

About Emerson
Based in St. Louis, Mo., Emerson is a global leader in integrating technology and engineering to deliver innovative solutions across power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies and appliances. In fiscal 2008 sales reached $24.8 billion, and Emerson ranked 94th on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies.