Posted to News on 20th Feb 2026, 13:30
ABB signs modernisation agreement with Billerud to future-proof operations
ABB has signed an agreement with Swedish pulp and paper manufacturer Billerud to modernise Paper Machine 5 at the company's Gavle mill, one of its key sites for producing liquid packaging board and liner.
(See ABB at Machine Building North, 13 May 2026, on stand 71)
The contract will bring new automation capabilities, updated hardware, improved quality control and refreshed drive technology to a machine that supports a significant share of Billerud's global packaging output. The upgrades aim to improve efficiency, strengthen cyber security, reduce energy and material use and build a platform ready for next-generation digital and AI tools.
The Gavle mill plays a strategic role in the global packaging value chain. Board produced there is used in consumer goods and food applications around the world, and the facility supports production volumes equivalent to roughly 200 million containers each day across Billerud's network. With demand rising for fibre-based and renewable materials, mills must handle production changes with good precision, even as product mixes shift. Billerud's investment supports more efficient and adaptable production.
The modernisation project brings several core systems onto ABB's latest platforms, including an upgraded ABB Ability System 800xA, new-generation AC800M controllers, refreshed quality control capabilities and updated drives. With these integrated, the mill gains a more secure and resilient automation environment that handles data more efficiently and gives operators clearer, faster insight into machine performance. Production changes can be executed with greater accuracy, helping reduce deviation from quality targets while trimming raw material use and energy consumption. The new setup also creates room for growth, giving Billerud a path to introduce advanced process control and move toward AI-supported optimisation as its operations evolve.
"This project builds on a long relationship between ABB and Billerud in Gavle," said Martin Bjornmalm, Local Business Line Manager, Pulp, Paper and Fibre, ABB's Process Industries division. "Upgrading both automation and core hardware gives operators stronger tools, makes the machine more resilient, and prepares the mill for future digital improvements."
Once the modernisation is complete, Billerud will have an automation environment built for both current needs and future growth. The system's flexibility allows the company to introduce new grades, integrate advanced analytics and continue improving resource efficiency over time. The project further reinforces ABB's role as a long-term partner to the pulp and paper industry, supported by global expertise and a strong local presence in Sweden.
