ABB has been awarded a contract by DS Smith to supply electrification, automation and digital solutions for a new stock preparation line at the company’s flagship Kemsley Paper Mill in Kent, UK. The project forms a key part of DS Smith’s GBP 50 million investment to enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact and support future growth at the site.
Under the contract, ABB will supply the ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system (DCS), low voltage motor control centers (LV MCCs), drives, motors, safety systems, and the digital software solution ABB Ability Asset Performance Management. The technologies will be integrated with the mill’s existing ABB-installed control architecture, delivering end-to-end visibility and control across operations. This will lead to faster decision making, improved reliability and optimized performance across the production process.
The new line, due to start up in 2026, will supply recycled fiber to the paper machine (PM3), which produces a range of packaging-grade materials from 100% recycled content. Once operational, the upgrade is expected to significantly reduce water usage, carbon emissions and waste generation – contributing to DS Smith’s goal of sending zero waste to landfill and cutting Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030.
