Vishay Systems to Install Custom-Designed Reel Optimizing System in U.S. Paper Mill to Improve Manufacturing Efficiency


Bowater Mill in Mississippi Will Serve as Show Site for Vishay Weighing, Measurement, and Control Technology

MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA August 17, 2007 Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announces that it has received an order from Bowater Incorporated to install a Reel Optimizing System in its Grenada, Mississippi paper mill. Bowater is a leading North American pulp and paper manufacturing company. Vishay is the major producer of strain gages and strain gage-based load cells, and of systems based on strain-gage technology. Its customized Reel Optimizing System, planned for delivery this fall to the Mississippi facility, will use strain gage-based load cells and transducer-based measurement and control technology to improve paper density, remove wrinkles, and reduce web breaks in the production of high-quality newsprint.

Vishays Reel Optimizing System is designed to provide online measurement and control of all force and movement, on each side of the machine. This method eliminates all problems caused by friction, non-parallelism, and general wear and tear. Automatic weighing and dead weight calculations are carried out to compensate for different weights when changing reel spools in the primary arms. Each system controls the nip force during shifting phases and corrects for angle changes when lowering reels. Parallelism, acceleration, and speed are all controlled during the lowering process. This process minimizes pope speed and any variations in web tension. When shifting, the forces between the primary and secondary arms are added to ensure that the required linear force is maintained.

Reel Optimizing System measurement data is presented online as current data. The systems optimizing logger stores the data for later analysis in servicing as well as quality and product research. Lists of set values for different qualities can be pre-programmed and even adjusted within selected areas by an operator. Roll thickness and density are calculated by measuring the revolutions of the pope roller and the reel spool. At the same time, very accurate measurement of length and diameter are also recorded.

The Grenada, Mississippi pulp and paper mill was built in 1989. It produces mechanical pulp, graphic paper, and newsprint. According to the sales agreement with Vishay Systems, the mill will be a show site for three years. This will enable other companies interested in Vishays Reel Optimizing System technology to learn about its features and benefits while seeing it in operation.

About Bowater

Bowater Incorporated based in Greenville, South Carolina, is a leading producer of coated and specialty papers and newsprint. In addition, the company makes bleached market pulp and lumber products. Bowater employs approximately 7,000 people and has 12 pulp and paper mills in the United States, Canada, and South Korea. In North America, it also owns a converting facility and 10 sawmills. More information is available at http://www.bowater.com/en/.

About Vishay Systems

Vishay Systems manufactures, installs, and services systems for weighing and force measurement and control. These include systems with transducers and instruments to control process weighing in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical plants; force measurement systems to control web tension in paper mills, roller force in steel mills, and cable tension in winch controls; on-board weighing systems that are installed in logging and waste-handling trucks; and special scale systems for aircraft weighing and portable truck weighing. Vishay Systems is a division of Vishay Measurements Group, which develops, manufactures, and markets components, instruments, and systems for a wide variety of test and measurement applications. These include electrical resistance strain gages for both stress analysis testing and transducer manufacturing applications, as well as strain gage instrumentation; PhotoStress® coatings and instruments, which use a unique optical process to detect stress and other physical forces; and transducer products such as load cells, force transducers, and instruments. . Vishay Measurements Group is part of Vishay Intertechnology.

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., a Fortune 1,000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH), is one of the world's largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors (diodes, rectifiers, transistors, and optoelectronics and selected ICs) and passive electronic components (resistors, capacitors, inductors, sensors, and transducers). These components are used in virtually all types of electronic devices and equipment, in the industrial, computing, automotive, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets. Its product innovations, successful acquisition strategy, and ability to provide "one-stop shop" service have made Vishay a global industry leader. Vishay can be found on the Internet at www.vishay.com.

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