IPCO is world-leading supplier of premium quality steel press belts used in the production of woodbased panel products including particle board, MDF, OSB and LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber).
A Swedish-based multinational with around 600 employees and more than 30 offices around the world, the company combines the strengths of a global business with the expertise and know-how of local sales and service teams. The Indian team is based in Pune, in the western state of Maharashtra.
IPCO has played a pivotal role in the wood-based panel industry for more than 75 years (previously operating as Sandvik Process Systems), developing the belt materials, production technologies and engineering standards that enable the production of premium quality board materials.
Today, IPCO supplies press belts in two main steel grades: 1100C and 1650SM. The different characteristics of these grades enables the company to deliver the optimum combination of tensile strength; elasticity and thermal conductivity; and resistance to corrosion and general wear and tear
IPCO’s production facility in Sandviken, Sweden is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001:2018, and can supply press belts to virtually any length, in widths of up to 4 620 mm and in thicknesses from 1.2 to 3.5 mm.
The company’s sales and service office in Pune provides local, on-the-ground expertise to WBP manufacturers throughout India and beyond, and carries out installations, preventative maintenance and repair work. This local team can also call upon the support of a global service team, IPCO’s Press Priority Team, a group of specialist belt technicians who can assist customers anywhere in world.
We have played a central role in the industry’s growth over many decades and have established close partnerships with MDF and particleboard manufacturers throughout India. We continually work to improve the tolerances we are able to offer – thickness deviation, flatness and straightness – and our ability to meet demanding delivery schedules. Our premium quality belts can have a significant impact on press productivity and the same applies to our service operation: fast, effective repairs maximize press uptime.” - Sascha Porst, IPCO’s Global Product Manager for the WBP industry
Belt damage is an unfortunate but unavoidable reality of the WBP manufacturing process and repair procedures must be able to return the belt to a condition as close as possible to its initial production standard.
To this end, IPCO has developed a range of patented service tools that enable engineers to carry out repairs to the highest standards.
Among these is the IPCO QuickDisc Plus 500, used for removing the damaged area of a belt and cutting out a replacement disc from the spare section that IPCO supplies with every belt for this very purpose.This self-contained cutting and welding system can be used to repair damaged areas up to 480 mm in diameter on steel press belts.
As well as carrying out repairs, IPCO engineers can help end users achieve maximum return on investment through planned maintenance and preventative work.