Glenrothes, Auchmuty Paper Mill

In 1913, Auchmuty No.2 papermachine was transferred from Auchmuty to Rothes Mill and became 'Rothes no.2' paper machine, replacing the c. 1846 60-inch face Rothes 'old No.2' machine.

There is little knowledge of what this machine looked like before 1909, but a drawing from Bertrams Ltd. showed that they supplied five drying cylinders, a size press and three 'spar' drums. The exisiting machine, as shown on the 1909 drawing, apparently had ten drying cylinders, an inter calender and three after dryers. The cylinder face width was 76 1/4 inches.

Sometime before 1913/14 the size press and spar drums apear to have been removed. There is a drawing from Walmsley (paper making machinery manufacturer) dated February 1914, showing a proposal to relace the old drying cylinders with five new ones. There is also a foundation drawing from Walmsley dated March 1914 for a new wire frame and three presses followed by a smoothing press and and nine drying cylinders. The latter were arranged to replace the old drying cylinders immediatey in front of the fve drying cylinders supplied by Bertrams in 1909. At the same time the width was increased, the new cylinders being 90 inches on the face. The new equipment was installed and the machine started up on 8th August 1914.

The wire press and cylinders were being installed there was probably was second thoughts about kepeping nthe remainin gold drying cylinders which were '4 inches narrower on the face . The outline drawing from Walmsley dated July 1914 shows all the old cylinders and calenders replaced by new ones. Ten new cylinders were duy supplied plus an inter calender and four stcks of machine calenders. The effect of these modifications essentially produced a new machine. The dry end was never altered again until 1965. The second stage of the rebuild of the machine took place in 1915.

Auchmuty No.2 machine was made twin wire in in 1924 and in 1965 the machine calender stacks were removed and six 4 feet 6 inch diameter drying cylinders were added followed by two cooling rolls which were eventualy removed in 1967 and replaced by one stack of machine calenders.

Tullis Russell, 1969

Rothes and Auchmuty Mills:

1800 Rothes Bleachfield built on the banks of the River Leven

1804 Rothes Mill, the first paper mill in Fife is built on the banks of the River Leven

1804 Land leased from the Earl of Rothes to build Auchmuty Mill (NO27724 701761)

1809 Robert Tullis buys Auchmuty Mill and forms R. Tullis and Co.

1836 R. Tullis and Co. acquires Rothes Mill (NO28228 01625)

1846 R. Tullis acquires the Rothes Bleachfield (NO280016)

1865 Mr Leigh Slater funds the paper coating business in Cheshire

1896 Henry and Leigh Slater Ltd is formed

1906 The name of the company changes to Tullis Russell and Co. Ltd

1917 Sixteen acres of previously leased land at Cadham is purchased including Cadham House (NO278019) and Cadham Farm

1927 A Filner-Jacobs forms Vulcanised Fibre Ltd with financial assistance form David Russell, Tullis Russell supply special paper for the manufacture of Vulcanised Fibre (closes 1983)

1944 Remainder of Auchmuty farmlands purchased

1951 Auchmuty farmland sold to Glenrothes Development Corporation for the new town of Glenrothes

1961 Tullis Russell and the American company Crocker, Burnbank and Co. form and association to manufacture capacitor papers. The Russell and Crocker Mill at Markinch which opens in 1963 starts to make capacitor tissue.

1963 Vulcanised Fibre becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tullis Russell.

1965 IPAC Ltd of Manchester who produce crepe paper for the electrical industries is acquired by Tullis Russell and manufacture transfers to the Russell and Crocker Mill at Markinch in 1969. This mill closes in 1995. Production of crepe paper transfers to Rothes Mill.

1982 Coated Papers Ltd founded

1984 Coated Papers Ltd of Cheddleton, Staffordshire is acquired . The company moves from Cheddleton to Bollington , Cheshire in 1989.

1898 Henry Sleigh Slater closes and Coated Papers ltd takes over the Bollington site.

1997 The Markinch Company becomes known as Tullis Russell Papermakers Ltd .

1999 Asia Pacific Speciality Coaters renamed Tulis Russell Coaters Korea Ltd in 2001.

2002 Hanley and Bollington sites amalgamated under the name Tullis Russell Coaters.

Tullis Russell Coated Papers Ltd, 2011

Production and Technical Timeline: Auchmuty Mill

1810: Auchmuty Mill produces first paper (hand made)

1829: Auchmuty No.1 machine (48 inches in width at wire) starts up. Orignaly driven by waterwheel. Press part altered in 1930, wire section rebuilt 1932. New drive instaled in 1952 and machine rebuilt 1954-5. In 1973 making label papre and watermarled cheque. Machine closed in 1979/80 and sold to Damore Mill, near Penicuik, Edinburgh. (still maing paper in 1997)

1856: Auchmuty No.2 machine (72 inch wide wire) installed. Closes in 1913 as part of the original machine is moved to Rothes Mill to be used in the rebuild of of Rothes No.2 machine (82 inch wide wire). This stras up in 1914: A second wet end is added in 1924 and s uction roll is added in 1935. The machine makes mostly smooth board and ceases production in 1957. It restarts in 1960 as Rothes No.5 machine. Scrapped in 1967.

1895: A soda recovery plant for Esparto Mill at Auchmuty working.

1898: Auchmuty No.3 machine (92 inche wide wire) srarts. PArtly rebuilt 1913. Second wet end added 1933. Size press added 1959-60. Produced 'tinted Ivorex and Mellotex' grades'. After closure of Rothes No.3 in 1993 it produced a dark tinted paper for conversion to book coverings at the Linwood plant. A3 machine closed in 2001.

1912-13: A small laboratory opens in the mills, located next to the existing Auchmuty gatehouse. Extended and re-equipped in 1919.

1952: Paper production at Markinch reaches 24,000 imperial tons.

1957: Auchmuty No.4 Machine (150 inch wire) opened. Upgraded in 2003-2006

1967: Paper production at MArkinch reaches 43,000 imperial tons

1972: A new Finishing House for Auchmuty Mill is opened.

1977: Paper production at Markinch reaches 60,000 imperial tons.

1979: Auchmuty No.5 machine (135 inches at wire) opened. New off-machine coating of paper announced.

1995 Tullis Russell papermakers pass thwe 100,000 tonnes production

2003: A new cut size line is is installed in the paper converting department at Auchmuty Mill.

2006: Investment programme for Auchmuty MAchine No.4 completed.

2008: A new Marquip Cutter installed at Auchmuty Converting department.

Tullis Russell, 2011