There has been something implicit in our thoughts through the years to this point in time--we have made an assumption that we are running at the same speed and producing the same production, just with a lighter weight machine.

However, there is more to it than this.  We know for instance, in most cases we design a machine at a certain speed, all else being equal, it will have a fourdrinier of a given length, assuming we are using fourdrinier technology.  However, if, for a given width, we design the machine for x speed plus y incrementally higher speed, the fourdrinier will lengthen.  So will the dryer section.  Perhaps some other unit operations will become larger as well.

I suspect those increases in production, induced by speed will produce a machine that weighs less per annual ton produced than the one designed at the lower speed.

Any one have any thoughts or data on this?