Paper Firm Invests In Chemical Recovery

A project to build a new, single-line recovery plant in Kuusankoski (Finland) for paper firm UPM, is now underway at UPM Kymi pulp mill's chemical recovery plant.

A project to build a new, single-line recovery plant in Kuusankoski (Finland) for paper firm UPM, is now underway with the laying of the foundation stone at UPM Kymi pulp mill's chemical recovery plant.

The construction of the new recovery plant is the biggest continuing investment project not only for Kymi and UPM but also for the whole Finnish forest industry.

The investment is valued at EUR325 million and involves the replacement of two outdated chemical recovery lines by one modern line.

UPM said that the the investment will secure the pulp supply of Kymi paper mill and ensure Kymi's development as a competitive integrated fine paper mill.

The mill's annual production capacity will exceed 900,000 tonnes once the investment is completed.

The company added that the investment will allow Kymi to increase the energy self-sufficiency of the integrated pulp and paper mill, to lower the manufacturing costs and to reduce the impact on the environment in terms of fossil carbon dioxide emissions, for example.

The new plant will also enable the an increase in the use of biofuels and to double bio-electricity production capacity.

UPM added that the investment is an important part of Kymi's renewal programme, along with the introduction of new operating models.

UPM's president and chief executive officver, Jussi Pesonen, said that the project is of high importance to UPM in a business environment that requires greater competitiveness and profitability.

He added that energy efficiency has become a significant competitive factor and UPM has consistently improved its energy efficiency through investments in Finland and in the other countries in which it operates.

According to the president of UPM Fine and Speciality Papers, Matti Lievonen, fine papers are part of UPM's core business.

The Kymi mill investment will strengthen the development of that business sector and strengthen its profit-making capacity.

The Finnish Government's Minister of Trade and Industry, Mauri Pekkarinen was present at the foundation stone ceremony.

Chemical recovery is one of the main processes of pulp production.

The recovery plant is used to recover the chemicals used for cooking chemical pulp and to return them for re-use.

At the same time, the energy from the wood dissolved during cooking can be utilised.

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