Södra is investing just over SEK 200 million ($22.5 million) in the Långasjö, Värö, and Orrefors sawmills in Sweden. The investment programme will be completed during the 3Q 2017, as the company says in the press release received by Lesprom Network.
The largest investment, of about SEK 100 million, ($11.2 million) will be made at the Långasjö sawmill and aims to increase production volume from 280,000 to 360,000 cubic metres.
"To achieve this, we will replace the old small-dimension timber saw line with a new profiling curve sawing line, and thereby simplify and streamline throughput at the saw. In addition, we will build a new stacker and binding stick stacker and also install a completely new wood dryer. We will also construct a new 8,000-square-metre warehouse. The project includes relocating distribution to the Swedish building trade from our Torsås sawmill, which will be closed after the summer. The projects in Långasjö started in November and are scheduled to be complete this autumn," said Jörgen Lindquist, Business Area President for Södra Wood.
The investment also means 25 new jobs in Långasjö. Employees at the Torsås sawmill have been able to apply for these jobs as they are within commuting distance. In total, 15 employees will move from the Torsås sawmill.
SEK 80 million ($9 million) is also being invested at Södra’s largest sawmill in Värö, broken down into many smaller investments.
"In addition to these investments, we are working intensively at the Värö sawmill, as well as every other Södra sawmill, with Lean principles so that staff, with all their expertise, can operate the sawmill machines as safely and efficiently as possible," said Jörgen Lindquist.
At its small-dimension timber sawmill in Orrefors, Södra is investing about SEK 30 million ($3.4 million) in a new boiler and drying facility, which will enable production increases in the future.
