Valmet and Metsä Fibre have finalized the agreement for the key technology delivery covering all main process islands and automation systems for Metsä Fibre's Kemi bioproduct mill in Finland. The new bioproduct mill will have an annual pulp production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes and in addition produce various other bioproducts. The new totally fossil fuel free mill is scheduled to start-up in the 3Q 2023. The value of the order covering the core equipment supplied by Valmet, is about Euro 350-400 million.
Valmet will deliver the full production process from wood handling to baling, designed to produce both softwood and hardwood pulp, as well as automation system for the whole mill including features from Valmet’s Industrial Internet (VII) offering. In addition, as part of the project, Valmet delivers a rebuild of the existing fiber line.
Valmet's project delivery includes engineering and supply of the main process equipment, as well as management of construction and start-up partly with an Open Book delivery model. Project’s degree of Finnish origin is estimated above 60%.
“The delivery will have an important employment impact on Valmet and its subcontractors especially in Finland. The employment impact of Valmet's project delivery is expected to be around 800 man-years, out of which about 500 man-years in Finland. Safety, close cooperation and open communication are the key success factors to ensure we reach the shared quality, schedule and cost targets,” says Risto Hokajärvi, Project Director, Pulp and Energy, Valmet.
Valmet's delivery includes the wood handling, cooking and fiber line, pulp drying and baling, evaporation, recovery boiler, recausticizing, lime kiln, biomass dryer, gasifier, ash crystallization, mill-wide non-condensable gases (NCG) handling solution and electrostatic precipitators (ESP) for the recovery boiler and lime kiln.
Metsä Fibre is the world’s leading producer of bleached softwood pulp and a major producer of sawn timber. Metsä Fibre is part of Metsä Group.
Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries.