Feb 03, 2004. /Lesprom Network/. Syassky has started commercial production on a board machine the firm restarted at its mill near St Petersburg, Russia, in June last year. The company achieved saleable output of white-top liner at the end of 2003 and is supplying volumes to smaller customers. Syassky hopes the unit's output will meet the specifications of big name buyers such as Kappa Packaging and Stora Enso next month. The machine was recommissioned last June following a five-year fallow period. But its climb up the startup curve was stalled by the delayed delivery of a new control system for the unit's second headbox. The start of commercial production of linerboard is just a stepping-stone though. The firm's ultimate goal is to manufacture 105,000 tonnes/yr of cartonboard on the machine following a grade-switch rebuild. Syassky signed up the Harris Group to establish the cost of the Russian components of the overhaul such as piping and building work in November. The findings are due to be presented on February 1. Jaakko Poyry is also carrying out a feasibility study on the scheme. The Finnish firm Stromsdal is coordinating the Harris Group and Jaakko Poyry's investigations on the upgrade, which was initially expected to cost Euro 40 million ($51 million). Stromsdal signed a letter of intent with the Russian company late last year to form a joint venture, Syassky Board and Paper, which would market the revamped machine's folding boxboard (GC1 and GC2) output. Stromsdal expects to reach a decision on whether to go ahead with the partnership at the end of the first quarter. The next step would be to secure financing for the rebuild and a source at the Russian firm said it is already in talks with banks. Stromsdal indicated at the end of last year that the project's success also depends on whether it can secure equity-based financing for the scheme. If the joint venture gets the go-ahead, Syassky Board and Paper would aim to launch production of cartonboard on the machine in the second half of 2005. Potential suppliers for the overhaul include Vaahto of Finland and Italy's Over Meccanica, according to Syassky. The firm's St Petersburg plant also houses two machines that can manufacture a total of 40,000 tonnes/yr of tissue. The plant's pulp line has a 95,000 tonne/yr capacity of bleached softwood sulfite pulp and some aspen chemi-thermomechanical pulp.