Altri will install a new 7-effect evaporation line at its Biotek mill in Vila Velha de Ródão, Portugal, as part of its conversion from kraft pulp to dissolving pulp (DWP) production. The new line, designed by Valmet, will handle 350 tons of evaporated water per hour and produce heavy liquor at 75% dry solids. It includes Valmet’s condensate handling system, enabling clean condensate reuse and reducing freshwater consumption, according to Valmet.
The system features Valmet Tube and Tubel evaporators to ensure long operational life and high availability, while significantly reducing steam demand. The delivery includes engineering, procurement, and installation, with start-up scheduled for the third quarter of 2027.
The installation supports Altri’s Euro 75 million investment to convert the Biotek mill into a producer of dissolving pulp mainly for textile applications. Once completed, the mill will reach an annual capacity of 180,000 tons, contributing to Altri’s total dissolving pulp capacity surpassing 300,000 tons per year. All production will be exported.
Dissolving pulp is used as a natural alternative to fossil-based fibers in the textile, pharmaceutical, food, hygiene, and packaging industries. The global DWP market is currently valued at Euro 6 billion and is projected to grow to Euro 7.6 billion by 2033. Altri aims to become a leading European supplier in this segment, with support from AICEP, Portugal’s Trade and Investment Agency, and the Ministry of Economy.
The company currently operates three mills in Portugal, Celbi, Biotek, and Caima, with a combined pulp production capacity of around 1.2 million tons. The Biotek mill, before the conversion, produced over 260,000 tons per year of bleached eucalyptus pulp.
