Name and Location
Bioproduct mill project, Äänekoski, Finland.

Client
Metsä Fibre, a subsidiary of Metsä Group.

Project Description
The new bioproduct mill is the largest investment of the forest industry in Finland.

Its pulp production will be about 1.3-million tonnes a year, of which 800 000 t will be softwood pulp and 500 000 t hardwood pulp.

The softwood pulp will be exported mainly to Europe and Asia.

Using more than 1 000 of the most advanced energy-efficient motors and state-of-the-art power systems, the mill will produce 2.4 times more electricity than it consumes. The mill is designed to produce 1.8 TWh/y of energy, representing 2.5% of the electricity currently produced in Finland.

In addition to premium pulp, the mill will also produce tall oil and turpentine, among other bioproducts. All side streams from the bioproduct mill are planned to be used in the ecosystem that will be established by various companies around the mill. The mill will not use any fossil fuels and all of its energy requirements will be generated from wood. The electricity self-sufficiency rate of the mill will be 240%.

The project will increase the consumption of pulpwood in Finland by about four-million cubic metres a year, or about 10%. The mill will use 6.5-million cubic metres of raw wood material a year, which will mainly be sourced from Finland.

Value
The total investment in the project will amount about €1.2-billion, of which 40% will be equity financed and 60% debt financed.

Duration
The construction started in 2015, and the mill is scheduled to be completed during the third quarter of 2017.

Latest Developments
ABB will supply the complete power and process electrical systems for Metsä Group’s new bioproduct mill.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
ABB (power and process electrical systems).

On Budget and on Time?
Too early to state.

Contact Details for Project Information
Metsä Fibre communications manager Kaisu Vaalto, tel +358 40 777 8922 or email kaisu.vaalto@metsagroup.com.
ABB media realations, Reiner Schoenrock, email media.relations@ch.abb.com.