Domsjö Fabriker to install new digester
BRUSSELS, Feb. 1, 2008 (RISI) - Domsjö Fabriker plans to install a new digester at its mill just outside central Örnsköldsvik, 550 km north of Stockholm, Sweden.
The firm hopes to pick the main suppliers shortly. The new digester, which is expected to start up in the fourth quarter, will increase the company’s specialty pulp production from 210,000 tonnes/yr to 227,000 tonnes/yr. The SEK 15 million ($2.3 million) investment is part of the company’s development program, Domsjö 2010, which will see the firm’s dissolving pulp capacity gradually rise to 255,000 tonnes/yr.
The SEK 500 million program, which comprises around fifteen projects, will result in further development of the firm’s biorefinery and renewable products (specialty pulp, lignosulfonate and ethanol). The various projects will be completed in the next three to four years.
Upcoming investments which have been approved by the board of directors include a dryer for lignosulfonates, a chip bin for presteaming, additional evaporation capacity and a new wash press for the closed loop, chlorine-free bleach plant. Suppliers have yet to be chosen.
New equipment in the evaporation and bleaching plants are expected to come on stream in the autumn. The evaporation plant has been a bottleneck for quite some time. A more efficient bleaching process will also increase the capacity of the chlorine-free bleach plant. The investment will also lead to significant quality improvements.
As a consequence, wood sourcing will expand from 1.3 million m³/yr to 1.6 million m³/yr. The increased wood demand will be provided for through increased purchasing activity in the nearby area of Domsjö and through further imports. Domsjö Fabriker and Övik Energi are joint owners of Domsjö Fiber, collaborating in the acquisition of cellulose wood and biofuel.
Important 2008 Conference Date Changes!
PPI Market Pulp will now take place April 6-7, 2008. The RISI European Conference will be held April 7-9. Both events remain in Lisbon, Portugal.
