Stromsdal revamp progresses in Finland

BRUSSELS, Feb. 1, 2008 (RISI) - Stromsdal is spending Euro 5 million ($7 million) in a new off-machine coating line at its board mill in Juankoski, Finland. The unit’s supplier was not disclosed.

The investment, which is quality driven, should also increase the production of the mill’s sole 70,000 tonne/yr specialty board machine. The project is scheduled to be wrapped up within the first half of 2008.

Stromsdal is also installing a Honeywell cross-directional quality measurement device on the machine. It is slated to start up at the end of February and is set to be fully operational in March. The cost of the project was not revealed.

According to a Stromsdal spokesman, within two years the company aims to concentrate its production completely on its specialty products, which include waterproof board used for food packaging and graphical board.

Money spent on the installing the new coating line comes from the Euro 9 million budget announced last year by Stromsdal’s majority owners, Atine Group and Baltiska Handels, alongside Svenska Handelsbanken and Finnvera.

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.