Brazilian BEK Producer Jari Celulose Suspends Operations

Brazilian pulp producer Jari Celulose, Papel e Embalagens S.A., has suspended production earlier than planned at its mill in Monte Dourado in the state of Pará, according to a report by Euwid, Germany. The mill, with a capacity of 410,000 metric tpy of bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp, shut the pulp line down on January 15, some two weeks earlier than previously announced.

Jari will suspend its pulp production for several months until the management has investigated various options and decides whether to resume manufacturing or not, Euwid reported. As an alternative to paper pulp production, the company is considering switching to dissolving pulp.

Euwid noted, however, that several industry representatives doubt that the company will resume operations. Upgrading the old pulp line from the 1970s would require a major investment and a cooperation partner would be needed, they said. Furthermore, one of the reasons Jari cited for halting production was the difficult geographic location of the site in the middle of the Amazon region, but shifting production to another product would not alter this, the representatives pointed out.

TAPPI
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