Södra. Sweden, permanently shuttered its Tofte chemical pulp mill in Norway on August 25. A spokesperson for the Swedish pulp manufacturer told EUWID Pulp and Paper, Germany, that shutdown of the 400,000 metric tpy softwood and hardwood pulp mill had been planned for this past spring, but was postponed several times to improve conditions for a possible sale of the mill.
 

Södra's decision to close the mill was based on "long-term difficulties with achieving profitability at the plant," as announced early last month. The company said then that It was not possible to turn the tide despite extensive measures being implemented. A process began in late 2012 with a view to finding a buyer. However, the discussions proved fruitless, and thus the mill has been permanently closed. Some 280 staff members at the mill were affected.

The mill at Tofte was purchased by Södra in 2000. Its production capacity amounts to 400 000 metric tons of chemical paper pulp. The factory employs 280 staff.
 

The company had decided to part with the Tofte mill due to permanent problems to achieve adequate returns. Södra took over the Tofte and Folla pulp mills from Norske Skog in 2000. Last January, Södra sold the 105,000 tpy CTMP Folla pulp mill to the Austrian cartonboard producer Mayr-Melnhof.

Following the closure of the Tofte pulp mill, Södra is withdrawing from pulp operations in Norway, EUWID notes. The company now runs three Swedish pulp mills in Mönsterås, Värö, and Mörrum with a total pulp output capacity of 1.6 million metric tpy.