Valmet will deliver equipment and services for a rebuild of the softwood pulp line at Holmen's Iggesund mill in Sweden. The rebuild will improve production stability, cut variable costs, and increase pulp production capacity by 15% equally to 50,000 metric tons. The works will be implemented in two stages during 2015 and 2016.

"We have a good experience since we have had Valmet presses in our mill for many years. This rebuild will eliminate bottle necks in the process and increase pulp capacity. We will also cut variable costs, which will strengthen our competitiveness," said Olov Winblad von Walter, mill director, Iggesund.

"This rebuild is the first step towards a press based bleach plant. The high outlet consistency makes the process easier to control and the volume of effluent will be less than for washers with lower discharge consistencies. Also, water and chemical consumption will be minimized. We are looking forward to good cooperation in this project," added Mikael Gustafsson, sales manager, Valmet. 

The scope of Valmet’s delivery includes main machinery, basic engineering, and erection. In the first stage, two pressure diffusers will be rebuilt, one in the cooking plant and one in the brownstock washing, where a new TwinRoll press also will be installed. In the second stage, the oxygen delignification stage will be extended into a two-stage OxyTrac system, which will make it possible to still reach lower kappa numbers in case of a further production increase. In the bleach plant, two new TwinRoll presses will be installed.

Holmen produces printing paper, paperboard, and sawn timber, and runs forestry and energy production operations. The company’s Iggesund mill is one of the most advanced, fully integrated pulp and paperboard mills in the world. The product family is called Invercote and is used for the highest quality graphics products and packaging. Exclusive packaging for perfume, chocolate, wine, spirits, cigarettes, and CD covers are examples of applications. 

The mill has a production capacity of 340,000 metric tpy and has 800 employees.