Allnorth to Engineer New Wheat Straw Pulp Mill in Germany for Essity

Allnorth has announced it will be the engineering company supporting global health and hygiene company Essity as it builds a new non-wood pulp mill in Germany. This mill will produce pulp based on alternative fiber from wheat straw and other plant-based agricultural by-products. This mill will be the first of its kind in Europe and the second in the world, after US-based Columbia Pulp which Allnorth also engineered.Allnorth will be supporting the CDN$56.4-million project by engineering the new plant in Essity's existing mill in Manheim, Germany. The non-wood pulp mill is expected to be complete and producing products in the second half of 2020.

Essity has signed a license agreement securing exclusive European rights to a new proprietary technology to produce pulp from wheat straw, the waste from agricultural activity. This process will enable Essity to contribute to its sustainability goals by reducing water, energy and chemical use. The pulp from this innovative technology will replace conventional wood-based pulp, at a competitive cost.

"Allnorth is excited to be involved in this project with Essity, one of the world's leading producers of tissue and a company that shares our commitment to sustainability," says Darby Kreitz, CEO, Allnorth. "We are proud to be working on an international level to support our clients' innovation in the pulp and paper industry."

Allnorth is a leading engineering and technical services firm that started in Prince George, BC, and now has offices in 16 locations across Canada and the US, and over 450 team members. It is a leader in engineering innovative improvements to its pulp and paper clients' manufacturing processes and technologies, with a history of helping its clients become some of the most economically viable, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable mills in North America. Mills using this technology require only 30 per cent of the capital investment of a conventional wood pulp mill and operate at half of the cost. For more information about Allnorth, visit: www.allnorth.com.

"We see the use of wheat straw to create pulp as revolutionary – it's a way to expand the pulp and paper industry to new agricultural-producing communities while also decreasing GHGs by reusing the straw, a waste product that is often burned," adds Darby. "Wheat straw mills are a natural complement to the existing sustainable wood pulp and paper industry, and we look forward to the day that Allnorth plays a part in building wheat straw mills in Canada."

Allnorth also engineered the first North American wheat straw pulp and paper mill in Dayton, WA, which is currently in construction and expected to be completed in summer 2019.

Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company dedicated to improving well-being through products and solutions, essentials for everyday life. The name Essity stems from the words essentials and necessities. Its sustainable business model creates value for people and nature. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands, such as JOBST, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 47,000 employees and net sales in 2018 amounted to approximately SEK 118.5 billion (EUR 11.6 billion). The headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. More information at www.essity.com.

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