M-real Kaskinen orders BCTMP pulping and baling line equipment from Metso Paper

Published Mar 7, 2004 11.00.00 +2 GMT

M-real Corporation has selected Metso Paper to supply equipment for BCTMP (bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp) pulping and a baling line at their new BCTMP plant in Kaskinen, Finland. The start-up is scheduled for August 2005.

The Kaskinen BCTMP plant has an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons based on softwood and hardwood as raw material. The line will produce high-quality BCTMP pulp for M-real's own printing paper and packaging board mills.

Metso Paper's delivery consists of equipment for chip-handling, main-line and reject refining, screening, thickening, cleaning, pulping, as well as for baling and bale handling, including a bale quality system. The delivery also includes mechanical installation, field electrification, training and start-up supervision. Metso Automation will deliver a pulp analyzer and brightness sensors to the line.

The Kaskinen project further extends M-real's and Metso Paper's cooperation in the production of high-quality BCTMP pulps. Metso Paper also supplied equipment for M-real's Joutseno BCTMP plant that was started-up in 2001.

M-real Corporation is one of Europe's leading suppliers of coated and uncoated fine papers and high-quality magazine papers, as well as packaging board for consumer products. The company currently ranks as Europe's largest producer of fine paper. M-real's net sales in 2003 amounted to MEUR 6,044 with approximately 20,400 employees.

Metso Corporation is a global supplier of process industry machinery and systems, as well as know-how and aftermarket services. The Corporation's core businesses are fiber and paper technology (Metso Paper), rock and mineral processing (Metso Minerals) and automation and control technology (Metso Automation). In 2003, the net sales of Metso Corporation were EUR 4.3 billion and personnel totaled approximately 27,400. Metso Corporation is listed on the Helsinki and New York Stock Exchanges.

More information: Arto Aaltonen, Executive Vice President Metso Paper, tel. +358 20 484 3202 Jari Koikkalainen, Senior Vice President, Sales & CRM> Mechanical Pulping Business Line, tel. +358 20 482 9213