Valmet to supply a prehydrolysis system for Bioprocess Pilot Facility in the Netherlands

Valmet Corporation's press release on January 9, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. EET

Valmet will supply a prehydrolysis system to Bioprocess Pilot Facility BV's (BPF) bio pilot plant in Delft, the Netherlands. Prehydrolysis is an initial process step in several biorefining processes.

Valmet's delivery consists of a prehydrolysis system on pilot scale that is designed for a capacity of 40 kg wheat straw (biomass) per hour. The start-up of the system is scheduled for August 2014.

BPF's bio pilot plant is designed to handle different biomass raw materials, agricultural wastes like wheat straw and bagasse and also wood. The key parts of the pilot plant are biomass feeding, hydrolysis reactors and equipment for separation of liquid and residual solid biomass after hydrolysis.

Prehydrolysis is an important step in the production of second generation ethanol via the enzyme route. The prehydrolysis prepares the biomass so that the polysaccharides in the biomass become accessible. In the hydrolysis step the polysaccarides can be released as mono sugars for fermentation to biochemicals and biofuels.

"After evaluating several systems, we have chosen the Valmet system, because of proven technology, experience and flexibility in using the system for several pretreatments and feedstocks. We think that we will be able to help our customers with improving their biobased processes", comments Hans van Leeuwen, Director from BPF.

"I am very proud that BPF has selected Valmet for this important project. This further concludes that our biomass prehydrolysis solutions are state of the art and offer the reliability and flexibility the customers need", explains Rickard Andersson, Vice President Bio Technology and Environmental Systems from Valmet.

The order is included in Valmet's fourth quarter 2013 orders received (until December 31 2013 Metso's Pulp, Paper and Power segment). The value of the order will not be disclosed.

The BPF is an open access unique multi-purpose facility where universities, companies and knowledge institutions from all over the world can investigate how production processes respond to pilot scales and how they can be scaled up. Here, issues that do not occur at laboratory scale, can be detected and studied.

VALMET CORPORATION
Corporate Communications

Further information, please contact:
Håkan Öhlén, Sales Manager, Bio Technology and Environmental Systems, Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet, tel. +46 70 653 3803

Rickard Andersson, Vice President, Bio Technology and Environmental Systems, Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet, tel. +46 70 305 5722

Arno van de Kant, Business Development Director, BPF, tel. +31 6 4248 0754

Valmet Corporation is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. Our 11,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day.

Valmet's services cover everything from maintenance outsourcing to mill and plant improvements and spare parts. Our strong technology offering includes entire pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bio-energy production.

The company has over 200 years of industrial history and was reborn through the demerger of the pulp, paper and power businesses from Metso Group in December 2013. Valmet's net sales in 2012 were approximately EUR 3 billion. Valmet's objective is to become the global champion in serving its customers.

Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.