Valmet and Metsä Fibre finalized the order agreement for key technology to Äänekoski bioproduct mill

Valmet Corporation's press release on April 22, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. EET

Valmet and Metsä Fibre have signed the agreement for the supply of key technology to Metsä Fibre's new Äänekoski bioproduct mill in Finland. Valmet announced the letter of intent of the delivery on February 13, 2015.

Valmet delivery includes recovery boiler, pulp drying line, gasification plant, lime kiln and a mill wide Valmet DNA automation system. The estimated value of Valmet's delivery, which includes only the core equipment supplied by Valmet, is about EUR 125-150 million. The order is included in Valmet's second quarter 2015 orders received.

The construction of the bioproduct mill will start immediately and the production at the new mill is scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2017.

"The bioproduct mill will strengthen Metsä Group's leading position in northern softwood pulp market and will improve our profitability. We have had long term and successful cooperation with Valmet which is a strong supplier of equipment of this scale," says Ilkka Hämälä, CEO of Metsä Fibre.

Technological innovations and important employment impact

Valmet delivers leading technology for the Äänekoski bioproduct mill. The recovery boiler, pulp drying line and lime kiln will be the largest in Europe. All the equipment will have high energy efficiency.

"Our gasification technology and recovery boiler maximize the use of bioenergy and makes the pulp mill totally fossil fuel free. Valmet delivers a modern gasification plant, where bark is dried and gasified to product gas which is then used as fuel in the lime kiln. The Valmet delivered recovery boiler has multiple high power features including patented heat recovery from flue gas to combustion air enabling the mill to sell outside 1.4 times more electricity than it needs for its own operation," says Bertel Karlstedt, Pulp and Energy Business Line President from Valmet.

Valmet's delivery for the bioproduct mill will have an important employment impact on Valmet and its subcontractors. The employment impact of Valmet's project delivery is expected to be around 250 man years, out of which half in Finland mainly in Tampere, Jyväskylä, Ulvila and Raisio.

Details about Valmet's technology delivery to Metsä Fibre Äänekoski bioproduct mill

The new bioproduct mill in Äänekoski is the largest investment of the forest industry in Finland. Metsä Fibre's total investment will amount to approximately EUR 1.2 billion and the mill's annual pulp production will be approximately 1.3 million tonnes.

Valmet's delivery includes engineering, procurement, supply and construction management of a recovery boiler, a pulp drying line, a lime kiln and a gasification plant. The recovery boiler will have a capacity of 7,200 tds/d (tonnes dry solids a day). It provides steam to a turbine with 260 MW electrical capacity, which makes Metsä Fibre's recovery boiler plant the largest renewable energy production unit in Europe. The pulp drying line will have a trimmed width of 8.25 meters and a capacity of 2,700 Adt/d (air dry tonnes a day). The lime kiln will have a capacity of 1,200 t/d and will be operated by renewable fuel provided by 87 MW product gas capacity biomass gasification plant.

Valmet's automation delivery includes an extensive Valmet DNA automation and process information system covering the entire pulp mill and Valmet IQ quality control system for the pulp drying machine.

Information about the customer Metsä Fibre

Metsä Fibre is a world-leading producer of softwood pulp, whose main brand is Botnia. The company's main products are sustainably and cost-efficiently produced bleached softwood and birch pulps. Metsä Fibre has four pulp mills in Finland. Metsä Fibre's sales in 2014 totalled approximately EUR 1.3 billion, and it employs some 850 people. Metsä Fibre is part of Metsä Group.

VALMET CORPORATION
Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:
Bertel Karlstedt, President Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet, tel. +358 40 553 3859
Kari Remes, Vice President, Recovery, Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet, tel. +358 40 709 2015
Pasi Mäkelä, Vice President, Pulp Mill Sales, Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet, tel. +358 40 505 4199

Valmet Corporation is the leading global developer and supplier of technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. Valmet's vision is to become the global champion in serving its customers.

Valmet's services cover everything from maintenance outsourcing to mill and plant improvements and spare parts. The strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bio-energy production. Valmet's advanced automation solutions range from single measurements to mill wide turnkey automation projects.

Valmet's net sales in 2014 were approximately EUR 2.5 billion. Our 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.