Valmet will deliver key technology to Metsä Fibre’s planned Äänekoski bioproduct mill in Finland following an agreement by the two companies. The letter of intent covers the recovery boiler, pulp-drying line, gasification plant and lime kiln deliveries. The delivery also includes a mill-wide Metso DNA automation system.

The contract is subject to Metsä Fibre’s investment decision. Metsä Fibre has announced that if the prerequisites for the investment are met, the decision on the construction of the bioproduct mill will be made during spring of 2015. Should the project go forward, production at the new mill would begin in 2017.

 If it proceeds, the bioproduct mill planned by Metsä Fibre would be the largest-ever investment in the forest industry in Finland. The mill would have an annual pulp production capacity of 1.3 million tonnes.

The planned recovery boiler has a capacity of 7,200 tonnes dry solids per day. The planned pulp-drying line would have a trimmed width of ~27' (8.25 m) and a capacity of 2,700 air dry tonnes per day. The planned lime kiln has a capacity of 1,200 tonnes per day and would be operated by renewable fuel provided by 87 MW product gas capacity biomass gasification plant. The gasification plant dries bark and gasifies it to produce gas.