OneFortyOne’s Kaituna’s Woodchip Sets Sail from New Zealand to Japan

Nov. 22, 2022 - OneFortyOne’s Kaituna Sawmill and its partners recently celebrated its first export shipment of woodchip out of Port Marlborough (New Zealand), as part of a new export initiative with partner Marusumi Whangarei Co., Ltd.

Woodchip has been accumulating at Shakespeare Bay over the last three months, in preparation for the loading of the Southern Star Vessel which docked on Monday, Nov. 7 and departed Wednesday, Nov. 9.

Another vessel is planned for the new year of which woodchip is now being accumulated.

Port Marlborough has been a critical partner in providing logistical support for the trial operation, including 4,000m2 (0.4 ha) in the port’s Shakespeare Bay log yard currently for the operation.

Tracy Goss, General Manager Kaituna Sawmill said this initiative has been four years in the making. “It is part of our growth strategy and an exciting opportunity for us to diversify our wood residues market.”

“It also happened to be very beneficial when Sh6/Sh63 roads to Nelson were closed during the flooding events in August. Without this alternative growth market, the Kaituna Mill more than likely would need to cease production during the road closures.”

“The woodchip is a by-product generated during timber production. This new export initiative complements our existing market in New Zealand, and we now have access to a growth market in Japan where woodchip is used in next generation cellulose nanofiber (CNF)”.

Rhys Welbourn, Port Marlborough CEO said the diversification of the port’s forestry industry offering was important for Marlborough.

“Port Marlborough supports several key industries in the region and we are always looking at ways to add value for our customers. This is an exciting opportunity for us to diversify our wood export offering, and to develop our commercial partnerships with industry leaders OneFortyOne.”

Angela MacKenzie, South Island Wood Council said the exporting of wood chips from Port Marlborough opens up markets that haven’t previously been available to the industry in the Top of the South and will provide greater employment and market certainty.

“This is a huge boost for the local forest industry and will have many positive flow-on effects for Marlborough.

“The Top of the South Wood Council is focused on exploring new applications for the use of this by-product, especially biofuels and is appreciative of the initiative of OneFortyOne in making this happen,” said Angela.

OneFortyOne Kaituna Sawmill signed an agreement with Marusumi Whangarei Co to manage the export initiative. Marusumi has been exporting both softwood and hardwood chip from Marsden point since 1995, predominantly to its parent company Marusumi Paper Co. Ltd, and other end users in Japan and China.

SOURCE: OneFortyOne

Metsä Group Says Port Warehouse and Private Track Project for Kemi Bioproduct Mill on Schedule

Nov. 21, 2022 - Metsä Group announced that construction and installation work for its new Kemi bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland, is progressing as planned and on schedule for completion by the end of the year.

The new 110 kV power line has now been completed, and it will be deployed when the mill comes online. Bioelectricity generated by the mill will be transmitted to the national grid along the new power line. The mill will produce 2.0 TWh of renewable energy annually, which is equivalent to 2.5 per cent of Finland’s overall electricity production.

The autonomous cranes in the woodyard have reached roof height. The electric cranes will unload wood arriving by train and lorry independently.

Rail

When the bioproduct mill is up and running, train transports will have a significant role, as most of the wood will arrive at the mill by rail. The mill will receive around nine trains per day. The bioproduct mill’s new private railroad track will be in use by the end of the year. A total of 4.5 kilometres of the new track has now been constructed.

Ajos Port Warehouse

Construction of the Ajos port warehouse will also be complete by the end of the year. The new warehouse covers a gross area of 37,000 m2. The Port of Ajos is an essential part of the mill’s efficient logistics. Pulp will be transported from the bioproduct mill to the port by lorry and from there it will be shipped to customers around the world.

The bioproduct mill’s commissioning will begin in early 2023.

Background

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, in February 2021 announced the decision to build a new bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland on the site of Metsä Fibre's current Kemi mill. The value of the investment is EUR 1.6 billion. The Kemi bioproduct mill will produce some 1.5 million tonnes of softwood and hardwood pulp per year, as well as many other bioproducts.

SOURCE: Metsä Group

UPM Inaugurates Its New Deep Sea Pulp Terminal in the Port of Montevideo, Uruguay

Oct. 5, 2022 - UPM inaugurates today its new pulp terminal in the port of Montevideo, Uruguay. This investment of approximately USD 280 million is a fundamental part of UPM’s USD 3.47 billion growth investment in Uruguay that includes a state-of-the-art pulp mill in Paso de los Toros, new eucalyptus tree nursery as well as local community investments in Paso de los Toros.

“This is a significant milestone in our growth project in Uruguay. The new pulp terminal with direct connections from the new pulp mill and to the global markets plays a key role in the growth and competitiveness of UPM’s pulp business,” says UPM President and CEO Jussi Pesonen. “The public infrastructure investments to the deep sea port and railway improve the competitiveness of all export sectors in Uruguay.”

The new pulp terminal is located in the newly developed deep sea port in Montevideo, and it will have a direct rail connection to the new UPM Paso de los Toros mill. In the future, all UPM pulp from Uruguay will be shipped with fully loaded ocean vessels directly from Uruguay. This is a significant change to the current logistics that have depended on the deep sea ports in Brazil. The new direct connection from Uruguay to global markets increases efficiency and supply security.

UPM will operate the pulp terminal as a long-term concession holder. The terminal will operate 24/7 with an annual operating capacity of over 2 million tonnes of pulp and approximately 100 ships per year, creating a 60% increase in the total annual cargo exported from the port of Montevideo. The terminal will employ approximately 100 people, with another 200 people working in the loading and unloading of cargo ships. The terminal includes a large storage warehouse of over 50,000 square meters, a control room, logistics spaces and offices.

UPM’s new 2.1 million tonne per year greenfield eucalyptus pulp mill near Paso de los Toros in central Uruguay is scheduled to start production by the end of Q1 2023.

SOURCE: UPM

Metsä Fibre’s State-of-the-Art Sawmill Starts in Rauma, Finland

Sept. 30, 2022 - Metsä Fibre announced that its new state-of-the-art pine sawmill in Rauma, Finland, has moved from production test run to continuous sawn timber production. The sawmill is operating continuously in three shifts.

Construction of the Rauma sawmill started in the spring of 2020, and the value of the investment is approximately EUR 260 million. This is the largest sawmill investment ever in Finland.

The Rauma sawmill is a worldwide forerunner in technology, efficiency and operating models. Technological innovations such as machine vision, self-learning artificial intelligence and integrated information systems that control the sawline’s various functions provide improved conditions for the production of sawn timber of consistent quality and the sawmill’s industrial efficiency. With the aid of new technology, the Rauma sawmill’s operation is controlled from a single central control room, and sawn timber moves along the converting line without any manual work stages.

“Demand for high-quality, sustainably produced sawn timber is growing worldwide, particularly in demanding component and woodworking industry applications,” said Ismo Nousiainen, CEO of Metsä Fibre. “The new sawing capacity helps us respond to this growth.

“Sawn timber is an excellent example of a responsible and sustainable product, since the carbon contained in trees is stored in buildings or in various wood products made from sawn timber throughout their life cycle. The sustainability of the sawn timber we produce is based on sustainably managed forests, certified and traceable wood raw material and low-carbon production,” Nousiainen explained.

The new sawmill has directly created 100 new jobs in Rauma. The sawmill also provides work to approximately 500 people across its direct value chain. The sawmill’s employment impact during the construction phase was roughly 1,500 person-years.

The annual capacity of the Rauma sawmill is 750,000 cubic metres of pine sawn timber, and the annual use of pine logs sourced in Finland is around 1.5 million cubic metres. The sawn timber produced in Rauma is sold mainly to Europe and Asia. The sawmill’s location enables smooth logistics to transport the sawn timber to customers through the Port of Rauma. The new sawmill does not have its own warehouses. Instead, finished sawn timber is packaged and automatically loaded onto lorries, which transport it directly to the port.

The new sawmill has been built next to Metsä Fibre’s Rauma pulp mill.

“The full utilisation of the wood raw material is central to our unique bioproduct concept. Log wood is used as raw material for the sawmill. The bark and sawdust generated during the production of sawn timber are used for bioenergy and the chips are used as raw material for pulp. Pulp production generates bioenergy for the sawmill, and the surplus energy is sold outside the integrated mill. In the future, this investment will enable both the Rauma sawmill and pulp mill to operate without using any fossil fuels,” Nousiainen said.

SOURCE: Metsä Fibre