AFRY and Stora Enso are set to convert the decommissioned paper machine at the latter’s Oulu site in Finland into a high-volume consumer board production line with an expected annual capacity of 750,000 tonnes of folding box board and coated unbleached kraft.
Stora Enso is investing €1 billion into the conversion project, with AFRY supporting its efforts through detail engineering services for Balance of Plant; a new wood handling line, thermomechanical pulp line, biofuel and Non-Condensable Gas boilers, fuel handling, and evaporation plants; and modifications to the existing recovery boiler and causticising, as well as a rebuild of on-site storage and conversion. The value of the order for AFRY has not been disclosed.
It is said that the announcement aims to meet demographic changes and long-term economic growth in the renewable packaging sector, alongside an increasing utilisation of fibre-based packaging solutions due to a growing interest in sustainability, especially in the consumer goods industry.
“We are honoured to partner with Stora Enso in this significant conversion project for renewable consumer packaging materials,” says Kalle Rasinmäki, AFRY’s Head of Process Industries in Finland. “AFRY has extensive experience in engineering and implementing large-scale conversion projects, which will support Stora Enso in demanding time scheduling and project management.
“Stora Enso and AFRY have co-operated for more than 60 years and AFRY has been supporting Stora Enso in many of their major investments as well as during the daily operations locally.”
In another project, Stora Enso modernised the wood handling process at its Imatra Mills units with the aim of reducing its own reliance on process water and reducing the company’s environmental impact.
Huhtamaki also aimed to meet growing demand for recyclable and renewable paper-based packaging by expanding its manufacturing site in Nules, Spain.
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