Mondi exceeds 95% certified base paper for release liners and extrusion solutions

ANDRITZ has successfully started up state-of-the-art and environmentally leading pulp production and chemical recovery technologies for Klabin’s Puma II line in Ortigueira, Paraná, Brazil. The ANDRITZ scope of supply included: *A wood processing plant with debarking and chipping line, which can process both eucalyptus (350 m3 sob/h) and pine (400 m3 sob/h), meaning that a log truckload of wood is emptied onto the line every ten minutes. *The HERBTM recovery boiler from ANDRITZ, which has a capacity of 3,300 tds/d with high steam parameters of 103 bar(a) and 502°C to maximize power generation. It is equipped with the autonomous Smart sootblowing control solution that combines Smart sensors (HEWI) and controls to ensure the cleanability period, a higher availability of the boiler, as well as greater operating safety. *A power boiler based on ANDRITZ EcoFluid bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) technology with a steam production capacity of 220 t/h. It is combined with the recovery boiler to form a “boiler island”, and some of the auxiliary equipment is shared between the two boilers. This provides savings in investment and operating costs. *A complete white liquor plant consisting of a recausticizing plant (5,000 m3/d) and an ANDRITZ LimeKiln (450 t/d) with a multi-fuel burner.

UPM celebrated the official start of the construction of the state-of-the-art biochemicals facility in Leuna, Germany. The biorefinery investment of EUR 550 million is a major milestone in UPM’s strategic transformation. In Leuna, UPM will produce a range of 100% wood-based biochemicals that enable a switch from fossil-based products to sustainable alternatives in a number of end-uses such as plastics, textiles, cosmetics and industrial applications. Technology and process have been developed by UPM over the past ten years, mainly building on the company’s own innovation capabilities and selectively working with international partners. The biorefinery is expected to start up by the end of 2022.The investment has been awarded The Bio Act of the Year 2020 by the World BioEconomy Forum earlier in September this year.

UPM and the Paperworkers’ Union have not been able to come to new collective labour agreements. Today, the union turned down four settlement proposals submitted by the conciliator. The exceptionally long strike at UPM Pulp, UPM Communication Papers, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Raflatac and UPM Biofuels units in Finland continues. “We are deeply disappointed in the decision of the union and in the continuation of the strike that has already lasted 3,5 months. UPM has been negotiating with an earnest mind and made several compromises. We also accepted the conciliation proposals. Modernising the agreement stemming from 1940’s would be important both for the employees and the company,” says Jyrki Hollmén, Vice President, Labour Markets at UPM. “It is very disappointing that after intensive negotiations, no business was able to reach a conclusion. Petri Vanhala, chairman of the Paperworkers’ Union, confirmed in the mediation of all businesses that each business can be agreed separately. The mediation found settlement proposals for four businesses that took the needs and wishes of both parties into account. We were confident that both parties undertook to accept these settlement proposals and industrial peace would resume. Now that the union has turned down the once drafted proposals, our businesses will make a fresh start," Hollmén continues.