Consumables
Metso to supply pulping technology for Aracruz in Brazil for EUR 400 million
Thursday 21. August 2008 - Metso will supply the main technology for Aracruzs new 1.5-million-tons/yr bleached hardwood kraft (BHK) pulp line, to be built at their Guaíba mill in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
The expansion will raise the mills total annual capacity to almost 2 million tons. The new pulp line is scheduled to start up during the second half of 2010. The order is valued at close to EUR 400 million.
The EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract with Metso additionally covers the procurement of complementary equipment and services from other suppliers and partners.
The order emphasizes Metso’s strong capabilities as a full-scope supplier for the pulp industry, which were further strengthened by the 2006 acquisition of Aker Kvaerner’s Pulping and Power businesses. For Aracruz, Metsos scope of supply covers the entire fiber line comprising pulp cooking, screening and washing, bleaching, drying and baling, as well as the recovery boiler and white liquor preparation systems. Metso will also provide process control systems, including the necessary analyzers and special equipment for quality and runnability management. Furthermore, Metsos control and on-off valves were selected as standard for the entire mill.
The fiber line process features the latest evolution of cooking and washing technologies. The continuous digester is designed for a daily capacity of 5,030 tons. The drying machine will have a trim width of 9.99 m and is designed for 4,970 tons daily production.
The recovery boiler Metso will supply for black liquor burning has a design capacity of 6,130 tons dry solids per day. The boiler employs technology to maximize power generation from bioenergy. The nominal capacity of the white liquor plant will be 14,300 m3 of white liquor per day.
Aracruz is the worlds leading producer of bleached eucalyptus pulp. Total production today is the equivalent of 3.2 million tons a year, produced by three pulp mills: Barra do Riacho (2.3 million tons), Guaíba (450,000 tons) and Veracel (450,000 tons, or 50% of the unit’s total capacity). The company employs 12,000 persons and its gross sales in 2007 were USD 2.14 billion.