Finland’s KaiCell Fibers has entered the full Feasibility Study stage, which will determine a complete range of technical and commercial parameters for planned bio-product pulp mill in Paltamo, Finland, during the first half of 2017, as well as set out the basic facts for an Environmental Impact Assessment process to follow.
The FS relies on an assembled team of experienced industry experts. Stefan Fors functions as a project director, having previously led several forest industry projects. He also has experience on new emerging bio-products. CTS Engtec Oy has been selected as principal technical partner.
“The KaiCell Fibers venture is very interesting as it holds great potential financially, technologically and of course for the economy of the region,” said CTS managing director Antti Lukka. “The project is very diverse in nature, as it is in fact very important that mills of this size don’t rely sole on one product,” he added. “A diversified product range reduces investment risk and offers more ways to develop value-added processes onsite.”
Details about the final product range will be made public in due course. The baseline product will be bleached sulphate pulp. The intention is to gradually reduce sales of market pulp as further processed bio-products require more and more of the pulping capacity as feedstock.
The mill will rely on BAT based solutions for all known and existing processes. Where new technology is applied, it will be done in close cooperation with world leading companies in respective fields.