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VIDA Paper to Begin Dissolving Pulp Production at Lessebo Mill

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VIDA AB, Sweden, reports that it plans to diversify into cellulose dissolving pulp production at its Lessebo paper mill in Sweden. The first step in the project will increase the mill's production of 52,000 metric tpy of paper to 70,000 metric tpy of pulp and paper. The 28,000 metric tpy of new dissolving pulp production will begin in early autumn of this year.

According to VIDA Paper's CEO Jan Fjeldsa, "economy of scale together with the decision to depend on three strategic business areas—premium paper, dissolving pulp, and energy production—will add further stability to the future at Lessebo."

Henrik Thuresson, mill sales and marketing director, added that "resultant from this project, we now have the ability to further improve the quality of our premium papers with a full focus on the optimal pulp mixture, particularly so when taken with the additional investment in a new quality control system being installed on PM 3. We are very optimistic that these developments will further consolidate us as ‘the' premium uncoated paper supplier in Europe."

The initial phase of the cellulose pulp production project will temporarily reduce the volume of finished paper manufactured at the mill and some less profitable volume in production will be sacrificed to that end, Thuresson notes, adding, however, that none of the mill's primary contracts with major customers and merchant groups will be affected by this temporary reduction.

VIDA Paper currently produces 30.000 metric tpy of sulfite pulp captive to its internal production of 52,000 metric tpy of white and cream shade premium uncoated papers, colored uncoated woodfree, and woodfree digital papers. VIDA Paper's pulp is based on 100% spruce wood chips. Among other industrial uses, dissolving pulp is used in textile (rayon), cellophane, and hygiene product manufacture.

 

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