Stora Enso Consumer Board Machine at Beihai Mill up and Running

Stora Enso's, Sweden, consumer board machine at Beihai Mill in China successfully started production on  May 26, 2016. The first consumer board on the reel was produced 18 months after the startup of Stora Enso's large-scale mill construction project in Beihai, Guangxi region.

The project started from a greenfield site. In addition to the board machine, it includes a full site with infrastructure, power plant, water, and effluent treatment capacities. Highest levels of work safety standards have been followed. With a peak of 5,500 workers on site, more than 16 million working hours have been accomplished with only one lost time accident.

"Today I feel very proud and happy for the whole team that has been able to achieve such a great milestone in the history of Stora Enso," said Stora Enso’s CEO Karl-Henrik Sundström. "Our aim now is to benefit from the growing demand in China and Asia Pacific for high-quality consumer board."

The total investment in the project is EUR 800 million, including a bleached chemi-thermomechanical (BCTMP) pulp mill with an annual capacity of 220 000 metric tons, operational in the fourth quarter of 2016. The board machine is expected to reach full production within 18‒24 months. In full operation, the mill will have an annual capacity of 450 000 metric tons of liquid packaging board and other high-grade paperboard products.

The official inauguration will be held on June 16, 2016, at the Beihai Mill.