Finland-headed energy and forest industry technology provider Valmet Oyj has announced that it will deliver key process islands for Lenzing’s and Duratex’s joint venture named LD Celulose S.A. The new 500 000 tonnes-per-annum dissolving pulp mill is located in the cities of Indianópolis and Araguari in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Valmet’s delivery includes a fiber line, a pulp drying and baling line, an evaporation plant, a white liquor plant, and a mill-wide automation system.
Valmet’s delivery is part of the recently announced Lenzing and Duratex joint venture investment of approximately US$1.3 billion in the 500,000 tonnes dissolving wood pulp mill where Austria-headed wood-based cellulosic fiber major Lenzing AG holds a 51 percent and Brazil-headed wood-based panel major Duratex S.A. a 49 percent stake in LD Celulose S.A. respectively.
Wood-based cellulosic fibers offer an important contribution to enhancing sustainability in the textile industry and this investment is in line with our growth strategy and a key milestone to structurally strengthen our cost leadership position. In planning the new production facility, particular importance was given to sustainability aspects. The plant will be among the most productive and energy-efficient mills in the world, states Stefan Doboczky, CEO of Lenzing Group.
The start-up of the new mill is planned for the first half of 2022 and will create approximately 8 000 direct jobs during the construction phase. When it is ready, LD Celulose S.A. will employ approximately 1 100 people to operate the industrial plant and the plantations that will supply it. The dissolving pulp is a key raw material for manufacturing Lenzing’s wood-based textile and speciality fibers.
LD Celulose S.A. will bring a positive socioeconomic impact throughout the region. We are working with the best environmental practices and with leading companies in the pulp industry, such as Valmet, said Luís Künzel, CEO of LD Celulose S.A.
Scope of supply
Valmet will supply key process islands with an extended scope of supply. Valmet’s technology is proven for dissolving pulp production with several references. The equipment for this project is tailored for high availability and energy efficiency resulting in low operating costs.
The fiber line features Valmet TwinRoll technology for high washing efficiency with low chemical and water consumption. The pulp drying and baling line secure flexibility and high-quality pulp with easy operation supported by Valmet Quality Control System.
The evaporation plant features Valmet Tubel technology for high availability and produces clean condensate quality for 100 percent reuse in the mill. The white liquor plant includes recausticizing and lime kiln and is designed for high reliability and less maintenance.
The mill-wide automation system, Valmet DNA, offers unique integration with process solutions including process analyzers. In addition, the delivery includes Valmet Industrial Internet solutions for Operator Training Simulator for the whole plant as well as basic hardware for connectivity for Performance Center services.
With our good references in dissolving pulp production technology and strong presence in Brazil, we were able to meet the customer’s needs of high quality and energy efficiency as well as supporting high productivity and reliability with our automation solutions. We are happy to be a key partner in delivering a world-class mill for Lenzing and Duratex and thus being part of turning renewable raw materials for sustainable textile fibers, said Bertel Karlstedt, President, Pulp and Energy Business Line, Valmet.
Although the value of the order has not been disclosed, Valmet says that the value of the delivery of this size and scope is typically around EUR 200-250 million.
