Norske Skog will spend NOK180m to build a new thermomechanical pulp (TMP) line at the Skogn mill in Norway. The investment will allow to replace recycled fibre with fresh fibre in newsprint production. The project has been granted NOK40-50m in funding from Norway's NOx fund, the company explained.
According to Norske Skog, the new fibre line will increase TMP production capacity at the Skogn mill by 100,000 tpy while significantly reducing the mill's CO2 and NOx emissions.
"We want to secure our position in the newsprint market while at the same time providing opportunities to establish ourselves in new markets," said Håvard Busklein, Managing Director at Norske Skog Skogn. The company reportedly plans to investigate application opportunities for ash from fresh fibre.
Norske Skog Skogn will purchase machinery and equipment from a closed paper mill in Sweden instead of buying new equipment. This would reduce CO2 emissions and investment costs, the company announced.
The Skogn mill houses three paper machines with production capacity totalling 480,000 tpy. The two smaller machines PM 1 and PM 2 produce standard and improved newsprint with a de-inked pulp (DIP) content of 20 per cent. PM 3 is geared for a production capacity of 210,000 tpy and produces standard newsprint with aDIP content of 45 per cent, Norske Skog writes on its website.
