Metsä Group to Take Planned Maintenance Shutown at Äänekoski Bioproduct Mill

The most significant downtime work involves recovery boiler inspections, replacement of cooker feeders, maintenance of scrubbers and repair work on wood processing

Sept. 26, 2022 - Metsä Group announced that its Äänekoski bioproduct mill in Finland will hold its annual maintenance shutdown, by department, on Sunday, Oct. 2 and restart operations Oct. 6.

During the outage, the necessary service, cleaning and maintenance work is carried out at the plant. The most significant downtime work involves recovery boiler inspections, replacement of cooker feeders, maintenance of scrubbers and repair work on wood processing, Metsä Group said.

"Regular annual maintenance shutdowns play a key role in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of our factories," said Ari-Pekka Vanamo, Plant Manager at the Äänekoski mill. "Safety is the number one priority in the annual maintenance shutdown. Our goal is to ensure the safety of both our own personnel and partners through comprehensive proactive measures and safety instructions."

During the annual maintenance shutdown, in addition to Metsä Group's own personnel, approximately 1,000 representatives of the company partners work in the Äänekoski mill area. Although the coronavirus restrictions have been lifted, health safety has also been taken into account in the preparations for the annual maintenance shutdown.

"We continue to emphasize the importance of good hand hygiene and only emphasize working completely asymptomatic. If there are coronavirus cases at the factory, we will map out those who may have been exposed. We are actively monitoring the corona situation and are prepared to increase coronavirus testing and restrictions if the situation so requires," Vanamo said.

About Äänekoski Bioproduct Mill

Äänekoski bioproduct mill produces 1.3 million tonnes of softwood and birch pulp per year, most of which is exported mainly to Europe and Asia. The mill's pulp is used for for board, tissue and printing paper and speciality products.

The Äänekoski mill is called a bioproduct mill since it is increasing the product portfolio with new bioproducts, generating excess bioenergy, and using no fossil fuels. The mill utilises 100 percent of its wood raw material as well as production side streams. In addition to high-quality pulp, it produces a broad range of other bioproducts, such as tall oil, turpentine, bioelectricity, product gas, sulphuric acid and biogas. Upgrading of lignin and manufacture of textile fibres from pulp are progressing at the research stage.

Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and greaseproof papers. To learn more, visit: www.metsagroup.com.

SOURCE: Metsä Group