Chlorine dioxide plant at Metsä Fibre's Kemi bioproduct mill, Finland

Advancing sustainable production with EUR 1.5 billion investment

Metsä Fibre Oy, part of the Metsä Group, has made the investment decision to build a new bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland. For AFRY, it means that the previously signed conditional contract will come into force.

The chlorine dioxide plant is implemented by using the EPCM project model, in which the Canadian-based company ERCO is responsible for process technology solutions and supply of the main process equipment. The salt fraction generated in the production of chlorine dioxide will be used in the closed chemical cycle of the bioproduct mill, contributing to our high material efficiency.

ERCO's efficient process technology solutions combined with AFRY's strong EPCM expertise were one of our key selection criteria.

Jari-Pekka Johansson, Project Manager, Metsä Fibre

The Kemi bioproduct mill project is progressing as planned, and the implementation phase was started in August 2020. The Kemi bioproduct mill will produce approximately 1.5 million tonnes of softwood and hardwood pulp and numerous other bioproducts annually. An investment decision of EUR 1.5 billion for the bioproduct mill will be made no earlier than this autumn 2020. One of Metsä Group's strategic sustainable development goals is that in 2030, the company will not use any fossil fuels in production and will not produce any fossil carbon dioxide emissions. The Kemi bioproduct mill contributes to achieving this goal.

AFRY has been involved in the Kemi bioproduct mill project since its early stages and we are pleased to be able to support Metsä Fibre in the implementing chemical plants important for the production. This project is an excellent demonstration that the EPCM model, in cooperation with the technology supplier, is a cost-effective and transparent way for project implementation”.

Tuukka Sormunen, Head of Chemicals and Biorefining, AFRY