Pulp Matters 2/2022

PULP FAC T

Located amid the rolling hills of Centenario, on the southern banks of the Río Negro in central Uruguay, is the site of UPM’s second pulp mill in the country. When the first woodchips are fed into its digester, it will bring to fruition a project that has been in the works since 2016 and set in motion the production of 2.1 million tonnes of bleached eucalyptus kraf t pulp a year. “It will be one of the largest, most competitive and most sustainable pulp mills in the world,” begins Bernd Eikens , Executive Vice President of UPM Fibres. He believes there is plenty of potential for pulp – and its by-products – as the global community works to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and plastics. Meeting this rising demand sustainably is one of the pulp and paper industry’s most significant challenges, but Eikens believes the new mill is up to the task. “Pulp is at the core of the bioeconomy and the purpose for the company as a whole is to replace fossil fuel-based products with bioproducts.”

This purpose includes manufacturing pulp-based packaging materials to replace plastic and developing uses for pulp by-products such as lignin and tall oil. “We have a dedicated R&D team focusing on the potential of biomass,” notes Eikens. “Beyond the classical products of timber, paper and pulp, there is more going on to figure out what type of carbon products can be utilised in which way.” DRIVINGUPM’S LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE OUTLOOK Part of what drives the forward looking perspective of UPM is the considerable time and planning it takes to successfully develop and run a pulp mill. “It’s a huge logistical operation,” emphasises Marcos Battegazzore , Vice President of UPM Uruguay Pulp and Forestry Operations. UPM’s second pulp mill in Uruguay will consume about 7.5 million cubic metres of eucalyptus. Considering that it takes these seedlings 10 years to reach maturity, any planned expansion must begin well in advance.

The mill’s secure wood supply is grown with support from the local population.

“This type of investment requires a very long planning period and starts from the development of the plantation base,” explains Battegazzore. “You need to have a secure wood supply before investing in a mill.” To develop sustainably, Bernd Eikens states that this supply must be grown with support from the local population and not at the expense of food based agricultural activities. “To be sustainable, you must have good manufacturing logistics, efficiency and a good philosophy at each stage of the production process. This ensures having a clear conscience when producing fibres in Uruguay.” PREPARING FOR DAY ONE OF OPERATIONS After securing the future wood supply, construction on the new pulp mill began in 2019. When we spoke to Battegazzore, the project team were in the middle of the commissioning process, which is the final step before mill operations begin and all the process parts are tested and connected.

2.1 Mt 7.5 Mm 3 of bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp to be produced annually at the Paso de los Toros mill of eucalyptus consumed a year

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PUL P MAT TERS 02/2022