MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kemira, a Finland based chemical company, is planning to build a new sodium chlorate production line and cell-room at its facility located at Joutseno, said Chemicals-technology.
As part of its growth strategy, the company plans to invest around EUR50m to EUR60m in the proposed expansion. Following the approval of certain regulatory requirements, construction of the planned facility is expected to begin by June this year, and the company's own technology will be used to increase the Joutseno site's existing capacity.
"The consumption of bleaching chemicals is increasing due to the recent pulp mill expansions and the announced greenfield projects in the Nordics." Expected to be operational by the last quarter of the next year, the new facility will provide employment to around 200 persons indirectly during construction.
Sodium chlorate is the raw material for chlorine dioxide (ClO2), which is made on-site at the pulp mills and is used as the primary bleaching agent for kraft pulp.
Kemira pulp and paper segment president Kim Poulsen said: "The consumption of bleaching chemicals is increasing due to the recent pulp mill expansions and the announced greenfield projects in the Nordics. "We want to invest in our sodium chlorate capacity to ensure our ability to effectively serve our customers. "This investment supports our strategy to grow faster than the market and to strengthen Kemira's position as the leading chemical supplier for the pulp and paper industry."
Currently, the company's Joutseno site is employing 67 people, and produces several chemicals for the pulp and paper industry. In 2014, the company made an investment at its plant located in Oulu, Finland to expand its presence in the tough bleaching chemical market.
The company currently has various bleaching chemical production units in Europe, inlcuding Aetsa, Joutseno and Oulu in Finland; Helsingborg in Sweden; and Europoort in the Netherlands.
As MRC informed earlier, Kemira has acquired certain assets of Polymer Services, LLC, a privately owned company, headquartered in Plainville, Kansas.
Kemira is a chemical industry group that consists of three main segments. Kemira is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Kemira became the world's biggest provider of the pulp and paper chemicals after its acquisition of the pulp and paper chemical operations of Lanxess.
MRC