AGA and CP Kelco have signed a long-term agreement on ECOVARTM deliveries of nitrogen to Äänekoski. The ECOVARTM supply concept includes the construction of the production plant in the premises of the customer, the operation and maintenance of the plant and a backup system based on the vaporisation of liquid nitrogen, with which AGA can guarantee its customer a continuous supply of nitrogen in all conditions. The uninterrupted supply of nitrogen is of primary importance with regard to the production process, product quality and operational safety of CP Kelco.
The nitrogen plant utilizes PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) technology; it is delivered by the Engineering department of AGA’s parent company, Linde AG. The plant is part of the highly standardised Linde Gas ECOVARTM ADSOSSTM-N plant family. The implementation project of the nitrogen plant is underway, and the plant will begin its operations in early May 2016.
“During the negotiations AGA specialists convinced us about efficiency and operational reliability of the PSA technology. One of the corner stones of *CMC production is inerting of the process in order to control the level of oxygen content, so operational reliability of the nitrogen supply system is of primary importance. We believe that AGA's PSA plant together with LIN (liquid nitrogen) will contribute for their part to implement the "Safety first" -philosophy of CP Kelco”, says the CP Kelco Äänekoski Plant ManagerPasi Harju.
*CMC is the world’s most widely used cellulose ether
AGA and Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group have agreed on long-term deliveries of oxygen based on AGA’s ECOVARTM supply concept, utilizing an ADSOSSTM-Ooxygen plant to be built in the Metsä Group´s bioproduct mill area. Metsä Fibre uses oxygen in the process of the new bioproduct mill under construction in Äänekoski, for example, in the bleaching of pulp and oxidation of white liquor. Oxygen is an essential chemical in the modern pulp mill and its uninterrupted delivery is a requirement for pulp production to continue.
The Äänekoski ADSOSSTM-O oxygen plant will be one of the world’s largest oxygen plants based on VPSA (Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption) technology; Linde Engineering, which delivers the plant, is the worldwide leader in delivering these types of plant. The oxygen plant begins operations at the same time as Metsä Group’s bioproduct mill in the third quarter of 2017.
“We have co-operated for long time with AGA, and we are used to trust to the technology of AGA”, says bioproduct mill project director Timo Merikallio from Metsä Fibre.
The ECOVARTM delivery method with the ADSOSSTM-O and ADSOSSTM-N plants is the most efficient way to deliver large amounts of gases to industrial processes in terms of energy consumption and environmental impact. Production that takes place on site significantly reduces the need for tank truck deliveries, and adsorption technology saves energy compared to cryogenic distillation which is commonly used in production of gases in large quantities. The plants operate fully automatically and their operations are monitored from AGA’s remote operation centre in Avesta, Sweden.
“We are very satisfied to be able to contribute, through our know-how, in such a significant new investment project by the forest industry in Finland. Actually, our parent company Linde’s investment portfolio in Finland all in all is currently and historically very extensive. Today, gases are an essential part of the production processes of the forest industry and this investment is an important part of our growth. In addition, the bioproduct mill will create new opportunities for our products in the future. Therefore, we will also in the future invest in expert knowledge in the field of forest industry to further develop the efficiency of customer processes and sustainable development through gases”, says AGA´s Sales Director Johanna Ylikoski.
By investing in total around EUR 15 million the production of gases in Äänekoski, AGA supports the operations of both CP Kelco and Metsä Fibre, which helps the continuation of their profitable business activities in the Äänekoski region also in the future.
Further information: Oy AGA Ab: Johanna Ylikoski, tel. +358 (0)10 242 0385
Oy AGA Ab
AGA manufactures and markets industrial gases and speciality gases for various purposes. In collaboration with customers, we develop total solutions including gases, knowledge of processes, gas equipment and services. With advanced gas technology, we enable customers to increase profitability, safety and quality while protecting the environment. AGA manufactures and markets medical gases, support, services and medical care under the name Linde Healthcare. AGA in Finland is part of the Linde Group Regional Business Unit Northern Europe, which includes the other Nordic countries and the Baltics. The Linde Group is a world-leading gas and engineering company with approximately 65 500 employees in around 100 countries. Read more at www.aga.fi and www.linde.com
Metsä Fibre
Metsä Fibre is a world-leading softwood pulp producer, whose main brand is Botnia. The company’s main products, responsibly and cost-efficiently produced bleached softwood and birch pulp, have been developed for the manufacture of high-quality tissue and printing paper, special products and paperboard. Metsä Fibre has four cellulose mills in Finland. Turnover in 2014 was EUR 1.3 billion, and it employs around 850 people. Metsä Fibre is part of Metsä Group. Metsä Fibre is part of Metsä Group. The Äänekoski mill is the first next-generation bioproduct mill in the world. In addition to high-quality pulp, it will produce a broad range of bioproducts, such as tall oil, turpentine, lignin products, bioelectricity and wood fuel. Its annual pulp production capacity is 1.3 million tonnes. The bioproduct mill will begin operations in the third quarter of 2017.
CP Kelco Oy
CP Kelco is a world-leading hydrocolloids producer, which operates in over a hundred countries across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. CP Kelco offers a wide product range for different uses, for example, in the paper and paperboard industry, oil drilling and the food, hygiene and pharmaceutical industries. The company employs over 2,000 people and is owned by J.M. Huber Corporation. CP Kelco’s Äänekoski mill, which employs 230 people, is the world’s biggest production plant producing carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). CMC is the world’s most widely used cellulose ether. The company’s product development laboratory and pilot plant are also located in conjunction to the mill.