HELSINKI, Finland, Dec. 18, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metso Paper supplies Stora Enso (NYSE:SEO), Langerbrugge mill in Belgium, with the world's largest and most productive newsprint production line. The production line no. 4 will start up in June 2003, producing approx. 400,000 tons/year of standard 45 g/m2 newsprint. The order, which also includes a reel for the mill's PM 3, is valued at more than EUR 110 million.
The delivery also includes a jumbo reel cart, paper machine process air and runnability systems and components, broke pulpers, process water treatment system, two winders and a salvage winder. Metso Automation supplies the DCS control systems for the whole new mill. Metso Drives supplies the mechanical drives of the paper machinery. The paper machine has a wire width of 11.1 m and a trim width at reel of 10.4 m. Design speed is 2,000 m/min.
During the decades, Metso Paper has supplied Stora Enso with numerous deliveries. Some of the most prominent ones are Sachsen Papier Eilenburg PM 1 in Germany - one of the world's fastest newsprint machines (1728 m/min), and Port Hawkesbury PM 2 in Canada - the world's fastest SC paper machine (1703 m/min). This year's deliveries include a major rebuild for Oulu PM 6, another one for Anjala PM 2 and a complete pulp drying line for Kaukopaeae, all in Finland.
Stora Enso is an integrated forest products company producing magazine papers, newsprint, fine papers and packaging boards, areas in which the Group is a global market leader. Stora Enso also has extensive sawmill operations. Stora Enso had EUR 13 billion of sales in the year 2000 and about 15 million tonnes of annual paper and board production capacity. Some 45,000 persons are employed in more than 40 countries and the company's shares are listed in Helsinki, New York and Stockholm. For newsprint, Stora Enso has a total production capacity of 3.3 million tonnes, making the Group Europe's largest and the world's third-largest producer. Newsprint resources include 9 mills, located in Finland (3), Sweden (2), Germany (2), Belgium (1) and Canada (1)
Metso Corporation (NYSE:MX) is a global supplier of process industry machinery and systems. Metso's core businesses are divided between Metso Paper (fiber and paper technology), Metso Minerals (rock and mineral processing) and Metso Automation (automation and control technology). In 2000, the net sales of Metso Corporation were EUR 3.9 billion, and the personnel totaled approximately 22,000. Metso Corporation is listed on the Helsinki and New York Stock Exchanges.
Metso completed its offer for Svedala Industri AB on September 14, 2001. Svedala is a global supplier of products and services for rock and mineral processes. Metso's and Svedala's combined net sales are approximately EUR 5,400 million (in 2000) and the amount of personnel is approximately 32,000.