HELSINKI, Finland, Jan. 20, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metso Paper will supply fiberline technology to an Indian customer, Abhishek Industries Ltd., for their expansion project at Barnala in the state of Punjab. With a daily production capacity of 225 tons, the new line will be the largest fiberline ever built for wheat straw as raw material. The value of the order is over EUR 11 million and the line is scheduled to start-up in 2007.
Metso Paper's scope of delivery covers all the main process machinery for continuous cooking of annual fiber, washing, screening and bleaching of straw pulp. The selected fiberline system features a modern, environmentally sound process utilizing oxygen delignification. The pulp is used for manufacturing printing and writing papers.
There is a growing activity in the Indian pulp and paper market, and the Abhishek order is already the second major fiberline system order to Metso Paper from India within the last six months.
The Abhishek Industries Ltd. mill is located near Barnala, approximately 300 km north-west of Delhi. The company is owned by the Trident Group which is one of the largest producers of agro-based paper, the second largest manufacturer of terry towels, and among the top cotton textile companies of India.
Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2004 net sales of approximately EUR 4 billion. Its 22,000 employees in more than 50 countries serve customers in the pulp and paper industry, rock and minerals processing, the energy industry and selected other industries.