Södra’s new sawmill offers pulp benefits

Södra’s new Värö sawmill was inaugurated this week by Swedish Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling. A key part of the project is the location of the new sawmill adjacent to Södra’s Värö pulp mill.

Through its subsidiary Södra Timber, the Södra Forestry Group has invested one billion Kronor in the new sawmill in Värö. The combination with the pulp mill offers unique coordination opportunities between Södra Cell and Södra Timber.

The combined facility generates cost advantages in terms of energy, wood chip transport and overheads. The pulp mill will provide energy for the sawmill, while receiving 30 percent of its wood chip requirements for pulp production from the sawmill. Another benefit is the proximity to rail lines, the E6 European Highway and the harbour in Varberg.

The sawmill will use about 1.5 million cubic meters of timber at full capacity, thus requiring a large harvesting area. Due to the long distances involved, rail transportation of logs will be used where possible.

The new sawmill is one of the largest and most modern in Europe. The sawmill has created new job opportunities and will also generate employment in the forestry and transport sectors. The project involved replacing an existing sawmill in Värö, resulting in a threefold increase in production at Värö to 750,000 cubic meters.

Some 200 guests were invited to attend the inauguration ceremony, the theme of which was “A part of our future.” /AA