metsae group pulp millMetsä Fibre acquires a biogas plant in Äänekoski

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, and EcoEnergy SF have signed an agreement concerning the ownership of the biogas plant located in Metsä Group’s mill area in Äänekoski. The biogas plant will be transferred to Metsä Fibre’s ownership on 10 December 2018. Built by EcoEnergy SF, the biogas plant was started up in 2017 It produces biogas and biopellets from wood-based sludge generated by Metsä Fibre´s bioproduct mill in Äänekoski.

“We are systematically expanding and strengthening our industrial ecosystem in Äänekoski. It is important that we own some of the operations, while others are based on partnerships.

Through this acquisition, we will be able to make even more efficient use of the biogas plant as part of the bioproduct mill process. The wastewater sludge from the bioproduct mill will be converted into added-value products in the biogas plant,” says Ismo Nousiainen, CEO of Metsä Fibre.

“We built and started up the biogas plant in 2017, based on technology developed by Envor Group. Together with Metsä Fibre, we now felt it was best to transfer the operation and ownership of the biogas plant to Metsä Fibre as part of the bioproduct mill’s ecosystem,” says CEO Tero Mäki, EcoEnergy Oy.

In addition to treating the sludge from the bioproduct mill, the biogas plant processes sludge from Äänekosken Energia’s wastewater treatment plant and other biodegradable sludge generated in Metsä Group’s mill area.

More information:
Ismo Nousiainen, CEO, Metsä Fibre Oy, tel. +358 10 465 5005
Tero Mäki, CEO, EcoEnergy SF Oy, tel. +358 400 789 831

Metsä Fibre
Metsä Fibre is a leading producer of bioproducts and bioenergy. The company’s pulp brand is Botnia and the sawn timber brand is Metsä Nordic Timber. The company’s bleached softwood and birch pulp grades have been developed for the production of high-quality board, tissue and printing paper and speciality products. The main applications for spruce and pine sawn timber are products for construction and interior decoration as well as window and door joinery and raw material for packaging industry. Currently employing approximately 1 200 people, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion in 2017. Metsä Fibre is part of Metsä Group.

Metsä Group
www.metsagroup.com
Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, wood products, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards and tissue and cooking papers.

Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.0 billion in 2017, and it employs approximately 9,100 people. The Group operates in nearly 30 countries. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 104,000 Finnish forest owners.

METSA group - FINLANDIA 12 DICIEMBRE 2018