After the largest investment for more than 30 years, the first paper was reeled off at the Holmen-owned Hallsta Paper Mill in Hallstavik, 100 km north of Stockholm, Sweden. The start was also an impressive display of the advanced planning and time management of a reconstruction and investment project implemented parallel to the mill's ongoing production. A thousand extra workers and perfect "just-in-time-deliveries" were needed during the 70 days available for production stops, which in industry terms is an extremely short period. One result of the now completed investment, which approached SEK 2.3 billion, is one of the world's most modern plants for high-quality paper for newspapers and magazines.

In addition to a completely new paper machine to replace the outdated PM 11 and a new winder, the existing PM 12 paper machine has been modernised. Moreover, the installation also included a new distribution plant and new control systems in the deinking plant in this a record investment. Finnish Metso, together with construction company NCC, have been responsible for the major part of the deliveries for this production plant with a total capacity of 780,000 tonnes of paper a year. This comprises about 40% of Holmen Paper's total production capacity of 1.8 billion tonnes, split between four mills, one of which is in Spain.

"Hallsta has entered a new, very expansive phase and will now be able to deliver paper of a higher quality in terms of both strength and printability. And is now one of the most modern plants in its field," says plant manager Lars Erik Roos. "After a initial trimming, deliveries will begin before the summer, initially to the more demanding market segments among European newspaper and magazine publishers."

For further information, please contact
Lars Erik Roos, Plant Manager Hallsta Paper Mill tel. + 46 175 26 110, fax + 46 175 26 401, e-mail: larserik.roos@holmenpaper.com

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