Montes del Plata, Stora Enso’s joint operation with Chilean pulp producer Arauco inaugurated its industrial complex in Punta Pereira, Uruguay

HELSINKI, 16-9-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Montes del Plata, Stora Enso’s 50/50 joint operation with the Chilean pulp producer Arauco, officially inaugurated its industrial complex located in Punta Pereira, Uruguay. The Uruguayan President José Mujica together with government officials from Uruguay, Finland and Sweden were among the 1 500 guests participating to the opening ceremony on 8 September 2014.

The total investment of the mill amounted to USD 2 270 (EUR 1 721) million, with an additional USD 230 (EUR 174) million in the port, making it the country´s largest private investment in history.

The Montes del Plata’s pulp mill’s annual capacity is 1.3 million tonnes of bleached Eucalyptus kraft pulp and Stora Enso’s part, 650 000 tonnes, is to be sold entirely as market pulp. The wood is sourced mostly from the company’s own forestry plantations. Production will apply the best available techniques for the pulp sector by following IPPC BAT European Union standard.

The mill is the last link of a value chain that comprises over 5 000 full-time jobs (including direct, indirect and induced jobs). As a whole, the operations will increase Uruguay’s annual GDP by 2%.

The mills’ surplus power generated will feed the national grid, supplying up to 80 MW, equivalent to use by 200 000 Uruguayan households, through renewable and sustainable transformation of biomass, thus enhancing the country’s general infrastructure.

Montes del Plata will also provide the sewage and water works system with an effluent treatment plant for the city of Colonia, an effluent pre-treatment plant in Carmelo, a sewage treatment plant in Conchillas and a potable water plant also for Conchillas.

Montes del Plata’s investment in Uruguay included the construction of three barges. Each barge has the capacity to transport 5 000 tonnes of roundwood, reducing the wood trucks’ traffic load on local roads and the impact on the environment when it comes to CO2 emissions. The construction process entailed a highly significant support to the development of the national shipbuilding cluster.
In terms of outbound transportation, Montes del Plata adds a modern port terminal to the country.The terminal can be used for river and maritime traffic given its connection to the Martín García Canal, thus enabling pulp production to be directly loaded to its final market destinations.
Uruguay benefits from a very rich eco-system. Montes del Plata will not compromise in its efforts to protect and develop the natural habitat and do what’s right for the people and the planet. When it comes to sustainability, Montes del Plata’s goal is to set a benchmark in terms of stakeholder relations, land use and contribution to local development.

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