India's Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers plans to stop newsprint production, invest 370 crore Indian rupees in paperboard, cement manufacturing, additional 200 crore rupees to install 100 tonnes/day tissue machine

Sandy Yang

LOS ANGELES , September 16, 2011 (Forestweb) – India’s Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd. (TNPL) plans to cease newsprint production and invest in the manufacturing of paperboard, cement, and tissue, reported the Business Standard on Sept. 16.

TNPL chairman N Sundaradevan said the company decided to stop producing newsprint due to the volatile prices and the expensive virgin fiber conversion process.

The company proposed a 370 crore Indian rupees (US$77.8 million) conversion investment, of which 175 crore rupees would go toward a 300 tonnes per day de-inking plant, 135 crore rupees for a power equipment rebuild and 70 crore rupees for the building of a 60 tonnes/day paperboard facility.

TNPL is already operating a recently installed paper machine, which brought the company’s production to 400,000 tonnes/year from 245,000 tonnes/year, said deputy managing director, A Velliangiri.

The company also announced plans for a 600 tonnes/day high-grade cement manufacturing facility to process the lime sludge and fly ash created from the paper making process. It plans to sell the cement to the five surrounding districts and estimates availability during January 2012, said managing director T K Ramachandran.

In addition, TNPL also plans to invest 200 crore rupees in the installation of a 100 tonnes/day tissue paper machine. It expects the project to be finished by March 2014, reported the Business Standard.

The primary source of this article is the Business Standard, New Delhi, India, on Sept. 16, 2011.

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