Smurfit Kappa taps Andritz to supply energy-efficient debarking line for paper mill in Yumbo, Colombia, with start-up in Q4 2024; order is part of company's project to replace fossil fuels with organic waste to generate energy, achieve net zero by 2050

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Smurfit Kappa to deliver a new energy-efficient debarking line for its paper mill in Yumbo, Colombia. Start-up is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2024.

The order is part of Smurfit Kappa´s project to replace the fossil fuels currently used with different types of organic waste to generate cleaner energy at its paper mill in Yumbo. The installation is another step towards Smurfit Kappa’s ambitious goals of achieving net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. The organic waste, processed in the ANDRITZ debarking line, will be comprised of pine and eucalyptus bark from the company’s own forestry plantations and waste from its wood treatment plant, among other materials.

The scope of supply, on an EPS (Engineering, Procurement, Supervision) basis, includes a new debarking line with rubber tire supported debarking drum which provides excellent debarking results with very low wood losses. The capacities of the new line are 333 m³ hardwood and 370 m³ softwood solid-over-bark per hour. The scope also includes chip screening equipment and a bark handling system with ANDRITZ BioCrusher BSX.

Smurfit Kappa is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging in the world, with operations in 23 European countries and 13 countries in the Americas.

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ANDRITZ GROUP
International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydro, and Separation. Technological leadership, global presence and sustainability are the cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 27,900 employees and over 280 locations in more than 40 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER
ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on maximum utilization of raw materials, increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation. Boilers for power generation, flue gas cleaning systems, various nonwoven technologies, panelboard (MDF) production systems, as well as recycling and shredding solutions for numerous waste materials also form a part of this business area. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.