Stockholm, Sweden, 03 November 2010 -- The shutdown for maintenance work and to implement investments approved for Vallvik mill, which lasted for almost three weeks, has ended and production is back on track at the Rottneros facility.

The two investments agreed at the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, respectively, have been connected and put into operation. These investments involved replacing the remaining old part of the evaporation plant and also substantially improving air regulation in the recovery boiler. Their total cost amounted to around SEK 130 million.

“We have now eliminated production bottlenecks, thereby increasing the capacity of the mill from 200,000 to 220,000 [metric] tons per year,” said Robert Jensen, managing director of Vallvik mill. The investments also will reduce emissions.

“It is particularly gratifying that all work during the shutdown, which employed almost 600 people, went according to plan and that costs were within budget," Jensen said. "We will now prove that we can supply what we have promised and look forward to the next stage of our development at the Vallvik factory.”