Suzano, the world's largest market pulp producer, has announced the successful operational startup of its new mill, which it said is the largest single pulp production line in the world, in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil.
This marks the completion of one of Brazil's largest ever private investment projects.
This facility will have an annual production capacity of 2.55 million tonnes of eucalyptus pulp, increasing Suzano's production capacity by more than 20% to 13.5 million tonnes a year.
In line with Suzano's ESG Commitments to Renewing Life, the site has been purpose-built to meet global demand for sustainably produced eucalyptus-based products.
The mill will use renewable biomass to produce, on average, 180 MW of surplus green power a month.
This energy, which will be directed toward the mill's local suppliers as well as the national grid, is enough to power a city of up to 2 million inhabitants.
The proximity of the mill to Suzano's eucalyptus farms means emissions and time from logging transportation will be significantly reduced.
The structural distance from forest-to-mill is only 65 kilometres on average compared to Suzano's structural average supply radius of 150 kilometres. The plant will also be self-sufficient in the production of sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
"The successful completion of the Cerrado Project reflects the dedication and execution capability of each person involved in this grand and transformative project. It also attests to the culture of excellence that permeates the entire organisation, masterfully led by Walter Schalka during his 11-year tenure here," said Beto Abreu, newly-named CEO of Suzano.
"His vision and ambition have proven key in delivering a world-class mill within the planned budget. Crucially, this is also a project which has, at every stage, adhered to Suzano's core focus on supporting sustainability and having a positive impact on local communities," he added.
The world’s “largest single pulp production line” mill is powered by biomass
