WIDE-RANGING EMPLOYMENT EFFECTS
THE POWER OF PROJECT EXPERTISE Metsä Fibre’s project expertise has increased through various major projects over the dec- ades. The Kemi bioproduct mill project involves actors from all the previous mill projects in Rauma, Joutseno, Uruguay and Ääne- koski. The core group consists of approximately 60 persons. “We value sharing our exper- tise, so there are also new people involved. We improve our work continuously: after every project we always think about what we could develop,” says Project Direc- tor Jari-Pekka Johansson. Constructing a factory requires systematic effort; everything is recorded in the operating instruction during the planning, and the roadmap for the project indicates how the project will be implemented. “Project work is to a large extent a matter of communication: when everyone knows the goal, they work towards it and do their job well. The schedule is the starting point for everything. After that, it is essential to keep an eye on intermediate deadlines in order to keep to the overall schedule.”
The new bioproduct mill would employ approximately 250 people in the mill area. The lifespan of the mill is 30–40 years, so jobs would be secure for several decades. “A project of this scale gives a boost to the community; it brings publicity, security and stability. Our investment would be a long-term source of employment in Kemi.” As a whole, the mill would employ approximately 2,500 people in Finland. 1,500 of these jobs would be new, mainly related to forest harvesting and transportation. The job-cre- ating effect of the construction phase would be nearly 10,000 work years, of which more than half would be performed in Kemi. The Finnish origin of the construction project would be around 70 per cent. “Based on the current information, that figure seems to be correct. It is great to see that Finnish companies are competitive,” says Johansson. The project engineering for the mill and preparations for the construction phase began in August 2020. The main implementation partners are Valmet for the main equip- ment and automation, ABB for electrical systems, AFRY for project management and engineering services, and Fimpec for construction. Small and medium-sized enter- prises can get involved either directly or as subcontractors. The Äänekoski project involved organising tender com- petitions for approximately 100 construction contracts, 300 equipment and installation supply contracts, and 5,000 pur- chase orders. The Kemi project would be of a similar scale.
The Metsä Fibre pulp mill and the Metsä Board board mill both operate in the integrated mill area in Kemi. Both companies are subsidiaries of Metsä Group.
AN ACTIVE ROLE FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS
From the point of view of nearby residents, a large-scale mill project generates expectations and raises concerns. That is why Metsä Fibre’s management and persons in charge of the project have actively participated in the pub- lic events held in Kemi. Local residents’ concerns relate to issues that impact their lives, such as the noise and environmental matters. “It is important that we are informed of the concerns, because then we can discuss them and provide informa- tion, and correct any misunderstandings as early as pos- sible. Overall, the reception has been good and we have felt welcome. We will to continue this active interaction,” Johansson says. Various stakeholders have also been comprehensively involved in the pre-engineering project. “With the City of Kemi, we regularly examine issues re- lated to zoning and port development, for example. In ad- dition, we have had a dialogue with several other parties, such as the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, and told about the project at events for entrepreneurs and municipal decision-makers,” Pesonen adds. Local entrepreneurs are particularly interested in how they can be involved in the project and what kinds of contracts are available. “The partner events we have organised in Kemi have also served them. At these events, we have reported on the progress and implementation methods of the project and the premises for collaboration.” •
VALUE OF THE INVESTMENT The total value of the investment is EUR 1.5 billion, making it the largest single investment in the history of the Finnish forest industry. 1.5 billion €
1.5 million tonnes
ANNUAL PRODUCTION The new mill will produce approximately
1.5 million tonnes of softwood pulp and birch pulp a year. The current mill has an annual capacity of approximately 620,000 tonnes.
7.6 million m 3
USE OF PULPWOOD The annual use of pulpwood at the new mill would be approximately 7.6 million cubic metres, which is about 4.5 million more than is used at the current mill.
Metsä Fibre’s bioproduct mill in Äänekoski employs 250 people. The new factory in Kemi would employ 250 people.
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