AkzoNobel Chemical Island starts supply to world’s biggest single line pulp mill

AkzoNobel’s new €90 million Jupiá Chemical Island in Brazil is now operational and has started supplying the Eldorado Brasil Celulose pulp mill, which is the biggest in the world.

Operated by the company’s Pulp and Performance Chemicals business, the state-of-the-art Jupiá facility represents one of AkzoNobel’s largest investments in Latin America. It will supply, store and handle all chemicals for the 1.5 million tons per year Eldorado mill under an agreement which runs for the next 15 years.

“We are very proud to be involved in such a prestigious project which marks a significant step in AkzoNobel accelerating growth in one of its core markets,” said Werner Fuhrmann, member of AkzoNobel’s Executive Committee, responsible for Specialty Chemicals. “The plant’s official opening also emphasizes our commitment to expanding our activities in one of the world’s most rapidly growing regions”, added Ruud Joosten, Managing Director of Pulp and Performance Chemicals.

As well as providing long-term employment for around 60 people, the Jupiá plant will play an important role in ensuring a sustainable eucalyptus pulp supply to the global marketplace.

Jose Carlos Grubisich, CEO of Eldorado Brasil Celulose commented: “We are pleased to be working with AkzoNobel and we look forward to further developing our strategic partnership. I am sure that our cooperation will be mutually beneficial.”

AkzoNobel has a well-established pulp and paper chemicals operation in Brazil, where the company already operates the Chemical Island concept at several pulp mills, as well as running production units in Jacareí, Eunápolis, Três Lagoas, Rio de Janeiro and Jundiaí.