A major investment in a new log sorting system and a new planing mill will carry Iggesund Sawmill into the future. Together with the recent investments in the saw line and a new drying kiln, the sawmill is shaping up to be an ultra-modern facility.
Holmen’s investments in Iggesund underscore the strategic focus on developing the wood products business and contributing to the green transition, while also boosting the sawmill’s production by 20 per cent once everything is in place.
“This means we can take the next step in our development. Holmen’s ongoing investments, combined with our local tradition of working together, are laying the foundation for our continued success,” says mill manager Magnus Malmström.
The plan is for the log sorting system and the planing mill to be up and running in autumn 2023, and once the full effect is reached at the end of 2024, capacity will exceed 450 km3 per year, compared with today’s 380 km3. The modernisation also means that lower grade joinery spruce can be replaced with construction timber in both spruce and pine, which will increase the value added and improve the market mix, by increasing the share of production that can be sold to Scandinavian builders’ merchants.
“The investments show how important the wood products business is to Holmen. The sawmills are the hub of the Group’s circular business, and a cornerstone of the strategy of owning and adding value to the forest,” explains Johan Padel, Senior Vice President Holmen Wood Products.
“The large amount of preparatory work began several years ago, but we are now entering a crucial phase. We have to go through all the details, large and small, to make sure everything comes together,” says project manager Mattias Forslund.
Another recent addition, the new TC continuous kiln, is going to make drying more energy-efficient, produce better results and enable a higher volume of wood to be dried compared with the old batch kilns.
Stefan Ehnebom, who overseas the drying in Iggesund, has high expectations of the benefits the new TC kiln is going to bring:
“The main advantage will be high utilisation of capacity, with practically no waiting times between one batch finishing and a new one starting.”
In addition, the work environment has been made safer by redirecting traffic in the area.
“All external traffic, mainly to and from the loading bay, is now required to take other routes, which is a major plus,” says Stefan.
In autumn 2021, the saw line at the mill also gained new profilers. This significant modernisation has brought major improvements to the products themselves, chip quality, log yield and productivity. The modernisation of the saw line also involved improving the structure of the power supply, to allow for new phases of development in the future.
About the investments in Iggesund
New log sorting system and new planing mill:
Planned to be operational by: Autumn 2023. Full capacity of 450 km3 per year is expected to be reached by the end of 2024
New drying kiln:
Operating since: February 2022
Replacement profilers on the saw line:
Operating since: September 2021
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Quotation:
Magnus Malmström, mill manager, Iggesund Sawmill:
“Holmen’s ongoing investments, combined with our local tradition of working together, are laying the foundation for our continued success.”