The world's first autonomously operated logyard cranes have been successfully lifted up at Metsä Fibre's bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland.

Supplied by international technology group ANDRITZ, the delivery includes two 2 x 25-ton cranes on a 540 m long runway with a storage capacity of approximately 120,000 m3.

The cranes will handle approximately 7.6 million m3 wood/year shipped on trucks and trains as well as handling log storage and wood feeding to the pulping process. The cranes feature the latest in Artificial Intelligence, thus optimizing log handling, minimizing wood losses and securing environmentally friendly and cost-effective operation when compared to traditional log-handling solutions.

The fully autonomous logyard cranes featuring Artificial Intelligence are part of the comprehensive ANDRITZ portfolio of sustainable solutions and products that help customers reaching their goals with regard to environmental protection and sustainability

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, is a leading producer of pulp, biochemicals, bioenergy and other bioproducts. Planning of the new bioproduct mill is based on a high level of environmental efficiency as well as efficiency in terms of energy and materials used. The mill will not use any fossil fuels at all, and its electricity self-sufficiency rate will be 250%. The Kemi bioproduct mill will produce 1.5 million tons of softwood and hardwood pulp a year. The new mill will be started up on schedule in Q3/2023.