SWEDEN (News release) -- SCA's new facility in Obbola, outside Umeå, Sweden, has now been inaugurated. This means that the paper mill has the world's largest machine for kraftliner and with it a significantly increased capacity to produce climate-smart packaging material.

"This is very good for SCA's and Obbola's competitiveness and gives us a better ability to deliver in a market that needs to grow as fossil packaging materials are phased out," says Gustaf Nygren, Mill manager at SCA Obbola.

Capacity for kraftliner production is increasing, from 450,000 tons to 725,000 tons annually. The most visible change at the facility is the addition of the world's largest machine, supplied by German Voith, for the production of kraftliner. The machine is 250 meters long and is estimated to weigh around 11,000 tonnes.

As part of the project, which entailed an investment of approximately SEK 7.5 billion, work environment improvements, a high-capacity recycled fiber line and a completely new lime kiln are also included.

The recycled fiber line enables the industry in Obbola to receive and process 1,700 tons of recycled fiber every day, and the lime kiln means that biofuels can be used instead of oil. The latter reduces the use of oil by 8,000 cubic meters per year and contributes to a saving of 20,000 tonnes in emissions of fossil carbon dioxide.

"Obbola is now reaching a level where the industrial processes are basically fossil-free. The fact that we also get a proper capacity to recycle fibers and create even more climate-smart material is good for both our business and for the conversion of other industries' packaging," says Gustaf Nygren.