Suzano has reached remarkable production milestones at its new pulp mill in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil, delivered by ANDRITZ. The world’s largest single-line eucalyptus pulp mill achieved average nominal capacity within less than six months after start-up, nearly four months ahead of schedule. Another milestone was met on January 8 when the mill’s production reached its first 1 million tons of pulp. When fully operational, the mill will have an annual production capacity of 2.55 million tons.
The learning curve at the new mill was completed on December 29, 2024, when Suzano consistently produced bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp at an average daily rate exceeding the planned 7,203 t/d for 30 days.
Leonardo Mendonça Pimenta, Director of Industrial Operations at Suzano in Ribas do Rio Pardo, commented: “This achievement is the result of a combination of several factors, including excellent equipment, great suppliers, and very good project execution. The training of the operating team more than a year before the start of operations also played a major role in delivering these extraordinary results.”
ANDRITZ supplied a highly resource-efficient pulp mill with leading technologies for fiber production and chemical recovery including gasification plants on an EPCC basis (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Civil Works). To further enhance environmental performance, ANDRITZ supplied a SulfoLoop sulfuric acid plant, which already reached full capacity in January 2025. This plant produces commercial grade sulfuric acid from the mill’s concentrated odorous gases and elemental sulfur, enabling the mill to recycle sulfur from the waste streams and become completely self-sufficient in sulfuric acid.
Suzano’s new mill is equipped with one of the most comprehensive automation and digitalization packages in the industry, enabling it to achieve an unprecedented level of autonomy and set a new global benchmark. This is made possible by a suite of Smart Series analyzers, condition monitoring and vision systems, as well as robotics and Metris advanced process control, simulation and digitalization solutions.
Jarno Nymark, ANDRITZ Executive Board Member responsible for Pulp & Paper, stated: “The excellent collaboration with the customer and the operational expertise of the customer’s team have been essential in achieving this impressive start-up curve. We are honored to be a part of this flagship project by delivering all state-of-the-art process islands, comprehensive automation and digitalization solutions, as well as dedicated services.”
Photo: Suzano
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