World News
SUPPLIER NEWS
New drive concept for its wind power System BARD 5.0
In the wind power plant manufacturer BARD, Voith Turbo has found another partner for the WinDrive, which has recently received the Hermes Award. Both companies have agreed to jointly develop a drive concept for the driveline of the wind turbine "BARD 5.0."
The BARD Group is developing the technology of its wind power station BARD 5.0 further. Thanks to a new and more efficient drive concept that retains the original rotor diameter of 122 meters and a hub height of 90 meters, the resource 'wind' can soon be utilized even more effectively.
The further development of the existing drive system "Bard 5.0" to an increased output of up to 6.5 MW (7 MVA) is an important step towards higher commercial viability of offshore wind power systems. The central component in the driveline of the turbine will be the Voith WinDrive, which is used in a BARD wind turbine for the first time. Delivery is scheduled for spring 2010.
"To us, the Voith WinDrive technology represents the optimum synergy of all existing technologies combined with the latest innovations," was BARD's statement on the reasons for this cooperation. "With the WinDrive system of Voith Turbo we get very closely to the requirements of energy suppliers for power station characteristics of wind parks.
Voith WinDrive
Metsä Tissue counts on Voith Papers Yankee head insulations
Metsä Tissue has awarded Voith Paper to deliver their Yankee head insulations to various companies’ locations. The contract comprises the delivery, installation and commissioning of Yankee head insulations at the Kreuzau mill and at the Raubach mill in 2009. Furthermore there is an option for additional head insulations in 2010.
Metso increases delivery in China
Metso will soon supply its technology to two mills in China. The first is the supply of a coated fine paper production line to Shandong Huatai Paper Co. Ltd, member of Huatai Group, in Dong Ying City, Shandong Province, China. The start-up of the production line is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011. The total value of the order is approximately EUR 170 million.
Metso’s delivery will include a complete Metso OptiConcept paper machine from headbox to reel, with related air systems and auxiliaries, and finishing systems. The paper machine line will also include an OptiReel Plus re-reeler and an off-machine coater with OptiCoat Jet coating stations, off-machine OptiLoad multinip calenders, JR 1000 E winders, and a parent reel handling system. The comprehensive Metso automation system package will comprise process, machine and quality controls, profilers, web inspection system, condition and runnability monitoring, and analyzers.
The new 8.1-m-wide PM 8 will produce close to 500,000 tonnes of coated and uncoated fine papers annually, within the basis weight range of 80 to 200 g/m2. The paper machine design speed is 1,800 m/min and the coater design speed is 2,000 m/min.
The second supply by Metso to China is a delivery of a lightweight-coated papermaking line to the customer’s mill in Zhongwei city, Ningxia autonomous region in China. The start-up of the production line is scheduled for the first quarter of 2011. The total value of the order is approx. EUR 90 million. The deal is still subject to the parties coming to the final agreement of the project within a few months.
MARKET NEWS
Wood costs for pulpmills in Sweden and Finland fall over 30%
Wood prices in Sweden and Finland fell faster than the global average price the past year as a result of reduced operating rates for pulp mills in those two countries. Despite this precipitous drop in wood cost (more than 30%), the Nordic region still has one of the highest wood fiber costs in the world, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.
The biggest declines occurred in Sweden, Finland, France and Germany, where softwood and hardwood prices were down 11-18 % from the previous quarter. Pulpwood prices have fallen faster in Europe (in US dollar terms) than they have globally, according to WRQ.
The Finnish forest industry has been hard hit with many sawmills and pulpmills closing temporarily or permanently as a result of the combination of two factors: weak markets for forest products and high costs for wood raw-material. Even though pulplog and sawlog prices have fallen by about 30% in US dollar terms (and a modest 10% in Euro terms) the past 12 months, wood costs for the Finnish industry continues to be among the highest in the world, and maybe more importantly, higher than for its neighbor and major competitor in the west - Sweden. As a result of the lower prices for logs, the Finnish Forest Research Institute reported that log purchases from private landowners were down almost 70% the first six months this year as compared to the same period in 2008.
Pulpwood prices in Sweden have also fallen and they are currently down to the same level as three years ago. Despite a price decline of 33% the past year, pulpmills in Sweden still have some of the highest wood fiber costs in the world, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. Currently, only Eastern Canada, Norway and Finland have higher softwood pulpwood prices.
