RUSIA (Notifix).- Kastamonu is investing up to USD 600 million for the establishment of MDF, particleboard and OSM plants in Russia’s Tatarstan region. In the first phase of the project, the new MDF plant, which will start up by the beginning of year 2014, will create 500 direct and 2,500 indirect new jobs.

The forming and pressing line includes a Siempelkamp 9ft x 55.3m 8th generation ContiRoll press. This is the largest project in the field of MDF in Russia, which will produce 475,000m3/year. The new factory also involves the establishment of a laminate flooring line for further processing of HDF, with an annual capacity of 20m2. The press will be capable of making MDF panels between 6-40mm thick. Sheets 6-8mm thick will be used to make laminated flooring and will account for about 30% of production. The remaining panel production will be of 16mm, 18mm and 19mm thick MDF. About 70% of MDF panels produced in the Tatarstan plant will be sold in Russia and the rest exported. The target markets of this investment are different regions of Russia, as well as neighboring countries and Asia.

The next phases of the investment includes a particleboard line with a capacity of 725.000m3/year with start-up scheduled Q1, 2015, and an OSB line with a capacity of 575.000m3/year scheduled Q1, 2017. When the three phases of investment are completed, with a total production capacity of 1.8 million m3/year, it will be the world's largest integrated plant in one location.