CHILE - The Arauco Plant Modernization and Expansion Project (MAPA) marked a new milestone: the start of the implementation phase. Reached thanks to the signing of two purchase contracts to acquire the equipment that will be the heart of the new production line.

“The purchase of this equipment is an important milestone, but this is just a starting point. Now, for the project to become a reality, very important stages remain, many challenges remain, but we are super optimistic,” said Cristián Infante, General Manager of Arauco.

The technology was acquired after negotiations with the two most important companies in the world in the manufacture of equipment for the cellulose area, Andritz and Valmet, for a figure close to 600 million euros.

These acquisitions correspond to the main pulp production process equipment, which has the latest generation technology, increasing operational efficiency and decreasing specific consumption and emissions.

“From the quality of equipment we have purchased, to the way our team has approached this, it makes us optimistic that this will be a very successful project, a project that will contribute not only to the Company, but to the country”, affirmed Cristián Infante.

The MAPA Project, approved by Arauco’s Board this year, considers the stop of Line 1 and the construction of a new production line (Line 3), with a capacity of 1,560,000 tons per year of eucalyptus pulp, which will allow the Company to strengthen its competitiveness and leadership in the pulp industry.

“With the MAPA project we aspire to have the best pulp mill in the world. That is our standard. And I am sure that with the people we have we will achieve it,” concluded Cristián Infante.