Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Arauco Sucuriú, the world’s largest single-phase pulp mill project, is currently under construction in Brazil. This monumental project is a true marathon, where meticulous planning, top-tier equipment, and exceptional collaboration are essential for its successful execution.
The Sucuriú project in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, has strategic importance for Arauco as they diversify their pulp production’s locations.
“Arauco has been looking into expanding pulp production in Brazil for years. Our target was to enhance our competitive position, and Brazil has the required conditions, including logistics infrastructure, skilled people, and the right environment for trees to grow. We selected Mato Grosso do Sul state and the city of Inocencia as the location for our project,” explains Iván Chamorro, Senior Vice-President Forestry & Woodpulp Business for the Arauco Group.
A full mill delivery from Valmet
“Valmet is a key player in this project, delivering all the key process areas in an EPC model. We’re very happy so far with our relationship and Valmet’s commitment. We’re very confident that together we’ll be able to deliver the best mill. We know we’re going to face challenges, but with strong communication between the technical teams and at the management level, we can face these challenges and be successful together,” Chamorro explains.
“Sucuriú will be a state-of-the-art mill with low water consumption and low emissions. We’re basically targeting a zero-waste mill that doesn’t send any residues to landfill. Additionally, we’re going to use gasified biomass instead of fossil fuel for the lime kiln. The mill will produce more than 400 megawatts of renewable energy, of which about 50 percent will be sold to the national Brazilian grid,” says Carlos Altimiras, CEO of Arauco Brazil.
Future-proof automation solutions
The mill automation system will be Valmet’s latest distributed control system, Valmet DNAe, supported with remote connectivity and Industrial Internet solutions.
“With Valmet’s automation systems, mill-wide optimization and advanced process controls, we’re building a base for autonomous operations,” Altimiras adds.
“To be competitive now and in the future, we need to make our process more efficient and more stable, and mill automation will help us achieve this. We already have experience from our MAPA project, with several technology suppliers, but Valmet mill-wide optimization will look at optimal production for the mill as a whole,” says Hector Araneda, Operations Manager, Pulp and Energy Business at Arauco.
A comprehensive sustainability approach
In addition to environmental performance, Arauco is focusing specially on social and economic sustainability for both the project phase and as a long-term commitment to the community.
“The Sucuriú project will bring dynamism to the local economy,” says Chamorro. “We’re going to have more than 15,000 people working on site during construction, and during the operation phase we’ll have about 6,000 people working in the forestry, logistics, mill, and support services. These are stable long-term quality jobs.
ARAUCO offers the industry’s most comprehensive selection of composite panels including MDF, particleboard and HDF, premium plywood, millwork, lumber and wood pulp.
ARAUCO is a global manufacturer of forest products, serving North America with excellence in manufacturing and distribution of wood products. With roots in sustainable forestry and innovative product development, ARAUCO brings more than a half-century of manufacturing and supply chain excellence to the North American market. The company operates multiple production facilities in both North and South America and ships to more than 3,500 destinations throughout North America.
Known for advanced, automated manufacturing platforms, ARAUCO offers safe and productive careers to thousands of employees across the United States and Canada.
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Tags: Arauco, arauco pulp mill project, Arauco Sucuriú, brazil, construction, mill, pulp mill project, single mill pulp mill project, Sucuriú, Valmet
