Metso Paper to supply new line in Belgium.

Sappi Lanaken NV, Belgium has selected Metso Paper to supply a new BCTMP (bleached chemithermomechanical pulp) line, which will increase production capacity of the Lanaken Mill by approximately 40,000 tons per year. Raw material for the BCTMP line will be aspen and spruce chips and the pulp will be used for coated fine papers. Startup of the rebuilt line is scheduled for June 2003. Metso Paper's delivery will include the main process technology, basic engineering, erection supervision, start-up supervision and training.

In other Metso news: In October, the company signed a contract with the main contractor, RWE Industrie-Losungen GmbH, Germany, for the pulping system at the Zellstoff Stendal GmbH greenfield kraft pulp mill in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. Project delivery includes a complete pulping process from woodhandling to ready-made bales, and a process automation system for the entire mill supplied by Metso Automation. The value of the contract, with planned startup of October 2004, is EUR 135 million (US$ 133.5 million). The mill is designed for an annual capacity of 550,000 tons of bleached softwood market pulp. The chosen technology is specially designed for production of high quality end product with minimum environmental impact. The main stakeholder of the new greenfield project is Mercer International Inc., the other owners being RWE and Fahr Beteiligungen AG. Zellstoff Stendal GmbH is located approx. 100 km west of Berlin.