According to Industrial Information Resources Incorporated, Willamette Industries (Portland, Oregon) began construction during the first quarter of 2001 on one of the largest capital projects in the forest products industry in recent years. Willamette’s pulp and paper mill located in Kingsport, Tennessee will essentially be rebuilt from the ground up for an estimated USD 475 million. When completed in 2003, the modernization program will include a new soda pulp mill, recovery boiler addition and a new 1200tpd paper machine. Willamette will also increase their position as an Industrial Energy Producer by expanding on-site power generation capacity. Set to come online in October of 2002, the new world-class paper machine will replace two older machines that together produced 800tpd of uncoated free-sheet. The fine papers machine, supplied by Valmet, will produce printing and writing papers as well as offset and copy paper. During the fourth quarter of 2001, Willamette’s board of directors will vote on whether to fund a USD 50 million expansion of the powerhouse, to supply 100% of the mill’s electricity and thermal energy. The proposed 80mw steam turbine generator will supplement the existing 17mw powerhouse once completed by mid 2003.
