Sarawak has the potential to develop a mechanical mill to utilise pulpwood logs from the existing forest plantations, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

“In addition, Sarawak has competitive energy tariff costs and is located within the growth area for paper packaging industry,” he remarked after leading the second group of Sarawak delegation to visit Estonian Cell mill located at Kunda, Estonia.

Based on this trip, Sarawak government then would have to assess the factors of production including investors, resources and manpower or and when all these are readily available such mechanical pulp mill could be set up, Awang Tengah said through a press statement issued in Tallinn, Estonia today.

During the visit on Thursday, they were briefed by Estonian Cell Chief Technical Officer Lauri Raid.

After the briefing, the delegates toured the production line.

“This state-of-the-art mill is one of the largest foreign investment in Estonia producing bleached chemi-thermo mechanical pulp from Aspen. Mechanical pulp can be used to manufacture end products like printing and writing paper, specialty paper, packaging boxes and folded board,” the statement said.

“The annual production capacity of this mill is about 140,000 tonnes per year with pulpwood requirements of about 400,000 tonnes. With anticipation of growth in demand for packaging material, Estonian Cell expanded the mill annual capacity to 173,000 tonnes.”

Awang Tengah and his entourage were part of Sarawak delegation led by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on official visit to Finland and Estonia from Sept 23 to 29.

The visitors were aiming to learn from Estonia’s experience in developing mechanical pulp mill.

Others in the delegation included Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) Chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hameed Sepawi,

Permanent Secretary to Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, STIDC General manager Datu Sarudu Hoklai, SEB CEO Sharbini Suhaili and Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute director Dr Lulie Melling.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by The Borneo Post

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