Vision and strategy
Altri is a significant player in the international bleached eucalyptus pulp market. Our vision is to become a leading European player in terms of size and one of the most efficient producers in the world.
Our strategy is focused on the production of bleaching eucalyptus kraft pulp (BEKP). From 1995-2005 the BHKP market has enjoyed annual growth rates around 5%. BEKP is today one of the most in-demand pulp in the international market. It is an extremely versatile fibre used for almost all paper applications, including a wide range of printing and writing, décor, tissue and speciality papers.
Capacity increase
Altri’s current production is around 900,000 tones of pulp per year, broken down as follows:
- 600,000 tones/year of BEKP produced in the Celbi mill
- 160,000 tones/year of BEKP produced in the Celtejo Mill (swing option to 140,000 tonnes/year of BSKP)
- 120,000 tones/year of bleached eucalyptus sulphite pulp produced in the Caima mill
The following projects were concluded during 2009:
- Increase in annual BEKP capacity at Celbi from 300,000 to 600,000 tones from the second half of 2009. The learning curve was completed during 3Q10;
- Bleaching line and capacity increase in Celtejo. During 2008 the Celtejo mill production line was changed from unbleached kraft pulp to BEKP and its annual capacity increased from 140,000 to 160,000 tones;
- Chemical debottlenecking in Caima. The process used to remove the lignin from the pulp through the sulphite generates a large quantity of chemical compounds (lignosulphonates) that can be sold, increasing the annual capacity from 115,000 to around 120,000 tones.
To summarise, in 2011 Altri will have a nominal capacity around 900,000 tones of bleached eucalyptus pulp annually.
Evolution of pulp production capacity (tonnes per year)
Operating efficiency
We plan to increase our annual pulp production capacity from the current 500,000 tones to around 900,000 tones in 2010. Our aim is to be the most efficient producer at our customers’ door. To achieve this goal we have developed a three-part strategy:
- Increasing efficiency. The announced projects will dilute the fixed costs per tonne, increasing the efficiency of the mills. A major gain will come from the new energetic efficiency through new turbines and generators
- Strategic location of clients. Altri will focus on clients located in western and central Europe allowing us to provide a higher level of customer service at the minimum transportation costs. Rail is recognised as the most cost-effective form of transport.
- Wood self-sufficiency. Historically Altri has a wood self-sufficiency rate of around 30%, managing 84,000 hectares of forest in Portugal.