International Technology Group Andritz, Austria received an order from Sappi Saiccor (Pty.) Ltd., the world’s largest manufacturer of viscose pulp (dissolving pulp) to supply the bleaching, evaporation, and pulp drying systems for Sappi’s Saiccor mill in Umkomaas, near Durban, South Africa.

With this investment, the capacity of the mill will be increased from 600,000 to approximately 800,000 t/a of bleached viscose pulp. The pulp is utilized in a wide range of products (textiles, food, chemicals, and plastics). Andritz will provide the basic and detail engineering, supply of equipment, mechanical erection, supervision, start-up, and training. Start-up of the plant is scheduled for February 2008. The order value for Andritz is approximately 100 MEUR.

The new Andritz bleach plant represents state-of-the-art process technology providing the best washing efficiency while minimizing chemical consumption. The pulp drying line (working width: 4 m) is based on the very successful high-capacity Andritz Twin Wire former, which is operating in pulp mills worldwide. In addition, Andritz Küsters, one of the world’s leading suppliers of roll and calendering technologies, will supply a calender to produce the uniform pulp sheet properties which are important for dissolving pulp. The six-effect, 370 t/h evaporation plant Andritz will supply Saiccor is an advanced sulphite liquor evaporator, with special emphasis on the production of clean reusable condensates. It is equipped with a stripper and a methanol recovery unit for the cleaning of condensates and other specific features required by the sulphite process.