Finnish company Valmet has been chosen to deliver a mill-wide optimisation solution for Mercer International’s Rosenthal kraft pulp mill in Germany.

The companies have not disclosed the value of this order.

Valmet said that this deal was received in the second quarter of the current year.

The mill-wide production planning application and change management services will now allow the kraft pulp manufacturer to automate its decision-making process, making it more centralised.

These operating decisions will be mainly based on the total mill production combined with its inventory balance and forecast.

This work will also help in optimising production across the pulp dryer, fibre line, and recovery line at the plant.

The development is also set to help the kraft mill avoid suboptimisation of individual, non-essential processes.

The pulp company will have an improved capability to maintain a balance between environmental sustainability, production, quality, and cost.

Delivery of the new solution is expected to be completed from September to November this year.

Valmet Automation Systems' product manager Greg Fralic said: “A mill audit and a detailed ‘reoptimise the past’ analysis was performed before the investment decision to minimise risks and evaluate the benefits.

“The analysis demonstrated how the production planning solution can be utilised to help balance the mill and achieve the desired pulp production.”

Another integral part of the latest order is a two-year performance agreement, under which the Valmet Performance Center will be responsible for providing remote support to Mercer, and to yield long-term sustainable results.

Mercer Rosenthal's managing director Christian Sörgel said: “With Valmet mill-wide optimisation, our goal is to produce pulp and energy more efficiently by further equalising and optimising the plant operation.”