Kemira will invest EUR 5 million in an expansion of the Siilinjärvi pigment plant. The new calcium sulphate pigment production line will raise the plant's total production capacity to 100,000 tons. The production line will be operational by late 2003. The production technology for calcium sulphate pigments has been developed by Kemira, and the product is unique in the world.
Calcium sulphate pigment, marketed under the brand name CoCoat, is used for coating printing paper to improve the brightness, opacity and printability of paper. Calcium sulphate also facilitates the production of lighter paper, as it has a lower density than other pigments.
In addition to coating pigments, Kemira manufactures calcium sulphate pigments that are used as fillers in paper. These products, sold under the names Calpak and Oparex, are produced in Spain.
The share of mineral pigments in papers is growing constantly as paper grades become increasingly advanced. The global annual growth rate of paper pigments is expected to be three percent over the next ten years.
Pulp & Paper Chemicals is one of Kemira's core business areas. In addition to coating pigments, Kemira offers its pulp & paper customers a wide variety of products and services from bleaching to the wet end chemistry. The net sales of Pulp & Paper Chemicals will total ca. EUR 500 million in 2002, and its operations are global.