Stora Enso Paper Division is looking into resource efficiency to streamline its operations and find savings. Gaia mapped 51 potential actions at the Division’s Anjala Mill that can save materials, chemicals, water, energy, and costs. These actions can also reduce Stora Enso’s environmental impacts.
Gaia has recently conducted a material audit at Stora Enso Paper Division’s Anjala Mill. The audit aimed at tracing and analysing the mill’s material flow and costs in order to identify potential for improvement in resource efficiency as well as possible savings.
The material audit covered one of the mill’s two paper machines and its production chain from planning and wood delivery to paper packaging and storage. The 51 suggested actions include improving operational practices and measuring resource use and waste generation.
“The project confirmed that despite a long track record in process optimisation, there is still remarkable potential to improve material efficiency and support our productivity by decreasing costs. We will also use the information from the audit to prioritise our investments,” says Mill Director Ari Johansson from Anjala Mill.
This is the first time that the paper industry has used Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) as a tool to scrutinise its resource efficiency.
“Improving production efficiency and minimising waste have been on Stora Enso Paper Division’s agenda for a long time. We need a systematic approach to material efficiency in order to see the big picture and to set local priorities for continuous improvement. Material efficiency will remain one of our focus areas. We will continue this work by utilising the methodology, results, and lessons learned in the project at the Division’s other mills,” says Senior Vice President Responsibility Klaus Barduna from Stora Enso Paper Division.
“Current process control parameters do not always serve material efficiency aspects. The paper industry can reap significant benefits from detailed resource efficiency analysis,” says Senior Consultant Maija Aho from Gaia.
Gaia also carried out feasibility analyses for actions that require investments. As a general trend, the actions would pay themselves back within a year.
More information:
- Maija Aho, Senior Consultant, Gaia Consulting, tel. + 358 44 541 7444, email: firstname.lastname@gaia.fi
- Tiina Pursula, Business Director, Gaia Consulting, tel. + 358 40 514 9507, email: firstname.lastname@gaia.fi
- Kristiina Veitola, Sustainability Manager, Stora Enso Paper Division, tel. +358 40 350 5699, email: firstname.lastname@storaenso.com
- Heini Kukkonen, Environment and Quality Manager, Anjala Paper Mill, tel. +358 40 716 1563, email: firstname.lastname@storaenso.com
