A new era begins - Bäckhammar mill’s new high-tech woodyard

SUPPLIER SELECTION: WHY ANDRITZ STOOD OUT

“We chose ANDRITZ as the company emerged as a clear choice during negotiations,” says Trond. “Key differentiators included strong written performance guarantees on chip quality and environmental metrics, a true turnkey delivery with single-point responsibility, and innovative technology only available from ANDRITZ.

“The standout innovation was steam de-icing, which dramatically reduces water consumption – critical for the Bäckhammar mill given strict environmental permits and high groundwater levels.” ANDRITZ further impressed with its advanced Smart Woodyard Process Optimization, including online chip quality measurement (Smart ScanChip) and chipper condition monitoring (Smart Chipper EKG).

Mechanical installation by ANDRITZ started inJanuary 2025, and the new line achieved start-up in October 2025 – remarkably on schedule and within budget despite external challenges. Recognizing the investment’s expected 40-year lifespan, Nordic Paper and ANDRITZ established separate service contracts and a Synergy™ agreement for ongoing optimization. This partnership includes operator training, regular on-site support, and shared accountability.

LOWER WATER USAGE, SMALLER LAYOUT FOOTPRINT, AND HIGHER STABILITY

Since start-up in October 2025, the new woodyard has delivered measurable gains. Steam de-icing has significantly lowered water use and effluent organic load, helping the mill meet regulatory limits. ANDRITZ Smart Solutions stabilize the process, which leads to reduced wood losses, increased chip quality, and provides real-time data to enable predictive maintenance. Controlling the process at a higher automation level enables the operators to focus on higher-level tasks. The Smart Woodyard Process Optimization has been active 100% of the operating time.

Furthermore, due to the HHQ-Chipper equipped with a TK-IV TurnKnife system, the chip quality is at an excellent level and thus a screening station was not required, thereby reducing fire risk, cost, and footprint.
Trond adds, “Bark dryness guarantees remain under fine-tuning, but overall performance has exceeded expectations in several areas, including electrical consumption. Although operator adaptation to the high-tech environment has been challenging amid industry-wide skill shortages, the Synergy™ agreement ensures dedicated ANDRITZ support to bridge the gap.”

FUTURE-PROOF OPERATION WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, LONGTERM PARTNERSHIP AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 

Trond sums up the outcome of the project. “This major upgrade has transformed technical operations at the mill’s woodyard from stone age into the modern era. With pending environmental upgrades and continued optimization, the Bäckhammar mill is poised for long-term competitiveness.

“The upgrade not only solves immediate bottlenecks but equips the mill with state-of-theart technology and a strong supplier partnership for decades ahead.