Emerson receives $5.3 million project to automate new pulp mill in Chile

Celulosa Arauco S.A. will utilize Emerson's PlantWeb® architecture in the largest-ever FOUNDATION fieldbus installation in the Pulp & Paper industry. 

ST. LOUIS (22 October 2002) — Contracts worth $5.3 million (US) have been awarded by Celulosa Arauco y Constitucion S.A. to Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business (NYSE: EMR), for process automation systems, equipment, and engineering services for what will be one of the world's largest pulp mills. Arauco, based in Santiago, Chile, is one of the world's largest forestry companies in terms of plantation size, lumber processing, and production of market kraft pulp.

Already under construction near the city of Valdivia, Chile, the new mill will use a state-of-the-art process control network with Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture. The PlantWeb architecture will include more than 3,500 FOUNDATION fieldbus instruments and the DeltaV™ control system, making it the largest such installation of the fieldbus technology in the pulp and paper industry. Project design and execution services will be provided by Emerson.

Located 500 miles south of Santiago, the new mill will produce 600,000 tons of bleached softwood and hardwood market pulp per year from pine and eucalyptus logs beginning in late 2004. Excess electricity generated at the mill will be sold to the Chilean national power grid. Arauco expects the entire project to cost $1.2 billion (US) including forest plantations, a saw mill, and panel board mill. A similar pulp mill to be built near Itata, Chile, is in the planning stages.

Arauco currently operates four pulp mills in Chile, with a combined capacity of 1.5 million metric tons per year, as well as seven sawmills. In addition, the company owns and manages 700,000 hectares of timberlands.

The selection of Emerson followed an extensive search to choose the best, proven new technology that would serve Arauco's requirements today and in the future, along with the project execution services needed to ensure a successful, on-time and on-budget project. Design requirements for the new mill included:
  •  Low investment cost without sacrificing quality
  •  Use of proven process technology and equipment
  •  Efficient consumption of wood, energy, and water
  •  Low air and water emissions in agreement with the environmental permit.

    • Emerson's AMS predictive maintenance software will be used to communicate with the field instruments installed in the mill to help ensure high plant reliability and availability, and performance. Emerson is also expected to provide up to 21,000 hours of engineering services for installation, configuration, and startup of the process automation system.

    "The leading-edge PlantWeb digital plant architecture will make positive contributions to meeting all of Arauco's key design parameters," said John Berra, executive vice president of Emerson with responsibility for the process management business. "As the largest application of the PlantWeb technology in the pulp and paper industry to date, this project is a very significant example of the worldwide acceptance of PlantWeb digital plant architecture. It will serve as a benchmark for future investments in automation by this and other industries."

    About Emerson Process Management

    Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com), an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and other industries. The company combines superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Its brands include PlantWeb®, Fisher®, Micro Motion®, Rosemount®, DeltaV™, Ovation®, and AMS.

    About Emerson

    St. Louis-based Emerson (www.gotoemerson.com) is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers in process control; electronics and telecommunications; industrial automation; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; and appliance and tools. Sales in fiscal 2002 were $13.8 billion.

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    PlantWeb, Fisher, Micro Motion, Rosemount, DeltaV, and Ovation are marks of Emerson Process Management. FOUNDATION is a mark of the Fieldbus Foundation. Other marks are property of their respective owners.