“This is a major investment by Moelven,” said Morten Kristiansen, CEO of Moelven Industrier ASA. “Both Moelven Edanesågen and Moelven Valåsen will be the sawmills of the future, and they will play important parts in the group’s work to ensure international competitiveness in the future.”
Moelven Edanesågen will undergo a complete renovation of the entire production process from timber sorting, timber intake, to a new saw line and new dryer with increased capacity. This will be Moelven’s largest individual investment of all time, with a framework of SEK450m. The project will be completed in the first half of 2024. When finished, Moelven Edanesågen will have significantly increased production capacity.
“In Moelven we have always viewed the Swedish border as a county border, albeit not during this pandemic,” said Mr Kristiansen “At Edane, which is just across the border, we shall now streamline and modernise production so that the sawmill can continue to supply the Norwegian and Swedish markets with climate-smart wood products.”
Moelven Valåsen in Karlskoga is increasing its capacity, and is currently building a new energy centre that will be put into operation towards the end of the year, representing an investment of SEK60m.
Now Moelven is investing an addition SEK185m to further develop the sawmill. This entails new investments in saw intake, raw sorting and sorting with camera technology, as well as a new saw line for small timber. When completed in 2024, efficiency and capacity at the sawmill will be significantly greater.
“Moelven Valåsen is our largest sawmill measured in terms of production capacity and turnover,” said Mr Kristiansen. “It was here we initiated the pilot project with increased digitalisation of the production process, also known as ‘The digital sawmill’. The investments we are now making are the continuation of making the sawmill even more efficient, sustainable and profitable.”
