CMPC Guaíba hits 6,100 tonnes per day in pulp drying after Valmet upgrade

Pushing the limits of pulp production in Brazil

In a global pulp market where margins are fiercely defended through volume and operational reliability, CMPC's Guaíba mill in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, has established a new benchmark. As part of the extensive BioCMPC project, the facility has successfully elevated the combined capacity of its two Line II pulp drying lines to an impressive 6,100 air-dried tonnes per day (Adt/d). This milestone, achieved following a comprehensive technological upgrade delivered by Valmet, highlights the critical role of targeted engineering in maximizing existing industrial assets.

The numbers emerging from the Guaíba mill in mid-2026 reflect a highly successful ramp-up phase. Prior to the intervention, the single-line drying capacity stood at 2,500 Adt/d. Today, that baseline has been pushed to 3,050 Adt/d, effectively absorbing the mill's production growth demands. Even more notably, the operation has already recorded a peak single-line output of 3,200 Adt/d, proving that the mechanical limits of the upgraded system offer comfortable headroom for future optimization.

Engineering efficiency at the wet end

The core of this capacity leap lies in the machine wet-end design. Valmet implemented a single shoe press configuration on both drying lines, utilizing their Top Former technology. For industry professionals, the performance metrics here are particularly striking: the solution is sustaining a metric load of 416 Adt/m, a figure that stands out in contemporary pulp drying operations.

Antônio Augusto de Souza, Executive Manager of Drying and Paper Production at CMPC, confirmed that the investment has met all quality, capacity, and production targets. The technical choices made during the BioCMPC project directly address two of the most pressing challenges in modern pulp manufacturing: energy consumption and process stability.

• Dewatering performance: The single shoe press configuration achieves a 58% dryness content at the press outlet.
• Energy reduction: By eliminating the need for additional electric motors in this section, the mill significantly lowers its baseline power consumption.
• Waste elimination: The new setup contributes to the mill's circularity goals by completely eliminating felt waste generation.

Operational stability for long-term growth

Beyond the headline capacity figures, the true value of this upgrade lies in day-to-day reliability. High-speed pulp drying lines are notoriously sensitive to web breaks and intervention downtime. The modernized Line II has demonstrated a marked reduction in the need for manual interventions, providing a robust foundation as CMPC looks toward its production targets for 2027 and 2028.

The BioCMPC project, which originally aimed to increase the overall production capacity of Line 2 from 1.5 million to 1.85 million ADt/year, serves as a textbook example of how brownfield upgrades can rival greenfield efficiency when executed with the right technological partner. Valmet's delivery, which also included a new high-power recovery boiler, an additional baling line, and advanced process controls, has effectively future-proofed the Guaíba facility.

The successful execution of the BioCMPC upgrade demonstrates that strategic investments in wet-end technology can unlock massive hidden capacity in existing pulp lines, proving that sustainability and sheer volume can go hand in hand. As global pulp demand continues to evolve, will we see 3,500 Adt/d become the new standard for single-line drying operations before the end of the decade? Follow The Paper for daily news, market signals and key updates from the global paper, corrugated and packaging industry. — Sigue toda la actualidad del sector en www.thepaper.ai