Pulp Products

Pulp Products

Mercer International: Strategic Producer of Sustainable Pulp

In an era of heightened global consciousness around health, cleanliness, and sustainability, the demand for natural, fiber-based products such as tissue, towels, and specialty papers is growing robustly. Mercer International stands at the nexus of this demand, leveraging improving living standards, population growth, and a shift towards eco-friendly products to guide our production ethos.

Our kraft pulp is biodegradable and conducive to a lower carbon footprint, but is also a superior alternative to plastics in packaging and fabrics in hygiene products.

Mercer asserts its industry prominence as a global leader in producing northern bleached softwood and hardwood kraft pulp (NBSK and NBHK). Our status bolsters our market influence as one of the world’s most extensive “market” NBSK producers. Our scale enhances our comprehensive market knowledge, customer rapport, and presence.

We operate four state-of-the-art, efficient pulp mills strategically placed to serve key markets. Our facilities include two NBSK mills in Germany, a NBSK mill in Western Canada and another mill capable of producing both NBSK and NBHK. As the sole producer of NBSK in Germany — Europe’s most significant pulp-importing country — we possess a unique market position.

With a consolidated annual production capacity of approximately 2.3 million ADMTs of kraft pulp, where 88% is NBSK and the remainder NBHK, our operations are detailed as follows:

  • Stendal Mill: A single-line, ISO-certified facility with a capacity of ~740,000 ADMTs and 148 MW of electrical generation.

  • Rosenthal Mill: An ISO-certified facility with ~360,000 ADMTs and 57 MW of electrical generation capacity.

  • Celgar Mill: An ISO-certified facility with a capacity of ~520,000 ADMTs and 100 MW of electrical generation.

  • Peace River Mill: An ISO-certified mill producing both NBSK and NBHK with a capacity of ~475,000 ADMTs and 70 MW of electrical generation, along with substantial forest management agreements.

Our facilities are among Europe and North America’s newest and most modern, offering us competitive manufacturing costs and efficiency advantages. Beyond pulp production, we have invested significantly in cogeneration systems, allowing us to produce and sell surplus green energy, marking our commitment to renewable energy practices. Additionally, we harness black liquor, a by-product of our processes, to extract tall oil for chemical and renewable energy uses.

Servicing clients across Europe, Asia, and North America, we engage directly with our customers to leverage our geographic spread, enhance sales coordination, and strengthen relationships. Our reliability in delivering high-quality pulp and exceptional customer service establishes Mercer International as a preferred supplier for discerning customers seeking sustainable pulp solutions.

  • Producing Two Grades of Excellence

    At Mercer, we are proud to offer two distinguished grades of premium pulp that cater to various paper production needs while affirming our commitment to sustainability:

    • Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK): Leveraging the robust and resilient long fibers derived from northern coniferous trees, our NBSK pulp is renowned for its strength and uniformity. This makes it the material of choice for products demanding high durability, such as specialty papers and certain packaging materials.
    • Northern Bleached Hardwood Kraft (NBHK): Capitalizing on the shorter fibers obtained from northern deciduous trees, NBHK pulp is characterized by its high opacity and formation properties. It is ideal for producing fine paper and tissue, offering a superior smoothness and printing surface.

    Our sustainable practices are evidenced by our certifications from reputable international forestry certification bodies which validate our dedication to maintaining ecological balance and promoting a greener future.

    Our Operations

Environmental Governance and Regulatory Adherence

At Mercer International, we place environmental stewardship at the forefront of our operational ethos. We actively engage in regular monitoring of emissions across our mills and conduct comprehensive environmental reviews of our operational practices and sites. These evaluations are meticulously carried out by both our in-house experts and third-party consultants, ensuring a robust and unbiased assessment.

Through these environmental audits, we ensure adherence to legal and regulatory standards and identify avenues for enhanced environmental performance. This proactive approach allows us to implement necessary improvements in a timely and effective manner.

We maintain confidence that we possess all the requisite environmental permits, authorizations, and approvals for our current operations, and we are committed to remaining in material compliance with all pertinent environmental legislation and regulations.

We allocate considerable resources towards environmental management, ensuring compliance with a broad spectrum of laws and regulations that govern various aspects, including:

  • Air quality, water management, and land use
  • Management of solid and hazardous wastes
  • Disposal practices
  • Site remediation and the handling of contaminated materials
  • Responsible use of chemicals

Our operations are rigorously regulated by environmental permits and approvals, which dictate specific emission limits and other environmental performance criteria. We are dedicated to upholding the high standards set by these regulatory frameworks to support a sustainable future.

Green Energy and Sustainable Sourcing

Mercer’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond our pulp production. Our pulp mills double as large-scale bio-refineries, producing high-quality pulp and generating surplus green energy. This energy is derived from the cogeneration process utilizing carbon-neutral biofuels, including black liquor and wood waste. Our facilities are engineered to create enough steam to satisfy all our operational requirements, with the excess converted into electricity. This surplus electricity is then supplied to external utilities or fed into the regional power grids.

Benefiting from green energy policies, incentives, and the commercialization opportunities that have emerged over recent decades in Europe and Canada, we also capitalize on robust electricity markets. Moreover, we have dedicated substantial efforts to augment our production and commercialization of by-product chemicals, particularly tall oil, which finds diverse applications, such as biofuel.

The geographical placement of our mills allows for a consistent and reliable fiber supply. The fiber we utilize is derived from wood chips, a by-product of sawmilling, and pulp logs, including those of a lower grade unsuitable for lumber production. These materials, chipped for their ultimate use in pulp making, exemplify our circular economy approach, ensuring every part of the fiber is put to productive use while supporting forest health and sustainability.

Our Utilization

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