International technology group ANDRITZ will supply a complete fiber preparation line for a greenfield plant in the Toshka area in the south of Egypt. The pioneering and eco-friendly plant will produce high-density and medium-density fiberboard (HDF/MDF) from date palm fronds, a material normally considered farm waste.
ANDRITZ will execute this order in cooperation with the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) specialist WESER Industrie- und Anlagentechnik GmbH and DIEFFENBACHER GmbH Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, a leading manufacturer of press systems and complete plants for the wood-based panel industry. On behalf of Egypt’s National Service Projects Organization (NSPO), the German company WESER is acting as the general contractor for this turnkey project.
Michael Frint, Director Technology Panelboard Systems at ANDRITZ says: “Alternative raw materials, in particular from waste streams, are becoming increasingly important in the panel industry. Participating in this innovative and sustainable NSPO project is an important milestone for us.”
Well proven ANDRITZ refiner designed to achieve highest fiber quality at reduced electrical energy consumption. Photo "Andritz"
The ANDRITZ line, with a capacity of up to 14 bdmt/h, will process date palm fronds from a nearby 40,000-acre date farm. It includes a system to wash and condition the chips from the palm frond stems, and a pressurized refining system with a well-proven refiner to process the washed and conditioned chips into high quality fibers at very low energy consumption. The fibers will be used to produce high quality fiberboards, mainly for the flooring and furniture industries. The plant is scheduled to commence production in the autumn of 2025.
About Andritz
ANDRITZ GROUP
International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydro and Separation. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 29,900 employees and over 280 locations in more than 40 countries.
ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER
ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.
The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, flue gas cleaning systems, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.