Arauco Sucuriú project - One year of site works proceeding on schedule
With approximately 70% of the civil works completed, Valmet expects significant progress in assembling the process islands by the end of 2026.
The pulp and paper sector is closely monitoring the progress of Arauco’s Sucuriú Project, where Valmet has now completed its first year of execution. The project began on February 11, 2025, with piling activities. Under construction in Inocência, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, it is the world’s largest pulp mill build in a single-phase.
During the first year, Valmet strengthened its execution capabilities, achieving physical progress ahead of the original schedule, while supplying equipment and process-island operation systems for the mill. This performance supports the projected CAPEX of USD 4.6 billion and keeps the startup plan on track for the second half of 2027.
In the areas under Valmet’s responsibility, the company has reached approximately 70% progress in civil construction, with more than 3.5 million hours worked. The focus now shifts to electromechanical assembly.
“The consolidation of civil infrastructure and early deliveries are a clear sign of our execution discipline. We are turning a highly complex project into an operational reality within a rigorous schedule.”
Record engineering: materializing the project in numbers
Valmet’s progress within the Sucuriú Project between 2025 and early 2026 is reflected in precise logistics and impressive figures. At the heart of the mill’s chemical recycling and energy production is the Valmet Recovery Boiler, the largest boiler so far delivered. The recovery boiler steam drum shipped from China and is now onsite in Inocência. The steam drum weighs 300 tonnes is 32 meters long and 2.6 meters in diameter, and is designed to operate at 337°C. On site, the assembly of other equipment is supported by a 750-tonne crane, which enabled the lifting of the Feedwater Tank, a 52 meters structure – roughly half the length of a football field.
The assembly of Valmet Recovery Boiler began earlier than initially planned and already more than 3,000 tons of steel has been installed. Additionally, Valmet BFB boiler will be used to generate electricity and steam through the efficient combustion of biomass and residues.
In the Fiberline, lifting works are the most visible milestone. The digesters will exceed 64 meters in height – equivalent to a 20-story building – while the pre-impregnation vessels, Valmet ImpBins, will reach nearly 45 meters.
The Drying area is also progressing on schedule. The roof will cover approximately 30,000 m². The operations will include more than 25,000 blow boxes, whose transportation will require a fleet of 480 trucks. For internal handling, the overhead crane has a lifting capacity of 75 tons.
In Wood Handling, chipping capacity will reach 3,000 m³ of chips per hour, processed by screens with a capacity of 1,200 tons per hour, plus biomass chippers weighing 35 tons each. The wood handling electrical room will be a multi-level structure. This strategic area will house critical operation equipment, including transformers, control panels, automation systems, and the control room from which the six wood chipping lines will be operated. Construction began in September 2025 with the installation of the first column, and the complete structure will require 500 m³ of concrete.
The entire industrial unit will be interconnected through Valmet DNA, the Distributed Control System (DCS), which will process 60,000 interface signals through 1,004 processing cores, establishing the Sucuriú Project as the most digitalized asset in the history of the global pulp industry.
Human and technological mobilization marks 2026
In 2026, the Sucuriú Project enters its most challenging phase, when industrial-scale execution meets large-scale workforce management. The schedule anticipates a significant increase in manpower: Valmet’s workforce at the site will grow from 4,000 to 8,000 people by September, requiring the mobilization of up to 600 professionals per month.
The second half of the year will also mark the beginning of finishing assemblies. Following the completion of heavy steelworks and the lifting of the boiler steam drum, teams will begin installing piping networks, supports, valves, and instrumentation. Valmet aims to close 2026 with solid progress in electromechanical assembly, ensuring commissioning and automation testing begin as planned.
“The Sucuriú Project is in full execution, progressing according with the contractual schedule and established technical milestones. We are implementing state-of-the-art technological solutions aligned with global best practices and supported by a highly qualified team of Brazilian and Scandinavian professionals, all with extensive experience in the design, engineering, and construction of large-scale industrial complexes for pulp production. The project was structured from the outset with proven technical solutions, strong governance, integrated planning, and risk management. This allows us to confidently affirm that the Sucuriú Project will be delivered on schedule, with high standards of performance, safety, and operational efficiency,” concludes Fernando Scucuglia, Director of Pulp, Energy and Circularity at Valmet in Latin America.
Valmet scope of delivery for Arauco Sucuriu project:
EPCC delivery of all key process islands and mill automation:
- 6 wood handling lines
- 2 cooking and fiberlines
- 3 pulp dryers, 8 baling lines
- Evaporation plant
- Recovery boiler with ESPs
- Recausticizing
- Lime kiln with biomass dryer and gasification
- NCG collection and handling
- Valmet DNAe DCS system
- Mill wide optimization
- Valves and valve automation
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