ABB is partnering with the world's most northerly paper mill to make sustainable choices.

The world's northernmost paper mill, located in a slow-growing forest in northern Sweden, utilizes a unique raw material - trees that produce robust paper. The Billerud plant in Karlsborg, which is the largest private employer in the municipality, receives 130 log trucks every day, transporting these trees to be transformed into 350,000 tons of moldable paper, kraft paper, sack paper, and bleached pulp annually. The company's sustainable production process, which involves recycling chemicals and generating 75-78% of its electricity, is well-positioned to meet the rising demand for environmentally friendly and plastic-free packaging products. To ensure round-the-clock production and prevent unplanned shutdowns that can negatively impact production, revenue, and employee safety, Billerud and ABB have collaborated for many years. ABB has supplied low and medium voltage switchgear, UPS, motors, drives, and 800xA control systems, and its service teams have played a crucial role in ensuring the plant's smooth operation. ABB recently completed a significant upgrade project, replacing incoming circuit breakers in seven low voltage switchgear and ten medium voltage circuit breakers. This site-built solution, which was chosen by Billerud, enabled the switchgear from the 1980s to have a new life and live on while increasing safety, availability of spare parts, and energy efficiency. The sustainable and cost-effective upgrade is expected to keep the plant's electricity and personnel safety operations secure for several decades.