Ence is investing €11 million during the annual maintenance shutdown at its Navia biofactory in Asturias, Spain, to upgrade equipment, digital systems and energy efficiency.
The shutdown began in early March and will run until March 20.
The annual maintenance program is a key operational milestone for the facility and will temporarily bring more than 1,500 additional workers to the site to support inspection, maintenance and upgrade activities.
Beyond routine maintenance of equipment and installations, this year’s investment focuses on improving the plant’s operating efficiency and long-term performance. Planned projects include upgrades in digitalisation and cybersecurity, improvements in thermal efficiency, and measures aimed at reducing fossil fuel use.
The shutdown will also allow the implementation of Ence’s decarbonisation project and the installation of a new wood yard line, which will increase operational flexibility and support the production of specialty pulp grades.
As part of the upgrades, the company will install advanced sensors capable of measuring pulp quality parameters in real time. According to Ence, the system will help monitor pulp quality continuously and stabilise production at the Asturian facility.
The Navia biofactory holds several environmental certifications, including the Nordic Swan ecolabel and Zero Waste certification, indicating that nearly all waste generated at the facility is reused rather than sent to landfill.
The mill also received the Quality Innovation Award (QIA) 2024, an international prize recognising its environmental management practices and continuous improvement across production processes.
Ence is a Spanish producer of market pulp and renewable energy from biomass. The company operates biofactories in Spain and focuses on sustainable pulp production and energy generation based on forest resources.
Located in Asturias, the Navia biofactory is one of Ence’s main pulp production facilities. The mill produces specialty eucalyptus pulp and operates under several environmental certifications, including Nordic Swan and Zero Waste.
Source: Ence
