Botnia's sawmill in Russia reaches roof height

Botnia's sawmill, operated by OOO Svir Timber in Podporozhje, Russia, has now
reached roof height. Work on the site is going to schedule and the €50 million
investment will be completed by the turn of 2005-2006. The mill will have an
annual capacity of 200,000 cubic metres. 

The main equipment for the bark-fired boiler were installed in June and the
main sawmilling machinery was placed on its foundations in July. Work on the
roof began in the second half of July. August saw the link up of the main power
supply and transformer station. 

Trials with the sawing lines will begin with log grading and progress through
the process to reach the final phase - sawn timber packaging - in
November-December. 

A total of 520 people are currently employed on the site, most of them locals.
When in operation, the sawmill will have a workforce of 120. 

The engineering consultants and contractors are:

Main consultant 	                        Sweco PIC
Architectural design 	                        KVA Oy
Main contractor 	                        Lemcon
Foundations (log grading and infeed system) 	YIT Lentek
Land levelling and foundation work 	        Sevzapstroimehanizatsija
Underground networks and site fencing 	        Sevzapstroimehanizatsija
Optic cable 	                                Teleport
Security 	                                Spetszashita
Measurement 	                                Geostar
Transformer station 	                        Optikenergostroi
Road and site asphalting 	                Dortranstroi