PULP UNITED (PTY) LIMITED In 2003, NCT formed Pulp United with Sweden’s Södra Cell AB to investigate the feasibility of the construction of a BCTMP (bleached, chemi, thermal, mechanical pulp) mill. The project suffered a setback when the Swedish shareholder withdrew from the joint venture in 2005. NCT opted to purchase Södra’s shares in the jointlyowned company and continued with the feasibility study despite Södra’s departure. In August 2006, Rottneros, another Swedish manufacturer of market pulp, announced plans to close down operations at one of its mills in Sweden and investigate the possibility of moving all or part of this production to a country with lower electricity prices. NCT and South Africa presented an ideal opportunity for Rottneros to consider relocation to Richards Bay. In April 2007, NCT and Rottneros signed a Letter of Intent to carry out further research into the possible relocation of the pulp mill to South Africa Since then, the project has been successful in obtaining environmental approval, securing a 65ha site for the mill and electricity supply. However a number of outstanding issues still need to be resolved before the project can be implemented. 15 6 0 Y e a r s a n d g r o w i n g
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