DIEFFENBACHER has secured a significant order from Novopan del Ecuador, a prominent particleboard manufacturer located in Quito. This order includes the supply of a state-of-the-art 30 MW energy plant equipped with advanced reciprocating grate technology for the combustion of waste wood. In addition, the project will feature a MAIER Big Crusher and MAIER Rechipper, designed to efficiently process waste wood and eucalyptus bark. The delivery of these components is scheduled for December 2024. Installation is set to commence in January 2025, with the plant’s commissioning anticipated by May 2025.
“This new energy plant moves us away from burning oil and toward biomass, further accelerating our sustainability efforts,” says Ignacio Bustamante, CEO of Novopan del Ecuador. “We were impressed by DIEFFENBACHER’s expertise in combining the drum dryer and hot gas generator and their grate design tailored to waste wood. The Novopan and DIEFFENBACHER teams have always worked extremely well together. I’m confident that teamwork will lead to success in our energy plant project.”
The new order further strengthens the longstanding partnership between Novopan and DIEFFENBACHER, a relationship that began in 2008 when DIEFFENBACHER acquired the wood-based panels business from Metso, the original supplier of Novopan’s first continuous particleboard line. Over the years, this collaboration has achieved several significant milestones, including the expansion of the forming station, the addition of a second cooling wheel, the replacement of the prepress, and the retrofitting of an EVOjet P glue-saving system for the initial production line. The most notable accomplishment in their partnership was the successful delivery, installation, and commissioning of Novopan’s second continuous particleboard line in 2019.
“Based on our excellent experiences with MAIER machines, from our very first plant in 1978 to our latest DIEFFENBACHER line, we’re certain of a positive outcome in waste wood processing for our new energy plant,” says Bustamante. Novopan will use the MAIER Big Crusher to shred large-volume and bulky residues from plywood and particleboard production, as well as waste wood. The Rechipper will be used to resize eucalyptus bark.
“We face a demanding schedule to deliver, install and commission the plant,” says Diego Coelho de Oliveira, Area Sales Director at DIEFFENBACHER. “The project includes connecting the new energy plant to an existing vertical combustion chamber, replacing the heavy oil burner. As always, we look forward to tackling these challenges together with Novopan,” he concludes.
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