The 545 million Euros expansion and modernization of the Syktyvkar mill in Russia began in July, 2008. The main targets of the investment were to replace obsolete technologies, enhance mill safety, employ additional environmental measures and increase the quality and competitiveness of Mondi’s products.Some of the most impressive upgrades are the installation of a new lime kiln with daily burnt lime production of up to 700 tons, a new recovery boiler that burns 3,560 tons of dry solids per day, and a 100 MW turbo generator. The mill has also been fitted with modern equipment of the highest possible environmental standards that will reduce daily water consumption by 40 percent.“We are proud to announce the successful completion of the Step project. The project serves as a prime example of Mondi’s strategic approach to invest in assets, which will yield great benefits for our customers, allowing us to better service the Russian domestic market and export markets in particular,” David Hathorn, CEO of Mondi, comments.The Step project also proved to be a model of industrial safety. Its safety record is the best ever achieved in the history of the Russian paper industry. At the peak of the project, around 2,000 employees were involved. In total, about 300 partners and mainly local contractors worked on the project.