The investment - AkzoNobel's biggest ever in Latin America - is centered on further expanding Eka Chemicals' sustainability focused Chemical Island concept. It will involve supplying, storing and handling all chemicals for the 1.5 million tons per year greenfield mill, which is being constructed in Tres Lagoas. The mill is expected to come on stream in September 2012."We are about to make one of the biggest investments in our history, which emphasizes both the importance of Latin America to our growth ambitions and our commitment to the pulp and paper industry," said Rob Frohn, the AkzoNobel Board member responsible for Specialty Chemicals. Added Eka Chemicals General Manager, Jan Svärd: "Future demand for pulp and paper chemicals in Latin America is projected to increase substantially over the next 15 years. This agreement therefore represents an exciting opportunity for us to expand our operations in the region and further underlines the value our customers attach to our Chemical Island concept."Jan Svärd went on to explain that Eka Chemicals will be building a world scale sodium chlorate production unit to supply the projected demands of the Eldorado mill, which has been designed to accommodate three pulp lines. The new Eka Chemicals facility will also supply other key customers in Brazil.The new facility will expand Eka Chemicals' well established pulp and paper activities in Brazil, where the company already operates its Chemical Island concept at several mills, as well as running production units in Jacareí, Eunapolis, Três Lagoas, Rio de Janeiro and Jundiaí.