(News from RISI) A strong earthquake with a magnitude of at least 6.0 hit Jinggu county in China’s southwestern province of Yunnan on 2 October, forcing Yunnan Yunjing to shut its pulp and tissue mill.
A source close to the firm said the plant was closed right after the earthquake hit. Fortunately, no casualties occurred and no apparent damage was done to the equipment at the facility.
The mill operates two pulp lines producing mostly bleached hardwood kraft (BHK) pulp grades and some bleached softwood kraft pulp, with a combined capacity of 195,000tpy.
Some of the pulp output is integrated with a 30,000tpy tissue paper machine at the plant, with the surplus sold on the domestic market, mainly in the southwest of the country.
The contact said the closure is likely to last for one month as the mill staff conduct thorough inspections on all the equipment.
Also, the facility’s main road to Kunming city, where its products are distributed, is damaged and needs repairing.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the quake killed at least one person and left 324 injured, while more than 7,000 buildings were destroyed.
A trader indicated that the mill shut will lead to a BHK supply shortage in the southwest.
