In the Lake Saimaa area, Mustola is the most important cargo port. It is located on Saimaa Canal, about 10 kilometers from center of Lappeenranta. It is about 20 kilometers from the Russian border. In the spacious port area, there is a tarp covered hall, which once was used by the local hockey team as a training rink. At the moment, the hall is rented by Kemira Oyj, a global chemicals company. The salt used in the production process is stored in the hall.
Kemira has anticipated the growth in consumption for bleaching chemicals by building a new production line for sodium chloride in Joutseno. The plant is located in a groundwater area, which requires certain rules for storing.
“The logistics and the storage of salt over winter has been thought through carefully by Kemira”, Director Janne Tynninen says. “In a covered place, salt won’t freeze even in the coldest temperatures. Also, it is easy to handle and transport by trucks from Mustola to the plant.”
Mustola Port is an important transport route for raw materials. “The Saimaa Canal is logistically competitive solution”, Director Tynninen says.