Laitex has successfully completed its bulk material handling delivery supporting Enefit Industry’s Enefit 280-2 project in Ida-Virumaa, Estonia. Laitex CEO Lasse Kurronen joined the official opening ceremony in Auvere on 27 August 2026, marking an important milestone after several years of close cooperation.
Enefit Industry officially opened the new Enefit 280-2 oil plant after the plant demonstrated its ability to operate at designed production capacity during commissioning.
By the time of the opening, the plant had produced 15,000 tonnes of shale oil. According to Enefit, the next target is stable and reliable full-capacity production during the autumn. At stable production, Enefit states that the plant will be capable of producing approximately 250,000 tonnes of shale oil annually.
For Laitex, the opening marks a significant milestone following several years of work on the oil shale preparation process. Laitex’s delivery scope was carried out from 2021 to 2025 and included a full-scope bulk material handling solution supporting the renewal and expansion of the preparation plant.
The Laitex scope covered process engineering and equipment, development of the feeding system, process automation integration, installation and commissioning supervision, as well as support for maintaining plant operability during the renewal.
Picture credit: Enefit, Photographer: Jarek Jõepera, Image was modified with AI
Modernizing the process while keeping production moving
One of the key requirements of the project was familiar to many industrial operators planning brownfield investments: new technology had to be integrated into an existing process while the old plant remained operational.
The existing feeding systems were updated and expanded with a third line, new oil shale pretreatment equipment was introduced, and new automation was integrated with the existing plant.
Throughout the renewal, maintaining the operability of the existing process was an important part of the project.
This type of modernization requires more than selecting individual pieces of equipment. Material characteristics, equipment interfaces, process requirements, automation, installation and commissioning all need to work together without losing sight of the operating plant around them.
For the customer, a full-scope material handling delivery can simplify this challenge. It means fewer supplier interfaces to coordinate, a clearer view of the complete material flow and a coordinated delivery from process engineering through implementation and commissioning.
A practical reference for future modernization projects
The Enefit project provides a strong reference for industrial companies considering the renewal, expansion or development of an existing material handling process.
In brownfield projects, the technical solution must fit both the future process and the realities of the existing plant. Space limitations, existing equipment, connection points, automation interfaces, installation sequencing and production requirements can all influence the final solution.
This is where early process understanding and coordinated engineering become particularly important.
At Laitex, we look at the material flow as a complete process. Our role can extend from individual equipment and process engineering to turn-key material handling systems, automation integration, modernization, commissioning support and lifecycle services.
The objective is practical: to help customers keep materials moving while developing their operations for future requirements.
A milestone worth celebrating
Laitex CEO Lasse Kurronen had the honour of participating in the official opening ceremony and ribbon cutting in Auvere.
Following the event, Kurronen thanked Enefit Industry for the trust and cooperation throughout the project and described it as an honour to be part of the milestone.
“It was an honor to cut the ribbon today and be part of this milestone!” says Lasse Kurronen, CEO, Laitex
The opening brought together the people and organizations involved in bringing the Enefit 280-2 project to this stage and provided an opportunity to recognize the cooperation behind a demanding industrial investment.
Picture credit: Lasse Kurronen
Experience across demanding material handling applications
The Enefit delivery adds another major industrial project to Laitex’s international reference portfolio.
Our published references cover a wide range of materials, operating environments and project scopes. They include a full-scope cement handling system from ship unloading to truck loading in Joensuu, Finland; nickel concentrate handling applications in Eurasia; and heavy-duty material handling equipment for the Mansourah & Massarah mining project in Saudi Arabia.
Our experience also includes modernization and lifecycle projects where existing equipment and processes are developed to meet changing capacity, reliability, maintenance and operational requirements.
The industries and materials may differ, but the underlying requirement remains the same: the material flow must support the process it serves.
We design, manufacture, modernize and maintain bulk material handling solutions for demanding industrial environments. From individual equipment to turn-key systems and lifecycle services, we work with our customers to keep material flows moving throughout the lifecycle of their operations.
