Smurfit Kappa announces $153mn investment at its Austrian mill

The Ireland-based corrugated packaging company, Smurfit Kappa, has announced a $153mn investment at its Austrian mill as part of the firm’s Future Energy Plant project.

In a ceremony to mark the rebuild of a recovery boiler at its Nettingsdorf Paper Mill, the event was presided over by the Governor of Upper Austria and the Mayor of Ansfelden.

It is expected that the introduction of the boiler will allow the plant to further increase its energy optimisation at the mill, having already experienced a 34% rise in productivity since it became part of Smurfit Kappa in 1995, in addition to allowing profitability and sustainability to be significantly improved.

Laurent Sellier, COO of Smurfit Kappa Paper, Europe, commented: “At Smurfit Kappa, we strive for sustainable business. The Future Energy Plant project is part of a larger investment programme by the Smurfit Kappa Group to further improve sustainability.”

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“This investment will enable us to ensure a long-term supply of high-quality, sustainable containerboard - something our customers have come to expect from us.” 

Through the Future Energy Plant project, it is anticipated that Smurfit Kappa will also implement a new steam turbine and a number of extensions and adjustments to upstream and downstream plants over the next two years.

Nettingsdorf is considered one of the company’s most efficient paper mills and is recognised as being one of the leading producers of kraftliner in Europe.

The mill was founded in 1851 and currently has over 360 employees.