Statement re Nettingsdorf Paper Mill

Statement re Nettingsdorf Paper Mill

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC

Smurfit Kappa breaks ground for new recovery boiler at Nettingsdorf Paper Mill as part of €134 million investment plan

Global packaging company Smurfit Kappa has marked the beginning of the rebuild of a recovery boiler with a ground-breaking ceremony at its Nettingsdorf Paper Mill in Austria.

The ceremony, which was the latest milestone in Smurfit Kappa’s Future Energy Plant project, was presided over by the Governor of Upper Austria and the Mayor of Ansfelden.

The new recovery boiler will increase the profitability and sustainability of the mill and is part of a €134 million investment in Nettingsdorf.

The boiler will enable the plant to further boost energy optimisation at the mill, which has already seen a 34% increase in productivity since becoming part of Smurfit Kappa in 1995. By recovering energy from the biomass contained in black liquor from pulp production, the new boiler is set to cut CO₂ emissions by 40,000 tonnes, which equates to about two-thirds of the current emissions at the site, and 1.5% of those from the whole Smurfit Kappa Group.

Over the next two years, the Future Energy Plant project will also involve developing a new steam turbine, as well as several extensions and adjustments to upstream and downstream plants.

Speaking about the plant’s latest investment, Günter Hochrathner, CEO Smurfit Kappa Nettingsdorf, said: “With the ground-breaking ceremony for the rebuild of the recovery boiler, we have taken a step into the future for Smurfit Kappa Nettingsdorf."

Laurent Sellier, COO Smurfit Kappa Paper, Europe, added: "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.

“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.”

Founded in 1851 and with over 360 employees, Nettingsdorf is one of Smurfit Kappa’s most efficient paper mills and one of the leading producers of kraftliner in Europe. The mill produces approximately 450,000 tonnes of paper annually and has an excellent health and safety record.

ENDS

Contact for media:

Sinead Gill
Smurfit Kappa
T: [phone]
E:[e-mail]

About Smurfit Kappa

Smurfit Kappa, a FTSE 100 company, is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, with around 45,000 employees in approximately 350 production sites across 33 countries and with revenue of €8.6 billion in 2017. We are located in 21 countries in Europe, and 12 in the Americas. We are the only large-scale pan-regional player in Latin America.

With our proactive team we relentlessly use our extensive experience and expertise, supported by our scale, to open up opportunities for our customers. We collaborate with forward-thinking customers by sharing superior product knowledge, market understanding and insights in packaging trends to ensure business success in their markets. We have an unrivalled portfolio of paper-packaging solutions, which is constantly updated with our market-leading innovations. This is enhanced through the benefits of our integration, with optimal paper design, logistics, timeliness of service, and our packaging plants sourcing most of their raw materials from our own paper mills.

Our products, which are 100% renewable and produced sustainably, improve the environmental footprint of our customers.

Follow us on Twitter at @smurfitkappa and on LinkedIn at ‘Smurfit Kappa’.

www.smurfitkappa.com

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