Saica has secured funds for investments it is planning at two French containerboard mills. Modernizations will be implemented at the Laveyron and Vénizel sites.
Spanish integrated packaging producer Saica wants to invest in the modernization of its mill in Laveyron in France. The company is one of the successful applicants selected for the French government’s France Reliance economic stimulus program. Saica will get subsidies from the government’s industrial investment promotion fund, which the company plans to use for several upgrades to its containerboard mill.
According to a government press release, Saica wants to revamp raw material handling to improve the quality of the recovered paper. The company will also invest to improve the processing of end-of-life wood. Saica further plans to install a new biomass boiler to significantly reduce reliance on natural gas and landfills.
According to local media reports, the company expects to invest a total of €117m in the site.
Saica took ownership of the Laveyron mill when it acquired French group Émin-Leydier in 2018. The site produces recycled containerboard on two machines which have a capacity of 160,000 tpy and 340,000 tpy respectively.
Saica’s mill in Vénizel near Paris was also selected for assistance from the France Reliance program at the end of 2020. Here, the focus is on energy efficiency. In Vénizel, Saica plans to install a new turbine for power generation which uses steam from the biomass boiler and in the process saves more than 1,150 t of CO2 emissions annually. The site produces containerboard on one machine rated for 260,000 tpy.
