The investment will be used to consolidate two existing facilities at the corrugated plant in Rethel
Smurfit Kappa to invest €24m to expand French corrugated plant. (Credit: Smurfit Kappa)
Paper-based packaging firm Smurfit Kappa is set to invest €24m to expand its corrugated plant in Rethel, North-East France.
The latest investment will be used to consolidate two existing facilities at the French plant and install a new corrugator and conversion equipment.
Smurfit Kappa said that the new investment demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to its French customer market.
Smurfit Kappa Europe – Corrugated and Converting COO Edwin Goffard said: “Smurfit Kappa’s ambition to strengthen its position in France continues with this significant new investment.
“This investment will allow us to grow further and improve our quality of service to the food and industrial markets that we serve.”
Furthermore, the investment will help upgrade and expand the plant, which will involve the construction of a new 8,200m² building for the installation of the new high-tech corrugator.
The first phase of the project will include the installation of the new corrugator. It is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2022, with the overall investment project expected to be completed in 2023.
Smurfit Kappa’s latest investment will result in environmental improvements at the Rethel plant, including a saving of at least 150 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum, as the company aims to reach a net-zero emissions target by 2050.
Smurfit Kappa France CEO Jean-Christophe Bugeon said: “This investment will not only expand the capacity at our site, but it will also help us to tackle the ever-growing environmental issues our planet faces by significantly reducing the plant’s carbon footprint.”
Earlier this year, the packaging firm said that it will invest more than €25m to expand its Pruszkow mega facility in central Poland.