VPK Paper Normandy
In June 2021, VPK Group agreed on the acquisition of the existing 75ha industrial site in Alizay (France) with the aim of transforming it into a hub for sustainable development in the circular economy. This project will contribute towards the ecological, economic and industrial development of the Normandy and Paris regions.
The existing paper machine for copier paper will be converted into a production unit for recycled paper for corrugated cardboard, with an annual production capacity of 450,000 tonnes. Start-up is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023. The new site, in synergy with VPK’s two other paper factories in France, will produce more than 1,000,000 tonnes of recycled paper per year in France.
The addition of the Alizay project means that VPK Group will be recycling no less than 2 million tonnes of paper per year.
In addition, a corrugator will also be commissioned on the site and used for production of innovative “Z-fold” corrugated cardboard. This technology makes it possible to produce protective fit-to-size e-commerce packaging, eliminating over-packaging and lowering logistical costs.
The Alizay site also contributes towards meeting VPK’s goals in the area of sustainability. The site has a biomass co-generation unit and the water purification installation will generate carbon-free energy that will be used in the paper production process.
The site will also process 250,000 tonnes of wood per year from by-products of the wood industry and wood at the end of its life cycle,to produce wood pellets. These pellets will in turn be used to generate carbon-free steam at VPK’s corrugated cardboard factories in France, the Netherlands and Belgium.