Smurfit Kappa to invest €24m to modernise French plant

Packaging giant Smurfit Kappa is to invest €24 million to expand its plant in France over the next two years.

The investment will modernise and expand the corrugated paper plant in Rethel, northeast France, consolidating two existing facilities there, and the installation of a new state-of-the-art corrugator and conversion equipment.

Phase one, which include the installation of the new corrugator, is due to be completed in the first half of 2022.

“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,” said Jean-Christophe Bugeon, chief executive of Smurfit Kappa France.

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The project is expected to be fully completed in 2023, and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions, with a saving of at least 150 tonnes annually.

"Smurfit Kappa's ambition to strengthen its position in France continues with this significant new investment," said Edwin Goffard, chief operating officer of Smurfit Kappa Europe, Corrugated and Converting. "This investment will allow us to grow further and improve our quality of service to the food and industrial markets that we serve."