The ecological transformation project of the Grand-Couronne paper manufacturing site in France, formerly Chapelle-Darblay, has reached a new stage in its implementation with the takeover of the operational management of the site by Fiber Excellence.
Veolia, a major partner in the project, is committed to ensuring the supply of recycled paper and cardboard for the stationery industry, in a dynamic local and circular economy.
Since acquiring the site from the Rouen Normandy Metropolis in May 2022, Veolia has been keen to take over to make possible the project to strategically reposition the newsprint factory into a cardboard production site.
Fiber Excellence, the only French producer specializing in merchant paper pulp, is now taking over leadership of the project to consolidate the modernization of the paper mill. Veolia, producer of recycled raw materials, is committed to ensuring supplies of recycled paper and cardboard for an initial period of ten years.
As of today, Veolia is also making the Chapelle-Darblay site available to Fiber Excellence through a lease which will last until the end of 2024, in order to allow Fiber Excellence to develop a financing plan and finalize the procedures. administrative requirements.
“This is an important step for the success of the project – supplies are a strategic issue for the conversion of the factory and their security provides essential guarantees to obtain the necessary financing”, declared Jean-François Guillot, President of Fiber Excellence.
The project in summary
• An industrial conversion towards corrugated paper (PPO), which is used to produce cardboard packaging for which the needs and the market are structurally growing
• 280 million euros of investment, including 30 million euros of equity from Fiber Excellence and 30 million euros of public support via various schemes
• Around 3 years needed to finalize the project and implement the reconversion of the site before starting production
• 450,000 tonnes of recycled paper and cardboard used each year ultimately, including at least 225,000 tonnes provided by Veolia during the first 10 years
• 400,000 tonnes of corrugated paper produced each year ultimately
• Production of green energy from biomass
• 200 million euros ultimately injected each year into the local economy
