DS Smith Zarnesti paper mill inaugurates new
Waste Water Treatment Plant
as part of its existing
11-million-Euro
investment plan
On this occasion, the mill also
marks 5
years since acquisition by
DS Smith
and 170 years of papermaking tradition in Zărnești
DS Smith Zarnesti paper mill has inaugurated yesterday its new
Waste Water Treatment Plant
, an essential component of an
11 million Euros
worth investment plan, launched in 2021, reconfirming its commitment to sustainable paper making in the region. On this occasion, Zarnesti mill also marked 170 years of tradition in papermaking, a remarkable moment for the company and the paper industry alike.
The new
Waste Water Treatment Plant
, which began construction in 2021, will contribute to increasing the paper production capacity of the mill while reducing it's operational impact on the environment, including reducing fresh water consumption by up to 20%, and technical waste quantity by 60%. The investments package will also contribute to decreasing both gas consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with projected CO2 savings of up to 4,500 tons per year
During the inauguration event, guests visited the new
Wastewater Treatment Plant
and
Zarnesti Mill's
paper machine PM1.
The inauguration was attended by
Lucian Patrascu
, Subprefect of Brasov County, Zoltan Szenner, Vice-President of the
Brasov County Council
and Alexandru Lucian Igrișan, Mayor of Zarnesti.
DS Smith Group
was represented by Niels Flierman, Head of Paper and Recycling;
Greg Dawson
, Director of Corporate Affairs;
Rogier Gerritsen
, MD Paper Europe, and
James Walker
, Cluster Director Paper East. Representatives of the environmental authorities and the local community were also present.
We are proud to have completed this major investment, which will significantly contribute to the efficiency of the production process and protecting the environment.
Marius Juncanariu
General Manager of DS Smith Zarnesti
"The paper mill in Zarnesti is more than a symbol of the city - it is the largest production unit of its kind in
Romania
, a respected employer, and a trusted partner of the local community. Since
DS Smith
took over the factory 5 years ago, we set these ambitious goals, which have now become a reality. We are proud of the results and motivated to continue realising our ambitions."
Romania
is an important market for
DS Smith
and the mill in Zarnesti is at the very heart of our operations in the region.
Niels Flierman
Head of paper and Recycling at
DS Smith
"Here you can see the papers being made that provide our customers with the packaging solutions to some of the biggest environmental challenges of our time, such as single use plastic replacement"
Mr Flierman continued: "Since acquiring the mill it has been a key priority of ours to invest into developing a sustainable infrastructure at the mill. An infrastructure that enables us to continue to meet the ever-changing demands of our customers, but one that also ensures that we can reduce our environmental impact, while at the same time make a positive contribution to the local economy and community"
The paper mill was taken over by the
DS Smith
group in 2018 and has benefited, throughout these 5 years, through an extensive modernisation programme undertaken by the company.
General Manager
Marius Juncanariu
explains the benefits of the new equipment
Using exclusively recycled paper, the
DS Smith
paper mill in Zărnești is the largest production unit of its kind in
Romania
, serving almost half of the local demand for packaging paper.
In
Romania
,
DS Smith
owns a coordination centre for recycling operations in
Bucharest
, two recycling depots in Stefanesti and Cluj-Napoca, a paper mill in Zărnești, two packaging production units in Ghimbav and Timisoara and three service centers, in Pitesti, Timișoara and Otopeni, Ilfov county, where a total of 650 employees work.