- Expansion and modernisation of evaporation plant at Frantschach mill in Austria makes pulp production more sustainable
- New equipment increases the amount of heat extracted and reduces the chemical oxygen demand of the biological waste water treatment
- Consistent optimisation contributes to bioeconomy by increasing the share of by-products from the pulp production process
Mondi, a leading global packaging and paper company, is investing €20 million to further improve the sustainability of its pulp production at the Frantschach mill in Austria. The mill, which is celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2021, has already been self-sufficient in terms of energy for many years and supplies surrounding communities and industrial companies with surplus heat from the pulp production process.
“Today, the focus on sustainability and circularity puts fibre-based products, and pulp, right into the spotlight. Not only is wood a renewable resource, but we know that paper is the most widely recycled material in the world with, for example 74% of paper and 83% of paper-based packaging in Europe being recycled. Our new plant equipment will make our pulp production even more efficient and sustainable. The modernisation and expansion of the evaporation plant increases the amount of heat extracted and reduces the need for steam. It also reduces the chemical oxygen demand of the biological waste water treatment by 140 tonnes per year”, says Gottfried Joham, Managing Director of Mondi Frantschach.
The decision to invest was driven by the need to make best use of wood as a primary input.
In this specific case, the proportion of tall oil, which can be used in the production of paints, adhesives, or films, will be increased from 18 kg to 35 kg per tonne of pulp.
Construction of the new evaporation plant will start immediately and commissioning will take place in autumn of 2023.
Mondi Frantschach produces kraft papers that are mainly used for food, building materials, and animal feed. Mondi’s sustainability ambitions are demonstrated by its Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030) framework: by focusing on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate the Group believes it will have the most impact in achieving positive change and contributing to a circular economy.
About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by making innovative packaging and paper solutions that are sustainable by design. Our business is integrated across the value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy and intrinsic in the way we do business. We lead the industry with our customer-centric approach, EcoSolutions, where we ask the right questions to find the most sustainable solution. In 2020, Mondi had revenues of €6.66 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.35 billion.
Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP). Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.
About Mondi Kraft Paper
Mondi Kraft Paper is part of Mondi’s Business Unit Flexible Packaging and the global leading producer of high-quality bleached and unbleached sack kraft paper and bleached, unbleached and recycled speciality kraft paper grades, as well as bleached and unbleached market pulp with certified wood. Our world-class integrated mills offer paper grades for numerous applications that can be converted into strong yet lightweight industrial paper sacks for cement, building materials, food, agricultural or chemical industries, to shopping bags for retailers, e-commerce packaging, and insulation papers that are sustainable by design. Our R&D Centre in Frantschach, Austria continuously optimises production processes to develop smarter and more sustainable packaging solutions by putting a focus on meeting the highest environmental standards. We have more than 100 years of expertise in papermaking and have four operations in Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Sweden.
