Packaging Solutions Green Solutions
Making the company more sustainable every single year – this is an integral part of Progroup's value framework. The sustainability report 2023 that is now being published documents the family company's enduring commitment and makes its goals, measures and successes transparent.
‘Last year was challenging from an economic perspective, not just for our industry, which is closely linked to gross domestic product. I am delighted that, despite this general climate, we have managed to record positive results in many aspects. We are convinced that we are on the right path, but we also know that we still have a long way to go,’ explained CEO Maximilian Heindl.
One of the highly visible measures when it comes to sustainability is the start of construction work on its new waste to energy plant. The project alongside the existing PM3 paper factory has made significant progress in the last year. It is an important element of the circular economy and Progroup's comprehensive decarbonisation strategy. The power plant, which is scheduled to start operating in summer 2025, will help to further reduce the company’s emissions, especially when combined with a CO2 capture and use concept that is set to be developed.
The company’s Eisenhüttenstadt site is a good example: its paper factory there is connected to a waste to energy plant that supplies the power needed for production – and does so by utilising rejects. These are waste materials that originate, among other places, from the company’s own paper production and would otherwise need to be disposed of. This allows Progroup not only to reduce the use of fossil fuels, but also to conserve resources and embrace the circular economy in its production.
The company has been implementing a number of measures and projects to save resources for many years. The consistently applied strategy of always embracing the latest technologies in the production of containerboard and corrugated board sheets is particularly beneficial here. In 2023, the company managed to achieve further successes in this area: for example, within one year, Progroup reduced its specific consumption of fresh water, measured in m³ per tonne of total output (containerboard and corrugated board sheets), from 2.15 to 2.02 m3. The percentage of kraftliner paper made from fresh fibres in production was also reduced from 12% in 2022 to just 11% in 2023.
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