The takeover of the Condat paper mill has come to an end. However, the site is very likely to abandon paper production altogether. According to the newspapers Les Echos and La Tribune, as well as the local press (ICI Périgord and Sud-Ouest), the Bordeaux Commercial Court has chosen the takeover bid submitted by Condat Solutions, a subsidiary of Groupe SPB (Société de Participation de la Braye). In total, only 21 of the 202 jobs will be retained. The bid from the Czech company Finesta was ultimately rejected. SPB has announced a “multi-sector reindustrialization project […] with high added value, based on a decarbonized circular economy,” with a commitment to create 300 direct jobs at the site within five years.
In parallel, SPB indicates it intends to study, over five months, with the Austrian paper maker Delfort, the feasibility of restarting the PM 8 line (which produced glassine paper). The site will thus be repurposed for other activities centered around the creation of a “Biopark” combining aluminum recycling and nanocellulose production. This represents €95 million in “sustainable” investments over the next 30 to 36 months. In addition, a 200 MW green energy hub will be developed, with on-site self-consumption of energy produced using hydrogen and waste heat from aluminum recycling.
Finally, as with the former ArjoWiggins Bessé site, the Biopark includes a digital component, with the arrival of a national or European operator. This is a €400 million project. More information will be available in the next issue (February-March) of our magazine, La Papeterie.
V. L.
Photo/Lecta
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