DS Smith pumps €90M into Rouen paper mill with French government subsidies

21 Nov 2023 --- DS Smith is injecting €90 million (US$98 million) into its paper mill in Rouen, France, to transform the paper mill’s energy supply by replacing the coal-fired boiler with a new biomass boiler that will reduce the site’s carbon emissions by 99,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.

The 56 megawatts Valmet high-tech boiler will supply at least 80% of the site’s heat demand and will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2025. It will be fuelled by 94,000 metric tons of biofuel, 30% of which will come from plant by-products (pulper waste) and 70% from waste wood sources such as furniture and demolition waste. 

The site has an annual production capacity of 280,000 metric tons. 

“Rouen paper mill is a central part of our European operations and an important producer of recycled paper in France, playing a key role in providing the corrugated packaging needed to help replace problem plastics,” says Niels Flierman, head of Paper & Recycling at DS Smith.

The project was approved by the Regional Biomass Scheme in 2022 and is supported by local authorities, including a €15 million (US$16 million) subsidy from the French Agency for Ecological Transition. 

The energy transition will reduce the Rouen mill’s emissions by 99,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.Saving GHG emissions 
Engie Solutions will operate the boiler, which will allow for the future installation of a steam turbine capable of producing around 10 megawatts of electricity with a maximum steam supply of 65 metric tons per hour.

“As with all our operations, delivering large-scale carbon reduction initiatives is a key focus for DS Smith as we look to deliver both our immediate and long-term sustainability targets,” asserts Flierman. 

“Through the transition away from coal and the installation of a new biomass from waste boiler, we will deliver significant CO2 savings to not only help our own operations but the operations of our customers through their Scope 3 emissions.”

In addition to the biomass boiler, two new gas-fired boilers will complete the backup boiler fleet already consisting of an existing gas-fired boiler. 

The project is one of several initiatives in Europe and North America that contribute to DS Smith’s goal of reducing GHG emissions by 46% in absolute terms by 2030, compared with 2019 levels and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. 

Acquired by DS Smith in 2019, the paper mill in Rouen was founded in 1928 and was the first mill in France to produce lightweight recycled fluting used to manufacture corrugated board. The site also produces light, medium and dual-purpose papers for consumer goods and e-commerce packaging. 

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim