Saica Group inaugurates its biomass boiler in Champblain-Laveyron: a key milestone in the site's energy transition

● Saica Group, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of recycled paper for corrugated cardboard and sustainable packaging solutions, inaugurated the new biomass boiler at its Saica Paper site in Champblain-Laveyron (France) on Friday 19 September. This installation marks a strategic milestone in the company's industrial and environmental modernisation project.

With this biomass boiler, Saica takes a decisive step toward positioning its Champblain-Laveyron site as a European benchmark in energy efficiency and environmental performance. Following similar installations in Venizel and Nogent-sur-Seine, this is the third Saica site in France to adopt this technology.

The biomass used in the boiler consists mainly of end-of-life wood recovered locally within an average radius of less than 100 km. This choice illustrates the Group's commitment to integrating its activity into a circular economy approach, a key pillar of Saica's business core aimed at extending resource lifecycles and minimising environmental impact.

Environmental impact in line with the Group's ambitions

Supported by ADEME as part of the 2019 BCIAT (Biomass Heat Industry Agriculture and Tertiary) programme, the installation of this biomass boiler at the Champblain-Laveyron site plays a central role in the process of manufacturing paper from materials previously sent to a technical landfill site. It supplies the steam required to dry the paper. 

Designed to produce renewable energy, this equipment replaces the former natural gas boiler that was originally in place, significantly reducing the site's carbon footprint and addressing the challenges posed by fossil fuel crisis.

This installation is designed to generate renewable energy with a view to:

• Reduce fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 60%.

• Reduce natural gas consumption by 77%.

• Reduce the amount of paper by-products sent to landfill by 90% through recovery (zero-waste-to-landfill goal), with 83% recovered directly on site.

• Consolidate ISO 50001 certification (Energy Management).

Saica's biomass boiler will enable the recovery of 105,000 tonnes of end-of-life wood and 50,000 tonnes of by-products from paper manufacturing each year. 

"We are especially proud to celebrate this inauguration in France. This country holds a central place in the history and growth of the Saica Group. With over 2,300 employees across 21 sites and annual turnover exceeding €1 billion, we are honoured to be the leading player in the market in France. This presence demonstrates not only the importance of France to our group, but also our long-term commitment to a country full of opportunity.

The inauguration of the Champblain biomass boiler is both an industrial milestone and a strategic commitment. It represents a significant step forward in our decarbonisation journey. The Champblain industrial modernisation plan, which involves an investment of €174 million, demonstrates that it is possible to enhance the international and sustainable competitiveness of our sites while creating local value: reducing environmental impact, improving worker safety, ensuring job stability, and delivering increased quality and better service to our customers." - Susana Alejandro, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Saica Group.

About the Saica Group

The Saica Group offers sustainable paper solutions for the manufacture of corrugated cardboard and packaging, promoting circularity in waste management. With more than 12,000 employees and a presence in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and the United States, the Saica Group has four business lines: the manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated cardboard (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), corrugated packaging production (Saica Pack) and flexible packaging (Saica Flex). The group's turnover is €3.7 billion (consolidated sales as of 31 December 2024).