Paper, International

Photo courtesy of Grupo Gondi

Grupo Gondi ramps up containerboard mill

COVID-19 caused delays, but Mexico City-based Grupo Gondi has reported that its new 400,000-metric-tons-per-year containerboard mill, fed with scrap paper, began producing its first rolls in January.

An early February article by Fastmarkets RISI notes the firm produced its first reel Jan. 5. The new Grupo Gondi mill and paper machine will make “lightweight linerboard and medium,” according to RISI.

The article also quotes Grupo Gondi CEO Eduardo Posada as saying, “Despite the challenges we faced due to COVID-19, we are going to market in a very favorable moment, when we see increased demand and lack of supply.”

He says much of the board produced likely will be sold in Mexico, but exports to the U.S., South America and China have been explored.

In a late January news release announcing the mill’s startup, Posada says, “With this new paper mill, we will be [able to produce] more than 1 million tons of recycled paper per year, [adding] the component of lightweight paper, balancing the equation between paper and packaging to become totally integrated.”

On its website, Grupo Gondi says it has seven mills in total, including a large complex in Guadalajara.