Report: DS Smith to upgrade U.K.-based Kemsley recycled paper mill

European paper and packaging company DS Smith reportedly is investing about $60 million in a new fiber preparation line at its Kemsley recycled paper mill in southeast England, an investment the company says will deliver returns through “improved efficiency and reduced costs,” according to Packaging Europe.

The new fiber preparation line, known as F-line, will benefit the company’s PM3 paper machine, which produces white top test liner, plasterboard liner and other corrugated case materials, and the report also notes a drum pulping and screening system to “more efficiently” separate contaminants from fiber also will be installed as part of this initiative.

London-based DS Smith is promoting the investment as part of its “Now & Next” sustainability strategy and says the technological enhancement is expected to “significantly” improve the quality of recycled fiber used in production and, by extension, its finished products, as well as reduce water usage, energy consumption and CO₂ emissions by more than 6,000 tons annually.

The Kemsley mill is the largest recycled paper mill in the United Kingdom and the second-largest in Europe. It has an annual production capacity of 840,000 tons.

Over the past several years, DS Smith has made numerous investments in its Kemsley mill.

In May 2023, the company signed a contract with Swedish technology company ABB to upgrade its distributed control system and paper machine drives across its PM3, PM4 and PM6 machines. It also purchased 10 automated guide vehicles in August 2022 to “increase sustainability and efficiency” as the vehicles perform tasks like collecting and storing reels.

The announcement of the Kemsley investment comes on the heels of fellow U.K.-based paper and packaging company Mondi preparing for a potential bid to acquire DS Smith.

Mondi announced the potential bid in mid-February and, at the time, said the combination of its own assets with those of DS Smith is well-positioned to benefit from structural growth trends in sustainable packaging.

Mondi operates six containerboard mills globally, including facilities in Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa and Turkey, while DS Smith operates 10 paper and board mills across Europe and two U.S. mills in Georgia and Pennsylvania.