“The last twelve months have been characterized by challenges in the markets that demanded all our flexibility and resilience,” summarizes Sebastian Heinzel in the annual report of the pulp and paper producers that he has carried out. In 2023 and 2024 he mentions “two difficult years”. However, the Heinzel group did not stop this from a renovation of several millions of dollars in Laakirchen (Upper Austria).
The need for paper for catalogs and advertising brochures has been taken this is nothing new for the Heinzel group. Eight years ago the first paper machine was converted into Laakirchen, where products have since been produced that are required for corrugated cardboard boxes. “Such a conversion of a paper machine costs more than 100 million euros, which is huge investments,” said boss Sebastian Heinzel of the “Krone” in June 2023, when the planning for the reorganization of the second paper machine at the location was already in full swing.
Production has been active since 1 April
The project has also been put into practice in recent months. The SO -Called “PM11”, as the second facility in Laakirchen is called, was also rebuilt. Costs: 140 million euros. The new facility is now one of the most advanced in Europe, you know. The capacities for sustainable packaging documents have been expanded thanks to this step: April 1 is made on this system.
What are the corrugated cardboard raw papers from Laakirchen made from recycling fibers? You will be processed for shipping packaging and you can also be used in the industry, for example in the food, furniture and consumer goods industry. Food packaging can also be produced.
According to the motto “A system rarely comes alone”, other building activities were carried out in parallel: a new system for fiber preparation of waste paper and a new warehouse for waste paper were also built. The family business has also installed another waste water cleaning system, which considerably increases biogas production at the Laakirchen location.
The Heinzel Group, which has also been part of the work in Steyrermühl since 1 January, generated the turnover of 2.16 billion euros in the previous year-that meant an easy plus compared to the year before. The profit before the tax dropped to 15.7 million euros, the financial result was minus 13.3 million euros. The investments were estimated in 2024 by 107.8 million euros. “Last year we again demonstrated robustness and resilience in a challenging environment,” says Chief Sebastian Heinzel, who refers to the challenge of high energy costs: “They remain the energy -intensive industries such as ours.”
The Heinzel group is one of the most important pulp and paper producers in Central and Eastern Europe. It treats pulp, paper, waste paper and packaging solutions and employees on average around 2730 employees in the previous year. At the end of 2024, the operation of the paper factory was closed in Rabling/Germany.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
