In line with our commitment to continuous improvement, we have acquired the Papeleras del Arlanzón paper mill, located in Burgos, and as part of its relaunch we will implement an ambitious investment plan over the next three years, with a total value of 20 million euros.
We will also maintain the 48 direct jobs currently held by the Burgos-based company and will back young local talent in the new employment opportunities that will be created.
The acquisition of Papeleras del Arlanzón strengthens our Packaging Division, which already includes Ondupack, Cartonajes Extremadura, Murcia Cartón and Matías Gomá Tomás. This division will have the capacity to produce more than 250 million square metres of corrugated cardboard annually and around 170,000 tonnes of 100% recycled paper. Papeleras del Arlanzón will add its production to that of Matías Gomá Tomás, which already enjoys strong recognition in the packaging paper market. The director of Matías Gomá Tomás, Josep Maria Grau, will coordinate the activity of both plants: “We will enhance the synergies between the two companies to optimise costs, drawing on the knowledge and experience of the teams at both plants in order to maximise the quality and competitiveness of our products. The addition of Papeleras del Arlanzón will enable us to respond to our clients’ growing paper needs, further improving the flexibility and proximity that characterise our relationships.”
One of our objectives is for both plants to combine long-standing profiles with younger talent: “We work to be a benchmark in the sector, but also to create wealth and employment wherever we operate, which is why we will back highly experienced people while also offering opportunities to young people willing to bring new perspectives,” explains Josep Maria Grau.
Another milestone we will focus on is improving processes and machinery at Papeleras del Arlanzón: the pulp section, drying optimisation, energy efficiency and enhanced product performance are some of the main objectives. “Papeleras del Arlanzón has performed well over the past two years, reaching production of close to 40,000 tonnes of 100% recycled paper in 2021. We aim to drive growth of 40% over the next three years by producing higher-value, more specialised papers,” says Josep Maria Grau.
The core market for Papeleras del Arlanzón and Matías Gomá Tomás will continue to be the Iberian Peninsula and France, while further strengthening current export activity to other countries in very diverse regions of the world.