Amcor opens $500m recycled paper mill

Construction of the new facility commenced in 2011, creating more than 800 jobs throughout the project.

Nigel Garrard, managing director of Amcor Australasia and Packaging Distribution says that the investment of over $500m has brought world-leading technology to the Australasian market.

Garrard says, “This is the most sophisticated recycled paper making machine in Australasia. It produces high-quality 100 per cent recycled brown paper that is stronger, more consistent and has an improved colour for our customers.”

Barry O?Farrell says, “The NSW Government understands that a modern manufacturing industry is crucial to a strong economy. I thank Amcor for making this significant investment in manufacturing in NSW – the largest single capital investment in the company’s 144 year history.”

Amcor says packaging innovation is critical to many of its customers as they search for new ways to differentiate their product in highly competitive FMCG markets.

Garrard says, “The ability to reduce the weight of the paper over time, while maintaining its strength, gives us opportunities to partner with our customers to create packaging innovations that are simply not possible today. We will be able to offer boxes, for instance, with the same quality and strength, but with less weight.”

The B9 paper machine, named as it is the ninth paper machine to operate at the company’s Botany site, will produce more than 400,000 tonnes of paper annually when operating at full capacity and will deliver significant environmental benefits.

Garrard says, “This state-of-the-art recycled paper machine replaces three older machines aged between 43-52 years, reducing water consumption by 26 per cent, energy usage by 34 per cent and the amount of waste sent to landfill by 75 per cent.”

Garrard thanked the premier and the NSW Government, global pulp and paper engineering group Metso, and the Company’s customers for their support.

“This complex project would not have been possible without the support of many of Amcor Australasia?s important business stakeholders, I now look forward to working with our customers to realise the full potential of this state-of-the-art machine,” concludes Garrard.

The B9 machine is the argest and most innovative recycled paper machine of its kind in Australasia. When operating at full capacity, the B9 machine produces 400,000 tonnes of paper annually and produces 1.6 kilometres of paper every minute. The machine is 330 metres long, and 22 metres high and its reels of paper weigh up to 47 tonnes and measure approximately 5.7 metres in diameter.

Amcor has a long history in paper making dating back to 1868 when Samuel Ramsden founded the company?s first paper mill – The Melbourne Mill – on the banks of the Yarra River. The Botany Paper Mill, which is located near the shores of Botany Bay in Sydney, Australia, commenced operation in 1902 with two paper machines. Since this time, a further seven machines have been commissioned on site, the most recent of these being B9.

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