The company also announced that it had appointed paper industry stalwart, Joe Foster, as its chief executive officer and John O’Connor as marketing director.
Foster was previously managing director of paper merchant Edwards Dunlop Paper and prior to that, was managing director and chief executive officer of office products supplier, Corporate Express.
O’Connor has extensive experience in supply chain focussed operational and senior executive roles in
Australia, Europe and North Asia. Most recently he was director of Supply Chain for PMP Limited, Australia’s largest printing and digital premedia business.
Swanbank Paper director, Sam Winston Smith, says the announcements were significant milestones in the development of the Ipswich facility, which will produce around 400,000 tonnes of coated fine paper a year and employ about 250 people once it is operational.
“To my knowledge, this is the first EIS approval for greenfield white paper manufacture in Australia in over 50 years, which is a great achievement”, Winston Smith says. “The addition of Joe Foster to our team is also fantastic news. He brings vast paper industry knowledge and experience with him, which will give us an upper hand when it comes to the many opportunities that are open to us.
“John O’Connor’s experience in leading teams to ensure both effective implementation of manufacturing technology and optimal supply chain management will ensure a close focus on meeting the needs of the market”.
Australia and New Zealand together currently consume about 400,000 tonnes of coated fine paper each year and about 330,000 tonnes is imported.
“The paper industry has a strong future in Australia and I’m excited to be joining a company that is dedicated to developing the most efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly paper mill in Australia”, says Foster. “This is a growing market and the construction of Swanbank Paper means the Australian economy will save up to $450 million a year in import costs. It will also give us the potential to establish a strong export industry to meet rapidly increasing demand in the Asia-Pacific region”.
The manufacturing facility, which the Queensland government has declared a project of state significance, will be located on 35 hectares at the proposed 2,200 hectare Swanbank Enterprise Park in Ipswich, which is 50 km west of the Port of Brisbane.
Modern technology supplied by Finnish firm, Metso Paper will enable the facility to produce a world-class product that will be internationally cost competitive and environmentally friendly. Tasmania’s Wesley Vale mill is the only other producer of coated fine paper in Australia and currently produces about 68,000 tonnes a year.
“With bankable feasibility and pre-engineering studies already completed and now with EIS approval, we are confident we will quickly secure the financial support needed to begin construction of the plant”, Foster says. “Indicative support for the project from the financial community is good and we expect competitive funding to be secured within the next six months”.
Construction of the facility is expected to take about two years to complete with a peak construction force of 850 people.
The EIS was subject to an extensive community consultation process with a broad range of stakeholders. An important part of Swanbank Paper’s plan is to develop a local training and employment programme in partnership with Ipswich City Council and local education institutions with the aim of maximising local involvement in the project.
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