Finland-headed forest industry major Ahlstrom-Munksjö Oyj has announced that it will invest into new production capacity at its Saint Severin plant in France. The total investment is approximately EUR 6.7 million and includes installing a new parchmentizer line as well as the building for the line and a warehouse at the site
According to a statement, the investment will meet the growing demand for Genuine Vegetable Parchment (GVP) products used mainly in baking and cooking papers as well as in other food packaging solutions. The project will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s GVP papers made out of 100 percent cellulose fibres with no chemical additives and most of its variants are biodegradable and home compostable. They offer optimal release, greaseproof and heat resistance properties, making them ideal for baking and cooking applications in both professional and domestic use.
The company says that the market for GVP products is estimated to grow around 3 – 4 percent annually. The Saint Severin plant, located in southwestern France, is part of Ahlstrom-Munksjö Specialties business area. Its main products include food and beverage packaging materials and it employs around 140 people.
