DS Smith, Brussels, Belgium, has acquired the remaining 50% of Italian recycling company Italmaceri Srl (Italmaceri). DS Smith acquired its existing 50% of Italmaceri as part of the acquisition of SCA Packaging in 2012.

 

Italmaceri is the second largest recycling company in Italy, handling in excess of 500,000 metric tpy of recovered fiber. Its headquarters are in Torino, wand its operations are in Ancona, Casarile, and Novara.

 

Miles Roberts, CEO of DS Smith said that "the purchase of Italmaceri is consistent with DS Smith's strategy to lead the way in recycling. It builds on our market leading position in Europe and will allow us to grow our closed loop recycling model in Italy, where we already have packaging and paper operations. We want to provide our customers not only with excellent packaging, and a world class recycling service, but solutions to all elements of their supply cycle."

 

The Italian recovered fiber market is the fourth largest in Europe, but has a recycling rate of 63.3%, lower than the European average of 71.7%. This offers potential for DS Smith to target and grow volumes through the commercial/industrial (including retail, wholesale, and manufacturing and municipal markets. The company will be building on existing market and geographic presence to roll out to a wider base.

 

Peter McGuinness, chief executive of DS Smith Recycling Division, said that "this is another exciting chapter within our European growth strategy. The recovered fiber from Italmaceri will secure a fiber supply stream for our recycling network, including the DS Smith paper mill at Lucca. We have taken the opportunity to invest further in an innovative business that will help deliver our vision—the power of less, which helps our customers achieve more, with minimal impact to the environment, while realizing maximum efficiency and cost gains."

 

As the largest fiber recycler in Europe, DS Smith recovers some 5.4 million metric tons of paper and packaging annually for recycling. Recovered packaging (and other fiber grades) provide the raw materials used in production by the group's papermaking operations.