Smurfit Kappa to Invest $100 Million in New Biomass Boiler at Its Paper Mill in Yumbo, Columbia

The new boiler will replace the fossil fuels currently used by the pulp and paper mill with different types of organic waste to generate cleaner energy.

Oct. 14, 2022 - Smurfit Kappa is investing almost USD 100 million in a sustainable biomass boiler to be installed at its Cali Mill in Yumbo, Columbia, which will reduce the company's global Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions by approximately 6%.

Smurfit Kappa noted that it has successfully implemented biomass boilers at several other locations including the Nervion, Piteå and Sangüesa paper mills in Europe.

The new boiler will replace the fossil fuels currently used by the pulp and paper mill with different types of organic waste to generate cleaner energy. The organic waste will be comprised of pine and eucalyptus bark from the company's own forestry plantations, waste from its wood treatment plant, and ashes and sludge generated during the paper-manufacturing process.

When the new boiler is operational, the mill will significantly reduce the site's fossil fuel usage and deliver significant cost savings.

"This investment reinforces our commitment to Colombia, a strategic growth market, and to our sustainability targets," said Laurent Sellier, CEO of Smurfit Kappa in the Americas. "The commissioning of this state-of-the-art biomass boiler is a further material step towards our 2030 and net zero emissions targets and to protecting the environment and creating a greener world."

The new boiler is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.

Smurfit Kappa Cali Mill

Smurfit Kappa Cali Mill manufactures bleached eucalyptus pulp and paper and board grades such as containerboard, sack paper, printing and writing, folding carton sheet board and coreboard.

Based in Dublin, Ireland, Smurfit Kappa is a leading producer of paper-based packaging with around 45,000 employees across 33 countries. To learn more, visit: www.smurfitkappa.com.

SOURCE: Smurfit Kappa