“ In the last 18 months , we have expanded capacities at our Greven plant , which is located in northern Germany ,” he details . “ This has made the facility perhaps the largest plant in terms of capacity for packaging production in the world . On the other hand , we also had to think about the supply of paper for these new capacities and , consequently , prepare the expansion of our paper mill in southern Poland .”

To offer some perspective on the scale Björn is working at , for these two projects alone , Schumacher Packaging budgeted an investment volume of around 250 million euros . About 100 million euros will be ploughed into the company ’ s paper mills to facilitate further expansion .

Sustainable solutions

With that growth comes exciting new products to benefit customers and the planet alike . “ We are currently working on a new series of paper bags for the e-commerce industry that are produced from 100 percent recycled paper ,” explains Björn . “ These bags are also completely CO ₂ neutral ; they are , as a result , much better for the environment .”

When it comes to product innovation such as this , Schumacher Packaging works very closely with its customers . The company aims to understand each business it collaborates with as best it can , which means addressing and understanding needs on a case-by-case basis . Though issues surrounding sustainability have influenced the process of new product development , Björn is keen to note that it is also a concern with regards to how the company runs its daily operations .

“ For us , like most , to save energy is already an economical need ,” he admits . “ Therefore , we have an energy management system installed , and have reaped the benefits for a long time . It will detect any possibilities for saving energy across our plants and then

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