Seeking to meet the challenges of the climate crisis and regulatory changes, Smurfit Westrock is investing in its manufacturing network, accelerating decarbonization and working directly with its customers to build on its business in France. Andrew Coffey, CEO at Smurfit Westrock France, tells us more in this edition of the Spotlight.
In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable the importance of strong local manufacturing has never been clearer. In our industry, the challenges of climate change and regulatory change have hastened the need to adapt.
Our customers therefore need partners they can depend on more than ever, supply chains need resilience, and sustainable growth requires long-term thinking. Here in France, those priorities are shaping the decisions we make every day. That’s why we continue to invest in innovation, technology and infrastructure, ensuring we remain well positioned to support our customers and communities for years to come.
Strengthening our network
One of the clearest examples of that commitment is our recently announced €600 million investment programme, which will be delivered over the next three to five years. This long-term investment will strengthen our manufacturing network, modernize key facilities, accelerate decarbonization and enhance our ability to serve customers across France and Europe.
Several major projects form part of this programme. These include a €40 million expansion and modernization of our Épernay facility, a further €20 million investment in our advanced corrugated plant in Vernon, and more than €100 million of investment across multiple projects at our Facture paper mill, including the installation of an evaporation plant.
Together, these projects will improve efficiency, increase capacity and support our strategy for the future.
Resilience, adaptability and sustainability
A key part of our approach is ensuring that the facilities producing sustainable packaging are themselves operating sustainably. France is already home to four of Smurfit Westrock’s net zero plants and an almost fully decarbonized paper mill, demonstrating the significant progress we have made in reducing the environmental impact of our operations.
These changes have been put in perspective by the wildfires that affected Europe this past summer – with some occurring very close to facilities in the south of France. Reducing our impact and protecting our colleagues, enabling them to work safely and effectively when challenging conditions arise, is essential to our success.
For me, these improvements represent more than an environmental milestone. They show that manufacturing excellence and sustainability can go hand in hand, creating a strong foundation for future growth while helping us meet the expectations of our customers and wider society.
Our customers at the heart
Ultimately, every investment we make is about serving our customers better. These projects help create a stronger, more reliable supply network for the long term, reinforcing our ability to deliver high-quality packaging solutions consistently, efficiently and at scale.
At the same time, reliability doesn’t come at the expense of innovation. Across France, we continue to run Better Planet Packaging days, working directly with customers to showcase our solutions, share insights on emerging trends and regulatory developments, and explore the best path forward in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Customers can also visit one of our six Experience Centres located across the country. These centres provide access to a complete suite of innovation tools, in-house expertise and collaborative workshops, enabling rapid prototyping, data-driven insights and immersive customer experiences that help accelerate speed to market, increase operational efficiency and enhance value.
A bright future
These are exciting times for Smurfit Westrock in France. At a time when others are scaling back in the market, I am proud that we continue to invest in our facilities and, just as importantly, in our talented people.
These investments are strengthening our capacity, capability and flexibility, ensuring we can meet our customers’ needs today while building a more sustainable and resilient future for the years ahead.
This content was sponsored by Smurfit Westrock.
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