In September 1998, the first sheets came off the production line at the Progroup’s corrugated sheetfeeder plant in Burg. It was the company’s third plant. The highly motivated team and innovative technology ensured that the PW03 corrugated sheetfeeder plant quickly became one of the most successful plants anywhere in Europe.
The 2.80 m wide corrugator machine delivered an operating speed of 350 metres per minute, producing an annual capacity of 130,000 tonnes – this was a technical first 25 years ago. And this site also featured another innovation: Burg was where the Progroup packaging park was born. It was the first time that one of the family company’s customers had established itself directly next to PW03. Progroup manufactures the corrugated board sheets and delivers them via a tunnel to the plant next door, where they are processed further to make packaging. Not only are the delivery times significantly shortened but also a considerable amount of CO2 emissions and freight costs are saved by the two companies through their closely interlinked logistics and production processes. Today Progroup follows this business model at most of its corrugated board sites – always with major, long-standing customers.
“Our PW03 corrugated sheetfeeder plant has been an important production site for us from day one,” says Maximilian Heindl, CEO of Progroup. “Over the last 25 years, we’ve experienced a great deal here and gradually evolved. We can look back on this success story with real pride – and we’ll continue it together. Thanks to and with our colleagues. This is because our commitment to innovation, technological leadership and sustainability is unwavering.” To mark this milestone together in a fitting way, a large anniversary celebration was held for all employees at the site and their families.
Burg: a strategically important site
Progroup not only has a corrugated sheetfeeder plant in Burg. In 2001, the family company also started operating its first paper machine there so that it could produce the containerboard required to make the sheets itself – and thus make itself less dependent on the volatile paper market. It was the fastest liner machine in the world at the time. A year later, the firm’s own logistics company started, also in Burg. It has since delivered the logistics between the paper mills, corrugated sheetboard plants and Progroup’s customers.
“For us, Burg is an essential part of our development as a business,” says Heindl. “We have a close affinity with this site, as much today as we did back then, and that’s also why we see our future being here.”
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