Progroup lays the foundation for its own energy supply

Conserve resources in production to embrace a consistent circular economy – this is what Progroup aspires to do. With this in mind, the manufacturer of containerboard and corrugated board sheets is continuing to develop its operating facilities to create zero-waste sites. This is now also happening at the Sandersdorf-Brehna site.

Progroup is constructing a new waste-to-energy plant at this site. But more than that: “Strictly speaking, what we are building here is not just a single power plant,” says Maximilian Heindl, Progroup’s Chief Executive Officer, in his opening speech to mark the laying of the foundation stone. “We’re implementing an integrated circular economy concept.”

In combination with the PM3 paper mill next door, the new power plant will deliver an additional saving of around 80,000 t of CO₂ each year. The new plant will achieve this by utilising waste materials from the company’s own paper production and the region and turning them into resource-friendly energy. The energy that is produced will then be reused in the paper mill.

“Progroup is renowned for leading the way on innovations. This paper mill is another impressive example of this. By adding the power plant, the company is once again implementing an impressive, pioneering concept that will deliver a real benefit. Not just for this site, but for the whole region,” praised Dr. Jürgen Ude, Secretary of State at the State Chancellery and Ministry of Culture of Saxony-Anhalt, at the foundation stone laying ceremony. He conveyed his best wishes on behalf of State Premier Dr. Reiner Haseloff.

Successful evolution

Progroup always constructs its new plants on “greenfield” sites. This allows the company to continuously perfect its whole system from one project to the next. The projects in Saxony-Anhalt also bear testament to this: In 2001 Progroup integrated a closed water cycle into its first paper machine in Burg – a world first at the time. Ten years later, the company started operating its first waste-to-energy plant at its paper mill in Eisenhüttenstadt, Brandenburg. At its third paper machine in Sandersdorf-Brehna, Progroup is now combining these successful models. Together with the waste-to-energy plant, Progroup will in future complete the material cycle, generate its own resource-friendly energy and create a zero-waste site in the process. The power plant is expected to start operating at the end of 2025.

“To protect our planet from a climate catastrophe, we need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels and as a society open up a new chapter in conserving resources,” says Heindl. “As a family company, we feel a particular responsibility to take action. We’re living up to this by viewing this challenge as an opportunity to embrace new innovations – and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We want to become even more efficient, independent and sustainable.”