Progroup demonstrates how consistent recycling can succeed at its site in Brandenburg. The company does not just manufacture sustainable recyclable papers at this site; the fact that it has its own waste-to-energy power plant results in a completely zero-waste concept. State Premier Dietmar Woidke was impressed to see this during his visit.
Left to right: State Premier Dietmar Woidke and Maximilian Heindl, CEO, Progroup.
“As a family company, we have an obligation to the generations to come. This is why we aspire to handle resources responsibly,” says Maximilian Heindl, CEO, Progroup. “This is reflected both in our sustainable papers and the way they are produced.”
Progroup relies on innovative high-tech machines to manufacture products in an extremely eco-friendly and efficient way. Brandenburg’s State Premier saw this for himself during a guided tour of the paper factory. The energy required for papermaking is supplied from the waste-to-energy power plant next door. It thermally utilises what are known as rejects – waste materials from paper production and also from industry – and then supplies PM2 with all the hot steam it needs. The power plant also produces electricity. The amount of electricity produced is equivalent to roughly 50% of the power that PM2 requires. This allows Progroup to reduce the use of fossil fuels and save a lot of CO2.
“In the current situation, where we are facing exponential rises in energy costs and debates about a premature move away from coal, it is once again evident that we urgently need sustainable solutions that will give us an independent energy supply and also help us to make progress when it comes to climate change,” says Woidke. “With the pioneering zero-waste concept here at this site, Progroup is making an important contribution to this.”
The company has operated its PM2 paper factory in Eisenhüttenstadt since 2010. The power plant started operating one year later. A total of €750m were invested in the two projects and the company created around 200 state-of-the-art jobs. “This makes Progroup a strong economic force and a great asset for the region,” concludes the State Premier.
