Greif’s Paper Packaging and Services (PPS) business has announced two significant investments in its recycling operations to support its growth strategy in sustainable paper packaging solutions.
A new 81,000-square-foot paper recycling facility for collecting, processing, and baling has opened in Florence, Kentucky, bringing Greif’s total number of recycling facilities across North America to 19.
In addition, Greif has more than doubled the size of its paper fiber recycling plant in Nashville, Tennessee, to enhance efficiency and support accelerated growth. The expanded facility covers a floor space of 72,000 square feet.
Both plants are located in areas where demand for a collection of waste fiber and the supply of recycled paper and board is experiencing continued growth.
“These exciting projects will help strengthen Greif’s PPS division and are an important part of our investment strategy. Together they are expected to grow Greif’s fiber basket by more than 5,000 tons per month. The paper fiber recycling plants are located near Greif-operated paperboard mills and other containerboard and recycled paper product manufacturers, and where greater growth opportunities are possible,” explained John Grinnell, Vice President and General Manager of the Recycling Group at Greif. “By positioning capacity closer to our suppliers and customers, we can better support their sustainability targets while aligning with our own environmental goals.”
Greif‘s paper fiber recycling facilities offer complete outsourcing solutions for pulp and paper fiber procurement, transportation, and administration. Approximately 50 percent of the fiber Greif collects through its recycling business is used to supply Greif’s containerboard mills, where the paper bales are made into various grades of recycled paperboard and containerboard. The remainder is sold to other US and international producers of recycled paper products.
Greif’s Industrial Products Group converts these rolls and sheets from the Greif paper mill into finished paper products and packaging, including corrugated boxes, tubes and cores, and other various paperboard products.
Due to its integrated capabilities, Greif holds a central position in the paper recycling industry and operates as a net-positive recycler.
Since acquiring Caraustar Industries in 2019, Greif ‘s PPS division now has 19 paper fiber recycling facilities. PPS also operates 14 paper mills, and between its other business units, Core Choice, IPG, and Adhesives, it has more than 40 facilities across North America.