Fulda DS Smith plant celebrates its 50th anniversary

Outstandingly set up for the future

The DS Smith Packaging site in Fulda is known amongst its customers from the brand-name products industry for its attention-grabbing displays and innovative packaging solutions. For more than 50 years now these have been manufactured from the environmentally friendly basic material corrugated cardboard.

The Fulda plant was built in 1964 on the green meadow and was a part of the former Stabernack Group. In 2002 Gustav Stabernack sold his packaging plants, including the plant in Fulda, to the Swedish company SCA. Around 10 years later, in July 2012, the British packaging company DS Smith took over the entire packaging division of SCA and therefore also the plant in Fulda.

DS Smith is a leading international supplier of recyclable consumer packaging and employs around 21,500 people across 250 plants in 25 countries. The company has four business divisions: Paper, Packaging, Recycling and Plastics and has a strong market position on many markets. DS Smith is the second-largest manufacturer of corrugated cardboard products in Europe. In the region of Germany | Austria | Switzerland ( D-A-CH) around 2,870 people are employed in the Packaging Division on 25 sites, of which 300 employees are based in Fulda.

General Manager Steffen Hoßfeld and Achim Klapper, head of the corrugated cardboard system at the Fulda plant, are proud of the 58 metre drier of the corrugated cardboard system. It was installed and successfully commissioned in the anniversary year of 2014. 

High innovative capacity and the highest level of quality

Shortly after the plant's foundation in 1964 it already had a unique selling point: this was the location of the first flexo pre-printing machine in Europe. In this printing process the paper web, which later becomes the outer layer of the corrugated cardboard packaging, is relief printed in multi-colour. The result is a very high quality printed picture. Within DS Smith, the Fulda plant is the expert centre for flexo pre-printing in the D-A-CH region. Around 65 per cent of all products manufactured at the Fulda plant are printed using this technology. Flexo direct-printing is also used here, in which complete corrugated cardboard is printed directly onto. This, too, allows very visually striking print results to be achieved.

"As a full service packaging provider we develop tailor-made display and packaging solutions for our customers. Our biggest strength is that we are able to manufacture everything from the simplest to the highest quality packaging in Fulda," says Steffen Hoßfeld, who has been General Manager of the Fulda plant since January 2013. The constructive and creative design for this unique packaging is developed in our Design Center on site. "The creativity of our designers can be seen in the numerous packaging awards that we win, year in, year out. For example, in 2014 we won the “Goldene Welle” and the “WorldStar” for two corrugated cardboard displays for Nestlé." The notable customers of the Fulda plant include many major brand-name manufacturers such as Unilever, Nestlé, Henkell & Co. and Ritter Sport.

"A prerequisite for our success is that we live by our customer orientation and consistently deliver the highest level of quality to our customers," says Hoßfeld. This is why the Fulda plant is certified by DIN EN ISO 9001 (quality), DIN EN ISO 14001 (environment), OHSAS 18001 (work safety) and BRC-IoP, 'high hygiene risk' category. The Fulda site also has the Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC®) certification. The certification of the energy management system according to DIN EN ISO 50001 is imminent. General Manager Steffen Hoßfeld greeted the around 1,000 attending employees, along with their families and friends, who had accepted their invitations to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Major employer in the region

Many of the around 300 employees that work at the Fulda site today have been closely associated with the company for many years. And it is not uncommon for the next generation of a family to also be working at the Fulda plant. "Our highly qualified and motivated employees are our most important asset, for a company is only ever as good as its employees," says Hoßfeld. The DS Smith plant in Fulda is one of the largest employers in the region and puts emphasis on training and further education. "Our trainee rate is at more than 10 per cent. Those who begin their education/training or dual studies with us have the best prospects for the future."

Innovations prepare for the future

The Fulda plant has implemented comprehensive investments in this business year. This includes the installation of a new drier for the corrugated cardboard system. At around 120 metres in length, it is the largest machine in the plant. "For us it was like open heart surgery, as the corrugated cardboard system is our central machine," says Hoßfeld. "In order to fit the new, 58 metre machine part we had a very strict and detailed project plan. Over the period in which the machine had to be completely switched off for several days, we relied on the corrugated cardboard production of our sister plants in order to be able to continue to deliver to our customers as seamlessly as possible." After having overcome the teething problems, the corrugated cardboard system now runs faster and produces more, higher quality output. For temporary storage of the corrugated cardboard and to optimise the material flow in the plant, a 2,000 m² hall was constructed. Further upcoming investments will flow into the die-cutting and adhesion area. Meaning by the end of October a new die-cutter will be constructed, with a central component weighing 52 tonnes – construction in a working operation is a logistical challenge. Further investments are also planned for the 2015/2016 business year. "These investments allow us to continue to increase our quality for our customers, secure the Fulda site and ensure we are even better prepared for the future," says Hoßfeld.

Anniversary party for employees

In order to befittingly celebrate the 50th anniversary, an open day took place in October for all employees as well as their families and friends. Around 1,000 people accepted the invitation and took the opportunity to take a closer look at the plant. The new logistics hall was quickly transformed into a festival hall. An entertainment package for young and old as well as comprehensive hospitality rounded off the eventful day.

The entertainment package for young and old as well as plant tours were amongst the highlights of the day for many visitors.