Major Milestone Reached at Kemsley Paper Mill
We’re excited to share that the 'F-Line Project' at our Kemsley paper mill has reached a significant milestone, with the completion of the main building for our new fibre preparation plant.
The F-line (fibre-preparation line) will supply high-quality recycled fibre to PM3 - our highly versatile paper machine capable of producing white top testliner, paperboard liner, and a range of other corrugated case material (CCM) grades.
This project represents a major investment in the future of Kemsley, with a total value of £48 million. With the main structure now in place, the next phase will focus on the instillation of the electrical suite that will control the fibre preparation process. This included fitting new process equipment, electrical caballing (enough to stretch an impressive 77Km end-to-end), and extensive piping to integrate all plant systems.
The new plant will be centrally managed from our existing NSP control room but will also feature a dedicated on-site operator station to support local operations.
Importantly, the F-line is a cornerstone in supporting DS Smith’s Now and Next sustainability strategy. Once operational, the system will significantly enhance resource efficiently, maximising material recovery from recycling processes while reducing both water and energy usage.
The environmental impact is substantial:
- Over 6,000 tonnes of C02 emissions will be avoided annually – supporting our goal to reduce Scope 1,3 and 3 greenhouse has emissions by 46% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels
- Waste reduction of 39,000 tonnes per year brings us closer to our ambition of optimising every fibre for every supply chain, and ultimately achieving zero waste to landfill
- Freshwater usage will fall by 50,000m3 each year – that’s the equivalent of 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools
This is not only a significant technical achievement but also a clear reflection of the progress we’re making in modernising our operations and driving greater environmental performance across the business.