The Client
DS Smith is a leading provider of corrugated packaging in Europe and operates in 25 countries, employing around 20,000 people worldwide. The company offers integrated solutions that serve the entire Paper Supply Cycle.
DS Smith operates mills located in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands producing 2.6 million tonnes of paper annually. All of their products are made of recycled fibres and are 100% recyclable.
By continually investing in the latest papermaking technologies, DS Smith are able to produce the highest quality recycled paper.
The Challenge
DS Smith were looking for an innovative and efficient way to recycle ‘ragger ropes’, part of the paper recycling process at its Kent recovered paper mill at Kemsley, Nr Sittingbourne Kent, the 2nd largest such mill in Europe. The ragger ropes are a continuous process waste and the only option previously available has been to take them to landfill for disposal.
Ragger rope, also known as ‘pulper tail’, is a by-product of the paper pulping process. It consists of bale wire, which is continually pulled through the pulper to remove contaminants from the paper stream such as plastic and metal. The ragger ropes also gather a significant quantity of paper fibre which DS Smith were very keen to recover for re-use in the paper making process.
DS Smith Kemsley Mill, Kent produces approximately 12,000 tonnes per annum of ragger rope and a further 29,000 tonnes of plastic waste combined with fibre.