Company consolidates its position as the leading supplier of corrugated board packaging in north and northeast Brazil
 

Horizonte, March 6, 2023 – Klabin, Brazil's largest producer and exporter of packaging paper and the leading producer of paperboard, corrugated board packaging and industrial bags, has started operating the new corrugator at its corrugated board packaging production unit located in Horizonte, Ceará. The machine, acquired specifically for the mill expansion project, boasts very high productivity and will be the Company’s most modern machine, bringing competitive strength to the value chain. It will also play an important role in expanding the unit’s capacity, which will reach 100,000 tons annually.

The Company, which already has a strong presence in the fruit, footwear, electronics, food and carton markets in northeast Brazil, foresees growth in these segments, and the new corrugator is a key driver of Klabin’s expansion plans for the region, which will produce corrugated boards from which packages are made. The new equipment is in line with the industry 4.0 premises, operating 420 meters per minute (which is above current market standards), can operate autonomously and is equipped with sensors that perform automatic reading and correction. It also features important sustainability attributes, such as lower waste generation and lower consumption of energy and steam.

“The operational startup of the corrugator significantly increases Klabin’s capacity to supply to Brazil’s north and northeast regions. The startup comes at an ideal time to better supply our clients during the next fruit harvest in the second half of the year,” explained Douglas Dalmasi, Director of the Packaging Business at Klabin.

In operation since 2020, the Horizonte Unit is located in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza and the expansion of its production capacity is part of Klabin’s current growth cycle. “Brazil’s northeast region is strategically important for our operation and this mill, specifically, offers us excellent logistics alternatives, thanks to its proximity to the state capital and the Port of Pecém,” said Dalmasi.
 
Growth cycle in constant evolution

Klabin is in the midst of the biggest expansion cycle in its 120-year history, making important investments in capacity expansion and deploying innovative and sustainable technologies in its operations. Besides expanding the Horizonte Unit, the Company is moving ahead with its investments of R$342 million in special and expansion projects announced in 2021, bringing new printing and conversion technologies, and building a new corrugated board mill in Piracicaba in the interior region of São Paulo. These investments enabled the Company to increase its corrugated board production capacity from 1,050 tons to 1,300 tons.


                                                                  Horizonte Unit in Ceará

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