Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

art paper mill in King’s Lynn, creating 150 long-term permanent jobs. The intention is to employ local people, offering apprenticeships, training and education in all aspects of paper making and operating the mill.

Palm chose a 100-acre brownfield site in King’s Lynn after a UK-wide search.

Managing director Derek Harman described the move as “a very exciting development for Palm Paper.”

He added: “We are currently the largest family-owned paper company in Germany, employing 2,600 staff across our paper mills and corrugated box plants. We looked at many sites across

the UK and King’s Lynn came out top of the list, because the project was welcomed and it fits well with our logistics for the target pressrooms we aim to serve.”

The new plant will house one of the largest and most advanced paper machines in the world – 10.5 metres wide with a capacity to produce 400,000 tonnes of newsprint.

Leading-edge technology combined with the utilisation of 100 per cent recycled fibres ensures optimum results are achieved in terms of newsprint quality whilst also being environmentally friendly.

Currently more than 50 per cent of the wastepaper collected in the UK is being exported for other countries to turn it into paper products, some of which finds it’s way back to the UK. Using

the raw material locally will reduce the necessity to export wastepaper and at the same time newsprint imports will be reduced. Consequently this will have a significant impact on carbon emissions.

The site, which is located off Saddlebow Road between Lynn Power Station and the Norfolk Arena, was chosen so that the plant did not impact on the resident community. It has a County Wildlife area situated between the site and the A47, which will be protected in the development proposals and

reviews will take place to determine possibilities to improve and extend this area for natural habitats.

It was acquired from Morston Assets who have been involved in a large house-building project as part of the Nar-Ouse Regeneration Area (NORA) and it is envisaged that local residents will be employed in the mill.

James Gray, chief executive, East of England International, added: “This is a great coup for Norfolk and for the East of England.”

EEI, the region’s official international business support agency and the Borough Council of King’s

Lynn and West Norfolk have been working closely with Palm Paper to assist the process, including introductions to regional organisations, identifying a site for the development and working with the landowners Morston Assets to secure the investment.

Councillor Nick Daubney, Leader of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk commented: “We are delighted that Palm Paper has chosen King’s Lynn as the preferred site for its first manufacturing operation in the UK. The proposed operation represents the largest single private sector investment in the Borough for many years and the company will further

enhance the reputation of King’s Lynn as a first class manufacturing location.”

Established in 1872, The Palm Group currently comprises three paper mills and 16 box plants with an annual turnover of £500 million. It is the largest privately owned paper company in Germany, employing 2,600 staff.

The Group is run by Wolfgang Palm who joined the company in 1982 as the fourth generation of the family.