Taking Responsibility
Compliance with legal rules, regulations and standards is not enough for us - we want to go far beyond these. Since 2013, we have invested over € 200 million in new paper machines, and have made substantial investments in sustainable projects. This is why our kraft paper has the lowest air & water emissions and the lowest possible CO2-Footprint.
We only have one world, and we have to take good care of it! This said, we ensured when developing and building our paper machines, that only the most up to date technologies were included. We know for sure, that we achieve maximum efficiency with minimum energy input when producing our kraft paper.
Raw material from sustainable sources
Our raw materials originate from sustainable sources. Zellstoff Pöls AG is committed to exemplary forestry and abides by the requirements set down in the FSC® and PEFC ™ guidelines. With the implementation and maintenance of these guidelines all social, economic and ecological contributions to forest conservation are made.
FSC® und PEFC™ certified products on demand.
In 2018, around 79% of all wood used in Zellstoff Pöls AG came from Austrian forests.
The total timber turnover in 2017 for Austria was around 40 million cubic meters. From this figure, around 60% was used for energy generation i.e. burned to generate heat or electricity. Only 40% went to manufacture products for sawmill, board as well as for the pulp and paper industries. The portion of wood required for the pulp and paper industries is therefore quite low, when compared to the total wood consumption in Austria.
Certificates
At Zellstoff Pöls / Starkraft we have certified management systems for quality (ISO 9001), environment (ISO 14001), occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001) and PEFC ™ Chain of Custody. In addition, we have certificates of biodegradability/compostability and compliance for our paper products.
Shortest possible transport routes
At our mill in Pöls-Oberkurzheim, we produce ECF-bleached, long-fibre, sulphate pulp (Orion) and bleached kraft paper. (Starkraft). Due to the high resource and energy efficiency of the pulp manufacturing process, most of the energy needed for pulp and paper production is derived from the raw material wood. By integrating the paper machines into the overall process, the pulp in its liquid form, is pumped directly into the paper machines, which saves drying energy and transport costs.
In the past 14 years our mill has invested around € 650 million in order to increase production and increase energy efficiency, whilst complying with strict environmental regulations.
Making good use of synergies
The waste heat generated during pulp production is fed into a district heating network, which supplies heat to farms, public institutions and private households via an 18 km long pipeline route. The surplus electricity generated in the process, is fed into the public power grid and covers the energy requirements of around 10,000 households. These measures lead to a significant reduction of fossil CO2- emissions in the region, as originally energy generation used biogenic wood as a raw material.
In addition, important bio-chemicals such as tall oil and turpentine are produced at the site, which due to their natural origin, makes a further contribution to sustainability.
Clean water and perfect air quality
In our in-house efficient wastewater treatment plant, we clarify the wastewater from our production lines, as well as the wastewater from the surrounding areas. The cleaned water, in compliance with strict legal limits and requirements, is pumped back into the river Pöls
Our state-of-the-art combustion technologies and our efficient cleaning equipment ensure that exhaust emissions are well below regulatory limits.
A closed circuit production cycle
Top marks for resource efficiency are awarded to our sulphate pulp process that uses a closed circuit production. The chemicals necessary for the cooking of the wood and for the extraction of the fibres, are re-generated from the chemicals used in the liquor recovery production area.
This means that around 1.7 million m³ of cooking chemicals per year are never pumped into tank trucks and transported hundreds of kilometres by road, but are produced and consumed every second in the process, and never leave the factory. This leads to an indirect, substantial reduction of traffic.
Save the Rhinos
Save the Rhino
Our logo is a rhinoceros with wings, that symbolizes strength, power and extended possibilities. The "Flying Rhino" means a lot to us, and we feel committed to protect these animals - which are critically endangered. We therefore support various none-profit organizations in South Africa, who work hard for this endangered species.