Research and development centers have been springing up like mushrooms in recent weeks. After the stationers DS Smith , Fedrigoni and even french printer Riccobono paper and packaging manufacturer Saica inaugurated its R&D and innovation center. The Spanish group also presented its guests with its new reel warehouse, said to be one of the most advanced in the world.
Research and innovation for all Saica activities
Located at the El Burgo de Ebro plant in Spain, the R&D&I center works for the group's four divisions - the manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated board (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), the production of corrugated board packaging (Saica Pack) and the production of flexible packaging (Saica Flex).
The mission of these fifty employees is to develop new products, optimize the use of raw materials and offer materials and process characterization services to the entire Group.
The new center will also study decarbonization in order to reduce Saica's carbon footprint and achieve zero landfill waste at the Group's plants worldwide. The building's air-conditioning is based on geothermal energy and active heat recovery.
Saica has equipped it with various laboratories and the same software tools used in the automotive and aeronautics sectors. These will enable Saica to select the best papers for its corrugated boxes, in order to reconcile strength, weight and use of raw materials.
The 4,000 m 2 also houses a collaborative space open to customers.
ALMAUT, the 16-storey coil warehouse
On the same day, the 10,000-strong Spanish group also inaugurated ALMAUT (for Almacén Automatizado de bobinas de papel), its new automated warehouse for paper reels.
Measuring 240 metres long, 45 metres wide and 35 metres high, the building has 16 storeys, representing 60 kilometers of horizontal shelving.
With its storage capacity of over 60,000 tonnes of paper (26,000 reels), it will store the production of the three paper machines at the El Burgo paper mill.
This automated warehouse will enable Saica to react more quickly to market changes and customer demands.
Saica Group President Ramón Alejandro said: "As we reach our 80th birthday, the company maintains in its DNA the spirit of innovation demonstrated by its founders in 1943. With these two inaugurations, we continue to build for the future."
