Announced last April, the takeover of British company DS Smith by American company International Paper was approved by the European Commission on January 24, 2025. However, this operation requires the divestment of five corrugated board plants in the European Union, three of which are located in France, more specifically in Normandy.
These sales concern the Ovar site in Portugal, the Bilbao site in Spain and, in Normandy, the Saint-Amand-Villages site in the Manche department, the Mortagne-au-Perche site in the Orne department and the Cabourg site in the Calvados department. International Paper still owns three cardboard mills in France, and Ds Smith around 30.
Birth of an international leader in cardboard packaging
The decision comes against a backdrop of strict regulation of the European market, where competition must be preserved. The International Paper Group, which produces corrugated board for packaging in various sectors (food, wine, fruit and vegetables, e-commerce, etc.), employs 40,000 people worldwide. DS Smith, present in thirty countries, employs 30,000.
"This combination will create a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions, focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions." underlines International Paper.
The new entity is expected to post sales of around $28 billion.
What impact will this have on employees and the regions of Normandy?
The three plants concerned employ nearly 300 people in total: around 150 at Saint-Amand-Villages, 120 at Mortagne-au-Perche and 35 at Cabourg.
International Paper says it would have preferred to keep these mills in its portfolio. The group is confident that it will find suitable buyers for these sites, which it describes as " attractive".
The three Normandy plants have been integrated into International Paper at different times. The Mortagne-au-Perche plant, which joined the group in 1970, is the oldest and largest in terms of production capacity. The Saint-Amand-Villages and Cabourg sites, meanwhile, were acquired from DS Smith in 2019, marking a milestone in the American group's European expansion strategy.
