Faced with a year 2024 marked by pressure on production costs and market consolidation, La Rochette Cartonboard, based in Valgelon-La-Rochette, Savoie, is announcing a three-pronged ramp-up. And the mill, which specializes in the manufacture of virgin fiberboard, has made its intentions clear with the plan it has christened Towards New Heights: to strengthen its presence in Europe, achieve annual productivity growth of 10% until 2027, and exceed sales of 115 million euros within two years.
A new range of cartonboard products to appeal beyond traditional markets
Product innovation is the first pillar of the new strategic direction for the Savoyard site with its 280 employees. Active in the food, pharmaceutical and premium sectors, La Rochette Cartonboard aims to capitalize on its historical markets while opening up to new outlets, notably in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
These innovations are designed to offer more customized solutions and to enhance the attractiveness of the Savoy plant in a competitive environment.
The first new product, a range of kraft paperboards, will be launched this year.
New investments in production facilities
The second lever of the strategic plan is to improve industrial performance. The site has already embarked on a 10-million euro investment program for the biomass boiler (2023), followed by a 1.5-million euro investment program for refinery modernization (2024).
By 2027, new investments are planned in production lines, logistics and quality control systems.
The transformation also aims to involve employees: some fifty internal initiatives are underway as part of a continuous improvement program (lean, waste management, 5S method).
La Rochette Cartonboard teams and partners mobilized
The third pillar of the plan is based on mobilizing teams and partners. The company plans to recruit around 15 new staff by 2025, and will set up 50 inter-departmental working groups.
At the same time, a substantial training effort has been announced: 30% of employees will be trained each year in production methods and quality of working life.
La Rochette Cartonboard also intends to involve its customers, suppliers and local authorities in this dynamic. Collaborative working groups will identify levers for optimization, particularly in terms of quality, sourcing and traceability.
These investment and continuous improvement programs will make it possible to "to be more reliable, more responsive, more sober âeuros in a word âeuros to meet the demands of our customers", says Béatrice Jacquet, General Manager of La Rochette Cartonboard.
"A change of scale by 2027
The cardboard manufacturer also plans to reduce scrap by 20%, improve energy efficiency and pursue its certification initiatives.
For its manager, this major project marks "a change of scale and establishes a clear path towards an industrial model "resilient, sober and differentiating" the Group is a leader in its field, capable of combining economic performance, territorial commitment and environmental requirements.
