DS Smith has started up a new stock preparation line at its Porcari mill, near Lucca, Italy, marking a key step in the company's investment in recycled packaging paper capacity.
Designed to process 1,650 tonnes of recovered paper per day, the new system enables the mill to handle a wide range of recovered paper grades and produce packaging papers made entirely from recycled fiber. The start-up supports DS Smith's strategy of serving growing markets such as e-commerce and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
According to the company, the new line is designed to maintain consistent fiber quality while improving process efficiency and reducing energy consumption, even under varying raw material conditions.
Supporting the next phase of growth
The line, supplied by ANDRITZ, features Europe's largest FibreFlow drum pulper, designed to provide gentle pulping while efficiently removing coarse contaminants to support stable operation and consistent fiber quality. It also includes advanced screening and cleaning technologies, along with a reject treatment system equipped with shredders and compactors to optimize the handling of pulping and screening rejects.
"The successful start-up of this line is an important milestone for our Porcari mill," said Alessandro Romagnolo, Project Head at DS Smith. "With the new system now in operation, we are able to efficiently process a wide range of recovered paper grades and reliably produce high-quality packaging papers from 100% recycled fiber."
Preparing for new containerboard capacity
The new stock preparation line forms part of the production system supporting a 450,000-tonne-per-year containerboard machine scheduled to begin operating during the fourth quarter of 2026. The machine will produce lightweight containerboard grades ranging from 70 to 135 g/m², manufactured entirely from recycled fiber.
The new paper machine will replace the site's former PM1, which was decommissioned in December 2025, while complementing the existing PM2. Together, these investments reinforce the Porcari mill's role as one of DS Smith's key recycled packaging paper production sites in Europe.
DS Smith is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging, supported by integrated recycling and papermaking operations. The company serves customers across sectors including e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods and industrial manufacturing.
