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Essity has opened a new recycled fibre facility at its Prudhoe manufacturing site in the UK, marking a major investment in sustainable tissue production and circular manufacturing capabilities.
Essity boosts recycled fibre processing at flagship UK manufacturing site
The new facility, backed by an investment of more than £30 million, increases recycled fibre processing capacity at the Prudhoe site to more than 105,000 tonnes per year. According to the company, the expansion brings Essity’s total annual recycled fibre capacity in the UK to approximately 190,000 tonnes.
The new Unifibres facility strengthens domestic fibre supply, supports a more circular economy and improves the resilience of its UK manufacturing operations.
Volker Zöller, President, Consumer Tissue at Essity,
New facility designed to improve manufacturing efficiency and circularity
Essity said the Prudhoe recycled fibre facility has been designed to process a wider range of recovered paper materials, including lower grade paper, helping extend the lifecycle of fibre resources used in tissue production.
The facility also improves the segregation of contaminants such as plastics, while reducing waste sent to landfill and improving energy efficiency across operations. Essity said the investment replaces older infrastructure with modern, high-efficiency technology to support lower environmental impact while maintaining high-quality tissue production.
The Prudhoe site is Essity’s largest manufacturing facility in the UK and a key part of its wider European tissue production network. The company described the project as its largest capital investment across UK operations in the past decade.
Essity positions Prudhoe at forefront of sustainable tissue manufacturing
Martin Hallissey, Site Manager at Essity’s Prudhoe mill, said: “The opening of this recycled fibre facility is a proud moment for everyone at Prudhoe.
“It’s a significant investment in our site and our people, and it strengthens our ability to source recycled fibre while improving efficiency and reducing waste.
“This facility puts Prudhoe at the forefront of sustainable tissue manufacturing in the UK.”
Essity said the new facility further strengthens its position as the UK’s largest user of recycled fibre in consumer tissue products and the leading user of recycled fibre for tissue production in Europe, based on publicly available 2024 industry data.
Volker Zöller, President, Consumer Tissue at Essity, said: “This investment demonstrates Essity’s clear commitment to sustainability and circularity. Being the UK’s largest user of recycled fibre for consumer tissue, and the leading user in Europe, brings responsibility as well as opportunity.
“The Prudhoe facility strengthens our recycled fibre supply, supports our customers’ sustainability ambitions and reinforces our leadership in sustainable tissue production. In short, we are delivering genuine sustainable solutions for our customers and ultimately a clear sustainable choice for consumers.”
This article was produced by the editorial team at Manufacturing Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
Manufacturing Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping the global manufacturing industry.
