The European Commission has approved a €33m investment aid for German containerboard and plasterboard producer Hamburger Rieger. The company intends to increase capacities at its Spremberg mill.
The European Commission (EC) has assessed public support for an investment proposal in the paper industry in Germany in accordance with the new provisions of the 2014 EU regional aid rules. The EC has concluded that the investment aid of €33m to Hamburger Rieger, a manufacturer of white-top testliner and plasterboard liner, complies with EU subsidy regulations and especially with the EU Guidelines on Regional State Aid 2014-2020 because it furthers regional development without unduly distorting competition.
Hamburger Rieger is part of the Hamburger Containerboard division of Austria's Prinzhorn Holding. The company is running four paper machines at three paper mills in Germany with an installed capacity of approximately 700,000 tpy of white and brown recycled corrugated case materials and plasterboard liner.
According to the EC decision on German investment aid for Hamburger Rieger, the company has plans to invest €363 million to extend its paper production capacity by setting up a new stock preparation process and building an additional paper machine at its paper mill in Spremberg in north-eastern Germany. The project is expected to create 195 new jobs.
