Italian tissue manufacturer Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti (ICT) has started up its first tissue paper machine at the new greenfield plant in Deeside, Britain. In recent months, the site had already begun production activities with converting lines and the new automated warehouse.
With the start-up of the paper machine, the plant now completes the integration of the production cycle, enabling greater flexibility and integrated management from paper production to converting and through to finished product logistics, ICT UK said. However, the company did not indicate the capacity of the new machine or converting lines.
ICT announced first plans for a tissue paper and converting plant in Wales in 2021. According to the planning permission, the new plant would be built in three phases, with the first comprising a tissue paper mill, converting lines and a warehouse.
In the second phase, 12 months after the completion of phase one, ICT would build another facility for tissue paper production – an additional pulp warehouse, a tissue paper mill and a jumbo reels storage warehouse, according to the planning permission. However, ICT did not confirm these plans or time frames.
ICT's venture into the UK market began with the establishment of Industrie Cartarie Tronchetti UK in 2018. The Deeside facility represents ICT's first tissue production and converting unit in the UK.
ICT, based in Lucca, Italy, has an annual production capacity of approximately 620,000 t. The company operates facilities in Italy, Poland, Spain, and France, producing tissue products under the Foxy brand and for private labels.
