We reuse 95% of all process water. The remaining 5% is treated at our water treatment facility (IWE), where it is thoroughly cleaned before being safely returned to nature.
Paper starts with fiber and clean water. At Coldenhove, our process typically begins with about 0.5% pulp and 99.5% water. The water carries the fibers through the system until it is gradually removed, and the fibers form the paper our customers order.
Our location in Eerbeek is no coincidence. When the mill was founded more than 350 years ago, the village’s name – “Soil Brook” – reflected what made it ideal: access to clean, fresh water from the Veluwe region. In the early days – centuries ago – the same brook that supplied the water also carried away the wastewater.
That wastewater contained fibers, chalk, clay and dissolved materials such as salts. Over time, it became clear that this approach was not sustainable for the environment or the community.
From discharge to treatment – and back again
The first big step was to stop discharging wastewater directly into the brook. In 1965, a sewer system was built. In 1979, an eight-kilometer pipeline was constructed to carry wastewater to the IJssel river. At that point, the local paper industry in Eerbeek founded Industrial Water Eerbeek (IWE) to treat wastewater before it was discharged.
Instead of each mill managing everything on its own, the companies in the region started working together to:
Collect and treat wastewater centrally
Filter out fibers and other solids
Ensure clean discharge into surface waters
Decades later, the next logical step was to bring treated water back to the mills. A six-kilometer pipeline was constructed so that wastewater from Coldenhove and neighboring mills could return to one of their production lines after treatment.
Using water again and again
Over the years, we have consistently invested in improving our in-house water management. By optimizing how we use, clean, and recirculate process water, we have steadily reduced our need for fresh water intake. These ongoing improvements bring us closer to our long-term ambition: operating with a fully closed water cycle and using every drop as efficiently as possible.
The largest share of water in our process is now reused, either:
Directly in the paper machine
In stock preparation and supporting steps
Today, around 95% of our process water is reused. That means only a very small fraction leaves our system as wastewater after treatment.
“Reaching 95% reuse is a big milestone, but for us it’s not the finish line. We see it as a platform to build on.”
Maikel Brummelkamp Manager Operations
Toward a fully closed water cycle
Our long-term ambition: to reuse 100% of our wastewater without discharge.
To move in that direction, we are continuing to explore advanced water purification technologies and work closely with IWE on recovery options. Every improvement, large or small, brings us closer to a closed water cycle – and reduces the pressure on local water resources for the long term.
Surrounding our mill, Coldenhove maintains 35 hectares of Natura2000 protected forest in close cooperation with local authorities and nature-management experts. This forest is never used for fiber sourcing. All pulp for our papers comes from FSC® certified production forests, so we protect nature locally while sourcing responsibly.
Coldenhove’s electric boiler (eBoiler) operates alongside our existing steam installation as a hybrid system. By generating steam electrically, we significantly lower CO₂ emissions, while becoming less dependent on fossil fuels. The eBoiler can also absorb peaks in the electricity grid by taking in surplus renewable power, helping stabilize the grid.
Our production generates a constant stream of warm water — and instead of wasting it, we use it. By recovering excess heat, we warm our own facilities, nearby buildings and even supply heat to Eerbeek’s public swimming pool, helping to lower gas consumption across the community.
Our solar installation powers our fully electric company cars, forklifts and reach trucks, helping us electrify mobility across the site and cut local emissions. These steps form an important part of our broader shift toward sustainable energy use at Coldenhove.
By redesigning our mini-jumbo rolls from 40 cm to 38 cm, we fit up to 30% more paper on every pallet. This single change significantly reduces transport emissions per delivered tonne — and helps customers lower their footprint too.
All our papers are made from FSC®-certified virgin fibres, sourced only from responsibly managed production forests. This supports sustainable forestry practices and ensures long-term availability of high-quality fibre for future generations.
With detailed monitoring of every machine, smarter heat recovery and more efficient equipment, we have already achieved major reductions in electricity and gas use. These investments translate into substantial energy savings — and lower CO₂ emissions year after year.
