With detailed monitoring and targeted upgrades, we continue to reduce electricity and gas use across the mill, achieving measurable energy savings year after year.
In late 2015, we set ourselves a clear energy goal: reduce our energy use by 10% over the period 2016–2020. To reach that target, knowing the total energy use of the mill was not enough – we needed visibility at the level of individual machines and installations. That led to an effort to:
Map energy use per line and per machine
Develop a monitoring system that shows where energy is used and wasted
Identify projects with the highest saving potential
“We know that future savings won’t get easier, but that’s exactly why we need good data and open discussions. There is always another improvement to be found”
Ron Sportel Innovation and Development Manager
Early results and new equipment
The first years already showed measurable progress, with annual savings and a growing list of completed projects. One important example was the purchase of a new pulp machine. Thanks to the detailed insights from our monitoring system, we were able to:
Set ambitious energy requirements for the new machine
Work with the supplier to improve efficiency even beyond original specs
The result: a machine that delivers substantial annual energy savings compared to the equipment it replaced.
Using excess heat to save gas
Electricity is only one part of the picture. To reduce gas consumption, we focused on recovering excess heat from the production process. Part of the heat used to dry paper can be recovered and used to:
Preheat water for the paper production process
Reduce the need for fresh heat input from gas boilers
This approach led to significant gas savings, while also making better use of the energy already present in the system.
Continuous improvement
Not a on-off project
Energy savings at this scale are not achieved by a single project or one-time investment. They require:
A dedicated organization
A monitoring system that makes performance visible
A culture where ideas for saving energy are welcomed and tested
Energy will remain a central theme in our innovation roadmap, both for cost control and for reducing our environmental impact.
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.
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.
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.
We reuse 95% of all process water. Through advanced purification and smart recirculation, the same water travels through our mill again and again, drastically reducing the need for fresh water. The remaining 5% is treated at our water treatment facility IWE, where it is thoroughly cleaned before being safely returned to nature.
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.
