Arup to lead £600m Shotton paper mill expansion

The firm, supported by architects AHR, will work with the mill’s Turkish owner Eren Holdings through the expansion plans to redevelop the mill.

The expansion will include a container board machine building, new warehouse and dispatch facilities, a combined heat and power boiler building.

Subsequent phases of the project will include a corrugated packaging factory and tissue factory.

Once the transformation is complete, it will produce up to 750,000 tonnes of cardboard each year and will also have the capacity to recycle all wastepaper generated in Wales.

The Arup-led team will provide project management, design and engineering expertise for the project’s first phase, which is due to be fully operational in 2024.

Shotton Paper Mill opened in 1983 and now plays a key role in the UK’s recycling infrastructure. Recycled paper and other recyclable materials, including household glass and plastics collected across the UK, are brought to site for reprocessing.

Director at Arup, Andy Pennington, said: “This development will create one of the most technologically advanced paper mills in the world.”

“It exemplifies what’s best in sustainable development, bringing significant investment and new jobs to the Deeside area – as well as significantly increasing recycling capacity for this part of the UK.”

Director of AHR, Gurminder Sanghera, said: “AHR is delighted to collaborate with Arup to deliver this innovative, state-of-the-art facility for a client with sustainability principles embedded within its culture and production process.”

Arup and AHR’s track record in collaborating to create advanced industrial projects and pioneering office developments has included: Airbus’ Wing Integration Centre in Bristol; The Spine in Knowledge Quarter Liverpool; and the design of Siemen’s new train manufacturing facility in Goole.