Charavines, France 31 August 2018 -- The former Arjowiggins site in Charavines, France will become operational again. The new owner Global Hygiène plans to start producing tissue at the site in 2020, which will make it an integrated producer of tissue products.

French sanitary products manufacturer Global Hygiène has announced more concrete plans for the former Arjowiggins plant Charavines in the east of the country. The company, which had announced the takeover of the idle site back in 2015 and now finalised it, plans to start tissue paper production in early 2020. The installation work is scheduled to begin in September and will take 18 months. The financing of the project had now been secured and completed, said Global Hygiène. The company receives €490,000 from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and a total of €1.18m in subsidies from the national government. A total of €20m is to be invested in the project.

Global Hygiène plans to install a new tissue machine in Charavines with an annual capacity of 30,000 t. According to the company, the machine will produce tissue paper for the group's two converting plants in Auxonne and Vern d'Anjou. This makes Global Hygiène an integrated manufacturer of tissue products. The company currently buys around 30,000 tpy of tissue paper on the open market which it converts to tissue products at its two plants. Global Hygiène produces single-use wipes and sanitary products such as toilet paper, paper towels or medical drapes. The company employs over 130 people and its annual sales amount to around €47m. The start-up of Charavines will initially create 35 new jobs.

Luc Brami, CEO of Global Hygiène, said at the time of the acquisition announcement that the new plant would consolidate the company's leadership position in the market for sanitary products. The company was said to be the market leader with a market share of 15%.