Mandelson said the new mill, to be built at the Partington Wharf development, was a “great win” for the North West and the rest of the UK.
“This shows great confidence in our economic future and has all the right ingredients. It is a long-term commitment in environmental technology which will be central to the UK’s growth strategy,” he said.
The creation of the new paper mill will provide up to 200 jobs and the Spanish-owned firm will manufacture approximately 400,000 tonnes of 100% recycled containerboard at the site. SAICA lodged a first planning application for the Partington Wharf site in August 2007.
The company plans to install a state of the art 7.5m-wide paper machine, which will run at speeds up to 1,500m/min, to produce the high quality lightweight board.
It is estimated that the mill will divert some 450,000 tonnes of used paper destined for export to be recycled in the UK.
“This huge investment, in the current economic climate, is the best message SAICA can send to its UK customers, to whom we are fully devoted and with which we are establishing a long term partnership,” said SAICA Group president Eduardo Aragües.
SAICA has invested more than £470m in the UK since 2007 when it acquired International Paper’s packaging business in the UK.
The Spanish company has since paid £100m to acquire 19 of SCA’s plants in the UK.
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