Scheufelen paper mill

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Scheufelen paper mill GmbH & Co. KG

logo
legal form GmbH & Co. KG
founding 1855
resolution 2018
Reason for dissolution insolvency
Seat Lenningen , Germany
Number of employees 100 (2018)
sales 83 million euros (2017)
Branch Paper manufacture / cardboard manufacture
Website www.scheufelen.com

The Scheufelen paper mill was founded in Lenningen in 1855 . Until April 2018, it produced coated format and roll papers of high quality with around 340 employees. Scheufelen GmbH has existed as the successor company since July 2, 2018, but filed for bankruptcy itself in February 2019.

history

Company founder Karl Scheufelen

In 1855, the teacher Karl Scheufelen took over a paper mill that had existed since 1769 . The small paper mill with five workers soon developed into an innovative company, which in 1892 was the first paper mill to produce machine-coated paper on both sides and from 1895 was the first German art print paper factory . Here the coating of paper, at that time with coating colors based on satin white , casein and chalk , was significantly further developed. Scheufelen became the leading company for the production of art paper in Europe.

In 1928 Scheufelen had more than 1,000 employees for the first time, in 1955 around 2,000.

The Scheufelen paper mill was run from 1950 to 1984 by Klaus Scheufelen (1913–2008). His son Ulrich Scheufelen is the company's honorary chairman .

After the Scheufelen paper mill was economically struggling, primarily due to rising energy costs, and had cut around 300 jobs since 2003, the company finally had to file for bankruptcy in July 2008 . At the end of July 2008, production was resumed through a mass loan . The Finnish paper manufacturer Powerflute announced on October 1, 2008 that it would take over business operations from November 2008 and produce paper with fewer staff in the future.

Powerflute sold the company in May 2011 for EUR 38.5 million to the Dutch-Canadian group Paper Excellence BV , a subsidiary of the Indonesian Sinar Mas Group . The Scheufelen paper mill employed 590 people at the time of sale.

On July 16, 2014 Scheufelen announced that it would reduce its annual capacity from 300,000 tons to 140,000 tons. A paper machine was shut down for this purpose. The company wanted to concentrate on the area of ​​premium papers and high-quality packaging board, the production of the art paper intended for the mass market (with which 90 percent of the turnover is achieved) should be reduced after heavy losses in this area. In the course of this, 400 of the 650 employees at the time were laid off, some of them were to move to a transfer company .

In the 2011 financial year, sales of 234 million euros were achieved, in 2013 it fell to 195 million euros, in 2015 it was 91 million euros and in 2017 it was 83 million euros.

In April 2016, Paper Excellence sold the Scheufelen paper mill with only around 340 employees to a consortium led by the Schaeff Group based in Schwäbisch Hall . In addition to the Schaeff Group, the consortium also includes the Munich-based financial investor RADIAL Capital Partners and Ulrich Scheufelen, the great-grandson of the company founder and today's honorary chairman of the company.

On January 30, 2018, the company had to file for bankruptcy again. Despite an improved economic situation since the takeover in May 2016, massive price increases for pulp and chemicals would force the management to take this step.

On July 2, 2018, the newly founded Scheufelen GmbH took over the premises and brands of the former Scheufelen GmbH + Co KG paper mill as well as 85 of the 340 employees and is now concentrating on the production of bright white and deep green papers for use in packaging and for use in graphic area, which are mainly made from vegetable fibers. The total production capacity is 300,000 tons of paper per year. Over 14 million euros have been invested in Scheufelen GmbH. Wermuth Asset Management and Nordia Invest were added to the previous shareholders, Schaeff and Scheufelen. The brands of the new company are Scheufelen Graspapier, Phoenogras, Greenliner, Phoenolux and Phoenix Prime. The cooperation with the Stuttgart Media University will be continued under the new company.

Scheufelen GmbH also filed for bankruptcy on February 20, 2019. 74 employees lost their jobs as part of the renewed insolvency, the remaining 26 were taken over by the successor company Silphie Paper, which wants to produce 30 to 50 tons of paper a day from 2020.

Paper mill

architecture

Around 1900, various extensions to the paper factory were planned by the Stuttgart architects Ludwig Eisenlohr and Carl Weigle , and during the First World War and in the 1920s, the company built further buildings based on designs by Albert Eitel .

logistics

Most of the transport of raw materials and chemicals to the paper mill is carried out by train via the Teckbahn , from which a siding branches off to the factory premises. A small diesel shunting locomotive of the series V 60 (or the radio-controlled series 364) is used to shunt the wagons and assemble new trains. Some of the tank wagons are emptied directly at the Oberlenningen train station using a pumping system and the liquids are fed into the factory via pipes.

A few years ago, considerations were made to also handle the outgoing goods for overseas transport by rail. In some weeks up to 50 overseas containers were transported individually by Scheufelen through the Lenninger Valley by truck. On some days, however, so much paper was produced for overseas that the logistics center was overloaded. The aim was therefore to create a way to get containers at short notice without waiting for the trucks, which started from various container terminals in the greater Stuttgart area. The idea was to build a small container terminal with a container bridge at the Oberlenningen train station and to keep 20 to 30 containers available so that they could then be loaded and loaded onto freight wagons as required. However, for reasons of cost for the container crane and for the required vehicle material from the logistics center to the train station, this idea was rejected again. The logistics center, built in 1998, was never intended for a siding because the railway proved to be too unreliable and slow. In the meantime, the number of overseas containers has fallen sharply, as the freight costs are no longer in proportion to the price of paper on certain routes.

chimney

The once 96 m high reinforced concrete chimney, which was closed in 1999, was built in 1935 and was the first of its kind in what is now Baden-Württemberg . As a result of renovation measures in spring 2012, the chimney was removed by 15 m so that the remaining height is 81 m.

Products

Under the four brand names phoenixmotion , heaven 42 , bvs and bro , Scheufelen offers coated papers with matt, semi-matt and glossy surfaces in a basis weight range of 90 g / m² to 400 g / m². Since the beginning of 2015, the company has also been offering a very high-quality coated SBS carton under the phoenolux brand . In 2017, the company began producing sustainable papers with grass fiber content of up to 50% under the brand names Graspapier, Greenliner and Phoenogras.

Others

After the Apollo 1 fire disaster (1967), the Scheufelen paper mill developed flame-retardant paper for future logbooks.

Paper museum

In 1992 the family company set up a museum for paper and book art in the Schlössle in Oberlenningen to mark the 100th anniversary of art paper .

Web links

Commons : Papierfabrik Scheufelen  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Imelda Flaig: Scheufelen paper mill is insolvent. In: Economy. Stuttgarter Zeitung , January 30, 2018, accessed on April 25, 2018 : "The bankruptcy of the traditional paper mill will cost many of the approximately 340 jobs."
  2. ↑ Sabine Marquard: Two thirds of the employees have to go. In: Economy. Stuttgarter Nachrichten , July 14, 2014, accessed on April 25, 2018 : “The Scheufelen paper mill in Lenningen is facing clear cutting. 'It is planned that two thirds of the workforce of 650 employees will have to leave,' Ulrich Scheufelen, honorary chairman of the company, told the Stuttgarter Nachrichten. "
  3. ↑ Bankruptcy of the paper mill. Scheufelen's neck is broken by energy costs. In: Mittelstand. Handelsblatt , accessed on April 26, 2018 : "Due to the dramatic rise in prices for energy and raw materials, the traditional Scheufelen paper mill has filed for bankruptcy."
  4. ↑ Scheufelen is printing again. In: Manufacturing. Börsenblatt , July 29, 2008, accessed April 26, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Powerflute takes over Scheufelen. Der Teckbote , October 1, 2008, accessed on April 27, 2018 : "Investor will continue paper production - 120 employees will lose their jobs."
  6. ↑ Scheufelen goes to Paper Excellence. Powerflute parted ways with the Lenninger paper mill after just two years. Der Teckbote , May 5, 2011, accessed on April 27, 2018 : "The Finnish company Powerflute has sold the Lenningen-based company to the Dutch company Paper Excellence."
  7. ↑ Ulrich Schreyer: Scheufelen cuts 400 positions. In: Economy. Stuttgarter Zeitung , July 16, 2014, accessed on April 25, 2018 : “The demand for bulk paper is falling. The Scheufelen paper mill in Lenningen is reacting to this by cutting two thirds of all workplaces and shutting down a large machine. "
  8. ↑ Old course with new leadership. Schaeff Group takes over Scheufelen paper factory - optimism thanks to luxury packaging. Der Teckbote , April 7, 2016, accessed on April 28, 2018 : "'Nobody has to worry about their job here,' emphasizes Ulrich Scheufelen."
  9. ↑ Anke Kirsammer: Scheufelen files for insolvency again. Der Teckbote , February 21, 2019, accessed on February 24, 2019 : "100 employees have to fear for their jobs due to the financial difficulties of the Lenningen company."
  10. ↑ https://www.teckbote.de/nachrichten/lokalnachrichten-lenninger-tal_artikel,-silphiepaper-startet-als-zarte-pflanze-_arid,231064.html
  11. ↑ Where does Art Nouveau flourish? Report from the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Agency dated September 23, 2008.
  12. ↑ Decorative Art , 28th year 1924/1925, issue 1 (October 1924), p. 1 ff.
  13. ↑ Scheufelen trims landmarks. Paper mill renovates a 96 meter high chimney - the first reinforced concrete chimney in the country. Der Teckbote , April 21, 2012, accessed April 30, 2018 .
  14. ↑ The white premium range. Scheufelen's product brands. Scheufelen paper mill, 2018, accessed on April 25, 2018 .
  15. ↑ Andreas Volz: Independent and true to location for the future. Der Teckbote , September 10, 2005, accessed on May 1, 2018 : "The Scheufelen paper mill celebrated its 150th anniversary yesterday in Oberlenningen."

Coordinates: 48 ° 33 '19.2 "  N , 9 ° 28' 5.9"  E