Wepa Group

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WEPA Hygieneprodukte GmbH

logo
legal form GmbH
founding 1948
Seat Arnsberg , Germany
Number of employees 3,800
sales € 1.3 billion (as of 2019)
Website www.wepa.eu

Headquarters in Arnsberg-Müschede

The WEPA Group, with its headquarters in Arnsberg- Müschede (Arnsberg) , is a German family company for hygiene papers. With around 3,800 employees and a turnover of around 1.3 billion euros, WEPA is the third largest manufacturer of hygiene paper in Europe.

history

In 1948, WEPA (Westfälische Papierfabrik) was founded by Paul Krengel as a wholesaler for cabinet, wrapping and gift wrapping paper. It wasn't until 1953 that the processing of hygiene papers began in Arnsberg. In 1958, with the construction of the first paper machine for crepe paper in Müschede, the company's own paper production began.

With the construction of the plant in Marsberg-Giershagen in 1963 the processing of the paper started. In 1980 the company started developing the first private label. In 2001, WEPA took over Kriepa GmbH in Kriebethal (today WEPA Saxony), where a joint venture with the Kübler & Niethammer paper mill had existed since 1990.

From 2004 the company expanded. WEPA founded the joint venture GC & WEPA SL in Ejea de los Caballeros (Spain) and took over the majority stake in the Polish hygiene paper manufacturer Fabryka Papieru Piechowice SA (now WEPA Piechowice) and the Mainz plant of Kimberly-Clark. In 2009, the facilities of an Italian competitor in Italy (Lucca and Cassino), Germany (Leuna) and France (Lille) were integrated into the WEPA Group.

In 2015 WEPA sold the shares in the Spanish joint venture and bought another location in Troyes (France). Two years later, with the takeover of the family business Van Houtem, a location in Swalmen (Netherlands) for the manufacture of AfH products was taken over.

In 2018 WEPA took over all shares in the joint venture UK Northwood & WEPA LTD founded in 2014. Bridgend (now WEPA UK).

In 2019, WEPA expanded its locations with the acquisition of the Greenfield plant in Château-Thierry (France). WEPA Greenfield only produces recycled fibers (DIP) that have been cleaned of the printing ink. WEPA is thus represented with thirteen locations in six European countries. The WEPA Group is today headed by Martin Krengel (CEO), Ralph Dihlmann and Dr. Hendrik Otto headed. The Supervisory Board consists of Friedrich Merz (Chairman), Hans-Joachim Körber, Wilken von Hodenberg and Hartmut Wurster.

Products and brands

The WEPA Group is now the third largest manufacturer of hygiene papers in Europe. The company is currently securing 25% of the market share in Germany and 8% in Europe.

The 21 paper machines offer a production capacity of 780,000 tons, which are processed into toilet paper, kitchen towels, handkerchiefs, cosmetic tissues, hand towels, serviettes and industrial rolls on over 90 processing machines. In the consumer sector, WEPA mainly sells the hygiene papers it produces as private label products (trademarks) to European food retailers. In addition, the WEPA Professional division with the brands BlackSatino and Satino by WEPA offers complete washroom solutions (hygiene paper and dispenser systems) for, for example, public washrooms, industry, offices or healthcare facilities.

Locations / production facilities

Marsberg-Giershagen plant
Production facility in Kriebstein

With thirteen locations in six European countries, WEPA reaches millions of consumers. In addition, WEPA invests in training and its own young employees at all locations. The WEPA Group operates its plants at the following locations:

  • Arnsberg-Müschede, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • Marsberg-Giershagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • Kriebstein-Kriebethal, Saxony, Germany
  • Leuna, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
  • Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
  • Lille, France
  • Troyes, France
  • Château-Thierry, France
  • Bridgend, UK
  • Cassino, Italy
  • Lucca, Italy
  • Swalmen, Netherlands
  • Piechowice, Poland

sustainability

Since it was founded in 1948, the WEPA Group has been a family company geared towards sustainability. Sustainability is anchored in the corporate culture and an integral aspect of the corporate strategy. The holistic approach encompasses all facets in economic, ecological and social terms. WEPA only uses fair fibers for the production of the hygiene papers. This includes waste paper and certified cellulose from sustainable forestry.

In the area of ​​environmental hygiene paper, WEPA is active on the market with hybrid own-brand products and the products of the WEPA brand “mach m! T”. The latter consist of 100% recycled paper, are characterized by reduced energy and water consumption and are certified with the Blue Angel. The products are toilet paper, kitchen towels as well as pocket and cosmetic tissues. The hybrid products newly developed by WEPA are visually and qualitatively similar to conventional fresh fiber hygiene papers, but integrate recycled fibers of up to a third. The remainder of the fresh fibers is FSC certified. This paper is intended to replace previous fresh fiber products and, thanks to its comparable quality, increase market acceptance for recycled paper. The WEPA Professional brand Black Satino works on solutions that are as sustainable and circular as possible. BlackSatino is produced in a CO 2 -neutral manner and carries the quality seals Cradle to Cradle, FSC Recycled and European Ecolabel. In addition, no harmful chemicals are used in the production process, which makes BlackSatino completely safe for people and the environment.

WWF Germany and WEPA have been partners for sustainability since 2017 and are working together to promote the use of recycled fibers in private label hygiene papers. Another goal is to make energy-intensive paper production more climate-friendly. Possible measures for the company are analyzed and implemented as part of the 2-degree climate goals.

As part of the non-profit initiative “Lean & Green”, WEPA was able to reduce CO 2 emissions in the warehouse and logistics area by 20% in 2016 . In spring 2017, the company received the "Lean and Green First Star" award from the standardization organization GS1Germany GmbH.

In addition, WEPA supports the nature conservation project “Wilde Mulde” of the WWF in Saxony-Anhalt in order to improve the vitality of the Elbe tributary. It serves as a pilot project for the restoration of functioning water structures, bank fringes and forest cover on rivers.

Web links

Commons : Wepa  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ WEPA today. wepa.de, accessed on January 1, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Hygiene papers with family tradition. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  3. ↑ a b c d Wepa at a glance. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  4. ↑ a b c Martin Schwarz: Wepa takes over French paper manufacturer. In: wp.de. Westfalenpost, March 29, 2019, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  5. ↑ a b Anja Müller: Toilet paper from Wepa is in great demand all over Europe. In: handelsblatt.com. Handelsblatt GmbH, March 16, 2020, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  6. ^ Helmut Bündner: The business talk: Martin Krengel . Ed .: FAZ. December 15, 2014, p. 25 .
  7. ↑ a b c d e Cathrin Reichelt: Kriepa produces under a new logo at the old location. In: saechsische.de. DDV Mediengruppe GmbH & Co. KG, January 21, 2006, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Image brochure. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 18, 2020 .
  9. ↑ Westfalenpost: Wepa takes over the Italian Kartogroup. August 14, 2008, accessed May 18, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Editor: Wepa Group takes over paper mill in France. In: wp.de. Westfalenpost, March 2, 2015, accessed on May 11, 2015 .
  11. ↑ Carsten Menzel: "Westfälische Papierfabrik" buys in Holland. In: wp.de. Westfalenpost, May 9, 2017, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  12. ^ Fibers in Process: Takeover of the Arjowiggins Greenfield plant in France. In: fibers-in-process.de. Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH, April 2, 2019, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  13. ↑ a b locations - active throughout Europe. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  14. ↑ a b organs. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  15. ↑ Andreas Macho: Merz as Wepa supervisory board “You get someone like Merz because he can make contacts”. In: wiwo.de. WirtschaftsWoche - Handelsblatt GmbH, December 2, 2018, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  16. ↑ WEPA Group takes over Arjowiggins Greenfield plant in France. (PDF) Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, March 29, 2019, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  17. ↑ Wepa brand program. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  18. ↑ Wepa Professional GmbH: Range overview . In: wepa-professional.de. Retrieved May 11, 2020 .
  19. ↑ Responsibility - Sustainability. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  20. ↑ Wepa Professional GmbH: Black Satino - connected by purpose. In: Black Satino. Retrieved May 18, 2020 .
  21. ↑ Discover your love for nature and do M! T. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  22. ^ Editing (general): Lean and Green Star: ESM and Wepa awarded. In: www.logistik-heute.de. March 30, 2017, accessed May 11, 2020 .
  23. ↑ Responsibility - partner. Wepa Hygieneprodukte GmbH, accessed on May 11, 2020 .
  24. ↑ WWF Germany: Wild Mulde. Retrieved May 11, 2020 .

Coordinates: 51 ° 24 ′ 35.2 "  N , 7 ° 59 ′ 25.5"  E