Plans by Essity Prudhoe Mill were approved by Northumberland County Council last year and the multi-million-pound scheme – the Swedish manufacturer’s single biggest investment across any of its six UK sites in a decade – is now well underway.
Essity, based at Princess Way in Low Prudhoe, makes tissue brands including Cushelle, Velvet and Tork and employs 421 people locally. The Prudhoe site will replace its existing 50-year-old recycling plant with a new facility housing the latest in paper-recycling technology. Once demolition of the existing plant is complete, four replacement buildings will be built towards the centre of the site – less visible from the main road – with completion due by late 2025.
Programme manager at Essity, Paul Oliver, said: “The significance of this investment cannot be over-stated. It will enable us to recycle lower-grade paper and board, enhance our ability to segregate plastic and metal contaminants, reduce waste sent to landfill and improve energy efficiency.” The scheme won the support of Prudhoe Town Council as well as local MP Guy Opperman, and it was backed by Northumberland County Council’s representative for Prudhoe South, Gordon Stewart. Gordon said: “Manufacturers are facing so many challenges at the moment and seeing a major company like Essity make this kind of commitment to sustainable manufacturing in our area is great news. “It will secure long-term jobs and apprenticeships and sends out a strong message about just how innovative, aspirational and caring of the environment our local businesses can be.”
Martin’s on a roll
Essity Prudhoe Mill has announced the appointment of Martin Hallissey as its new head of projects. Martin, who came from an engineering management position at Greggs, will have responsibility for Essity’s project management team and will work on a number of major new construction schemes including the new recycling plant. After graduating with a biochemistry degree, Martin joined Procter & Gamble as an intern and spent 17 years with the company in London and Frankfurt.
Before joining Greggs, Martin was site engineering leader at P&G’s Seaton Delaval site and also worked as engineering director for global cosmetics company, Coty. Martin said: “I’m super-excited to be joining Prudhoe Mill and taking a lead role in a number of major projects, including creating the UK’s most modern waste-paper recycling plant. The new plant will see Essity improve energy efficiency and increase its ability to make household products from recycled fibre. With sustainability at the heart of this and other new engineering projects in the pipeline, I look forward to a great future for Essity and to leading these fantastic initiatives.”
