Turkish paper giant Eren has submitted plans for a tissue machine at its Shotton Mill in North Wales.
The application said the new equipment formed part of the company’s plan to move production at its Deeside facility away from the “declining” newsprint market.
Instead Eren wishes to produce containerboard and tissue in a bid to reduce imports of these materials into the UK.
The move would also increase domestic use of recycled paper, cutting the need for this waste material to be exported, the company claimed.
Eren proposes a 3.4m upward extension of an existing building within Shotton Mill to create space for the tissue machine and associated structures.
The application said the plans would have “lower impacts on the environment and local character” than an existing approved scheme to create a corrugator machine on the same spot.
Documents submitted to Flintshire County Council added that the project would be Wales’ largest inward investment and the machine would be worth £600m to the local area once up and running.
“Tissue production requirements at Shotton Mill are central to the functioning and viability of the overall site’s operation,” added the application.
