Velvet CARE, a leading consumer tissue manufacturer affiliated with Abris Capital Partners, an ESG-focused private equity group, is taking a bold step towards eco-friendly operations. With an infusion of PLN 63 million ($15 million), the company is setting up a gas-driven combined heat and power plant (CHP) to substantially reduce its CO2 footprint by 46%.

Situated in Klucze, southern Poland,in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) the new cogeneration facility at Velvet CARE's premier manufacturing site will help decrease CO2 emissions by 69,000 tonnes annually. This is a significant reduction when compared to the 151,000 tonnes of combined direct and indirect emissions recorded in 2022.

Artur Pielak, the CEO of Velvet CARE, commented, “This proactive move not only boosts our operational efficiency but also underscores our commitment to environmental responsibility. By producing our energy, we can maintain last year's tissue production levels with only half the associated carbon emissions.”

Remarkably, since 2013, Velvet CARE has managed to cut both its emissions and water consumption per unit of production in half. All the while, they have quadrupled their tissue output. The Klucze factory, equipped with the latest technology, is among Central Europe's top-tier production facilities. Once operational, the innovative power plant is expected to deliver 16.7 MW of electricity and 23.3 MW of heat, primarily catering to the tissue drying process.

This green initiative aligns seamlessly with Abris's dedication to ESG transformations. Additionally, the project has garnered financial backing from Poland’s National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, which has committed to covering about half of the project's cost.

Magdalena Misiurek of the National Fund expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, noting, “Supporting combined power solutions in the energy sector is at the heart of our mission. We are thrilled to join hands with Velvet CARE in this environmentally-conscious venture.”

Velvet CARE, employing nearly 900 individuals across Poland and Czechia, dominates Central Europe's consumer tissue market, boasting the top-rated Velvet label in Poland's hygiene paper segment. Beyond its trio of paper machines, the group operates 18 converting lines, producing a variety of tissue products for both local and global consumers.

Since its management buyout from Kimberly Clark in 2013, Velvet CARE has witnessed a surge in investments, boosting sales by five times from PLN 260 million. After a 57% hike last year, reaching a staggering PLN 1.3 billion, the company's revenue forecast for 2023 stands at PLN 1.5 billion.