In July 2013 Holmen AB and OKAB Group agreed a transaction under which OKAB Group acquired all of the shares of Iggesund Découpe France (IDF) in Valence, France. The Swedish sheeting specialist OKAB, in Oskarshamn, Sweden, took over the facility and its existing employees as of July.
OKAB focuses exclusively on sheeting and has facilities in Oskarshamn, Sweden and Lübeck, Germany. The takeover of sheeting facilities in Valence will give the company a foothold in southern Europe as well.
“The importance of the supply chain is growing. A high service level, secured availability and lower stock levels are key factors in today’s economy. We’re looking forward to continuing to develop our service offering in the region,” comments Patrik Lundström, CEO of OKAB.
Sheeting operations began in Valence in January 2000. The French facility currently has two sheeting machines and an annual capacity of 30,000 tons. The facility in Rhône Valley has railway connection and offers perfect connections for southwest European markets.
“IDF is extremely important to our ability to maintain a high level of service to our customers in southwest Europe,” explains Christina Törnquist, Director Logistics at Iggesund Paperboard. “OKAB is one of the few companies in Europe that are developing and investing in providing a first-class sheeting service. We’re convinced that OKAB will help to strengthen our service in the region.”
