Lithuanian cardboard manufacturer Grigeo Klaipėda has signed an agreement with international engineering and consulting company AFRY to carry out a comprehensive audit of the company’s environmental, safety and operational processes.
The review will analyse operations at the Klaipėda factory and develop recommendations aimed at improving environmental management, workplace safety and corporate governance processes. The assignment will cover both technical systems and organisational procedures.
The Lithuanian facility is part of the Grigeo industrial group and is one of the significant producers of cardboard materials in the Baltic region.
Environmental and safety review
Under the agreement, AFRY will conduct a wide-ranging assessment of the factory’s activities. The audit includes diagnostics of operational processes, evaluation of environmental and safety practices and an analysis of management procedures and regulatory compliance.
As part of the work, the Lithuanian plant will also be examined from a technical perspective. This includes systems for wastewater treatment and discharge, as well as other technological processes used in production.
The study will also identify sources of odour, air emissions and noise. In addition, risk-management procedures will be evaluated.
Based on the findings, AFRY will produce recommendations and an action plan outlining operational changes intended to improve environmental protection, safety and management processes.
– We continue our consistent work to prevent situations such as untreated wastewater leaking into the environment in the future, says Tomas Eikinas, chief executive of Grigeo Klaipėda.
He emphasises that the audit conducted by international consultants is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the company’s environmental and safety performance.
– This review will examine the company’s environmental and safety situation as well as processes related to sustainable development. It will help us improve our current management processes, Tomas Eikinas says in the company statement.
Consultant with long industry experience
Grigeo says the decision to select AFRY is based on the consulting firm’s long track record in the pulp and paper sector.
– For this work, Grigeo Klaipėda selected AFRY, which is one of the market leaders in the field and has extensive experience in design and consulting projects in the pulp and paper industry, says Tomas Eikinas.
AFRY also highlighted the scope of the assignment.
– We understand the challenges faced by Grigeo Klaipėda and the company’s commitment to implementing improvements and changes, says Christian von Bonin, director of AFRY’s management consulting unit.
– We are also committed to carrying out a thorough evaluation as quickly as possible. Our long experience in the pulp and paper industry allows us to propose solutions in areas where improvements in management or technological processes are needed, Christian von Bonin says in the company statement.
Increasing scrutiny of environmental impact
The audit comes at a time when environmental requirements for the pulp and paper industry are tightening across Europe.
Discharges to water and air, along with odour issues around industrial plants, have in recent years led to increased scrutiny from regulators and local communities in several countries.
The cardboard and paper sector is also highly energy-intensive and involves the handling of large volumes of water and chemicals during production. Effective wastewater treatment and strict emission controls are therefore critical issues for the industry.
Through the audit, Grigeo Klaipėda hopes to identify technical and organisational changes that could improve environmental performance and operational safety at the facility.
After completing the review, AFRY will present recommendations and a roadmap for implementing the proposed changes.
Source: Company information from Grigeo Klaipėda and AFRY
Fact check:
AFRY is an international engineering and consulting company headquartered in Sweden. The firm works with environmental impact assessments, permitting processes, nature surveys, HSE audits and industrial consulting. AFRY has more than 60 years of experience in projects related to the pulp and paper industry.
