CEO takes full ownership of German testliner mill Niederauer Mühle
Karsten Derks, chief executive of Papierfabrik Niederauer Mühle in Kreuzau, has taken full ownership of the mill with economic effect from 1 October 2026, after the owner families Autenrieb and Meyer gave up their stakes. The change follows a sale process that ended in February 2026 without an acceptable offer, and a restructuring that has closed the smaller of the mill's two paper machines and cut jobs through a transfer company. Derks plans to continue the restructuring and strengthen sales of white-top testliner made with recycled beverage-carton fibre.
Why this mattersSingle ownership gives Germany's only mill recycling beverage-carton fibre into containerboard a route to restructure after a failed sale, with one of its two machines already closed.
- Karsten Derks took full ownership of Papierfabrik Niederauer Mühle with economic effect from 1 October 2026
- The previous owner families Autenrieb and Meyer gave up their stakes
- In February 2026 the company ended a sale process because offers did not secure its long-term future
- The smaller of the mill's two paper machines has been shut down since the start of the year
- Job cuts are being handled through a transfer company; no figures on headcount or remaining capacity were given
- The mill is Germany's only paper producer recycling used beverage cartons into containerboard; its Eifel Liner Paper Loop contains at least 25% beverage-carton fibre