DS Smith invests EUR 15m in French corrugated plant, automating internal logistics
DS Smith Packaging Sud-Est, part of International Paper, has spent close to EUR 15m (USD 17m) renewing equipment at its Saint-Jean-de-Bournay corrugated plant in Isère, France. Of that, EUR 5m (USD 6m) went on a work-in-progress system with autonomous conveying and a robotic stacker crane, which fully automates the plant's internal logistics. The business has 205 employees, produces 65,000 tonnes of corrugated board a year from recycled paper and had EUR 77m (USD 86m) revenue in 2025. The site director expects broadly stable volumes in 2026 even though lower food consumption is hurting the corrugated market.
Why this mattersAutomating internal logistics at a regional box plant serving mainly food customers shows converters cutting handling costs as food-sector demand for corrugated weakens.
- Close to EUR 15m (USD 17m) spent renewing equipment at the Saint-Jean-de-Bournay plant
- EUR 5m (USD 6m) of that went on a work-in-progress system with autonomous conveying and a robotic stacker crane
- DS Smith Packaging Sud-Est has 205 employees and had EUR 77m (USD 86m) revenue in 2025
- The business produces 65,000 tonnes of corrugated board a year from recycled paper only
- 85% of customers are in the food sector and 15% in industry
- Site director Emmanuel Alriq expects broadly stable 2026 volumes despite weaker food consumption