NorPaper

What NorPaper does

NorPaper is a French private manufacturer of TestLiner Blanc (white testliner) paper, serving the corrugated cardboard and packaging industry. Founded in 1865 and headquartered in Blendecques (Saint-Omer), the company operates two production sites — Blendecques (Pas-de-Calais) and Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) — running four paper machines with a combined annual capacity of approximately 240,000 tonnes, of which roughly 80% is white testliner and 20% unbleached (écru). All products are manufactured from 100% recycled cellulose fibers at the company's de-ink plant.

The business is built on industrial-scale paper production, energy self-sufficiency via the NorEnergy cogeneration subsidiary (12 MWe gas turbine supplying steam and electricity), and compliance-grade environmental infrastructure including a 6,500 m3 water treatment station. The product portfolio spans ten SKUs (PRINT-WHITE, MOTTLED-WHITE, SUP-WHITE, ECO-WHITE, MULTI-WHITE, PROPRINT-WHITE, GREYLINER, KRAFT TOP, TEST II & III, and the combined fluting/test ONE product), targeting preprint, high-aesthetic, and cost-competitive packaging applications. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015 and FSC Chain of Custody at both sites.

NorPaper generates revenue through B2B industrial sales of paper rolls to independent corrugated box makers and integrated European packaging groups, with approximately 60% of sales in France and the remainder spread across Western Europe and select non-European markets. Pricing is contractually negotiated per quote, and the company maintains a dedicated commercial direction led by named sales directors. The firm has been owned since June 21, 2018 by the Lebanese industrial groups Gemayel and Chaoui, with Fady Gemayel as President and Loïc Genetay as Directeur Général.

Name

NorPaper

Legal name

NorPaper

Website

https://norpaper.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NorPaper is a French private manufacturer of 100% recycled white testliner paper, operating two sites with ~240,000 tonnes/year capacity and serving corrugated cardboard producers across France, Western Europe, and select non-European markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Paper Manufacturing

NAICS

Paper Manufacturing (322)

SIC

Paperboard Mills (2631)

akta.pro primary industry

Recycled Containerboard (Testliner) Manufacturing (IMAMAFAB)

Keywords

• White testliner paper
• Recycled paper manufacturing
• Corrugated packaging materials
• Testliner production
• Paper mill operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Blendecques

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. TestLiner Blanc (White Testliner) Sales: NorPaper generates revenue from manufacturing and selling white testliner paper products made from 100% recycled fibers. The company produces approximately 240,000 tonnes annually of testliner (80% white and 20% brown/unbleached) across its two French production sites, selling primarily to the corrugated cardboard industry.
2. TestLiner Écru (Unbleached/Brown Testliner) Sales: Secondary product line producing unbleached testliner for less demanding applications, complementing the white testliner range.
3. Cogenerated Electricity Sales: NorEnergy subsidiary sells electricity to EDF grid during winter months (5 months) from its 12 MWe cogeneration plant.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NorPaper manufactures white testliner paper (TestLiner Blanc) made from 100% recycled cellulose fibers for the corrugated cardboard industry. The company operates 4 paper machines across two French production sites (Blendecques and Nantes) with a combined annual capacity of approximately 240,000 tonnes, producing a portfolio of white and unbleached testliner grades for independent corrugated box makers and integrated European packaging groups.

Product overview

NorPaper is a French paper manufacturer specializing in TestLiner Blanc (white testliner) for the corrugated cardboard industry. The company operates 4 paper machines across 2 production sites (Blendecques in Pas-de-Calais and Nantes in Loire-Atlantique) with a combined production capacity of approximately 240,000 tonnes per year. Products are manufactured from 100% recycled cellulose fibers. The portfolio includes 10 distinct product lines spanning white testliner grades (PRINT-WHITE, MOTTLED-WHITE, SUP-WHITE, ECO-WHITE, MULTI-WHITE, PROPRINT-WHITE), complementary products (GREYLINER, KRAFT TOP, TEST II & III), and the innovative ONE product that combines fluting and test functions. NorPaper is the leading French producer and among the top 5 European producers of white testliner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NorEnergy: Subsidiary specializing in cogeneration energy production, providing steam and electricity to NorPaper facilities.

Products and services

• PRINT-WHITE – GRADE B Flagship white testliner product with optimized characteristics and whiteness that enhances elaborate printings; targeted at corrugated box manufacturers requiring premium print surface.
• MOTTLED-WHITE GRADE NUAGEUX Appearance product with a cloudy look, ideal for original communication or for packaging products requiring intensive handling.
• SUP-WHITE Latest white testliner product designed to enhance printing quality while enabling ink savings; ideal for preprint applications.
• ECO-WHITE GRADE D Economic entry-level white testliner paper developed to balance whiteness requirements with competitive pricing for cost-sensitive applications.
• MULTI-WHITE GRADE C Versatile white testliner product for standard printing; positioned as a qualitative compromise between economic and technical market constraints.
• PROPRINT-WHITE Top of the white testliner range; designed for boxes with high aesthetic and technical requirements, with whiteness and surface condition that magnify printings.
• GREYLINER Grey presentation paper intended to be glued to compact cardboard for lamination applications.
• KRAFT TOP Alternative to kraftliner for less demanding industrial and agricultural applications.
• TEST II & III Ecru (unbleached) presentation paper offering different levels of mechanical performance for varied applications.
• ONE Single product serving both fluting and testliner functions, allowing inventory optimization for customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in groundwater abstraction over 20 years while production increased 60%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BoralexcoreTechnology or Integration · 30 April 2021NorPaper Avot-Vallée acquired the Boralex cogeneration plant at Blendecques on April 30, 2021. Previously, Boralex had supplied steam and electricity to the paper mill under an 18-year partnership. The 12 MWe cogeneration facility now operates as NorEnergy subsidiary.
• COPACELminorOthersFrench paper and cardboard industry professional organization. NorPaper is a member, participating in industry promotion and training initiatives.
• AFIFORminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation Filière Formation - professional association promoting training in the paper and cardboard sector. Partnered with NorPaper on the first POEC (Préparation Opérationnelle à l'Emploi Collective) training program in paper industry in France.
• Pôle EmploiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench public employment service. Partnered with NorPaper to develop the POEC papermaking training program for job seekers in Nantes region.
• 2i Pays de la LoireminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOPCO (Opérateur de compétences) that supported NorPaper in setting up the POEC training solution to qualify job seekers for paper mill positions.
• UNIDIS / GRAFIPOLISminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBranch training organization (UNIDIS) and labeled partner (GRAFIPOLIS de Nantes) that delivered the POEC papermaking training program to NorPaper recruits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reno de Medici: Italian producer of recycled containerboard (white-lined chipboard and testliner) supplying the European corrugated packaging industry. Most direct European comparable — same product category, recycled-fiber base, and corrugated converters as primary customers as NorPaper.
• Heinzel Group: Austrian industrial group operating paper mills producing containerboard and market pulp across Europe. Directly comparable as a European recycled-fiber-based paper producer serving corrugated converters, with overlapping geographic and customer footprint.
• Burgo Group: Italian family-owned paper manufacturer with mills producing coated and specialty papers plus containerboard. Comparable to NorPaper as a vertically integrated, family/owner-controlled European paper producer serving printing/writing-adjacent and packaging markets.
• Cartiere Carrara: Italian recycled-fiber containerboard mill producing testliner and fluting for European corrugated converters. Closely comparable product mix and customer base to NorPaper within the pan-European white-top testliner supply landscape.
• Emin Leydier: French family-owned paper mill producing recycled containerboard and packaging papers. Directly comparable domestic French competitor with similar 100% recycled-fiber positioning and corrugated industry customer base.
• VPK Packaging Group: Belgian family-owned producer of recycled-based paper and packaging with containerboard mills serving European corrugated converters. Comparable as a privately held, family-group-controlled European recycled-paper manufacturer competing for the same corrugated converter customers.

Broad incumbents

• Smurfit Kappa: Ireland-headquartered global leader in paper-based packaging with vertically integrated containerboard mills producing both kraftliner and recycled-based paperboard. A broad incumbent customer-and-competitor of NorPaper, dominating European converter supply chains.
• Mondi: UK-headquartered global packaging and paper group with integrated containerboard and corrugated operations across Europe. Broad incumbent comparable that operates both the upstream paper-making step NorPaper competes in and the downstream corrugated conversion that is NorPaper's main customer segment.
• DS Smith: UK-headquartered international paper and packaging group; former part-owner of the NorPaper Nantes site until 2015. A strategic reference point given the historical ownership tie and overlapping customer/supplier relationships with NorPaper.
• Cascades: Canadian-based manufacturer of recycled containerboard, tissue, and specialty products with European paper operations. Directly relevant comparable as a recycled-fiber-focused containerboard producer, and historical former owner of NorPaper's Blendecques site (1987-2011).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/norpaper

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NorPaper