Posted
Update
The sale of the Chapelle Darblay stationery, near Rouen (Seine-Maritime), has come to a halt. The metropolis is contesting the takeover offer chosen by the Finnish owner, and the legislation allows it to use its right of first refusal.
Closed since 2019 and put on sale, the Chapelle Darblay stationery, located near Rouen (Seine-Maritime), was coveted by two potential buyers. The decision finally fell on the evening of Friday, October 15, like a cleaver for the last paper recycling site in France. The Finnish owner of the plant, UPM, preferred Samfi / Paprec’s offer to that of Veolia, which would end the recycling activity. “Talks are so advanced, they’re guaranteed to have the money, so they go, and they don’t care what happens next.“, deplores Julien Sénécal, CGT secretary of the social and economic committee of Chapelle Darblay.
The selected project focuses on the development of hydrogen production by 2030, unlike that of Veolia, which wants to keep the historical activity, with the key, many more jobs. Until 2019, industrial paper mills recycled up to 480,000 tonnes of paper per year, the equivalent of what 24 million inhabitants throw away. To keep this know-how, the metropolis of Rouen intends to use its right of pre-emption, as permitted by law, by buying the site. Bercy assures his side that he will support the Norman elected officials in their actions.