Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill plans to launch a new workshop for producing kraft sack paper in December 2026, Deputy Director General Aleksandr Kupreyev told the media on 13 May, BelTA has learned.

Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill continues to implement its sustainable development strategy and expand its production capacity. As part of its investment program, the enterprise plans to launch a new modern workshop to produce micro-creped kraft sack paper at the end of 2026. The project is being implemented in line with the head of state’s instructions to produce finished goods with higher added value, rather than just raw materials.

“We plan to obtain the first products from this workshop by the end of December. This is an import-substituting project, so our primary task is to meet the needs of Belarusian partners with our products. Of course, a significant share will also go to export. The main sales markets are Africa, China, and others,” said the deputy director for commercial affairs, emphasizing that this production facility is unique for Belarus. The project involves producing high-quality kraft sack paper from its own pulp, including both brown kraft paper and bleached kraft paper with a weight range of 50-110 g/m². This will significantly expand the product range and strengthen the enterprise’s position in both domestic and international markets.

The launch of the new workshop will be an important milestone in the technological renewal of Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill. Using its own pulp will ensure full control over raw material quality and stability in the characteristics of the finished product. The implementation of modern micro-creping technologies will enable the production of strong, flexible, and eco-friendly packaging paper that is in demand across various industries.

The sack kraft paper will be used to produce durable packaging for bulk products, including goods such as flour, sugar, powdered milk, compound feed, cement, dry construction mixes, and others. According to preliminary information, about 80% of the products are planned for export. The sales markets have already been identified, the company noted.

Special attention in the project is given to environmental standards. The production of micro-creped kraft sack paper will meet modern requirements for reducing environmental impact, aligning with global trends toward eco-friendly packaging and sustainable development, the company said.

The new production project fully aligns with the strategic priorities of Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill: developing import substitution, increasing the share of high-value-added products, and strengthening export potential. Producing kraft sack paper from domestically sourced pulp will reduce dependence on external suppliers and enhance the competitiveness of the products. The designed capacity is 160,000 tonnes of product per year. Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill aims to reach this target as early as 2027.On 13 May, Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin paid a visit to Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill. The main purpose of the visit was to develop systemic solutions to stabilize the enterprise’s operations. As previously reported, support for Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill was one of the topics at a recent meeting between the president of Belarus and the Council of Ministers. In particular, one of the issues discussed on 5 May was a draft resolution of the Council of Ministers regarding the allocation of funds from the state targeted budgetary fund for national development to Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill.

Following that meeting, Aleksandr Turchin noted that this issue needs to be studied on a broader scale as well. According to him, this problem is not unique to this particular enterprise but arises regularly across various production facilities. “Perhaps we need to consider adopting a systemic solution regarding payments to the national development fund, so that we do not have to go to the head of state so often,” the prime minister emphasized then.

A meeting will be held to discuss the overall strategy and approaches to this issue.

“Based on the results of 2025, Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill operated profitably and generated earnings. The main priority is to supply the domestic market with products. Nearly 50% of our products are sold on the local market, with the remainder exported,” Aleksandr Kupreyev emphasized. The main products of Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill are sulfate pulp (accounting for 83.6% of total industrial output), paper and paperboard (3.5%), corrugated paper, corrugated board, and transport cardboard containers (6.4%), and other products (6.5%). Exports go to Russia, China, Hungary, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Iran, and beyond.