Submitted by: The Two Sides Team October 25, 2013

James Cropper land major European award.

The 2013 'In Green' Award, presented at the annual luxury packaging fair Luxepack, goes to British paper mill for unravelling the mystery of disposable coffee cup recycling and £5m investment in reclaimed fibre facility.

Finding a way to save 2.5 million paper cups from landfill has been applauded by the paper packaging industry with James Cropper returning from Luxepack Monaco with the trade exhibition's annual 'In Green' Award, recognising the most innovative, eco-friendly paper production development of 2013.

The prestigious award, decided by a panel of six judges including Michel Fontaine, President of the French National Packaging Council and Sandrine Noel, Environment Manager of luxury saddlery brand, Louis Vuitton, went to the 168 year old British company in a ceremony held on Wednesday night (23 October) recognising the development of a ground breaking method of recycling previously unrecyclable paper cups.

Opening their Reclaimed Fibre Plant in the English Lake District in July at a cost of £5 million, the company reiterated their credentials for industry-leading innovation that leads the way in sustainable paper production. Separating the 5% polythene lining of paper cups, ubiquitous on high streets worldwide, from the 95% of reusable high quality fibre content has been lauded as a landmark development for the paper industry.

Mark Cropper, chairman of James Cropper plc, said: "As regular exhibitors at Luxepack events around the world, we know just how intense the competition is to create new and exciting ideas. That we have been recognised again for investing in ever more progressive methods of production is a result of our unrivalled pedigree, expertise, flexibility and innate curiosity. We're grateful to a jury of discerning experts for choosing James Cropper to be the recipient of this year's In Green Award."

The paper cup recycling process perfected by James Cropper involves softening the waste in a warmed solution, separating the plastic coating from the fibre. The plastic is skimmed off, pulverised and recycled, leaving water and pulp. Impurities are filtered out leaving high grade pulp suitable for use in luxury papers and packaging materials. 87% of the water involved is also reused.

The plant was opened by Her Majesty The Queen, marking the end of a project that involved staff from across all disciplines and levels within the organisation including engineers, product quality assessors and production technicians.

Phil Wild, CEO of James Cropper plc said: 'Finding better and more responsible ways to produce the high-quality product our customers expect is central to what we do, so our investment in the Reclaimed Fibre Plant is a natural part of James Cropper's evolution. The challenge of saving millions of paper cups from landfill was one that someone had to meet and I am very proud that James Cropper was the company to do it. The Luxepack In Green Award is a fantastic achievement to cap a momentous year.'

James Cropper is based in the Lake District, England's first and foremost National Park, with a paper-making heritage that started in 1753. Since 1845 the business has been carefully stewarded and nurtured by six generations of the Cropper family.

Today the business is renowned globally for its luxury packaging papers, which accompany many of the world's most exclusive brands, while the world's leading artists, galleries and museums use its framing and archival boards alongside its range of conventional artists materials.  As well as paper products, James Cropper also develops advanced materials based on carbon and other fibres, which play a key part in new approaches and architectures in the automotive and aerospace sectors.