Impulsa Galicia and Altri present the Palas de Rei sustainable textile fibre factory project in Brussels
The public-private company Impulsa Galicia and Altri, the industrial partner of one of its portfolio projects, presented to the European Commission the details of the project for the sustainable textile fibre factory in Palas de Rei.
The meeting was attended by Enyd López, General Director of Impulsa Galicia; on behalf of Altri, José Pina, CEO, and Carlos Van Zeller, vice-president of the executive committee; and on behalf of the European Commission, Emmanuelle Maire, head of the Circular Economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption Unit of the Environment Department, and José María Ramos Florido, from the Environment Directorate-General.
Those responsible for the project that will allow the production of sustainable textile fibres from certified wood of Galicia and textile waste explained the dimensions and the pioneering character of an initiative that will turn Europe into a benchmark of circular economy in the textile sector.
About the sustainable forest management project
It is a driving project based on the transformation of wood into textile fiber under the principles of sustainability and circularity. The vital cycle of wood in Galicia will be closed and 200,000 tons per year of sustainable textile fiber will be manufactured in the autonomous community, using certified wood from our forests as the main raw material, as well as textile waste. This is a pioneering initiative at European level, as it will integrate in a single process the production of pulp and fiber, in addition to the use of textile waste.
With an investment of more than 800 million euros, the centre is expected to create 2,500 direct and indirect jobs and generate synergies with other key sectors of the Galician economy, such as forestry and textiles. It is the only one of its kind currently planned in Europe.
The Portuguese paper company Altri is the chosen industry leader that will finance the design and development of the initiative until it reaches the point of investment. As the project progresses, Altri will explore partnerships with the entire value chain of the Galician forestry sector.
After announcing Palas de Rei as the site chosen to implement the manufacturing complex, Altri is moving forward with the environmental impact study, the engineering project, the economic feasibility, financing and access to EU funds. At present, more than a hundred engineers from different parts of the world are working on the project and the company has a permanent headquarters in the city of A Coruña, where there are a dozen employees.
On December 29, the President of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, announced the declaration of the project as a strategic industrial project for Galicia, a consideration aimed at facilitating its administrative processing.
