EUROPEAN cartonboard producer RDM Group has revealed it is on course to meet or exceed its 2030 sustainability targets.
The firm has launched its 2025 Sustainability Report pre-release and stated it is positioning itself as a ‘benchmark’ for circular packaging systems and cross-industry collaboration.
RDM Group recycled 1,058 kilotons of paper in 2025, exceeding the 1,055 kilotons of cartonboard it produced during the year.
With 89.8% of waste sent for recovery, the group added that it is on the verge of achieving its 2030 target of 90%. This progress was said to be supported by higher-quality mill waste, stronger partner collaboration, and the contribution of the group’s Swedish mill at Fiskeby, where nearly all waste is directed to recovery. Wastewater discharge intensity fell 19% to 8.94 m³/tonne, also approaching the 2030 goal of 8.85.
Carbon intensity fell 20% from the 2020 baseline to 0.397 tCO2e/tonne, driven by a sharp jump in green electricity purchases from 42% in 2024 to 79% in 2025, alongside ‘process efficiency gains and more balanced mill utilisation’.
2025 also marked a breakthrough year for RDM Group’s innovation in recycled packaging, with a series of new products described as ‘pushing the boundaries’ of what fibre-based materials can achieve.
Vincicoat Ecolaminate, developed over two years with Ecopol, combines recycled cartonboard with a biodegradable PVOH barrier film. This enables recycled board to be used in sensitive food applications while remaining recyclable after use. The product triumphed at the 4evergreen Alliance Circularity Success Stories Awards in November.
Vincicoat Plus challenges the perception that recycled board must compromise on performance, with it being said to deliver 15–20% higher strength than standard white-lined chipboard and enabling packaging weight reductions of up to 20%. It completed customer validation and launched in February.
Most recently, RDM Group launched Multiboard CirculaRR, a PE-coated board made from 100% recycled fibres and 100% recycled plastic.
Michele Bianchi, CEO of RDM Group, said, “Putting ESG at the heart of our strategy has made us financially and operationally more resilient, more innovative, and more responsive to our clients’ needs. Our business exists to give new life to materials that would otherwise become waste — a principle that remains fundamental to our long-term strategy.
“We believe sustainability is not only a responsibility, but a source of competitive advantage, and we hope our approach can serve as a positive example of the value created by putting sustainability first.”
