The Sector / Description

In 2010, total Spanish output was 7.4 million tons, split as 1.7 million tons of pulp and 5.7 million tons of paper and cardboard, from 12 pulp mills and 83 paper and paperboard plants. Spain ranks sixth in Europe.

The industry directly employs 17,400 people, although indirectly the sector has working relationships with over 90,000 people. The monetary value of this output, based on 2009 data, was 3.4 billion Euros.

There are many types of paper used in each case for specific applications - books, newspapers, healthcare and personal hygiene, boxes, packaging, bags, etc.

Two types of raw material are involved in the manufacture of paper and board: virgin pulp and recycled fibre obtained from used paper.

Virgin pulp is primarily used to produce printing and writing papers, toilet and healthcare papers and certain specialty papers. By contrast, recycled fibre is the key ingredient in the production of newsprint and paper for packaging.

Important features of the Spanish industry worthy of highlight include:

• The production of bleached hardwood pulp using eucalyptus, a fast growing species that is especially apt for the favourable weather conditions in the Iberian Peninsula
• The significant rate of recovered paper usage which, at over 80%, is the highest in Europe.

Geographically, Aragon is the leading region in paper production, with an output accounting for 26% of the national total, followed by 19% in the Basque Country, 15% in Catalonia, 10% in Andalusia, about 5% each in Galicia, Madrid and Asturias, and finally Castilla Leon and Valencia.