Johannesburg, South Africa 21 December 2012 -- Mondi SCP announced plans to invest €128 million in green energy projects at its Ružomberok mill in Slovakia.

This investment includes a new recovery boiler at the mill to increase pulp production, reduce the mill’s environmental footprint and improve the overall cost position. The projects will cover improvements in chemical recovery and green energy and heat production during the pulp production process.

“Our objective is to increase pulp production, produce more green energy and further improve our CO2 footprint. We are pleased that the Slovakian government is supportive of our long term presence in the country, which played an important role in our decision making” said Peter J. Oswald, CEO of Mondi’s Europe & International division.

The new recovery boiler will be constructed over a two year period with an expected start-up in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Peter Orisich, CEO of Mondi’s Uncoated Fine Paper business said “Mondi has invested over € 350 million in the mill over the last ten years to drive innovative production and operational improvements. This investment continues the development of Mondi SCP into a state-of-the-art facility in Slovakia,” he added.

Mondi SCP is the largest integrated mill producing pulp and paper in Slovakia with pulp production exceeding 500,000 tonnes and uncoated fine paper production 535,000 tonnes.

Mondi is an international packaging and paper Group, with production operations across 29 countries and revenues of €5.7 billion in 2011. The Group's key operations are located in central Europe, Russia and South Africa and as at the end of 2011, Mondi Group employed 23,400 people.

Mondi Group is fully integrated across the paper and packaging process, from the growing of wood and the manufacture of pulp and paper (including recycled paper), to the conversion of packaging paper into corrugated packaging, industrial bags and coatings.

The Group is principally involved in the manufacture of packaging paper, converted packaging products and uncoated fine paper (UFP).

Mondi Group has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker code MND and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker code MNDI. The Group has been recognised for its sustainability through its inclusion in the FTSE4Good Global, European and UK Index Series (since 2008) and the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index since 2007. The Group was also included in the FTSE350 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for the second year.