AustroCel Hallein We add value to wood
Our core area of business is the efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly use of wood as a raw material, which is used for the production of high-quality textile pulp and bioenergy. Our site in Hallein (15 km south of the city of Salzburg) employs 300 people.
We only use residual spruce and fir wood from sawmills (softwood), which originates from sustainably-managed forests. Various processes are used in order to produce high-purity pulp for the manufacturing of textile fibres (viscose). We have invested more than 60 million euros in our systems and processes. Green electricity, district heating, biogas, and ligno-sulphonate are obtained from the by-products of the cellulose production. We supply electricity and district heating to the public grid and therefore make an important contribution to reducing emissions of CO2 from fossil fuels. More than 20,000 households in Hallein and Salzburg are supplied with electricity and district heating.
Purpose & mission
Purpose: As a biorefinery, we aim to achieve an efficient use of native species of wood and their constituent parts. In the spirit of cascade processing, we prioritise material use over thermal use. We identify and implement optimisation measures that improve our products and processes on a continuous basis. We configure our business processes to be even more sustainable, to the benefit of our environment and society.
Mission: Our mission is to be a reliable and trustworthy partner for our customers, employees, suppliers, owners and the community. Safety, social responsibility, integrity, creativity and foresight form the basis of our work.
Values: Respect and teamwork are central components of our corporate culture. We value honesty and humility at every level and encourage all our employees to think and act as ambassadors for our company. We respect different views and encourage an open culture of discussion and innovative thinking.
Company: AustroCel is a sustainable producer of high-purity cellulose and an important supplier of green energy and biofuel for the region in the fight against climate change. The efficient use of resources and sustainability form the basis for all our processes and activities: We are proud of our company, “Green AustroCel”.
Towerbrook
In September 2017, the company was acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners, a leading European and US investment firm. TowerBrook, which is the first mainstream private equity firm to be certified as a B Corporation, is a responsible owner that partners with management teams and employees to build excellent companies that make a positive impact on society.
Under TowerBrook’s ownership, AustroCel has invested €90m to strengthen and grow the business by primarily investing in production capacity (including to produce an increased portion of specialty-grade products) and to build a state-of-the-art bio-ethanol plant.