Industrial history of the regions l’Alcoià and El Comtat wrote the section devoted to the paper industry in gold letters., because both regions have become major producers of cigarette paper in Spain and real world powers for that matter. People who can be considered the heirs of that glorious past from this empire, which fell in the second half of the last century, still exist today. The main example is Papelera de l’Alquería, a company dedicated to the manufacture of paper for cardboard, which also occupies the former premises of the emblematic Bambú cigarette paper brand in l’Alqueria d’Asnar. However, there are other companies scattered throughout the region, dedicated to the manipulated, often founded by employees of companies that have disappeared, keeping alive a tradition that refuses to perish.
Along with the textile industry, paper production has been the second engine of the economy in the l’Alcoià and El Comtat regions for much of its history. The paper industry in Spain began with the arrival of the Arabs on the peninsula in the Middle Ages, and Xàtiva was the first European city where the production of this material was documented. There is no exact record of when he arrived in Alcoy, but in principle it can be dated to the 16th century.
This is a crucial moment for the development of the industry, The mill erected in the city by Vicente Albors in 1755and the establishment of the Estanco de Tabaco for New Spain by the Royal Treasury only eleven years later in the same city. From then on there was a significant increase in orders for cigarette paper, which resulted in the proliferation of companies, with Alcoy being the first production site in Spain in the 19th century and Banyeres the second.
Gradually spreading to l’Alcoià and other municipalities such as l’Alqueria d’Asnar or l’Orxa in El Comtat, this industrial activity continued through much of the 20th century and marked the merger of most of them in 1934. The name of the Papeleras Reunidas company is in the companies in the sector. However, the Spanish Civil War, World War II. Different changes such as World War II, loss of consumer markets and economic crises finally caused it to shut down in 1984.
Another related company that retained its independence from Papeleras Reunidas was Raduán, which had a factory in L’Orxa. Although the crisis surrounding the sector caused it to close in 2001, it continued its activities for a longer time. However, beyond some of the manipulated small companies, the last remnants of this sector in the region have virtually disappeared.
And the fact is that without the efforts of a municipality of about 500 inhabitants like l’Alqueria d’Asnar, this industrial activity would have had a practically demonstrative presence in what was once a real empire. Papeleras Reunidas had its main factory. After many efforts to prevent the machines from being dismantled and businessmen Rafael Pascual, Pascual Botella and Rafael Richart’s decision to buy the plants, with a commitment not to sell them if they are not to be continued, they are now accomplished. A strong comeback was made in this region 25 years ago for paper production.
Through the Hinojosa y Bernabeu group, today only Hinojosa decided to buy the factory to make the paper from which he made the cardboards. It should be noted that this business group is dedicated to the manufacture of cardboard boxes for the most diverse products and has 15 factories in Spain, as well as in Portugal.
To start the project, the firm customized the machine that Papeleras Reunidas produces cigarette paper and bible paper, and underwent a comprehensive renovation of the old factory. Production has increased 42 percent in the last seven years. currently produces 100,000 tons of paper per year. The most recent billing data corresponding to 2019 is 46.5 million Euros.
Hinojosa made sustainability and circular economy one of its pioneers. According to Manuel Orero, director of the paper mill, all the paper they produce is recycled. “The material he refers to comes from the blue container or cardboard left over from the box die-cut batch. Also from companies dedicated to recycling and collecting waste from major supermarket chains. From there it is classified and the paper becomes part of the recipe we make”.
Orero emphasizes that paper companies “have always had a bad reputation for pollution and waste, but the truth is, at least in our case, it’s the complete opposite.” In this sense, he adds that the company does not collect water even though it has a concession from the Serpis river flowing right next to the factory. “What we use is wastewater from the Font de la Pedra municipal treatment plant, and the residue is treated at our own facilities, treated to a third level and returned to the source. Considering that we consume 2,000 cubic meters of water per day, this is an extremely important process,” he emphasizes.
The company manager is proud of this philosophy, “because we’re the only paper mill in Europe to do this, even though it’s cheaper for us to get the water from the river. But our aim is to be a leader in technology and a company that also cares about respect for the environment.”
Another example in this sense is the use of biomass to produce steam, which they use to dry the paper at the exit of the machine. “It would be cheaper to bring it from abroad, but we preferred to use the nearest forest remnants, so we also reduced our carbon footprint since transportation is less”. Also, the boiler was installed in 2013 and “was the largest in Spain at that time. It was made in Sweden, and that’s why the consul of this country came to inaugurate it.”
Papelera de l’Alqueria has also replaced fuel-powered forklifts and mechanical bulls with electric ones and is working on a project to install solar panels. Digitalization under Industry 4.0 is also very advanced, which makes it possible to improve the working conditions of workers.
All these actions, involving an investment of close to 20 million euros in recent years, have allowed the company to receive a certificate of excellence in business management, “something very unique due to the stringent requirements in the industrial sector.” sector” highlights the firm’s director, Antonio Monrós. The people in charge of the paper mill also highlight the good alignment in terms of cooperation and licensing at all levels with the l’Alqueria d’Asnar City Council.
The paper made is intended for the manufacture of cardboard, from which, as it was said earlier, boxes are subsequently made. According to the manager, “the group has factories scattered all over Spain to meet the needs of each region. Therefore, boxes are made, for example, for canning in the north, for fruit and vegetables in agricultural areas, to name a few examples.
There are 56 workers in Papelera de l’Alqueria, but if we count the indirect ones, this figure rises to one hundred. Even when the machine stops for maintenance, this number goes up to 160 people. «The technicians come from Sweden, Germany and Finland. Apart from these programmed stops, it should be noted that the machine runs continuously in five shifts. To produce paper, we need to reach very high temperatures and if we stop constantly, the heating costs and consumption will be very high. That’s why we keep it active 24 hours a day.” says Orero.
Along with this company, which is the strongest and only company dedicated directly to production, other smaller companies dedicated to paper processing coexist in these regions. What the vast majority have in common is that they were founded by workers from old companies such as Papeleras Reunidas or Raduán.
One of them is Practicel, which is located in Gaianes and already has a history of 17 years. It is a company mainly dedicated to the hospitality industry and produces, among other products, napkins and tablecloths, as well as wipes, toothpicks and gel packaging. “What we do is transform and sell paper. Our market is predominantly national because it’s a product too cheap to take it any further. Transportation used to eat up profits.”
Practical employs 38 people and has a turnover of just over 14 million euros, but this year the goals have been complicated by the coronavirus crisis. According to Pérez, “Things are more than difficult due to the tourism sector’s bad moment due to the drop in visitor numbers and the closures in the hospitality industry. It will affect us very strongly, but we have no choice but to endure and wait for it to end for sure.
Pérez, both in this company and in other companies in the vicinity, “we all came from old companies in the sector when we were more active. At the moment, only the l’Alqueria factory remains, but we are all still here, working to earn a living and continue this industrial tradition».
Museums and architectural ruins
The paper industry tradition of L’Alcoià and El Comtat can still be seen thanks to the existence of museums and numerous architectural remains. Last year, a museum dedicated to the bamboo factory was opened in l’Alqueria d’Asnar, on the site of what is now Papelera de l’Alqueria. Mayor Jaume Pascual recalls that 450 workers were once employed at the factory, employing 90% of the population. “It was moments of great prosperity that left a deep mark. Neither l’Alqueria means anything without Bamboo, nor does Bamboo mean anything without l’Alqueria,” he emphasizes.
The other museum is located in Banyeres. Especially at the recently renovated Museu Valencià del Paper, you can take a tour of the city’s fruitful papermaking history. A visit to these facilities is rounded off by the Ruta dels Molins, which runs through three of the nine paper mills that have started operating in the municipality along the Vinalopó river. These are Molí l’Ombria, Molí Sol and Molí Pont, which have preserved a significant part of their hydraulic infrastructure.
Finally, in Alcoy, the impressive Papeleras Reunidas building, the current headquarters of Aitex and CEEI, and the Molinar archaeological complex, considered the cradle of Valencian industrialization, are at the heart of the urban area.