DS Smith, a sustainable packaging leader, announces the appointment of Rogier Gerritsen as managing director of its Recycling Division – managing about 6 million tons of paper for recycling annually at company plants and those of its partners in the United States and internationally. DS Smith recently expanded its recycling operations with the opening of its first U.S. recycling facility in Reading, Pa. The plant can recycle more than 36,000 tons of old corrugated cardboard each year and is unique as it is alongside the company’s paper mill and within a mile from its packaging plant, creating a closed loop manufacturing model. The process allows for corrugated packaging to be made, used, collected and recycled into corrugated boxes again within just 14 days.
Gerritsen joined DS Smith in 2012, holding senior roles in both the Packaging and Paper divisions and gaining valuable experience across the full spectrum of sustainable paper and packaging production. Gerritsen is a cluster director for the Paper Division, overseeing the operational and commercial activities of some of DS Smith’s largest mills in Europe.
“The prospect of working in the sector as it responds to the recycling challenge that comes from huge changes in consumer shopping habits drew me to the position,” Gerritsen said. “As we see more packaging entering household recycling streams, we must focus on making sure that the right collection infrastructure is in place to facilitate the best quality paper possible for recycling.”
“Rogier brings extensive knowledge of paper and packaging production and this will be key in our next phase of growth,” said Colin McIntyre, divisional CEO for Paper & Recycling at DS Smith. “Recyclability is at the very heart of our sustainable packaging solutions and making sure we are at the forefront of hard to recycle materials is critical to maintaining and growing paper-based packaging recycling rates across the world.”