Kanzan Spezialpapiere

Kanzan Spezialpapiere GmbH, commonly known as KANZAN, is a German specialty paper manufacturer based in Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia. The company produces thermal papers, inkjet papers, and other specialty papers, supplying further-processing industries such as printers, small-roll converters, and laminate manufacturers for self-adhesive labels across Europe. With around 300 employees, KANZAN produces approximately 60,000 tonnes of paper per year and generates annual revenue of around €115 million. KANZAN was founded in September 1990 as a joint venture between the Japanese paper manufacturer Kanzaki Paper (now Oji Paper), the German Zanders Feinpapiere AG, and the Japanese trading house Marubeni. Production began in October 1991 at the Neumühl site in southern Düren, when Zanders contributed its Neumühl mill to the joint venture. After Zanders Feinpapiere AG exited in 2000, KANZAN became increasingly integrated into the Oji Group, Japan's largest paper manufacturer. The company has invested in modernizing its energy supply at the Neumühl site, including a gas-fired medium-pressure boiler in 2007 and a lignite dust boiler as the new main boiler in 2010. In 2022, Oji announced an expansion of thermal paper production at the Düren site, with parts of the new facilities going into operation in December 2023. A biomass heating plant is planned to replace fossil fuels and reduce CO₂ emissions, with commissioning targeted for 2027. KANZAN positions itself as an employer of choice in the region, emphasizing a corporate culture of responsible action, reliability, and strength of character. The company's website highlights its team of around 300 employees as the backbone of the business, with profiles of staff members illustrating the diversity of roles and the company's commitment to training and development. KANZAN is part of the Oji Group, which provides backing and access to global resources while maintaining local production and expertise in Düren.

Kanzan Spezialpapiere GmbH was founded in September 1990 as a joint venture between the Japanese paper manufacturer Kanzaki Paper (now Oji Paper), the German Zanders Feinpapiere AG, and the Japanese trading house Marubeni. Production started in October 1991 at the Neumühl site in southern Düren, when Zanders contributed its Neumühl mill to the joint venture. After Zanders Feinpapiere AG exited in 2000, KANZAN became increasingly integrated into the Oji Group. In the following years, the company modernized the energy supply at the Neumühl plant: a gas-fired medium-pressure boiler went into operation in 2007, followed by a lignite dust boiler as the new main boiler in 2010. In 2022, Oji announced an expansion of thermal paper production at the Düren site. Parts of the new facilities went into operation in December 2023. As part of further modernization of energy supply in the 2020s, a biomass heating plant is planned at the Düren site to replace fossil fuels and contribute to CO₂ emission reduction. Commissioning is scheduled for 2027. The Neumühl mill itself has a long history as the oldest paper factory in Düren. Its origins trace back to Rütger von Scheven, a merchant born near Elberfeld in 1661, who recognized the advantages of the area for paper production near the Rur river. After acquiring Düren citizenship in 1694, he received a concession on 9 July 1710 to build a paper mill on the Dürener Teich. The Schevensmühle, as it was named after him, employed 50 workers shortly after production began. His watermark, the electoral Cologne coat of arms with his initials "RVS", became a mark of origin and quality, officially confirmed on 18 March 1727 by the Düren magistrate, who stated that "Rütger von Scheven produces paper of a quality not found elsewhere." After the founder's death in 1740, his son Rütger Lucas von Scheven took over the mill, transferring it in 1773 to his sister Magdalena, who married Johann Paul Schoeller, thus beginning the Schoeller family's paper tradition. The Neumühl mill remained in the possession of various members and branches of the Schoeller family until 1981. In the mid-19th century, Benno Schoeller (1828–1908) and his brother Julius (1820–1876) acquired the Schevensmühle and built a new factory in 1862 with the most modern technology of the time: turbines replaced water wheels and the first paper machine was installed. The mill was henceforth called Neumühl. For over 50 years, Schoellershammer and Neumühl belonged together under the name Heinrich August Schoeller Söhne. In 1914, the mills were separated again when Hugo Albert Schoeller took over Neumühl and continued production under his name. The company survived difficult political and economic circumstances: World War I, the Treaty of Versailles, reparations, hyperinflation, the Great Depression, and the Nazi era. Only at the end of World War II did production come to a complete halt when the mill was hit by an Allied air raid on 21 April 1944, and the buildings of Neumühl lay on the main battle line multiple times in February 1945 as American units approached the Düren area. According to eyewitness accounts, the mill was occupied seven times alternately by German and Allied troops and suffered additional severe damage. One year before the currency reform in June 1947, the war damage was repaired enough for the first fine paper machine (PM 1) to resume operation. By the mid-1950s, production had returned to pre-war levels, benefiting from the economic boom of the young Federal Republic and the resumption of photographic paper production. After the companies Hugo Albert Schoeller and Felix Schoeller jr. from Burg Gretesch (Osnabrück) merged in 1967, a comprehensive investment program was launched, so that in 1970 a new and modern paper machine went into operation at the Neumühl mill. Twelve years later, when Zanders Feinpapiere AG took over the mill in 1982, the tradition as a family business ended. Thereafter, the company mainly supplied base papers that were coated at the Reflex and Gohrsmühle mills. When Zanders planned a large new paper machine in Bergisch Gladbach in 1989, a new business concept was sought for Neumühl, which in September 1990 led to the founding of Kanzan Spezialpapiere GmbH as a joint venture.

• 2023

  Parts of the new thermal paper facilities go into operation in December.

• 2022

  Oji announces expansion of thermal paper production at Düren.

• 2010

  Lignite dust boiler becomes the new main boiler.

• 2007

  Gas-fired medium-pressure boiler goes into operation.

• 2000

  Zanders Feinpapiere AG exits; KANZAN increasingly integrated into Oji Group.

• 1991

  Production starts in October at the Neumühl site in Düren.

• 1990

  Kanzan Spezialpapiere GmbH founded in September as a joint venture.

• 1982

  Zanders Feinpapiere AG takes over the Neumühl mill, ending family ownership.

• 1970

  A new modern paper machine goes into operation at Neumühl.

• 1947

  First fine paper machine (PM 1) resumes operation after war damage repairs.

• 1944

  Allied air raid hits the Neumühl mill on 21 April, leading to production halt.

• 1914

  Hugo Albert Schoeller takes over Neumühl, separating it from Schoellershammer.

• 1862

  Benno and Julius Schoeller build a new factory with modern technology, naming it Neumühl.

• 1727

  Düren magistrate officially confirms the quality of Scheven's paper.

• 1710

  Rütger von Scheven receives concession to build a paper mill on the Dürener Teich, founding the Schevensmühle.

• Biomass heating plant planned to be commissioned, replacing fossil fuels.

Specialty paper manufacturer focusing on thermal and inkjet papers, part of the global Oji Group, serving European converters and printers.

• Thermal papers

  Specialty papers for thermal printing applications.

• Inkjet papers

  Specialty papers for inkjet printing.

• Other specialty papers

  Various specialty papers for further processing industries.

1. 1KANZAN - Spezialpapierekanzan.de
2. 2People - KANZANkanzan.de
3. 3Kanzan Spezialpapierewikidata.org
4. 4Kanzan Spezialpapierede.wikipedia.org