On March 23, 1918, Maurice WOLFF founded the Compagnie Générale des Papiers from the former establishments

Maurice WOLFF and Pierre MAZOYER Together created in 1886 in Paris and acquire the Papeteries du BAS RHIN which produces bisulfite paste, has 4 paper machines and produces 5,000 tons per year. CGP also has a paper processing plant in the 20th arrondissement.

CGP gradually set up a network of sales branches, the first being that of ROUBAIX. In 1926, there will be 10 branches: ALGIERS, ANGERS, BORDEAUX, DIJON, MARSEILLE, MULHOUSE, ROANNE, ROUBAIX, ROUEN and TOULOUSE.

The range of products is wide: bisulfite kraft – skimmed celluloses and colour - grey phormium - crystal - sulphurized - parchment - muslin and bubble rope - tarred - waxed - interleaved - between two reinforced - straw cardboard.

In 1926, the annual production of the SCHWEIGHOUSE plant was 10,000 tonnes.

From 1928, strong dissensions appeared among the shareholders of CGP and led to a family split that weakened the group.

In 1956, CGP began marketing corrugated cardboard.

In 1961, CGP buys from EDF a disused thermal power plant located in the town of PARENT (Puy de Dôme) but which will long bear the name of factory of COUDES.

In 1964, we are right in the glorious thirty.

• Turnover grew by 56% between 1956 and 1964 and reached 69 million Francs
• The commercial activity is based on the distribution of paper packaging and corrugated cardboard, which in 1964 represented twice the production of the factories. This distribution is ensured by 12 sales branches, that of ALGIERS being maintained after the independence of ALGERIA. CGP has 40,000 clients, 28,000 of whom are regular order takers.
• The PONTS et MARAIS plant, which has 20,000 m2 on 7 ha, on the edge of Brazil, produces 8,000 tonnes of paper per year (kraft and unbleached interkraft from 64 to 160 g/m2) on a 2.40 m width paper machine from virgin and recycled pulp. She also produced crepe paper and started a corrugator in 1964.
• The SAINT-AMANT TALLENDE plant, which has 7,000 m2 on 1.2 ha, on the edge of the VEYRE, produces
  5,000 tons per year of kraft and interkraft frictioned from 40 to 120 g/m2 from virgin paste and recycled on a 2.40 m width paper machine; it begins the production of bleached kraft and white celluloses and color. It produces processed papers: crepe and paraffin. In 1964: it employs 55 people.
• The factory of LA PLAINE SAINT-DENIS, 3,600 m2 on 6,000 m2, in the urban area of the Paris region produces major transformation in the field of packaging: bitumen, reinforced and unarmed papers for maritime packaging, crepe and paraffin papers, It has an aniline flexographic printing line and a rotogravure line. CGP’s research laboratory is located in this factory.
  In 1964 it employed 63 people and was headed by Mr. VERMONT.
• The COUDES factory: no production in 1964.

• The ROYERES plant, located on the edge of the VEZERE, produces 8,000 tons per year of straw pulp paper and recycled paper on a 2.20m wide paper machine and 13,000 tons of corrugated cardboard on the corrugator; the plant has a modern cashier workshop.

In 1966, the name of the company becomes COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES PAPIERS.

In 1968, the COUDES factory started producing paper.

1973 marks the end of the thirty glorious years. 1974 was a special year for the paper industry, due to a worldwide shortage of pulp and paper: order books increased continuously throughout 1974, reaching 8 to 10 months. Like all bubbles, this one will burst at the beginning of 1975, emptying the order books, leading to production stoppages of the factories, unemployment and beginning of the difficulties of the profession.

The production of the three paper mills (excluding ROYERES) increased from 18,000 tonnes in 1969 to 24,000 tonnes in 1973.

The production of processed paper at the four mills increased from 7,000 tonnes in 1969 to 10,000 tonnes in 1973, with crepe paper increasing sharply from 2,000 tonnes to 4,300 tonnes during this period.

The production of corrugated cardboard at the two PONTS et MARAIS and UZERCHE plants increased from 19,000 tonnes in 1970 to 26,000 tonnes in 1973.

The distribution of paper as is and processed paper was 22,000 tonnes in 1973 and that of corrugated board 12,000 tonnes (a large part of the corrugated board being sold directly by ROYERES).

The development of the CG PACK (white paper + pasted PEhd film printed or not in formats) is very important: the transformation is done in several branches allowing a maximum service to the local trade)

CGP was the first French packaging distributor in 1974 :

Turnover rose from FF 91,953,000 in 1969 to FF 158,684,000 in 1973, an increase of 72% (for an inflation rate of 29% over the period). In 1972, the consolidated group profit before tax and before depreciation was 6% of turnover.

The number of employees in the group in 1973 was 1,160.

From 1970, the significant development of plastic packaging at the expense of paper prompted CGP to invest in this sector. In 1975, CGP decided to set up a PEhd extruder at the COUDES plant. The approach is original because most plastics manufacturers who have invested in the PEhd have previously passed through the PEbd. But CGP bought a lot of PEhd for the realization of the ECOPACK. Thus starts in 1975 with difficulties an extruder GLOENCO.

The turnover had continued to rise between 1973 and 1980 from 158,684,000 Francs to 391,000,000 Francs, or +150% for inflation of +100%. But from 1981, it declined in constant francs, reaching 492,000,000 Francs in 1983.

Paper activity declined by 15% between 1980 and 1983 due to strong competition and price wars following imports and the policy of certain manufacturers.

Corrugated board is the most dynamic sector of the group with 15% growth in volume between 1980 and 1983 but CGP is a small player in the profession. Export is non-existent outside the activity of EMBALCO in Belgium and paper on Great Britain.

At the beginning of 1984, Henri BERTRAND was assisted by a general manager, Claude LANGLADE, who took the first steps towards recovery: closure of the SAINT-AMANT TALLENDE plant and concentration on COUDES of the activity of the two plants.

The restructuring plan was launched in September 1984:

• Confirmation factory closure SAINT-AMANT TALLENDE
• Partial closure of LA PLAINE SAINT-DENIS
• Complete reorganization of headquarters, branches and factories
• Closure of 9 branches and PANTIN workshop
• Elimination of 259 of 779 jobs (UZERCHE, VALPLAST and EMBALCO are not affected by the plan). The commercial reorganization leads to 2 divisions:
• 1 industry division with 3 departments (paper and plastic - corrugated cardboard - supermarkets) for all products on manufacture, 9 sales officers whose sales administration will be transferred to the factories.
• 1 distribution division for stock sales with 3 regional divisions: PARIS - LYON - TOULOUSE and 1 depot in NANTES.
• The plan will proceed quickly as planned but will evolve in the course of 1985: The factory of LA PLAINE SAINT-DENIS will be totally closed

The restructuring plan launched in 1985 was carried out without major obstacles and the effectiveness of the plan and the improvement of the general economic situation led to a rapid recovery of the company, which became profitable again in 1986:

The 1988 turnover reached 472 million Francs with a net result of 6% and a staff of 671 people.

In 1988 Eric BOLLORE, one of the directors of NOVALLIANCE, took over the management of CGP.

The NOVALLIANCE Group will experience a bulimia of acquisition which is concretized for CGP by the acquisition of ELCE TECHNOLOGIE (special papers) in 1988, GAULT and FREMONT, PARIS EMBALLAGE and PRINTING PACK (food packaging) in 1990, GOUZY (cosmetic labels) in 1990, MOREL and BARNERON (perfume boxes) in 1990, VOA (glass bottles) in 1991, Papeteries de la Fourche and SODIPA (food packaging) in 1992, Cartonnage UNIC and THIOLLAT (cartonnages) in 1992, GIE GEPAC and Papeteries du Nord (distribution) in 1992.

In 1989, CGP sold its corrugated cardboard business, the 2 factories of PONTS et MARAIS and UZERCHE and the commercial cardboard service to the Irish group SMURFIT, one of the world leaders in the sector that will shortly after the acquisition of the CELLULOSE group of PIN.

In 1993, the activity and the assets of the COUDES factory are subsidiary in a company CGP INDUSTRIES with its head office in PARENT

The parent company grouping all the entities of the packaging group takes the name of COMPAGNIE GENERALE DE PACKAGING: it is managed by Eric BOLLORE. Its 1992 turnover was 1,766 million Francs.

This turnover is made up of 41% flat board, 25% distribution, 25% glass and 9% paper and plastic.

In 1994, ALTUS FINANCE, a subsidiary of CREDIT LYONNAIS, in charge of majority assets, headed by J.F. HENIN, took over the CGP group. CGP INDUSTRIES finds itself in the CDR (CONSORTIUM of REALIZATION) which aims to sell everything with ELCE of which it took control in 1995. ELCE had developed an innovative product of paper and anti-slip board for palletizing interlayer that was gaining momentum: a home-built coating machine had been installed. In 1995, its turnover was 43 million Francs.

By a happy combination of circumstances in 1996 Jacques PETIART (former director of CELTA of the ROSSMANN group) made contact with the ESSWELL group with Jean-Marie LOUETTE who directed DORE EMBALALLAGE. ESSWELL was then an international corrugated cardboard group present in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and France (SIEMCO in NANTES and DORE EMBALLAGE in Puy de Dôme). Its turnover was then 1,865 million Francs. This group belonged to two associated paper manufacturers, Jan SJOGREN and Miguel SAEZ.

In 1999, after the sale by the ESSWELL group of its corrugated cardboard business, the group focuses on the necessary reorganization of CGP, and the merger CGP INDUTRIES/ ELCE is realized. With the group of 3 current shareholders, Jan SJOGREN, Miguel SAEZ and Jean-Marie LOUETTE a new page in the history of CGP opens.

Volumes of anti-slip paper and board are increasing significantly and the ELCE coating machine is no longer sufficient. On the other hand, the production of paper processed in COUDES required to be reorganized in larger premises to allow its development.

An opportunity presents itself with a factory in CEBAZAT in the PUY DE DÔME which produced paper for photocopier and which belonged to the American group INTERNATIONAL PAPER. CGP acquires this factory with its coating machine, its winding and cutting machines and takes over 30 employees in 1999.

Under the Operational Direction of our Quality Engineer Frédéric FROISSART, today General Manager of the group, the transformation machines of COUDES are quickly transferred there.

In 2000, a new UTECO film printing machine is installed and in 2001 a 3-layer co-extruder in width 2 200 mm starts.

In 2002, the ELCE plant that had migrated from CALUIRE to DECINES was shut down and all activities were

transferred to CEBAZAT.

In 2004, each of CGP’s activities is subsidiary:

• CGP INDUSTRIES for processed paper
• CGP FILM for plastic activities
• COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES PAPIERS for paper production
• the parent company becomes CGP AUVERGNE
• a new creping machine is installed and the ALPINE 2 single-layer extruder is transformed into a 3-layer co-extruder.
  

The paper mill situation was deteriorating rapidly due to international price competition and the decline of many markets moving to other products. These difficulties affected all French paper packaging groups other than corrugated cardboard.

The paper mill had also been weakened by two fires and a flood of the Allier in 2004.

After attempts to reorient paper activities towards light PPOs and failure of external competitions, CGP definitively stopped paper production in November 2005.

In 2005, CGP starts a processing activity of anti-slip paper in CANADA and creates the company CGP

CARIBOU in SAINT-JEAN SUR RICHELIEU.

In 2006, CGP, to continue the development of the processed papers, seizes an opportunity and buys in BOURGES a large factory. In this factory are installed a corrugator for anti-slip cartons, cardboard cutting machines, a helio printing machine to expand the range of coatings in technical papers. CGP acquires ETIQROLL, an adhesive label company in ROCHECORBON (37) which was experiencing difficulties. This company, given its positioning near VOUVRAY was very oriented towards the production of labels for winegrowers. After its recovery, a vigorous investment plan is revived, including digital printing and industrial markets are developed.

In 2007, CGP decided to invest in the production of high-quality printed films: a dedicated company was created for this activity: CGP PRINT and an 8-color printing machine was installed in the former premises of the paper mill; the target markets are marketing routing films and food films (SOFILMA market complement).

In 2008, CGP takes over the activities of the company MULTISAC in PUY-EN-VELAY, in liquidation. MULTISAC specializes in the production of printed films and complexes and pouches for the food industry. CGP MULTISAC is created.

The sale of anti-slip papers in CANADA develops and an agreement is concluded with a Canadian distributor, a new company is created in CANADA in 2008 CGP EXPAL to GRANDBY, near MONTREAL: a cutter is transferred there to cut into sheets the rolls of anti-slip paper produced at CEBAZAT. The same year, the company CGP EXPERT is created in BOURGES for research and development.

In 2009, SOFILMA and MULTISAC are BRC certified.

In 2010 the entity CGP COATING INNOVATION is created to communicate all the activities of paper processing.

In 2011, CGP FILM and CGP PRINT merged into CGP FLEXIBLE INNOVATION, joined by CGP MULTISAC. CGP also acquires a building in CANADA in BROMONT and transfers the activities of EXPAL. A second will follow in 2018.

Between 2009 and 2012, CGP INDUSTRIES developed an important export activity for anti-slip paper and board with the opening of sales offices in GERMANY, DENMARK, USA and MEXICO.

In 2012 CGP creates a company in GERMANY with a sales office in DUSSELDORF and a factory in PLAUEN, near the Czech border.

In 2013, CGP EXPERT inaugurated the Technical Center in BOURGES. The company CGP COATING INNOVATION NORTH AMERICA is also created in ATLANTA in the USA and sales offices are opened in ATLANTA and ONTARIO in California. CGP acquires the company GIGAULT in CHALONNES-SUR-LOIRE, a company specializing in adhesive labels with a clientele of winegrowers in ANJOU. This family-run company, in difficulty, was quickly recovered and an investment plan revived.