Sustainability and circularity are at the core of the partnership between family-owned Belgian company Sivafrost and Smurfit Westrock. Specializing in contract packaging for frozen food products, Sivafrost’s relationship with Smurfit Westrock began as a straightforward packaging collaboration. Over the years, it has evolved into a fully closed-loop recycling process, giving new life to old paper and cardboard.

 

Since 2011, Sivafrost has been generating its own renewable energy with solar panels and a wind turbine, operating as a CO2-neutral company. The business also adopts a responsible approach to waste management by recycling a wide range of materials — from foil and wood to food waste. Food that cannot be delivered due to incomplete packaging or quality issues is donated to food banks or repurposed as animal feed, ensuring minimal waste and maximum impact.

A cornerstone of Sivafrost’s circular strategy is its collaboration with Smurfit Westrock Recycling. On-site, paper and cardboard are sorted and compressed using innovative systems and machinery such as:

• Stationary screw press: Removes and compacts used paper directly from the production hall via a conveyor belt.
• Monobloc (mobile self-press compactor): Compresses foils for streamlined recycling.
• Rollpacker in a 40-cubic-meter container: Processes bulky waste with ease.

Together, these methods enable Sivafrost to recycle approximately 75 tons of paper and cardboard each month. The materials are collected by Smurfit Westrock Recycling and baled at its Merksem facility in Belgium. They are then sent to the company's paper mill in Roermond, where the recycled material is processed before being delivered to Smurfit Westrock Cartomills, where they are given a new life as cardboard packaging. Once transformed into boxes, the new packaging is delivered back to Sivafrost, where it's used for co-packing and distributing frozen products — completing the loop from waste to resource to reuse.

 

This partnership is more than just a logistical process — it’s a shared vision of sustainability and circularity. Smurfit Westrock provides sustainable packaging solutions, while its recycling division works in close collaboration with Sivafrost to improve waste management. Through transparent communication and innovative solutions, both companies strengthen one another in their mission to build a circular economy and a more sustainable future for Belgium and beyond.