Rigesa - Company : History

In the interior of the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, in 1942 a small paper and packaging company was founded in the city of Valinhos. Before long, "Ribeiro Gerin SA", later known as Rigesa, had captured a lot of people's attention.

Ten years later, US-based Westvaco Corporation came to Brazil searching for land that could be re-forested and ended up finding Rigesa. Senior management decided to purchase the Brazilian company immediately.

One year later in 1953 Rigesa became part of Westvaco. Due to the excellent market position it had obtained, Rigesa maintained its existing trademark rather than adopt the name of its parent company.

Since then, with units strategically spread across Brazil and more than 2000 employees, Rigesa stands out for its innovation, product quality and services offered to its target markets.

As a member MeadWestvaco Packaging Resource group, leading global producer of packaging, coated and specialty papers, consumer and office products and specialty chemicals, Rigesa works with extremely demanding clients, among them the owners of some of the world´s most important brands.

Today, with 60 years of activities, that little factory in Valinhos has become a large and thriving company. But that's not all; the people familiar with its environmental projects and community involvement also perceive Rigesa as a responsible company.

The same fundamental objective has guided Rigesa's activities since the first day of operations: offer your customers the packaging industry's most modern technology while never forgetting our environmental and social commitments.

Here you will learn all about Rigesa's journey to success, from today back to its founding in 1942.

Valor 1000 Award ECO Award		Rigesa received Valor 1000 Award as the best company of pulp and paper segment. Rigesa received Eco Award from American Chamber of Commerce.

50th years of Rigesa Forestry Division		50th years of Rigesa Forestry Division, at Três Barras, SC.

Feira de Santana		Official Inauguration of Feira de Santana Box Plant, in the State of Bahia.

Feira de Santana Box Plant		Start-up of the first phase of Feira de Santana Box Plant, in the state of Bahia.

Rigesa completes 60 years		Rigesa completes 60 years fo history on August 4th, 2002. The Visitors Center in Valinhos is inaugurated.

Merger of Westvaco with Mead - 2002		As a result of the merger, Rigesa’s parent company became MeadWestvaco Corporation, a leading global producer of packaging, coated and specialty papers, consumer and office products and specialty chemicals, with its headquartered in Stamford, CT. It has annual sales of US$ 8 billion, operates in 33 countries, serves customers in approximately 100 countries, and employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. Using sustainable forest practices, MeadWestvaco manages 3.5 million acres of forests.

New product line launched at the Manaus plant		The Manaus Box Plant has begins production of small flute corrugated and paperboard packaging. The Valinhos paperboard packaging plant expands and re-opens. Concerned about environmental issues, Rigesa sponsors the State of Sao Paulo Environmental Conservation Institutes Atlas. Rigesa receives the Embanews Supplier of the Year Trophy. The award, organized by Nova Editora, recognizes those companies and professionals in the sector for new technology and innovations used in packaging manufacture.

The Valinhos Paper Factory receives investments		Westvaco Corporation, Rigesa's US parent company invests more than US$ 3 million to completely refurbish the Valinhos paper mill. Agaprint Embalagens is acquired, strengthening company growth in worldwide paperboard packaging markets. DuPont sponsors the Cyrel 2000 Grand Prix in recognition of Rigesa excellence in flexible graphic printing for corrugated cardboard as well as for paperboard. Fritz Müller and Water Action 2000 Awards- Rigesa wins two important environmental awards, the first for outstanding results in controlling industrial pollution and the second for water conservation and re-utilization.

Plaform® production begins in Brazil		First Plaform® box production. Rigesa signs an agreement to manufacture Plaform® packaging for fruit and vegetables. Rigesa invests US$ 9 million in the expansion of its paperboard packaging plant in Valinhos, SP, acquiring a new flexographic printing press. Its in-line process is capable of receiving paper rolls at one end and delivering finished paperboard packages at the other. Biggest and Best Award. For the seventh time in twenty years Rigesa received this award from Exame magazine, an important tribute to Rigesa's excellence in the pulp and paper industry. Awards for graphic excellence in corrugated cardboard. The Company won the Flexo Quality Award, sponsored by ABFLEXO, in the categories of best non-process color printing and best full-color process printing.

Bulk Container plant starts operations		With a strong belief in large volume packaging projects, Rigesa has built a production line designed from the ground up to supply special packaging for consumers of large, heavy-duty packaging, such as the 1000 liter recyclable container. Mill Mate® and Brazilian logistics. Rockwell Fumagalli, an automobile tire manufacturer, began using Mill Mate® for its exports to the USA. The logistical benefits were so great that the system continues to bring substantial returns even today.

Três Barras paper mill receives investment		Rigesa announces US$ 60 million investment in its Três Barras, SC, paper mill to build a new recovery boiler with more steam generation capacity.

Rigesa enters the paperboard packaging market		Rigesa enters the market for paperboard packaging with its acquisition of a folding carton production plant in Valinhos from Impressora Paranaense. The plant is already ISO 9002 certified. Pacajus, CE, box plant Inaugurated. Just a year and a half after starting operations, the Pacajus plant received ISO 9002 certification, a source of pride on the part of Rigesa's operations in the northeast region of Brazil. Environmental awards. In recognition of its projects focused on the environment, Rigesa received several important awards, including the IV Ecology Expression Award, Living Planet Award, honorable mention certificates for the ECO 96 and ECO 97 Awards, and the Fritz Müller Award. The Muller Award was given for the implementation of Project Learning Tree in the public schools of Três Barras and the surrounding region. In July the Valinhos, SP, paper mill received ISO 9002 certification.

Três Barras Paper mill receives ISO 9002 certification		This certificate is one more guarantee to the client that the product meets the highest quality standards.

1000 Liters and Brazilian Logistics		N&N Polpas, a banana pulp exporter, uses the octagonal 1000 Liter to export their product. Significant advantages in climate control differentiate their product, which has been successful not only in Brazil, but also in the demanding European market.

Manaus, AM Box plant inauguration		This corrugated box plant was installed in Manaus to serve the city's growing industrial complex. With its modern equipment the plant can produce packaging for food products, mechanical equipment, motorcycles, and especially electronics. The plant is an important contribution to this market and is ISO 9002 certified.

Blumenau, SC Box plant inauguration		Rigesa has expanded and built other units to provide closer, faster service to customers in various regions. In 1978 the city of Blumenau received a new corrugated cardboard box plant, and the plant is ISO 9002 certified.

Três Barras, SC Paper mill inauguration		Raw material that comes from the Forest Division is transformed into high quality paper at the Três Barras paper mill. Besides meeting the company's internal needs, this mill exports paper to various countries. Its production capacity is 200 thousand tons per year.

The Forest Division starts up		Through upstream integration, company builds self sufficiency at every step of the production process and gives greater control over product quality, from raw material through to the final product. The Forestry Division guarantees Rigesa self sufficiency by planting genetically superior pine trees, made possible through step by step supervision of specialized engineers and technicians.

Rigesa becomes part of Westvaco		Ten years after Rigesa was founded, US-based Westvaco Corporation came to Brazil looking for land that could be re-forested and ended up finding Rigesa. Rigesa joined the group in 1953.

Rigesa Founding		In the interior of Sao Paulo state a small paper and packaging company was founded in the city of Valinhos. Before long, "Ribeiro Gerin SA", later known as Rigesa, was recognized in the market for the quality of its products. Today the Valinhos corrugated packaging plant is considered to be one of the world's largest. It was the first in Latin America to be ISO 9001 certified. The recycled paper mill that supplies the other company factories is also located in Valinhos and is ISO 9002 certified.