Quantum is Negotiating the Sale of the Historic Paper Company Papresa

Quantum Capital Partners , a German investment group accustomed to participating in companies in special situations, is in advanced negotiations to sell Papresa to CL Grupo Industrial . The company, which was acquired from KKR in 2020 and has transformed its operating model to diversify its business beyond newsprint production, is now close to being taken over by a family holding company with 27 businesses in key sectors such as steel and renewable energy construction.

With the acquisition of Quantum, Papresa has invested nearly €100 million to strengthen its position in the cardboard manufacturing segment, which currently accounts for half of its production activity. The company, which expects to close the year with €140 million in revenue and €20 million in EBITDA , is currently the only newsprint producer in Southern Europe and the leading independent manufacturer of packaging paper in Spain.

However, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022, the packaging sector has been affected by the surge in energy costs. The company, led and chaired by Miguel Sánchez , who came to Quantum from Cartonboard, another company in which the German group held a stake, is currently undergoing a restructuring plan. The proposed roadmap outlines a new payment schedule for various creditors to facilitate the sale of the company. This represents the final stage of the restructuring before the change of ownership.

Financial sources indicate that the transaction will allow Papresa to maintain its industrial activity within a diversified and profitable group. The sale ensures the continuity of a competitive asset and preserves indirect employment and economic activity in the area. Regarding Papresa's workforce, comprised of approximately 200 employees, these same sources confirm that it is well-sized to serve the two markets it currently serves.

The acquisition of CL Grupo Industrial follows a previous sale, as last October it sold Galvacolor to the Brazilian company CSN . The transaction occurred midway through the execution of CL Grupo Industrial's two-year strategic plan (2025-2027) and has been submitted to the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) for approval.