Key dates...key facts
Kent has a long association with papermaking and so it's no surprise to find one of the World's top producers of recycled newsprint located within the Garden of England. Below are some key historical facts that show how the industry developed in the South East and how Aylesford Newsprint has become one of the best known names in the industry.
1588
The earliest records of paper making in Kent are dated 1588 when German John Speilman set up a mill in Dartford in the North of the county. Numerous abandoned woollen mills, an abundance of natural springs and river transport in the form of the Medway made Kent an ideal centre for the fast developing paper industry.
1850
Kent is home to 60 paper mills - many located in the Maidstone area. Two are known to have been sited near Aylesford.
1889
Albert Reed bought a mill in Dartford, he was the son of a tax collector, as a child Albert had accompanied his father to many paper mills and it is thought that this fired his enthusiasm for paper making. Several years working in paper mills in south west England followed.
1894
Albert Reed expanded his operation with the purchase of an existing mill in Tovil, eight miles from the current Aylesford site.
1914/18 : World War I
Supplies of Swedish pulp were limited and waste paper collections were started so that the mill could produce newsprint for The Times with 15% waste, for The Morning Post with 20% and for the Mirror, Observer and Sketch with 30% waste.
1917
Albert Reed, together with his sons Ralph and Percy, acquired a plot of land at Aylesford. Further land was bought.
1920
Building of the new mill started.
1920
Albert died.
1922
The first two paper machines (named No1 and No2) went into newsprint production.
1920s
The Aylesford mill diversified into the production of Kraft paper as the importance of newsprint fell. Difficult trading conditions and the Depression proved challenging.
1933
At this point newsprint accounted for only 60% of the mill's total output. The Reed business continued to expand with five major paper making machines being installed before the outbreak of World War II.
1930s
Despite difficult times the number of employees doubled to nearly 4,000 and paper production increased to almost 4,000 tons a week, representing 8% of the country's total production.
1939/45 : World War II
The outbreak of World War II brought many changes for the Aylesford Paper Mills. Joint managing director Ralph Reed, son of Albert, was enlisted by the government to become Paper Controller. Initially, paper was not considered an essential war material, but as time went by paper was used in several surprising ventures: in the manufacture of disposable auxiliary petrol tanks for aircraft; to form a complete tail assembly for the Sunderland flying boats; and even to manufacture parts of Spitfire propellers. Despite this recognition, the government decided to halt imports of pulp from Canada and instead brought in huge tons of newsprint in order to reduce shipping movements. The effect was to leave many UK newsprint machines standing idle and it was during this period that the company trialled the use of waste paper as a pulp substitute.
1940s/50s
Towards the end of the war and directly after it, Reed made a series of acquisitions and diversifications which was to result in the company's transformation into a major conglomerate of international repute. By the 50s the company had changed its name to the Reed Paper Group, employed 22,000 people over many sites and Aylesford had become a small part of a rapidly growing empire.
1957/8
Paper making machine No13 was installed. It is still going strong today at Aylesford Newsprint.
1958
Aylesford Paper Mills was acknowledged as the UK's largest mill - and installed its first computers.
1960
The government's decision to join the European Free Trade Agreement reduced tariff barriers meant that it was difficult to be cost competitive with Scandinavian and Canadian producers. Only Reed's swift move to diversify saved the mill from closure. Indeed the re-introduction and progressive switch to recycling was of particular importance at this time. The emphasis on waste paper and recycling continued throughout the 60s, perhaps fuelled by a series of strikes which caused pulp supply difficulties.
1962
A new research and development building was opened at Aylesford and research was carried out on waste recycling and de-inking techniques.
1964
Aylesford formed an association with Maybank for the supply of waste paper.
1968
Recycled fibre was being used regularly in Kraft paper and in newsprint at a proportion of 20%.
1969
It was estimated that more than 23 million people were reading Reed newsprint everyday, but the growth of the Reed organisation meant that the Aylesford Paper Mills was becoming but a small cog in a big wheel. Phase 1 of the de-inking plant was commissioned. This enlarged plant provided 1,600 tonnes of de-inked paper a week.
1970s
The seventies was a difficult time for the Aylesford Paper Mills with machines being decommissioned and employees being made redundant.
1978
Phase 2 of the de-inking plant was completed enabling Reed to use 55% recycled content in Newsprint.
1980s
A time of continued difficulty for the UK paper industry and a period of refocusing and realignment at Aylesford Paper Mills. Reed International, the holding company, had completed a review of its activities in 1978 and during this period of the 1980's divested its manufacturing businesses to concentrate on business communications and publishing.
1984
With the closure of the three Machine Glazed paper machines at Aylesford the de-inked pulp became available to produce a 100% recycled newsprint.
1988
Reed International sold the paper and packaging business to Reedpack, a new company formed to hold the assets.
1990
Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA), a Swedish company bought Reedpack.
1993
In December 1993 SCA entered a joint venture with Mondi to form the Aylesford Newsprint group of companies. At that time a project was approved to construct a new recycling and papermaking plant at a project cost of £250 million.
1994
The new fibre preparation plant was constructed to supply fibre for to PM13 (the 1957 Reed International paper machine) and PM14 (a new machine being constructed by the joint venture) for paper production.
1995
Paper making machine No14 was commissioned in May. PM14 was designed to produce the very best quality of newsprint to meet the then change to higher speed printing and use of colour photography.