How did the founder’s vision for recycling come into the picture?
Jean-Luc Petithuguenin started the organization PAPREC, and he has been in charge of it ever since. Jean-Luc Petithuguenin joined Compagnie Générale des Eaux in 1990 when he was 33 years old. Guy Dejouany was the leader of this quasi-state organization, which included Veolia, Vinci, Vivendi, Nexity, and other companies. Here, in 1994, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin was chosen to lead the industrial cleaning and recycling business, which at the time employed close to 15,000 people.
He was asked to give up control of a little PAPREC recycling business that the company had recently bought from Scott Paprec. This was PAPREC. Having its headquarters in La Courneuve, 45 workers, and a 3.5 million euro annual revenue at the time.
Jean-Luc Petithuguenin decided to take his chances. He left the Compagnie Gnrale des Eaux and bought PAPREC. His hard work and commitment paid off! With more than 280 locations across eight countries, the company has increased its workforce from 45 to 12,500 over the course of 25 years. The portfolio includes sales of 2.2 billion euros in 2021 while managing 16 million tonnes of garbage. Since its founding, the Paprec Group has gained recognition for its dedication to diversity, secularism, and the struggle against all types of intolerance. Furthermore, BFM Business and Ernst and Young both chose Jean-Luc Petithuguenin twice for the Businessman of the Year award.
The transformation in the recycling sector over the past years
Over the past three decades, more people have become conscious of the need to safeguard the environment. Recycling is commonplace today. It is crucial that you protect the planet’s natural resources, reduce CO2 emissions, and take part in the decarbonization of the economy. Local authorities have tightened up their enforcement of home trash separation over time. It has been vital for businesses to adapt to this trend as regulation has continued to address waste management and being ethical and sustainable has become more and more in vogue.
Paprec kept its pledge to demonstrate that the recycling sector is a well-developed one. French recycling champion PAPREC also ranks second in waste management and third in the provision of green energy (energy recovery from waste). The success of Paprec is founded on its consistent selection of the greatest technology available. Modern plants make up every one of them. In fact, there are no dividends paid by this business since the proceeds are used to purchase the most advanced industrial machinery that the management teams desire. The fleet’s pursuit of excellence and commitment to providing the greatest service must also be reflected in the trucks, skips, and other equipment. Industrial tools and equipment have received 2.5 billion euros in investment during the past 25 years.
The establishment of PAPREC and the motive behind establishing the firm
1994 saw the start of the Paprec journey at La Courneuve (North-East of Paris). The Compagnie Générale des Eaux (now Veolia), where Jean-Luc Petithuguenin was a senior executive at the time, acquired PAPREC, a SME that specialized in the recycling of paper and cardboard. Jean-Luc Petithuguenin left the Generale des Eaux and bought PAPREC. He made an extraordinary industrial endeavour out of what was essentially a craft industry. The company is currently the top French garbage recycler and one of the top European recycling businesses. They have a reputation for producing and selling novel raw materials of the highest quality. They can provide the greatest recycling alternatives since they are constantly on the hunt for innovative opportunities. The group is emphasising both internal growth and outward expansion to expand its knowledge base and serve the entire nation. After recycling and energy recovery, the economy’s next loop is organic recovery or returning waste materials to the ground. By early 2024, all organic waste generated in France must be collected at the source. This garbage still nearly always ends up in landfills and accounts for at least 25% of domestic waste in France. This industry is expected to grow dramatically, and PAPREC is, as always, putting a priority on innovation and perfection.
Waste management – A Game Changer
The company’s expansion demonstrates its forward-thinking. They have had a 30% yearly rise in turnover over the last 25 years. The waste of the 20th century would become the raw materials of the 21st, as PAPREC predicted before anybody else, and they were correct. Recycling and energy recovery from waste are now necessities for the decarbonization of the economy and will be a component of the mix that can help us address the problem of climate change.
Newcomers’ aspirations to join PAPREC
In 65 nations, PAPREC sells its recycled raw materials. In the previous ten years, Paprec has also had Swiss development, where it has seven plants. They currently operate in 10 nations, where they control waste or energy recovery facilities agencies. They conduct business in France, Benin, Azerbaijan, Spain, Poland, Morocco, Togo, India, and Switzerland plus the UK.
PAPREC doesn’t want to limit their attention to recycling. The solution to the climate change problem is to recycle and recover energy from garbage.
Aspirants recognise the worth of their work right away! They especially visit the business because they are looking for meaningful and ecologically responsible businesses that can increase their exposure.
Importance of diverse and inclusive workplace
Initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion not only improve workplace environments, but they also help businesses perform better. Due to the value they provide, diversity and inclusion are swiftly rising to the top of enterprises’ priority lists. As several studies have shown, they not only help to create a more content, open-minded, and productive staff but also enhance the financial performance of the companies. The company’s motto, “For a greener planet and a more united society,” was the cornerstone upon which it was established. A source of strength and depth for PAPREC is the diversity of job routes, ethnicities, ages, and genders. The founder states, “When I started, people said to me: “With your noble ideas, you will fall flat on your face”. After 25 years, we have shown that diversity can be essential to a company’s success. I believe that in the future, these concepts will prevail. ”
A quote for aspirants seeking career opportunities as an environmentalist.
The company and Jean-Luc Petithuguenin’s motto is to act for a greener planet and a more united society.
