Through the EU-supported Regional Energy Efficiency Programme for the Western Balkans (REEP/REEP Plus), the German Development Bank (Kreditanstalt Für Wiederaufbau – KfW), on behalf of the German Federal Government, has supported the Serbian cardboard packaging manufacturer RVM in Kraljevo to rehabilitate a hall for its production, with a focus on energy efficiency.

Previously, the company’s production was spread over three buildings, so material and products had to be transported back and forth between the different units with forklift trucks, and the old halls were in poor condition. In 2019, RVM, therefore, acquired a new building with 10,000 square metres of space, which was also in need of renovation. Consequently, they applied for support to renovate the newly acquired production building. The support was provided in the form of a loan and an EU grant. The loan amounts to €250,000, plus an EU grant of €25,000 from the REEP pot. The company itself raised €90,000 from its own funds.

“With the help of the REEP Plus programme, we were able to implement the highest standards of energy efficiency,” explains CFO Vladimir Radosavljević. “We will use the REEP grant to reduce the loan burden.” New windows were installed, heat-insulating doors, the entire electrical installation was renewed and replaced with LED lamps as light sources. A dust extraction system was also installed, which significantly improves the air quality in the new hall.