The paper mill was built on the banks of the river Lorze in order to make use of hydropower. Although it is relatively small, the Lorze ended up providing the power for the mill for many centuries – and, to some extent, continues to do so today.
When, in 1657, two young men from the city of Zug wanted to establish the first paper mill in the area, they looked to nearby rivers for unused hydropower. A very modest business evolved first into a small factory, and then a large one, with up to 1,000 staff. It was at this point that the hydropower no longer met the mill's energy needs and a coal and heavy oil power station was built.
Today, the entire Papieri site is powered 100% with renewable energies, including solar and hydropower provided by the modernized hydropower plant. And so it has come full circle: all of the environmentally harmful drive systems have now disappeared and hydropower has become more important again.
