Forces of paper
Upon writing this I can’t help but be impacted by the packaging housing my takeaway lunch. Items have been hand placed into paper sleeves then all placed in a paper bag, along with a paper cup for my drink.
Our viewpoint of paper, packaging, and circularity is continuing to evolve, and one of our oldest most traditional products is in many ways a testament to where we find ourselves in 2023.
The idea of groceries in paper bags would seem like something out of the 1950s a decade or so ago, but now paper is in some ways just as popular as chipboard, bamboo, or stainless steel as a product that simply ‘looks sustainable’.
Since the beginning of print and publishing, paper has of course been an essential part of the process, so with the resurgence of paper’s relevancy in recent years, what are some of the best solutions and options for printers to think about when working with this important product?
2022 challenges
Looking back around 20 to 30 years ago, it’s hard to get your head around plastics and materials that would simply end up in landfill. The outcome had massive effects on our environment, which we are still paying for today.
Changes in the use of items like plastic bags and electronic devices has drastically changed the circularity of our economy. Yet paper for all its plus points has faced a lot of challenges in recent years.
Mixed messages, cost saving techniques, and competition has meant paper has been seen by many as an environmentally unfriendly product despite its massive green credentials.
According to Two Sides, only 16% of European consumers understand the high recycling rate of paper
False claims over digital alternatives being more environmentally friendly have had an impact on the image of paper, but despite the effect this may have had on the use of paper, recent events have also put massive strains on the industry.
Tim Percival, category director of Office and Digital Papers at Antalis, comments: “The market has experienced much turbulence this past year as we all strive to recover from the pandemic and deal with the disruption that has ensued across the globe.”
The market has experienced much turbulence this past year as we all strive to recover from the pandemic and deal with the disruption that has ensued across the globe”
Covid-19 has put massive strains on paper stocks as paper products and visual communication was needed more than ever. Supply, freight, and energy problems have also taken their toll, as well as strikes in countries like Finland where a large amount of European paper mills reside.
Despite these challenges, many areas are starting to turn a corner, as businesses and governments prioritise the continuation of businesses and the economy. Percival says: “At Antalis we believe that collaboration is key in helping our customers select the correct products and processes for successful print and application. We are committed to offering support and assistance to our customers and will continue to invest in new products, services, and partnerships to provide print solutions.
“We are looking forward to the year ahead which will undoubtedly see more innovation and opportunity coming from the print arena.”
The positivity and willingness to keep innovating is without a doubt one of the greatest strengths of both the print and paper industries. Working through these challenges has been tough for all involved, but many have come out the other side with positive work to look back on.
Marketing services manager at Premier Paper, Brad Goldsmith, says: “Maintaining a consistent supply and choice of products has been Premier’s priority throughout 2022 and has presented us with the biggest challenge. The sad and dramatic events in Ukraine have caused significant supply constraint, with two major manufacturers of uncoated woodfree paper curtailing production at their Russian mills, putting additional pressure on many other European mills and not to mention impacting the supply of gas to much of Europe.
Premier has involved itself in several sustainable initiatives such as the Young Explorers campaign
“Obviously, the escalation of paper prices has been unprecedented and extremely challenging. Cost and supply pressures throughout the supply chain, from the pulp producers through to printers have been impacted by external factors such as rising energy and gas prices, rising chemical and pulp production costs as well as increased logistics and container pricing. We continue to work closely with our customers and suppliers to ensure the best choice of products is available.”
Goldsmith pinpoints one of the biggest impacts on the world in 2022, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The plight of the Ukrainian people saw many printers show solidarity and support, but with no swift end to the conflict, industries throughout Europe have continued to be affected.
It is challenges like these that have been the narrative for the past five to six years as businesses have continued to navigate choppy waters presented by the likes of Brexit, Covid, and the environment.
The pandemic along with harsh weather conditions have made clear the change we are having on the planet, making sustainability a key issue for everyone.
Goldsmith comments: “Sustainability is an ongoing challenge for many businesses in the paper sector, with many companies seeking new ways to improve and reduce their carbon footprint.
“This year we’ve continued our work with the Woodland Trust and through the Carbon Capture programme, the industry’s leading environmental initiative, we have now seen in excess of £1.5m raised and donated to the Woodland Trust, planting around 400,000 trees and capturing over 90,000 tonnes of CO2. 100% of all the money generated through the Carbon Capture programme goes to the Woodland Trust.”
If nothing else the challenges and hardships faced by the paper sector in the past few years have demonstrated just how vital it is to everyday life, making for a great turning point for print service providers or paper merchants when selling the benefits of printed materials.
Key account manager, Rachel Melville, from paper production company Sylvamo, states: “Paper is essential in the modern world. Thanks to its versatility, the role of paper continues to evolve in our changing world, where we are all susceptible to digital overload. Paper has a vital role to play in education. A global study by Naomi Baron, professor of linguistics at American University in Washington, D.C., found that 92% of university students concentrate best using printed books and that e-reading can often result in distraction, eyestrain, and headaches.
O Factoid: A global study by Naomi Baron, professor of linguistics at American University in Washington, D.C., found that 92% of university students concentrate best using printed books O
“Paper can deliver a more tangible approach to learning. Still, some studies show that while digital technologies offer many potential tools to support reading, printed books can aid people with dyslexia with some aspects of reading comprehension.”
All these changes and new research is leading to stronger pitches for the use of paper and its by-products in spaces like direct mail, events, and packaging.
2023 opportunities
As paper stock has varied over the past few years, so has its popularity and uses in different sectors. Printers and machine manufacturers felt the effects of the pandemic as offices were closed, and less sectors were operating.
As a paper manufacturer Sylvamo has seen many of the peaks and troughs of the past few years. Through that experience the company can also see new opportunities and areas for expansion.
Throughout 2022 paper stocks were affected by issues such as European mill strikes and the aftermath of pandemic stock requirements
Melville explains: “Sylvamo is the world’s paper company. We believe in the promise of paper to educate, communicate, and entertain. Our purpose is to produce the paper you need in the most responsible and sustainable ways. We operate in Europe, Latin America, and North America. We have a mill in Saillat, France, and import from Brazil to serve European customers. Our regional headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium. We focus mainly on our REY and HP Papers brands in Europe.”
Speaking about sectors that have continued to weather recent storms, Melville comments: “We comprehensively focus on uncoated freesheet paper in Europe, including cut size office brands. This segment has been much more resilient than others have. We concentrate on the many different applications in this sub-category, including healthcare, education, government, finance, and insurance.”
As well as stability in certain areas, acquisitions and new partnerships are continuing to change the products on the marketplace. While larger businesses can mean less competition, companies can benefit from bigger product ranges and different branches of a larger parent company.
Speaking about changes worth noting in 2023, Percival says: “Antalis is very pleased to confirm that in November 2022, we acquired a worldwide portfolio of leading creative paper and board brands from historical supplier Arjowiggins Scotland.”
Percival adds: “Supported by market-leading manufacturers, this acquisition enables the continued supply and long-term future of iconic brands such as Conqueror, Curious Collection, Keaykolour, Pop’Set, and Rives for the print market.”
As with other providers, Premier has also seen increased stock orders from specific sectors, with a resurgence in the events industry, and new innovations in e-commerce and marketing.
Goldsmith says: “Sustainable products have continued to grow in popularity with more companies seeking products with clear and quantifiable environmental benefits. We’ve seen a rise in demand for PVC-free alternatives and as such, products like Oppboga, Ultraboard and eTEC PVC-Free from Premier’s Display Graphics range have really grown in sales in 2022. At Premier we continue to add to and enhance our choice of products, that meet important environmental criteria.”
Goldsmith adds: “The demand for packaging has been consistently high since the Covid pandemic, particularly transit packaging, where e-commerce has driven demand.”
Premier’s diverse range of products has made it well suited to cater to a range of markets. As part of the OVOL Japan Pulp & Paper Group which consists of 112 companies across 21 countries, the Group is a specialist paper trading business.
Regarding Premier’s UK presence, Goldsmith says: “We operate with a nationwide distribution network, stocking over 30,000 tonnes of product; delivered on our own fleet of over 120 vehicles next day, throughout the UK.”
Similarly, Antalis has also seen similar developments in e-commerce packaging: “The digital print market continues to grow, and even with the challenging economic situation, we are seeing some exciting developments, particularly in online ecommerce with high degrees of personalisation adding value to the customer’s unboxing experience,” says Percival.
“Antalis is seeing a continued strong demand for paper-based alternatives to plastics, as well as shorter runs with complex finishing that utilise data for more effective targeting. This provides increased engagement and ultimately, a better return on investment for focussed campaigns.”
There have been many lessons for businesses over the past few years, with one being to hone your skills and strengths, rather than over-stretching yourself.
As seen in sectors like retail, business decisions and products are now based on the experience and the quality of the product, rather than its quantity, hence the need for a wider range of premium papers and customisable solutions.
2024 and beyond
A key component of paper distributors is the relationship with customers, and the quality required to keep good relationships. Sylvamo has seen changes in the needs and working practices of its customers and is continuing to evolve in order to address changes.
Sylvamo operates the Saillat mill in France, the Luiz Antonio mill in Brazil (pictured), along with many others across the globe
Melville comments: “We believe there will be a combination of working from home and the office well into the future. We are confident that we have great solutions for both environments. For example, we launched an HP Papers three-ream box targeted at remote workers. We continue to explore opportunities that allow us to cater to changing customer needs. Subscription models for paper are something we are considering, similar to what HP does with HP Instant Ink.”
Subscription models for paper are something we are considering, similar to what HP does with HP Instant Ink”
Like in the production of paper, printers are experimenting with the way they operate. Previous supply issues saw businesses buy in bulk and focus efforts on keeping a reserve of stock rather than risk high wait times. Melville adds: “We respect the different channels and the value they add, and I am convinced we can reach all customer demographics. We saw a surge in online and retail sales when the pandemic hit, but we have also seen those channels rebalance.”
The biggest focus for all businesses and especially the paper industry going forward, however, is sustainability.
Percival says: “Helping our customers make informed decisions on environmental and material choices is of the utmost importance. To help customers improve their sustainability, we have broadened the range of products that are covered by our Green Star System, and all substrates purchased from Antalis are available to carbon offset via our leading carbon capture schemes.”
Melvillle agrees, adding: “We focus mainly on our REY and HP Papers brands in Europe. We call REY ‘The Conscious Choice,’ which is sold in more than 40 countries and is perfect for customers who value sustainability and social responsibility, which are becoming increasingly important. We are also HP’s exclusive global supplier of HP Papers, which we distribute to 75 countries. HP is an ideal brand for the e-commerce and retail channels, and we work closely with HP to link this range to the complete HP value proposition of printers, toners, and papers.”
Aside from paper being highly recyclable, the process and operations surrounding it need to echo the same green messages paper carries.
When seeking sustainable materials businesses can no longer hide behind claims of recyclability but must carry green approaches in every part of the business.
For Sylvamo this meant launching HP Earth First, a way of further committing the company to a promise to produce paper in the most responsible and sustainable ways.
Melville explains: “HP Earth First has the same attributes as all HP Papers and is suitable for a range of applications and day-to-day office needs.
“With HP Earth First, our climate-neutral product, we aim to contribute to the fight against climate change. Sustainability is one of our core values and we are committed to reducing our footprint in the manufacturing process. With HP Earth First, Sylvamo has added many additional features. One of these is a paper wrapper, allowing it to be easily recycled.”
Green certainly is the future of all industries and the planet. Paper mills work hard to change energy sources, transportation, and the sourcing of their products in order to become a truly influential sector.
Businesses can adopt these similar methods, but also choose the right products, ensuring as little waste is left at the end of the job as possible. Despite the fact a product can be recycled, the energy required to create a product must still be considered when assessing the effect that product has had on the environment.
Working with paper merchants, resellers, and manufacturers can mean businesses can find the right materials for their jobs, as well as carry over innovations and practices that can better their company and working lives.
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