Paper Industry Commentary
December Newsletter
Are Developments in Specialty Papers Providing Unexpected Opportunities?

By: Pirita Huotari


2020 has been an unprecedented year filled with unpredictable times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pulp and paper industry has had to seriously adjust to the many unforeseeable impacts as a response to the virus. While there have been some adverse consequences within the industry due to COVID-19, including the accelerated decline of the printing and writing papers segment, some specialty paper grades have actually experienced favorable growth.
Global or Local - Does Paper Mill Location Really Make a Difference?

By: Iiro Koira


Call it Sales 101: To better serve your market, recognizing and addressing your customers’ unserved needs while understanding direct and indirect competition is crucial to business success. Comprehending the implications of physical locations in comparison to the larger market can also provide pulp and paper producers and suppliers insights to inform their sales and marketing initiatives.
China's Paper Industry Boom: Leading Enterprises are Speeding up Development

By: Xia Min


Under the influence of supply side reforms and trade friction, China’s paper industry is undergoing a period of intensified competition that is putting additional pressure on profits. On September 13, Shanying Paper, one of the largest containerboard producers in China, issued a fundraising plan with a goal to raise just over 5 billion yuan, which will mainly be used to increase production capacity at its Zhejiang facility and its new facility in Jilin.
Using Market Trend Data to Become a Winning Analytical Company

By: Fisher International

When uncovering the foundational elements that ensure success for your company, it is important to keep in mind that knowledge is always power. Continuously staying informed of the various factors that impact your business is crucial to maintaining success within your industry. Especially within the global paper and pulp trade, where small changes along the supply chain can have cumulative impacts.
Chinese Chip Imports Lift: Australian Supply Declines

By: Tim Woods


Latest data shows Chinese woodchip imports lifted to a seven-month high in September, hitting 1.302 million bone dried metric tons (bdmt) at an average price of USDCif152/bdmt. The big winner in the hardwood chip trade to China continues to be Vietnam, whose average price of supply in September was USDCif142/bdmt, an unbeatable price, at least over the longer term.
Serbia's Tissue Business is a Survivor

By: Bruce Janda


The Republic of Serbia is emerging from both the global economic collapse of 2007 and 30 years of political instability stemming from multiple breakups of the former Yugoslavia. Agreements with Kosovo were extended in 2015, while the nation set a goal to join the European Union by 2025.
TISSUE: Panic Buying Not Just a Local Phenomenon

By: Tim Woods

Panic buying, hoarding or establishing a “personal inventory,” however you want to describe it, the buying of tissue – especially toilet paper – has been a strange feature of the 2020 pandemic. In most countries – Australia and New Zealand are good examples – the only reason there were shortages of these products was because of the panic buying. Normal patterns of consumer behavior would easily have been met by local producers and importers.
More R&D Activities Open Up Lignin's Feedstock Potential

By: Doris de Guzman

Lignin is expected to play a significant role as a new chemical feedstock particularly in the formation of supramolecular materials and aromatic chemicals. Lignin is a complex plant-derived macromolecule found in the cell walls of almost all dry plants. It makes up 20-30% of the composition of wood.
Forest Industry Sustainability Initiatives Making Headlines in December

By: Fisher International

The push for a more sustainable planet continues to drive innovations in nearly every business sector across the globe, and the forest industry is helping to lead the way. We wanted to share a few of the most exciting developments in this monthly roundup of forest industry sustainability projects that are making headlines as we close out 2020.
Business Intelligence: The Least Expensive Source of Sustainable Competitive Advantage

By: Fisher International

Establishing a sustainable competitive advantage within your company is crucial to its success because without one, it’s hard for any company to earn more than its cost of capital. So, while many big investments may deliver temporary advantages, they don’t always deliver sustainable ones.
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