Industry Challenges & Opportunities

Inflation and logistical issues are central challenges facing all international businesses, no less so the pulp and paper industry. In this session, we address how the continuing pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, have brought about supply chain disruptions and levels of inflation unseen for decades. Particular emphasis will be placed on rising energy costs and subsequent increases in the cost of inputs, such as chemicals. We will also provide an outlook for logistics, for both ocean freight and ground transportation. Leading industry participants will comment on these challenges.

Opening Remarks

Ken Duffy

Market Review

Kevin Mason

Much has happened in the three years since the last in-person International Pulp Week. Kevin Mason will review the industry’s performance, and set the stage for the discussion on rising input costs and supply chain disruptions.

Rising cost of oil

Joaquin Kritz Lara

Over the past two years, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions have lifted input costs. Now, surging oil prices are intensifying inflationary pressures. In this session, Joaquin Kritz Lara, Numera’s Chief Economist, will discuss the impact of rising oil prices on the inflation outlook.

Networking Coffee Break

Chemicals and other input costs

Angel Fernandez

Chemical costs have seriously affected pulp and paper producers as logistical challenges, labour supply issues and rising energy costs increased chemical prices. Angel Fernandez, of IHS Markit will provide a forward-looking view of the pulp chemicals market.

Supply Chain Crunch

Stephen Paul

Extended port dwell time, berth space logjams, lack of equipment and workers have combined for logistical chaos. More recently, lockdowns in China are once again adding to supply chain pressure. Stephen Paul of Ray-Mont will present his views on what is expected in transportation.

Producer Perspective

Carlo Dal Monte

Carlo Dal Monte, Vice President, Energy & Business Development for Paper Excellence, will discuss how the large, diversified manufacturer of pulp and paper has navigated through the past two years of rising input costs and market volatility.

End-user Perspective

Warren Pullen

CNG has worked to optimize distribution logistics, moving forest products with speed and accuracy from mills to customers around the world. Warren Pullen, Co-President, Central National will share his thoughts on the industry’s supply chain challenges and CNG’s expectations for the year ahead.

Market & Economic Review and Sustainability Panel

PPPC and Numera Analytics’ analysts and economists will offer a complete review of the pulp and overall fibre market. They will also provide detailed presentations of graphic paper, tissue, and boxboard end-use markets. Numera Analytics’ Chief Economist, Joaquin Kritz Lara, will deliver his view on the global macroeconomic outlook and place the sectoral analysis in this broader context. Rounding off the session is a panel discussion, led by Francois Dufresne of the Forest Stewardship Council, which will address the latest sustainability issues, including perspectives from both suppliers and end-users.

Advancing Sustainability - Moderator

Roman Hohol

Forest Sustainability

François Dufresne

Francois Dufresne will share how FSC is endeavouring to uphold sourcing principles in order to maintain the integrity and biodiversity of forests as well as making forests more resilient for future generations.

The ESG Imperative for the Global Pulp Industry

Bill Adams

Advancing ESG performance is essential for forest companies to earn their social licence to operate. Bill Adams will explain how ESG performance delivers competitive advantage and how the forest sector can play a critical role in providing society with nature-based and low carbon solutions.

Against the Grain

Martin Pudlas

Red Leaf Pulp plans to use non-wood fibre to produce paper grade pulp. Martin Pudlas, Red Leaf Pulp’s CEO will discuss how his company will produce high quality, low-carbon pulp from wheat straw.

Networking Coffee Break

Geopolitical and stagflation risks

Joaquin Kritz Lara

What do geopolitical risks and rising commodity prices mean for the global economy? How will Beijing’s ‘Zero-COVID’ policy affect global growth? Numera’s Chief Economist, Joaquin Kritz Lara, will discuss global growth, the inflation outlook, and how central banks in both developed and emerging economies are responding to stagflation risks.

End-use Update

Emanuele Bona

PPPC’s Vice President, Emanuele Bona, will present a market update and the outlook for key market pulp end-uses such as tissue as well as printing and writing paper.

Pulp Market Situation Report

Arnaud Franco

PPPC’s pulp specialist, Arnaud Franco, will take a closer look at the current data, discuss key trends and summarize the outlook for pulp in the near-term.

Recovered Fibre and Recycled Pulp

Kelly McNamara

China’s demand for brown recycled pulp has grown following its embargo on recovered fibre. Kelly McNamara, Numera Analytics’ Recovered Fibre specialist will discuss the consequences of China’s trade policy.