By HELEN MORRIS, Tissue World Editor
Rogério Berardi, global vice president for tissue machines at Voith Paper
Paul Watson, director of Canfor Pulp Innovation, Canfor Pulp
TW/1, RB: “Typically, the tissue industry didn’t suffer too much from the global recession. The industry continued to grow at the same rate, 4.5%, even in regions where the recession was strong such as in western Europe and pushed by emerging tissue markets such as Latin America and China.”
TW/1, PW: “As a supplier of premium NBSK to tissue manufacturers globally, we have, like all suppliers, keenly felt the challenges of the tissue industry in 2013 in terms of significant downward pricing and increasing discounts. Certainly the Chinese industry destocking largely determined global pulp pricing policies in 2013. “In the background, further consolidation of the NBSK sector has occurred, high cost facilities are slowly being rationalised which will result in a tighter NBSK supply picture in the medium term.” Paul Watson, Canfor Pulp
TW/2, PW: “NBSK demand for premium tissue applications looks very healthy. As per capita consumption increases, quality demands in terms of strength and softness will also increase. Availability of FSC-certified fibre will continue to prove challenging. Greater understanding and acceptance of alternative forest certification systems such as PEFC and SFI, which are in many cases more rigorous and objective, may be required in order for tissue manufacturers to meet their sustainability objectives.” TW/3, PW: “The recent announcement by SCA and Vinda is certainly a portent of further activity in emerging markets. Of the majors, the slow growth of P&G continues to surprise. In terms of NBSK supply, further consolidation is always possible.” TW/4, PW: “Yes. We have completed an extensive recapitalisation of our mills and have also taken an unprecedented leadership position in pulp quality information on a per
shipment basis through our Mihari project which will further strengthen our competitive position. In terms of the markets, 2014 is anticipated to be more consistent for NBSK pricing which will add further pressure to high cost NBSK suppliers. Because of continued long term demand for high quality NBSK pulp, the increasingly constrained supply picture, and the growing demand for higher strength and softness products, we are extremely bullish on the future demand for high quality NBSK for tissue applications.” TW/5, PW: “We continue to grow globally and although transportation remains an important factor in certain areas, we are not currently constrained by market location. Rather than focusing on high volume or commodity end use markets, we target customers with a high technical fit value proposition. Although the emerging markets remain very attractive to most NBSK suppliers in terms of volume growth, we continue to target those customers requiring high tensile and high softness products.”
TW/2, RB: “We believe in a pursuit of technologies to decrease production costs and overcome raw material price increases. Tissue producers from mature regions such as the USA will continue to look for paper quality improvement as the end consumer and the supermarkets request it and the competition is getting tougher
‘We pursue technologies to decrease production costs and overcome raw material price increases’ Voith’s Rogério Berardi because of newcomers producing premium tissue and the private label business profile. At the same time, they will look for technologies that deliver high paper quality with less environmental impact. In developing countries such as Brazil, the quality upgrade will continue to occur as the higher the consumption per capita, the higher the paper quality standards become.” TW/3, RB: “Further consolidation will happen and tissue producers will continue to grow in both developing 51