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Fine Papers for Global Needs

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Fine Papers for Global Needs

Arjowiggins, with its knowledge and experience stretching over 300 years, has grown into a leading paper manufacturer with a global reach, serving customers large and small.

The last few years have been a period of major changes for the business. Following a number of months of trading under administration in 2019, the future of the company was secured by a management buyout.

Arjowiggins, the fine paper producer with Anglo-French roots that extend back to 1698, is in the right place at the right time - as the world increasingly demands sustainable materials, the company is set to make use of new opportunities.

Today, Arjowiggins Group Ltd is a fully independent company, based in Aberdeen, established in its current form in October 2019 as a spin-off of the Creative Papers Division of the former Arjowiggins Group based in Paris. The management secured a buy-out of the division and took ownership of the company’s worldwide activities, consisting of four established paper mills, as well as ownership of the iconic Arjowiggins brand.

Malvern Kandemwa

Christophe Jordan, MD, Translucent Papers & Smart Papers

Arjowiggins creative papers

Arjowiggins Manufacturing Feature

In a new form

Christophe Jordan, Managing Director Translucent Papers & Smart Papers, describes the core business: “We are determined to develop Arjowiggins’ position as a leading paper manufacturer with a global reach, focusing on the speciality paper segment. We make technical papers and high-end papers. Our products can be seen, for example, in luxury packaging and luxury brochures, and we can also make papers with security features or paper for book binding. In other words, we are a very specialised paper maker.”

Arjowiggins today employs around 800 people at its four mills - one in China, one in Spain and two in the UK – and offices. The range of papers is wide and includes creative papers, cover papers, translucent papers, smart papers, security papers as well as custom-made solutions.

Mr Jordan is responsible for the two mills making translucent and smart papers., Arjowiggins is the world leader in translucent papers, with over 50% global market share, while the smart paper line, offering papers for printed electronic applications, is a new business unit established recently

Translucent papers are used in traditional applications such as graphic, advertising and promotional papers, arts and crafts papers, labels, sticky notes, envelopes as well as technical-drawing paper and are also adapted for the processing of decorative laminates.

Arjowiggins also offers a unique category of translucent papers specifically developed for the food and cosmetics industry, marketed under the Sylvicta brand. Launched 18 months ago, Sylvicta is a true breakthrough innovation – a very high-barrier paper that preserves food freshness better than plastics, while ensuring limited impact on the environment. The product is wholly recyclable, compostable and marine degradable, made from renewable raw materials, making a very suitable plastics replacement.

“Sylvicta is a reflection of our sustainable development. Sustainability has been the main driver of our strategy for several years both externally as well as internally” says Mr Jordan. “We have been buying only FSC-certified pulp for years, and our R&D has focused for many years on developing papers that can replace plastic in various segments, from food and cosmetics, through heat transfer materials, to printing electronics.”

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We are determined to develop Arjowiggins’ position as a leading paper manufacturer with a global reach, focusing on the speciality paper segment

A selection of Arjowiggins’ creative papers product range

Manufacturing Feature Arjowiggins

Motivated and engaged

Mr Jordan is not only highly qualified to operate successfully within the paper industry, but as a member of the seventh generation that has been involved in paper making, paper is ‘in his DNA’, he smiles.

“Following my graduation from the Engineering School of Pulp and Paper in France, I have always worked in the paper industry and most probably always will. I have been with Arjowiggins for 20 years in multiple roles from supply chain to business development to business strategy and now as the Managing Director of two business units,” he says.

Leading a workforce of over 250 people in two mills, his management style is based on motivation. “Motivated people generate success, progressing towards a common vision that needs to be shared by all. A vision is not just a dream but a plan defined around milestones, from short to long term, so that people can review progress on a regular basis, maintaining focus and motivation towards their ultimate goal.”

He admits that keeping eyes on a vision during the pandemic has been a challenge. “The first difficulty was the different rules and regulations imposed in the different countries where our mills are in operation. Then of course, we had to face the general uncertainly inflicted upon the business. It is no secret that we suffered a substantial reduction in business during the hardest Covid months.”

“In these difficult situations, it is even more important to keep people motivated, and that is the task we, as managers, have - the task to reassure our staff that all storms will pass and our vision stays strong,” he says. “And this is what is happening right now as the industry is picking up. We are now seeing a true turnaround as governments all over the world are determined to keep the economy alive.”

In this context, Mr Jordan highlights the sup-

port the company has received from its business partners during the hard times of administration and the following Covid months. “We had tremendous support during those difficult days from our number one distributor in Europe as well as in the Middle East. That much appreciated support was also a testimony to the trust our customers have in Arjowiggins.”

In these difficult situations it is even more important to keep people motivated, and that is the task ... to reassure our staff that all storms will pass and our vision stays strong “ “

Synergy of heritage and innovation

There are several factors that have kept Arjowiggins going and make the company stand out in the market. “We are a good blend of heritage and innovation,” explains Mr Jordan. “We have knowledgeable and skilled people, we have been around for decades, for generations.

“Heritage mixed with innovation has always been the company’s strength, now perhaps even more than before. We are in proactive mode, quick on design and production, with a short line of management, enabling agility and flexibility.”

“Our engineers and scientists continuously explore new processes, technologies and ideas, and the products of their research and development keep the creative and technical possibilities of paper alive and flourishing.”

It is the teamwork and cooperation between R&D, mills and marketing that has unlocked the creation of unique, patented products and ranges, such as Curious Matter or Skin as well as

technical products such as PowerCoat for printed electronics or Sylvicta, a sustainable alternative to plastics for food packaging.

“While we supply our products globally, our strongest market by far is Europe, particularly France and the UK. We are going to further grow these markets, in line with the increased focus on sustainability, of which paper is an important element. We are not aiming to replace all plastics, by the way. In terms of plastics, the focus should be on reduction, not necessarily substitution. And in terms of substitution, paper is only part of it, and is not the only substitute material.”

Still, investment in increased capacity to meet the growing demand for new materials such as Sylvicta, is definitely on the agenda. “The current market trends present massive opportunities for growth. To be an active part of the sustainability movement is not only very enjoyable but also very rewarding,” affirms Mr Jordan in conclusion.

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