The future of the paper industry

It goes without saying that Technoprint relies heavily on paper. We use it to develop and manufacture all our medical information leaflets so that our customers can effectively inform patients on a variety of treatments.

But how sustainable is the paper industry, and what does the future look like? This month, we’re delving into the manufacturing, sourcing, and production of our leaflets.

How is paper made?

As is commonly known, paper originates from trees – typically pine, spruce, fir, larch, and birch – which are cut down and then processed. According to Casey Printing, the cellulose fibres are then extracted from the timber and then converted to pulp, which is combined with water and placed on a paper-making machine. It’s then flattened, dried, and cut into sheets and rolls.

Even though trees are the common source of paper, some manufacturers utilise cotton due to its super-strong fibres. Typically, because of its hardier properties, cotton paper is popular among businesses that need long-lasting documents which may need archiving.

The paper industry in 2021

Currently, the paper industry is going through a period of change thanks to the greater involvement of technology. However, some believe that the further use of technology will hinder the pulp and paper industry.

But, according to Linchpin’s website, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The site states that “leaders in the industry must continually innovate to meet the changing demands. Pulp and paper have adapted to the changes that have occurred in recent years and are continuing to thrive.”

Current industry trends

Thanks to the increasing amount of technology within the industry, online sales of pulp and paper are rising throughout America and China – the largest global markets. Thanks to this, there is an ever-increasing demand for packaging, which plays on one of the paper industry’s strengths; its ability to increase production in places like Japan and China.

Ensuring that most paper products are recyclable and sustainable is another one of the industry’s hot topics. At Technoprint, we ensure that all the paper we use is recyclable by not covering our paper in chemically enhanced waterproof layers. We are also ISO: 9001:2015, PS 9000:2016 and ISO:14001:2015 certified, which guarantees our commitment to maintaining high standards of quality, whilst minimising our environmental impacts.

We also have our FSC® Certification, License FSC® C166967. The FSC® is the world’s most trusted responsible forest management solution, with 25 years of experience in forestry management.

To achieve this level of certification, we had to undergo a variety of auditing processes to ensure our procedures are FSC®-approved, which means our customers can trust that they’re buying paper that’s acquired responsibly.

Projections going forward

As well as opening our eyes to some of the trends happening within the paper industry right now, Linchpin has also picked out some of the current growth projections for 2021.

It believes that, by the end of this year, the global production of pulp and paper will reach 490 million tons and, according to shipping conglomerate Pitney Bowes, that global shipping will surpass 100 billion parcels.

Elsewhere, a global goal of collecting and recycling 55% of all plastic packaging by 2030 has been set by the European Union. This places more emphasis on the paper and pulp industry to create new and innovative designs and solutions for their customers.

Technoprint has seen a lot of change within the paper industry over the years, and it looks like that isn’t going to change going forward. But we’re happy to say that the change on the horizon is for the better!

Contact Technoprint to find out more about our products and services.