Tissue in Scandinavia – Denmark, Sweden and Norway – is the classic story of where
to find the growth. A combined population of about 21 million, they enjoy open modern market economies with a high standard of living combined with extensive government welfare measures. Per capita consumption is among the highest world levels, ten million Swedes for example at 5kg more than the western European average of 15kg. Only the US tops that. Machinery is generally getting on in years, and remains slow in comparison with other tissue leading nations, but even so that machinery is out-producing home demand with the result that exporting is on the rise. Euromonitor and Fisher International provide broad analyses, and our Regional Reports speak to tissue companies on the frontline. Growth will be a balancing act between technology upgrades and consumer preference for green tissue, which is historic.
Scandinavian’s spiritual attachment to their great natural resource is strong. We outsiders get a glimpse of that when one contributor says: “One thing which distinguishes us as tissue consumers is the relationship we have with wood. It remains a very visible, historically-important material in our lives. It covers much of the landscape, forms many of our buildings and most of us know somebody whose living is wholly or partly dependent on wood or wood-based products.
“It is also plain to see that this resource is sustainable – the continuous cycle from sapling to harvesting is evident to anyone who ventures out of town.”
A new age of planting trees may have dawned elsewhere. These nations have been smart for years. Scandinavian consumers are positive about products derived from wood. They are receptive to quality, and are willing to see tissue as more than a commodity. Brands and private label – gaining market share – are widely sold on added value qualities. So while unmet potential is not great, innovation, quality and impressive cost savings from green energy will be the drivers. Out-of-the-box innovation like this idea: leading brand Serla has teamed up with students at Aalto University in Finland to create designs for paper towels, consumers pick the winner; and Lambi brand has limited edition toilet paper and kitchen towels on which are printed love stories, plus consumers get to submit their own stories and then vote for their favourites. Creative involvement, brand loyalty, and a good read. Who would have thought it?
Informed and ready to tradeshow
TWM’s mission is to prepare you for our trade shows across the globe. We like to arm readers with as much industry intelligence as it’s possible to carry in one publication and view on one website as you arrive at our various conference and trade show halls across the world. As the management maxim has it: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” TWM gives you masses of measurements … and then the location, the company, the conviviality and the shop window in which to deal.
This edition demonstrates the breadth of our coverage: the annual Project Survey is
an extensive list of new tissue capacity being added, ordered or in final planning stages during 2019-2020, as well as noting any projects already planned for 2021; the World News pages cover developments from across all five continents; and MarketIssues summarises the main events from Tissue World São Paulo, the only dedicated tissue conference and tradeshow in South America, and now in its third edition. Trade visitors were 898 and the total number of participants was 967, while the show floor featured 44 international and local exhibitors at the Transamerica Expo Center.
Humberto Enriquez, Kimberly-Clark Brazil’s quality, safety and environment manager, delivered the keynote address at the Senior Management Symposium where speakers shared a series of presentations under the theme – “Global Impacts, Local Challenges, Latin American Prospects – unlocking opportunities for sustainable success in the region’s most dynamic tissue markets”.
TWM wishes all our readers and dealers a happy and prosperous 2020.
