PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2026 - What stands in the way becomes the way: The pulp and paper industry’s path through a hard global economy Jori Ringman, Director General, Cepi - Paper Technology International 2026 - Book - Page 15

PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2026 - What stands in the way becomes the way: The pulp and paper industry’s path through a hard global economy Jori Ringman, Director General, Cepi

PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2026
What stands in the way becomes the way: The pulp and paper
industry’s path through a hard global economy
Jori Ringman, Director General, Cepi
INTRODUCTION:
Winter Before Spring: There are periods in economic history when the winds shift so violently that even the most seasoned
industries must anchor themselves deeply to withstand the storm. Today is such a moment. The global economy is tightening, the
geopolitical landscape is fracturing, and long-standing supply chains—once taken for granted—are increasingly brittle. In this environment,
the European pulp and paper industry faces pressures not seen in decades. Yet I believe, Firmly and without hesitation, that our sector is not
merely equipped to endure this moment, but to shape what comes next.
This belief is not naïve optimism. It is rooted in the lived
experience of our companies and their employees, who have
navigated cycles of disruption long before terms like “polycrisis” or
“permacrisis” entered the vocabulary of policymakers. It is rooted in
the biological reality of the renewable raw material we rely on—wood
fibre—whose entire existence is designed by cycles of disturbance,
renewal, and regrowth. And it is rooted in the conviction that what
stands in the way becomes the way. Obstacles, when met with
clarity and purpose, become vectors for transformation.
This is a story about resilience and robustness—two terms
often used interchangeably, yet distinct in important ways. It is a
story about what it means to be an industry that is simultaneously
traditional and forward-facing, deeply rooted in European
landscapes and yet global in its role and ambitions. And most of
all, it is a story about why, despite today’s hard winter, a season of
growth will follow.
Facing a Hard Global Economy Without Illusion
The economic reality confronting our industry is harsh.
Demand has softened across several paper grades, consumer
sentiment remains fragile, and industrial production in Europe is
stagnating. Energy markets, though more stable than during the
2022 shock, continue to fluctuate. Infiltration—persistent, uneven, and
costly—has squeezed households and businesses alike.
To speak candidly: the past months have tested every
dimension of operational and strategic capacity within our sector.
Mills have faced closures or taken downtime, investments have
been delayed, and companies have had to make painful decisions
about production, staffing, and capital allocation.
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