businesses and the economy. Percival says: “At Antalis we believe that collaboration is key in helping our customers select the correct products and processes for successful print and application. We are committed to offering support and assistance to our customers and will continue to invest in new products, services, and partnerships to provide print solutions. “We are looking forward to the year ahead which will undoubtedly see more innovation and opportunity coming from the print arena.” The positivity and willingness to keep innovating is without a doubt one of the greatest strengths of both the print and paper industries. Working through these challenges has been tough for all involved, but many have come out the other side with positive work to look back on. Marketing services manager at Premier Paper, Brad Goldsmith, says: “Maintaining a consistent supply and choice of products has been Premier’s priority throughout 2022 and has presented us with the biggest challenge. The sad and dramatic events in Ukraine have caused significant supply constraint, with two major manufacturers of uncoated woodfree paper curtailing production at their Russian mills, putting additional pressure on many other European mills and not to mention impacting the supply of gas to much of Europe. “Obviously, the escalation of paper prices has been unprecedented and extremely challenging. Cost and supply pressures throughout the supply chain, from the pulp producers through to printers have been impacted by external factors such as rising energy and gas prices, rising chemical and pulp production costs as well as increased logistics and container pricing. We continue to work closely with our customers and suppliers to ensure the best choice of products is available.” Goldsmith pinpoints one of the biggest impacts on the world in 2022, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The plight of the Ukrainian people saw many printers show solidarity and support, but with no swift end to the conflict, industries throughout Europe have continued to be affected. It is challenges like these that have been the narrative for the past five to six years as businesses have continued to navigate choppy waters presented by the likes of Brexit, Covid, and the environment. The pandemic along with harsh weather conditions have made clear the change we are having on the planet, making sustainability a key issue for everyone. Goldsmith comments: “Sustainability is an ongoing challenge for many businesses in the paper sector, with many companies seeking new ways to improve and reduce their carbon footprint. “This year we’ve continued our work with the Woodland Trust and through the Carbon Capture programme, the industry’s leading environmental initiative, we have now seen in excess of £1.5m raised and donated to the Woodland Trust, planting around 400,000 trees and capturing over 90,000 tonnes of CO2. 100% of all the money generated through the Carbon Capture programme Throughout 2022 paper stocks were affected by issues such as European mill strikes and the aftermath of pandemic stock requirements Premier has involved itself in several sustainable initiatives such as the Young Explorers campaign Paper Solutions The market has experienced much turbulence this past year as we all strive to recover from the pandemic and deal with the disruption that has ensued across the globe January / February 2023 48
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