ASPAPER, the Spanish Association of Pulp, Paper and Cardboard Manufacturers, has celebrated the Annual Meeting of the Paper Industry 2024, an event that has brought together relevant actors in the sector and that has taken place at a time full of legislative developments for this strategic industry for the Spanish economy.
Throughout the meeting, which was held under the motto “The present and the future are about paper”, the participants reflected on the main challenges and key issues for a strategic industry for Spain. The speakers have focused on the new European legislation that impacts the sector, in response to which the sector demands rationalization, clarity, a stable regulatory framework and sufficient implementation times so that its competitiveness is not compromised.
This meeting had the participation of Rebeca Torró, Secretary of State for Industry; Eduardo Querol, president of ASPAPEL; and Manuel Domínguez, general director of ASPAPEL.
During her speech, Rebeca Torró pointed out that: “This meeting is an example of the responsible nature of the pulp, paper and cardboard industry; a sector that is strongly committed to the objective of decarbonizing the economy. It is necessary to truly commit to strategic autonomy and the generation of clean and renewable energy at affordable prices, with the aim of allowing our industry to implement sustainable production models. Public administration and the private sector must move together towards the unstoppable reindustrialization of our country in a sustainable, competitive and aligned manner against climate change.”
As Eduardo Querol, president of ASPAPEL, has highlighted: “Over the years, our industry has demonstrated an enormous capacity for adaptation, evolving at the same time as the needs of society and betting on innovation. Likewise, we have demonstrated a strong commitment to the decarbonization of our processes and the circularity of our products. Today, we can say that the present and the future belong to paper, since paper products are more present than ever in our daily lives and will continue to be so in the future.”
During the day, the most relevant strategic topics for the pulp, paper and cardboard production industry were addressed, framed in six conferences. The first of them has been the analysis of the macroeconomic context, led by Ignacio de la Torre, chief economist, partner and advisor of Arcano Partners.
Next, an exhibition focused on energy trends for 2024 took place, with the participation of Antonio Hernández, partner in the Regulated Sectors and Economic Analysis area of EY; Antonio Delgado, CEO of Aleasoft; and Rodrigo Álvarez, director of Energy and Innovation at ASPAPEL.
The third block has been a dialogue focused on the new requirements of the Industrial Emissions Directive, starring Anna Papagrigoraki, Director of Sustainability of CEPI (European Confederation of Paper Industries); and Carmen Sánchez-Carpintero, Environmental Director of ASPAPEL.
In terms of recycling, during the meeting the impact of the new Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste was analyzed by Mattia Pellegrini, head of the Waste and Secondary Materials Management Unit in the Directorate General for the Environment of the European Commission; Margarita Ruiz, Deputy Director General of Circular Economy of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; and Andrea Orallo, director of Recycling at ASPAPEL.
Throughout the afternoon, a round table was held on the application of the new EUDR regulation against deforestation, in which Marta Angoloti, head of the Timber Area of the General Subdirectorate of Forestry Policy and Fight against Desertification, participated. from the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge; Odón López, head of the Forest Management Service of the General Directorate of Forest Planning and Management of the Xunta de Galicia; and Arantza Pérez, Forestry Director of ASPAPEL.
Finally, Pilar Arrayás, director of Cartón Circular, has presented the value proposition of the SCRAP Carton Circular for the management of industrial packaging.
To celebrate this event, ASPAPEL has had the support of several important companies in the sector, including ABB, ANDRITZ, BUILD TO ZERO, ENGIE, KEMIRA, NALCO, NETON POWER, SIEMENS ENERGY, SPAPER, VALMET and VOITH.
A strategic industry for Spain
Throughout the meeting, all participants have valued the strategic role of the pulp, paper and cardboard producing industry for the economy and society of our country. Currently, the Spanish paper industry is the sixth largest producer of paper and cardboard and the fifth largest producer of pulp in the entire European Union, thanks to the 74 paper, pulp and cardboard factories that are spread throughout the national territory.
More specifically, in 2022 the sector's turnover reached 6.991 million euros. Likewise, the paper industry has 16.968 direct jobs and around 84.800 indirect jobs, therefore being a sector that generates stable and quality employment that, in addition, contributes to socio-territorial structuring and economic development in rural areas.
Finally, the pulp and paper industry is also the driving force of a powerful value chain that generates one in every fifty jobs in Spain and whose contribution to the economy represents 4,5% of GDP. To all this we must add the commitment of this industry to innovation and the environment, which is taking important steps in terms of decarbonization and is betting on sustainability and circularity throughout the entire value chain.
Photos: Eduardo Querol, president of ASPAPEL.
