By Mark Rushton, Editor, Pulp & Paper International Magazine, RISI
BRUSSELS,
Dec. 28, 2009
(RISI) -
The city of Munich was witness to a world first recently as pulp and papermakers from all around the globe stepped out from under the burden of tough times to attend the very first PPI Awards. The awards have been designed to celebrate achievements in this unique and remarkable industry, and judging by the delight on the winners' faces, the event did not disappoint.
The event drew in a crowd of professionals from all the papermaking country powerhouses including Brazil, Canada, China, India and the USA, as well as some from closer to home: Germany, Finland and Sweden.
The categories were designed to highlight the most important areas of the industry as it goes through challenging times, including quality, efficiency, the environment, and the advances in the use of bioenergy and biofuel development, but there were also individual awards in the areas of mill management, research, and for the first time, a RISI Global CEO.
Industry renowned names including Rod Young, Chairman of RISI; Kari Vainio, former Executive Vice President, Communications at Stora Enso; Jim Keller, President of the International Corrugated Case Association; and Duncan Pollard, Director, Conservation Practice & Policy, WWF International, judged this year's entries.
Initially the PPI Awards were created to celebrate 50 years of PPI magazine, but such was the enthusiastic reception to the event, RISI has decided that it should be an annual event. Look out for entry forms to the PPI Awards 2010.
PPI Awards 2009 winners
Advanced use of bioenergy - Sponsored by Metso (www.metso.com)
Winner: Cascades
Runners up:
- Stora Enso
- UPM
Laurence Reinstadt, Cascade's marketing manager, receives the Advanced Use of Bioenergy Award from Pasi Laine, president of Metso Energy and Environmental Technology. The judges reported that they awarded this prize to Cascades because it has grabbed the opportunity of bioenergy with both hands. The judges also said: "Not only did Cascades provide information on an innovative and advanced approach to using bioenergy, it also provided ample inspiration for the industry to search for solutions that go beyond "business as usual" efficiency".
Efficiency improvements of the year - Sponsored by Metso (www.metso.com)
Winner: Finch Paper
Runners up:
- Buckeye Technologies
- Cartiere del Garda
- Holmen Paper, Braviken
Finch Paper's environmental control manager, Sandy Le Barron, picks up the company's award for Efficiency Improvements of the Year from the president of Metso Paper and Fiber Technology, Bertel Langenskiöld. According to the judges, Finch Paper presented excellent evidence of efficiency improvements in many areas and throughout the entry "there is continual evidence of measured actions and results which make this candidate stand out from the rest."
Global CEO of the year - Sponsored by Stepchange Consulting (www.stepchange.com)
Winner: Jim Rubright, CEO Rock Tenn
Runners up:
- Chen Hongguo, Shandong Chenming Paper
- Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, Norske Skog
- Jose Luciano Penido, Chairman of Fibria
- John Faraci, International Paper
Jim Rubright, CEO of Rock Tenn receives the Global CEO of the Year Award from Joachim Klein, managing director of Stepchange Consulting. The judges said on Rubright's receiving of the award: "The winner
(Rubright) has demonstrated strategic excellence and fiscal prudence, which has allowed the company to keep down costs in this challenging market. He has also shown an aptitude for picking the right acquisitions, integrating them professionally anmd allowing the company to diversify successfully. This has benefited the company's overall performance and taken it above its peer group.
Business strategy of the year - Sponsored by Stepchange Consulting (www.stepchange.com)
Winner: Suzano
Runners up:
- Favini
- Grycksbo Paper
- M-real
Tim Wehr, Suzano's technical sales manager receives the Business Strategy of the Year Award from Stepchange Consulting's Harald Schmidt. Suzano impressed the judges with its "clear, measurable and strategic goals". The company also showed impressive operating results in difficult economic markets and demonstrated significant progress in its business strategy.
Mill manager of the year - Sponsored by Kadant (www.kadant.com)
Winner: Rikard Wallin, Holmen Paper
Runners up:
- Jeff Levansailor, Domtar, Columbus Mill, Mississippi, USA
- Dumrongsak Dheerakiakumchorn, Thai Paper Mill, Ratchaburi, Thailand
- Erwin Sversepa, Mondi Neusiedler, Theresienthal Mill, Austria
- Götz Herold, Propapier Mill, Burg, Germany
Rikard Wallin from Holmen Paper, Braviken Paper Mill, Sweden picked up the Mill Manager of the Year Award from Jörg Krischer, managing director of Kadant. This award was a closely fought contest from entries all over the world, including the US, Latin America, Scandinavia, Austria, Thailand and China. The judges said on selecting Rikard Wallin as the award winner: "Wallin has shown himself to be a thoroughly modern mill manager in a business climate that demands successful and profitable outcomes in all areas of the mill."
Environmental strategy of the year (mill) - Sponsored by HP/Colorlok (www.hp.com)
Winner: SCA Ortviken
Runners up:
- Buckeye Technologies - Foley Mill, Florida, USA
- Cascades - Rolland Mill, Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Canada
- Dalum Papir - Dalum Mill, Denmark
- Södra Cell - Värö Mill, Sweden
Ralf Johannesson, SCA's VP of sales and marketing receives the Environmental Strategy of the Year Award from Juan Castellanos, strategic alliance manager at HP responsible for HP/Colorlok. SCA's Ortviken Paper Mill in Sweden won the award in what was the most popular category out of all the PPI Awards. According to the judges, the winning entry was very well presented, and paid heed to all of the entry criteria. The entry showed that the mill takes its environmental performance very seriously, and that it was an excellent example not just compared to the other high quality entries, but also in absolute terms.
Promotional / sales / marketing campaign of the year - Sponsored by HP/Colorlok (www.hp.com)
Winner: Grycksbo Paper
Runners up:
- Dalum Papir
- Iggesund Paperboard
- Longview Fiber Paper and Packaging
- SCA Containerboard
Jaana Ahlroos, sales and marketing manager, at Grycksbo Paper receives the Promotional Sales/Marketing Campaign of the Year Award from Juan Castellanos. The company has produced an online marketing campaign incorporating a series of amusing advertisements using digital media, including YouTube. The winning campaign was described as "brilliant" and "outstanding" by the judges which shows an impressive marketing strategy at the same time as utilizing digital media with confidence.
Environmental strategy of the year (company) - Sponsored by Cargill (www.cargillindustrialstarches.com)
Winner: Stora Enso
Runners up:
- Grycksbo Paper
- Strathcona Paper
- Lenzing Papier
- Suzano
Stora Enso's VP of environment, Johan Holm, receives the Environmental Strategy of the Year Award from Cargill's segment manager, corrugating and paper, Jaime Vidal. Stora Enso impressed the judges with its detailed and impressive entry which showed a widespread and effective improvement in environmental performance. The judges were particularly impressed by the clear targets and achievements, especially due to the large number of mill sites involved.
Innovative product of the year - Sponsored by BTG (www.btg.com)
Winner: Sappi Fine Paper Europe
Runners up:
- Bolloré Thin papers
- Södra Cell
- SCA Graphic Laakirchen
Director of R&D at Sappi Fine Paper Europe, Matt Jennekens receives the Innovative Product of the Year Award for the Tempo Silk range of papers from Rainer Rauch, BTG's head of sales instruments, Europe. The judges considered that Tempo stood out as the most innovative development which has answered a market need, namely to help printers turn around jobs much more quickly because of reduced drying times - crucial in the modern "on demand" world of print.
Research achievement of the year - Sponsored by Kemira (www.kemira.com)
Winner: Joakim Nygren, Södra Cell
Runners up:
- Richard Berry, FP Innovations Paprican Division
- Kaarlo Nieskanen for his work at KCL
- Dr Mahendra Patel, Indian Agro and Recycled Paper Mills Association
Joakim Nygren, project leader of Södra Cell's Pulp Labs, receives the award for Research Achievement of the Year from Kemira's executive vice president of R&D and Technology, Johan Grün. The judges reported that contenders for this category were a difficult choice, given the sheer amount of R&D going on in the industry at the moment, but Nygren's involvement in the design and production of "Purup" a range of children's chairs made out of pulp, showed just what potential there is for the industry when a little bit of imagination is applied.
Pulp & Paper International is FREE to qualified subscribers. Click here to find out more.
