Something to Talk About

Brian Taylor

The paper industry is seldom considered a growth industry, with some statistics pointing to gloomy contraction scenarios. In North America, fewer people are reading newspapers, and one of the largest bookstore chains recently announced it was liquidating and closing its 300-plus locations.

The changing reading habits of Americans have caused distress in the paper manufacturing industry and serious concern within the paper recycling industry. Recyclers also are quick to note, however, that packaging grades of paper and board do not seem to face the same threat of rapid contraction.

Furthermore, as noted by Al Metauro in this issue's cover story, many retailers and consumer products companies are showing a greater interest in the recyclability and recycling paths taken by their discarded packaging.

And while Americans may be using less paper per person, per capita paper consumption figures in Asia have escalated, causing mills there to buy North American scrap paper in unprecedented amounts.

The state of the paper industry and the involvement of a wider range of stakeholders in how packaging is recycled are among the many topics on the program of the 2011 Paper Recycling Conference. This year's event builds on the previous 11 conferences but also brings with it some important changes.

For the first time, the event moves from its traditional June time frame to October. The Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile hosts the conference Oct. 23-25. (See www.PaperRecyclingConference.com for more details.)

With that move on the calendar, the conference now serves as the location for the fall meeting of the Paper Stock Industries (PSI) chapter of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI), rather than the summer meeting.

Among the important missions of the PSI is the maintenance of paper recycling grade specifications used by traders throughout the world. Monday morning, Oct. 24, the PSI's Standards and Practices Committee hosts an open meeting where recyclers can learn the latest in proposed changes and updates to this crucial document.

The meeting represents just one of several during the three-day event when attendees have a chance to learn how their industry is changing and how successful companies are responding to those changes.

As it always has, the Paper Recycling Conference in 2011 also offers numerous opportunities for networking and for new trading relationships to be established. Starting with a welcome reception Sunday evening, Oct. 23, most of these breaks occur in the exhibit area, where industry suppliers will showcase products and services.