European Paper Week embraces the industry’s bio-based potential

The 19th edition of European Paper Week, Nov. 28-30, 2017, in Brussels, marks the Confederation of European Paper Industries’ (CEPI’s) 25th anniversary and takes place as the industry works to transform itself into a low-carbon, circular bioeconomy. This year’s theme invites attendees to “Sense the Future” by experiencing the innovative, bio-based potential of the industry using their five senses.  

Sylvain Lhôte, CEPI director general, says, “Industry transformation is gaining pace. This year’s European Paper Week provides an occasion to look forward at how we can, as the leading renewable and recyclable material industry, unleash the full potential of a circular bioeconomy.”

This year’s event hosts the inaugural Europe-only edition of the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards, where eight researchers will make the case for their ideas.

Building on this year’s theme, attendees also are invited to a novel innovation expo, which will feature multiple, innovative paper-based products that can be used for purposes human cell cultivation, aircraft structures and renewable, bio-based alternatives to plastic bottles, the organization says.

This year’s High-level session, scheduled for Nov. 29 at 2 p.m., welcomes Gunter Pauli, author of The Blue Economy, a report that outlines how innovations inspired by nature’s own renewable cycles can build a sustainable economy from the ground up. This session also will address how the European Commission’s revised EU Bioeconomy Strategy can help speed up the deployment of innovation from lab to market.

Looking toward the future, the industry will continue to put its words into action, as outlined in the revised version of its 2050 Investment Roadmap, building on the success of its Roots and Beyond project to demonstrate the transformative investments taking place across the industry, according to CEPI. The organization says it intends to be at the forefront of the discussion on the next EU research and development program to guarantee funding for the bioeconomy projects.

CEPI is the pan-European association representing the forest fiber and paper industry. Through its 18 national associations, CEPI gathers 495 companies operating more than 900 pulp and paper mills across Europe that produce paper, cardboard, pulp and other bio-based products. CEPI members represent 22 percent of world production, €81 billion ($96 billion) of annual turnover in the European economy and employ 175,000 people.