A meeting of global forest products industry CEOs has resulted in a positive consensus as the sector emerges from the recent economic downturn.
CEOs aired their views at the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations’ Global CEO Roundtable, held in Montreal on May 26.
“Coming out of today’s discussion there is a clear consensus that industry leaders are seeing positive signs that the forest products industry is emerging from the economic downturn and remains committed to improving its productivity, sustainability and innovation,” said round table co-chair Brad Thorlakson, president and CEO, Tolko Industries (Canada).
“CEOs from around the world cited significant productivity improvements the industry undertook during the global recession, increased globalisation of trade, emergence of new markets and greatly improved environmental performance as key factors that have led to a return to strength of the industry’s core product lines of pulp, paper and lumber.”
CEOs noted recent market trends including increases in the interdependence of global supply chains and the growing levels of government intervention in the industry and economies more broadly.
They underlined the importance of free trade and less government intervention as being essential to the growth of jobs in the sector.
The global forest products industry contributes more than US$470bn annually to global GDP and employs over 14 million people in almost every country in the world.
ICFPA membership includes the trade associations of 43 countries and members represent industries accounting for more than 90% of the world’s paper and more than 50% of the world’s wood production.
