Finding Your Niche Equals Success

During February’s Packaging and Label Gravure Association Global (PLGA Global) Tenth Annual Operational Conference, Michael Nowak, president, Coating Excellence International, stated that the North American paperboard market is being impacted by globalization. Northwest mills have lost their position in the Far East, resulting in many mills shutting down during the past ten years. According to Nowak, paper growth has gone to the Far East. China and India are the fastest growing markets for paper demand. China is expected to have the most advanced paper making machinery, with paper mills producing 100 million tons and exporting 50-60 percent of their total output. Nowak stated that the U.S. is set to see massive imports, with the North American paper market becoming less competitive. “U.S. converters will need to start looking at foreign suppliers to stay competitive,” he says.