STATE OF THE INDUSTRY ON THE OFFENSIVE

Pupo explains other challenges lie in the ever-changing market conditions. "We are working very closely with our suppliers to secure prices that will not change in the middle of long term contracts. The suppliers seem to understand our needs, and they are helping."

Major mergers (such as Westvaco-Mead and Weyerhaeuser-Willamette) will hopefully take some of the capacity off the line, which can only be good for the small converter. However, the industry is already beginning to see the effects on the bigger players will depend strictly on how each individual company balances its finances.