SPKF Annual Report 2021

Like many other industries, the paper industry had to contend with supply bottlenecks in 2021. This was the case for recovered paper on the one hand, but also for pulp. Waste paper was scarce throughout Europe in the reporting year. Paper mills urgently needed old stock to produce new. The volume of newspapers and advertising material continued to decline during the pandemic. At the same time, the demand for packaging materials increased. The struggle of the various paper manufacturers for raw material drove up prices all over Europe. Waste paper cost two to three times more at the end of the reporting year than at the beginning of the year. In addition, the production of paper is an energy-intensive process and the sharp rise in energy prices made production costs even more expensive.

SPKF Annual Report 2021 for the Swiss paper industry
© SPKF Verband Schweizerischer Papier-, Karton- und Folienhersteller
24.06.2022
Source:  Company news

The majority of our member companies were able to increase their turnover, some stagnated and a few suffered losses. A look at the statistics shows that the member companies produced 1.39 million tonnes of paper, board and film and generated CHF 1.54 billion in sales. Francs in turnover. (In the case of turnover, a larger company only publishes the total group turnover, which is why it is somewhat higher).

In the year under review, 5.89% more paper and cardboard was delivered by Swiss paper mills, with newsprint (+17.36%) and graphic paper (+10.46%) in particular showing a strong increase in volume, also because these sectors had suffered greatly in the previous year. The total consumption of paper stagnated compared to the previous year, but there were stronger fluctuations in the individual papers.

The SPKF issued a new collective labour agreement with the Swiss Paper Industry Union (SPV) on 1 January 2020, which is valid until 31 December 2023. The CLA applies to the majority of companies in the paper industry. The CLA also forms the basis for the Joint Commission and for the use of the money from the training and promotion fund (AFF). In the reporting year, the CLA was well applied. With the adoption of paternity leave, the first adjustment of the CLA was already pending. In this regard, the SPKF negotiated with the Swiss Paper Industry Trade Union (SPV) and jointly decided on a generous regulation for the employees, which came into force on 1 January 2021.

The SPKF works closely with the papermaking school in Gernsbach (D) on the training of professionals, with a member of the SPKF serving on the board of the Förderverein Papierzentrum Gernsbach (FÖP). In 2021, one person from Switzerland successfully graduated from the papermaking college. In addition, three apprentices from Switzerland have passed the training to become paper technologists. For the Swiss companies, it is an excellent solution that the vocational school classes can be completed in Gernsbach and the in-service training programmes in Steyrermühl.

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