New Zealand Paper Forum Established

MEDIA RELEASE
(Attention Chief Reporters – for immediate release)

New Zealand Paper Forum Established

Printing Industries New Zealand Chief Executive, Joan Grace, announced today the formation of the NZ Paper Forum. The Forum has been established to provide a cohesive whole of industry voice for the broad paper industry with its immediate focus to collectively manage the environment risks for the sector. The Forum will have membership from major manufacturers, distributors, converters and consumers of paper. Membership will be drawn from businesses and associations in the industry.

The Forum was established mainly in response to the growing emphasis on waste reduction and the need for the industry to be able to provide robust information on the performance of the sector on environmental matters. For example, 72% of paperboard packaging in New Zealand was recycled in the year ended 31 March 2005. This level of recycling exceeded the paperboard packaging targets under the Packaging Accord.

President of the New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association, Bill Berry, commented that “the recycling target set for paper in the Accord was exceeded by our members but we believe we needed to look wider than paperboard packaging if we are to tell the full story about the benefits of using paper over other materials for packaging and communication. The NZ Paper Forum will allow for a broader industry group to look at the steps being taken to reduce waste, recycle and reuse paper. With the current Government’s focus on environmental sustainability there are some very good news stories arising from this sector that they, business and the public need to be aware of.”

The announcement follows agreement within the sector on a constitution for the new body, the election of officers, and the confirmation that the body would initially be hosted within Printing Industries New Zealand.

In accepting the role as the inaugural Chair of the Forum, Charles Miller, GM, PaperlinX NZ said “the broad paper sector needs to work collectively on environmental sustainability. The Forum will be our industry’s voice and advocate on this and other matters that may arise. My first task will be to work with the members of the Forum on a workplan that supports our objectives.”

Founding members of the Forum:

ACP Media
Amcor Kiwi Packaging
Blue Star Print Group
Candida Stationery Limited
Carter Holt Harvey
Norske Skog Tasman Limited
Paperlinx
Visy Board NZ Limited
Marketing Association
New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association
Printing Industries New Zealand
Self Adhesive Manufacturers Association

ENDS

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