Pulp and paper industry

The paper industry is an industry that belongs to the primary industry and is engaged in the production of paper and cardboard. Many paper -producing companies today are intertwined internationally.

The paper industry is divided into the following four major groups of papers:

• Graphic papers
• Paper and cardboard for packaging purposes
• Sanitary Paper Products Tissue Papers
• Paper and cardboard for special technical purposes

Global paper industry

Produced paper and cardboard each year worldwide almost 400 million tons ( 2011). The largest producers (2011) are China ( 99.3 million tonnes ), the USA (75 million tonnes), Japan ( 26.6 million tonnes) and Germany ( 22.7 million tonnes). Many companies are intertwined internationally. It is estimated that the 20 largest paper manufacturers currently account for almost 40 % of the world's paper and paperboard production. The 10 largest paper producer (after 2010 production ) are world:

Paper industry in Europe

Almost one- third of the capacity for paper production is omitted worldwide with approximately 108 million tonnes to the European paper industry. Europe is a leader in the production of printing and writing paper, followed by Asia and North America, and has a share of 27 % of total paper and board production. By consolidating the European paper industry in the last decade the number of companies, paper mills and paper machines in Europe has decreased, but increased the production capacity at the same time. Sales in the European paper industry in 2011 amounted to around EUR 81 billion. 221,000 people work in the European pulp and paper industry.

Paper industry in Germany

The German paper industry, whose interests by the Association of German Paper Factories (VDP ) can be represented, was in 2013 with a production volume of 22.4 million tonnes of paper and cardboard, the number one in Europe and stands behind China, the U.S. and Japan to fourth. Production is divided into four main groups of varieties. Packaging papers and board for a share of 48.6 percent. 38.8 percent of the production volume is accounted for graphic papers. The remaining 12.9 percent is almost equal to hygiene papers (6.5 %) and the wide range of technical and specialty papers ( 6.1%). The 40,000 employees of the German pulp and paper industries generate in 2013, 167 plants sales of 14.3 billion euros (2013 ), a decrease of 2.3 percent over the previous year.

Germany is also one of the largest markets worldwide. Among other things, the export-oriented German industry requires packaging materials made ​​of paper and cardboard and ensures that Germany is at the forefront in the consumption of around 20 million tons of paper in Europe. The strategic importance of the German market has meant that - in terms of sales - are now about 60 percent of the German paper industry in foreign hands. In addition to large international corporations there are many medium-sized companies, which are not rare in their respective segments the global market leader. The 10 largest paper manufacturers in Germany are:

Germany exports about half of its production. 2012 internal market and export markets that developed apart: while the foreign sales of the German paper industry grew by 1.6 percent, domestic sales declined by 2.2 percent. The share of exports in the EU area is 76 percent. Conversely Germany covers about half of its paper consumption by imports. Germany was in 2012 before the United States the largest import country in the world for paper and cardboard. The biggest suppliers are Sweden and Finland with a share of 23 and 19 percent. The share of imports from overseas countries is only 3 percent.

Current situation of the German paper industry

The German paper industry has its production in 2013 with 22.4 million tonnes held largely stable overall (-0.7 %). One of the continued decline of the graphic paper is matched by a growth of the other varieties, especially the packaging papers. In addition to general economic influences a changed media usage leads to the noticeable decline in demand for graphic paper ( -5.4 % compared to 2012 ).