In my many decades in the industry, I can seldom remember times when our industry was as active and moving forward as it is now, Covid or no Covid. Perhaps the explosion in tissue growth in the 1970's was comparable, but I even doubt that. A rival could be when China burst upon the modern scene in the 1990's perhaps, but on a worldwide basis, now is about the busiest time I can remember.

What's driving this? Several key factors are at work. On the tissue side, the developed world is using more tissue products in the Covid era, but the developing world is gathering steam here, too (I always say toilet tissue is the first luxury good developing economies want). In the developed world, Covid is driving more and more retailing to "touchless delivery" at your home, which is putting a tremendous strain on the containerboard and packaging sectors. Then on the information side, Industry 4.0 is being rapidly adopted.

Paperitalo Publications is on top of all these trends. We have just launched a department to cover capital projects. It is a bit North American centric at the moment, but it will soon expand (see it here) and our Industree 4.0 newsletter, exclusively sponsored by SAP, is entering its third year. For the latest issue, see here. If it is developing in the pulp and paper industry, Paperitalo Publications is on top of it.

Jim Thompson is CEO of Paperitalo Publications.