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*Combined figures for the co-located International Containerboard Conference and Forest Products North America Conference
While demand is recovering – and market players look to increase profit margins – inflation and high interest rates are still tempering industry spending. Discover where the ripest opportunities lie, from the experts who have their fingers on the pulse of the industry.
And understand how mega-mergers have impacted market dynamics – and will continue to do so in the coming years.
With sustainability, changing consumer behavior and huge industry developments all affecting forest products, now’s the time to get some certainty and make better business decisions.
Sign up for this event and you get automatic access to the Forest Products North America Conference 2024, happening at the same time, in the same location. Each event has a separate agenda focus, with sessions taking place simultaneously around the conference venue. Attend sessions from either event and connect with colleagues in the shared networking areas.
With this 2-in-1 ticket, you can:
✔ Connect with 400+ international market leaders from both the North American forest products and international containerboard supply chains✔ Find out how CEOs in the North American forest products industry are handling supply chain issues, skills gaps and post-Covid demand challenges✔ Benefit from more chances to network with key industry figures, including end users✔ Get a fuller and wider market analysis, from those who know the industry best
Gain a competitive edge and contribute to a more sustainable future by mastering key sustainability metrics for the packaging and containerboard industry. This expert-led workshop is perfectly suited to end users, paper & packaging companies, convertors, technology providers and suppliers across the supply chain for forest products and containerboard. It will equip you with the knowledge and tools to measure, track, and improve the environmental impact of your packaging products. Learn how to identify opportunities for optimization, reduce costs, and enhance your brand reputation through sustainable practices. Join us to become a leader in sustainable packaging.
The workshop is bookable separately, with spaces limited.
Get the latest insights from:
Mike Doss
CEO
Graphic Packaging
Markus Gartner
Mondi Corrugated Packaging
Markus Gärtner is responsible for the entire corrugated value chain at Mondi as CEO Corrugated Packaging since 2019. Prior to joining Mondi, he held various roles in strategy, sales, and general management with Novelis, a global aluminium rolling company. Markus started his career at McKinsey & Company, working on numerous operational and strategic projects across a variety of industries. He holds a Doctorate of Technical Sciences from ETH Zürich and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Alejandro Mata
Director Europe Packaging and Graphic Papers,
Fastmarkets
Steve Henry
President of Paper & Packaging
Domtar
Steve is a senior pulp and paper executive with 27 years of experience who is skilled at delivering performance as well as building and executing strategic roadmaps. His career has spanned diverse roles in strategy, project management, and general management in corporate and mill environments with International Paper, Weyerhaeuser, Georgia-Pacific. He joined Domtar general manager of the Hawesville, Kentucky, paper mill following its acquisition from Weyerhaeuser in 2011. He was named TAPPI/PIMA Mill Manager of the Year in 2016. Most recently he led Domtar’s entry into the packaging business, responsible for building and leading the business structure needed to produce and sell containerboard with a winning customer value proposition. Prior to leading the packaging business, Steve was Domtar’s vice president of strategy and business analysis, responsible for building a company-wide project management structure to help identify markets, products, and opportunities to innovate or commercialize new technology to meet customer needs. He also led work to achieve long-term growth and meet Domtar’s strategic objectives. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He previously served on the Board of Directors and as chairman at both Prisma Renewable Composites, LLC and Kenergy Corp.
Charles Malo
President and COO
Cascades
After earning a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Charles Malo began his career as a controller at Etcan, a division of Cascades, in 1990. He joined Cascades Containerboard Packaging when it was created in 1997 and worked his way up the ranks. Over the years, he became Director of Administration, Regional General Manager, Operations, for Central Canada, and Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer in the Corrugated Cardboard business line. In 2008, he also took over management of the folding carton division, becoming Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Packaging. In April 2015, he was named Chief Operating Officer, overseeing not only transformation operations, but also the production of containerboard. He became President and Chief Operating Officer in January 2016. This appointment makes him the third President of Cascades Containerboard Packaging, succeeding Alain Lemaire and Marc-André Dépin. Like his predecessors, he embraces Cascades’ values and believes that everyone should work in a safe and secure environment. He continues to pursue the business objectives established in conjunction with the various management teams to ensure the growth of Cascades Containerboard Packaging and Cascades. Mr. Malo is well known in the industry for his knowledge and leadership. He is an active member of boards of directors for various associations, companies and non-profit organizations. For example, he currently sits on the board of the Fondation Hôpital Pierre-Boucher.
Paul Charapata
Chief Executive Officer
M2S Group
Mr. Charapata is currently the CEO of M2S Group (Material Science and Solutions Group), a leading material science company providing engineered coating, adhesive, and imaging solutions to valuable global customer partnerships. Mr. Charapata started his career in the labels industry including 5 years working for Avery Dennison, and has spent the last 18 years partnering with four different private equity groups building the M2S Group platform. Today, M2S Group is a world class global operation with 15 facilities and 1200 dedicated team members who service customers in 65 countries. Under Mr Charapata’s leadership, Nekoosa has transformed into M2S Group and expanded from its commercial print product legacy to now provide sign and graphics, extruded products, wide format print media, thermal papers and films, window films, and variable information label solutions. M2S Group is now comprised of four business units including Nekoosa, Iconex, Decorative Films, and Appvion. M2S Group is owned by Wynnchurch Capital Partners based in Rosemont, IL with over $9B of regulatory assets under management. Mr Charapata is also a Director for Breck Partners, a middle market private equity firm, a board member for Dura-Fibre, a solid fibre laminated paperboard solutions company, and a board member for SmartSign, a leading online sign manufacturer and retailer.
Luis Gerardo Gonzalez
General Manager
Cartomicro
Luis Gerardo González is an engineer with over 20 years of experience in the packaging industry. He is currently the General Manager of CARTOMICRO, one of the largest independent corrugators in Mexico. Throughout his career, he has held key roles in planning, production, supply chain, and sales, driving innovation and efficiency within the company. His focus on product reliability and service quality has been instrumental in building partnerships with leading paper manufacturers worldwide. Outside of work, he is happily married, a father of two, a cycling enthusiast, and a nature lover.
Christopher Davidson
Vice President, Sustainability
Smurfit Westrock
Christopher Davidson is based in Richmond, Virginia, and serves as vice president, Sustainability for Smurfit Westrock, a global manufacturer of sustainable paper-based packaging solutions. He develops strategy, policies, goals and metrics for the company’s sustainability platform and is accountable for internal and external reporting to measure its progress. His work with customers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the world focuses on optimizing the impact of sustainability on businesses and communities. Chris’ experience in the forest products industry spans nearly 30 years. He serves on the board of directors for GreenBlue and the Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. He is also the co-chair of the Corporate Sustainability & Environment Executive Committee of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Chris earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forest management and forestry from North Carolina State University and received a doctorate in forestry from Virginia Tech
“This is the most important event of the year for our industry, and the reports, outlooks, forecast, etc. are very valuable.”
“Worldwide best conferences for containerboard importers from the USA, with excellent timing for budget validation. Critical for box plants with high season in Q1.”
“Great topics and insightful presentations. Excellent networking.”
“Very valuable information & networking, and a base for planning in this uncertain environment.”
“Very smooth organization and market presentations (US, Europe, LATAM) were excellent and informative.”
“Lots of real-time, important information on the state and trends of the containerboard market.”
“Good catch-up with industry participants and useful update on outlook and big trends.”
“It was an excellent opportunity to keep up to date with global perspectives from a variety of professionals of the sector, as well a great opportunity to exchange ideas and points of view.”
“Very informative on several fronts that impact paper supply and forecasting.”
Raise your company’s profile with customized solutions that align perfectly with your goals and budget, ensuring you go beyond your objectives.
Find out what branding and sponsorship opportunities are available now.
Silver Sponsors
FM provides comprehensive commercial and industrial property insurance and risk management services with an industry segment focused on Forest Products. Our property loss prevention engineers are charged with protecting the value created by our Client’s business by assessing exposures and developing solutions.Our Forest Products Operations provides an expertise in the industry which offers the following:Broad coverages specific to the needs of Forest Products companies.Paper and wood products loss prevention services including Recovery Boiler explosion prevention.Cost-effective insurance and risk transfer solutions backed by large, stable capacity.Industry leading Claims performance
StepChange is an industry focused and independent management consultancy specialized on wood, pulp, paper, packaging and tissue with a proven track record of turning strategy into increased shareholder value. StepChange provides support to organizations across the globe from strategy development to the implementation of operational improvements. Furthermore StepChange is an industry thought leader in digital strategy bringing digital transformation to the fiber value chain. With an international team of industry experts StepChange will hit the ground running. StepChange develops innovative and yet pragmatic solutions, placing an emphasis on delivering measurable business results. A high client loyalty attests to the industry-focused strategy with an international client base consisting of the most renowned companies from the industry.
Bronze Sponsors
Founded in 2001, Atlantic Logistics provides Drayage, LTL, Specialized Service, and Truckload throughout North America. We utilize our transportation and warehousing network to increase customer buying power
Kadant Inc. is a global supplier of technologies and engineered systems that drive Sustainable Industrial Processing. The Company’s products and services play an integral role in enhancing efficiency, optimizing energy utilization, and maximizing productivity in process industries. Kadant is based in Westford, Massachusetts, with approximately 3,500 employees in 20 countries worldwide. For more information, visit kadant.com
𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐑𝐎𝐗𝐂𝐄𝐋 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞. With a long history and active operations, our success is driven by professional expertise and strong industry relationships. By applying regional knowledge and market intelligence, we find optimal product and logistic solutions, minimizing barriers for local companies to enter international markets. We support businesses in reaching their full potential globally!
Media Partners
AMEXICCOR is a non-profit association that brings together corrugated cardboard manufacturers, converters and suppliers of machinery, services and supplies for the sector. We are made up of leading brands in the industry thanks to the value we provide.
Manufacturing Technology Insights focuses on growing trends, consumer demands, and several technology solutions that are dramatically affecting the manufacturing arena. Manufacturing Technology Insights assists key decision-makers, including Chief Manufacturing Officers and Inventory Managers, in understanding the fast-changing landscape where robots are getting more sophisticated and becoming adept at performing complex tasks. Manufacturing Technology Insights increases organizational visibility and advises firms on the connectivity tools that can provide insight into production levels, inventory and capacity availability, quality levels, and order status from all their suppliers.
PAPERFIRST MagazineThe ultimate global magazine from ENP Publishing, covering the challenges of papermakers worldwide through market analysis, testimonials of big players, and reviews of the latest technical trends. The natural extension of the successful PaperFIRST Web and PaperFIRST Mobile App.