Strengthen Exchange and Cooperation, Improve the Development of Chinese and Finnish Paper Industry

—Interview Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen, President and CEO, PaperEngineers' Association From Finland Paper Newsletters interviewed Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen, President and CEO, PI.

On September 17th, 2015, 2015 CIPTE Conference was held in Beijing. 2015 CIPTE Conference was jointly organized by China Technical Assocation of Paper Industry, Paper Engineers' Association from Finland (PI), and China National Pulp and Paper Research Institute. More than 200 delegates from domestic and abroad pulp & paper enterprieses, paper-related enterprises, colleges and universities, research institute attended the conference. As one of the organizers, Paper Engineers' Association from Finland invited Finnish experts to make speeches on the topics of development trend of European pulp, paper and board market, information system and method, new technologies for paper machine upgrading, how to improve energy efficiency, and Paper Doctor solution. During 2015 CIPTE, China Paper Newsletters interviewed Ms. Pirkko Molkentin- Matilainen, President and CEO, PI.

China Paper Newsletters: Finnish paper industry is the leader of global paper industry, please introduce the general situation of Finnish paper industry briey.

Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen: e forest industry has a major role in the Finnish economy. Paper industry's output value in Finland accounts for 12％ of the total industrial output value.

Paper and board production still exceeded 10 million tons in 2014 in spite of the decrease by over 4 million tons since 2007 (shut downs of paper lines and some mills). Furthermore, paper industry is strongly export driven, approx. 90％ of all paper and board is being exported. In addition to the paper and board, there has been investment decisions made in the Finnish companies to increase the sowood pulp production.

China Paper Newsletters: In recent years, the growth rate of global economy slows down, does the economy recession aects Finnish paper industry？ What measurements do the major paper enterprises in Finland take to decrease the inuence of the recessionary economy？

Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen: Finnish paper industry has suffered from the global and especially the European recession since 2007. And the economy recession has indeed aected the paper industry. e Finnish paper industry has responded to the declining graphic paper market by shutting down capacity, but also at the same time introducing new products and refocusing product portfolio e.g. towards packaging grades.

China Paper Newsletters: As everyone knows, Finnish paper industry is excellent in the aspects of energy-saving and emissionreducing, could you please introduce the works Finnish paper industry has done to save energy, reduce emission and keep environmentally friendly？ What roles does PI play in these works？

Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen: In Finnish paper industry, BAT techniques (best available techniques) are used in all mills meaning e.g. that water circulations are closed as much as possible and the remaining wastewaters are treated in biological lagoons. Sludge and air emissions are finally burnt in energy boilers or elsewhere. e industry has learned to utilize raw materials (incl. recovered paper) and energy efficiently, the main principle is to produce more out of less.

Knowledge and well educated people are the key asset to the development of Finnish paper industry. PI oers education material to universities and paper engineers. Papermaking Science and Technology book series (very unique book series) is widely used in the hands of our professionals. PI oers also a forum where the professionals can share knowledge and learn from each other.

China Paper Newsletters: The production and consumption of China's paper industry have ranked the No.1 in the world for several years, while there are lots of works need to do to save energy, reduce emission, and eliminate backward production capacities for China's paper industry. Could you please give some advice to China's pulp and paper enterprises for that？

Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen: ere is no quick solution or short cut to work towards sustainable paper industry. To save energy, reduce emissions and eliminate backward production capacities needs persevering work and will to make changes. Investments and co-operation with stakeholders, specialists, policy-makers and authorities are denitely needed.

Investments on best available techniques are crucial. In Finland, the industry has invested in its own ecient energy production via modern CHP production (combined heat and power production). is has increased bioelectricity production, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on imported electricity as well as improved total energy eciency.

The work to reduce emissions is continuous. The production process must be managed very carefully to cut the emissions to the minimum. e Finnish pulp and paper industry strive to use raw materials as sparingly as possible to minimize the amount of waste. Recovered paper is primarily used in production (recycled) and aer it cannot be recycled any more, it will be used for energy generation.

China Paper Newsletters: It is the second time for PI organizing CIPTE Conference with China Technical Association of Paper Industry and China National Pulp & Paper Research Institute, are you satised with the cooperation？ What suggestions do you have to CIPTE Conference？ In which aspects will PI cooperate with China International Paper Technology Exhibition to improve the sustainable developments of the both sides？

Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen: Yes, we have been very satisfied with this cooperation and would like to continue this well started cooperation. From our point of view, the suggestions are to keep the conference program interesting and advanced, give answers to practical problems in mills by case studies/ investments.

China Paper Newsletters: As the official association of Finnish paper industry, what does PI expect to the cooperation between China's and Finland's paper industry？

Ms. Pirkko Molkentin-Matilainen: We expect networking, information/ knowledge change on advanced technologies and partnerships.