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Sustainable cooperation
MARJA BERISA, Photos: Sofidel
Metsä Fibre’s global reach is an important asset for Sofidel Group. The second biggest tissue paper producer in Europe and the fifth biggest in the United States has operations in 13 countries worldwide.
The Sofidel Group was founded in 1966 by two Italian fam- ilies, the Stefanis and the Lazzareschis. Today the company is one of the largest producers of paper for hygienic and domestic uses in the world. Its collaboration with Metsä Fibre goes back to the mid-1990s. Sofidel’s Wood Pulp Sourcing Director Andrea Piazzolla says co-operation is not just about business but also a shared vision of what fossil-free operations, sustainability and respect for the environment are and should be. “The pulp market in Europe is a very concentrated one. Pulp suppliers all offer sound quality, excellent time-to- market, after-market services and similar pricing struc- tures. So, when it comes to competitiveness, we prefer suppliers that have a clear and systematic approach to all things environmental. We expect our partners to have a feasible roadmap for their future progress towards matters like fossil fuel free production," he says. Up-close and personal When Sofidel and Metsä Fibre first started collaborating, the two companies were, of course, very different from
what they are now. Metsä Group’s pulp production and pulp mills in Finland were then run by Metsä Botnia. Sofi- del was gearing up its growth, but it was still very much a family-centred business. “Business relationships were very close, and the human touch was extremely important in all negotiations. Of course, when both companies grew, there were changes. Now Metsä Fibre is one of our key suppliers.” In Piazzolla’s view, Metsä Fibre’s global reach is an impor- tant asset. Sofidel has operations in 13 countries worldwide and is in the middle of growing large-scale operations in the United States, so only those suppliers that can handle global logistics and timely deliveries are viable. Sustainability at the core Asked about Sofidel’s most important strategic goals, Piazzolla mentions integrity, respect for the environment and the planet, and taking care of people and their hygiene needs. “We started investing in cutting emissions and stopping deforestation before it became a trend and before there
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