/Ins PulPaper is the leading international event in the forest industry’s calendar. It will be held in Helsinki on 29–31 May 2018. The event is a global meeting place where forest industry professionals from around the world will find out about innovations, learn new things and network. PulPaper includes an exhibition, a high-quality conference programme, an evening programme and the opportunity to visit a Finnish mill.
PulPaper uniquely brings together different fields in the forest industry, as two other events will also be held at the same time: PacTec, a packaging industry event, and the new Wood & Bioenergy event for the energy and chemical industries. The combined events provide a great opportunity to meet many operators from different industries. No comparable event is held anywhere else in the world.
The event was last held in 2014, when it attracted visitors from 70 countries. Now, PulPaper will bring the world’s best experts together to explore digitalisation, biorefinery development, and breakthrough innovations. The theme of the event is “Visit tomorrow today.” This refers to new innovations and technologies that the forest industry can harness to evolve in the digitalising world while respecting the environment.
Approximately 400 companies will participate in the exhibition and around 10,000 visitors are expected. PulPaper stand sales are proceeding briskly and the industry’s market leaders have confirmed their participation along with the major equipment and service providers in the business and the leading forestry companies. Digitalisation and innovations will be showcased at seminars and stand presenting the latest practical applications to customers. In addition, the new products and services of tomorrow will be showcased in a themed area for start-ups.
PulPaper will feature a varied seminar programme on three days. The Business Forum and 3D Printing of Biomaterials seminars will be held on Tuesday, 29 May. Business Forum is a new seminar for company management, focusing on themes ranging from consumer habits to sustainable development and from innovations to changes in management.
The two-day PulPaper Conference will be held from 30 to 31 May. More than 40 experts, researchers and company representatives from the Nordic countries, Japan, North America, and other parts of the world will speak at the seminar. The conference will consist of keynote speeches for all participants and a selection of themed conference programmes.
The PulPaper Conference keynote speaker will be Maria Strömme, Professor of Nanotechnology at Uppsala University, Sweden, who will envision innovative products of the future. The second keynote speech will be given by Ilkka Hämälä, President, and CEO of Metsä Group, Finland. He will describe how the new bioproduct mill in Äänekoski integrates the traditional pulp industry with the manufacture of new bioproducts.
The other themes of the conference include breakthrough innovations in the industry, biorefinery development, changes in consumer behaviour and the opportunities ushered in by digitalisation. Researchers will present current research results and envision future business opportunities. Practical examples of new operating methods from companies bring a concrete aspect to the conference.
At the end of PulPaper, visitors can acquaint themselves with pioneering companies in the business. Visits to Metsä Group’s new Äänekoski bioproduct mill and Kotkamills’ board mill will be organised on 31 May and 1 June. Forest industry products account for about 20 percent of Finnish exports, and the industry is important to the country’s success. The forest industry is a major employer, particularly in rural regions – it employs about 41,000 people directly and around 140,000 indirectly.
Finland has 49 paper and pulp mills, and more than 200 industrial sawmills, panel factories and other companies manufacturing wood products. The current products will serve as the basis of business in the years ahead, too, as next-generation paper, packaging and wood products are developed continuously. In addition, new bioeconomy products and business functions are being developed alongside the current products. The bioeconomy will create new companies, jobs, and prosperity.
