Page 26 - PWM2023_February

TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Picking up the pieces

t’s fair to say that Arjowiggins’ most recent history increases in at least 20 years.
has been turbulent following its acquisition by Justin Hobson, marketing manager at Fenner Paper, is
It’s sad when any Worms & Cie in 2000 which eventually morphed to well aware of the changing paper supply backdrop. And
become Sequana Capital. That company was placed
he’s seen the contraction of the market for corporate
business fails for in liquidation in March 2019. A subsequent man- print accelerate faster since Covid the result of which has
there are countless I nt buyout in September 2019 secured 500 led to the number of print insolvencies rising.
ageme
personal stories jobs in the UK and a second-phase MBO in October of that But as regards the failure of Arjowiggins, Hobson
entwinned with the year secured another 300 jobs overseas. thinks it’s given Antalis a large problem to resolve “as they
corporate’s demise. However, as is now well known, Arjowiggins failed are the major stockist for the Arjowiggins creative papers
But the failure of again in September of this year and its brands were range”. He adds also that “it has caused some concerns
where the papers were being used within the luxury pack-
bought by Antalis at the start of November.
Arjowiggins, a firm But where has the story gone now? How might the mar- aging market... but rival suppliers have stepped in to fill in
that can trace its his- ket react? the gaps”.
tory back to 1761 and Perhaps unsurprisingly, Simon Fisher, commercial
the Buckland Mill in Market changes director for Antalis Print, Publishing, Office and Visual
Kent, seems espe- First off, it’s important to recognise that in recent times Communications, takes an opposing view. It’s his belief
cially painful. paper supplies have become tighter because of the large that fine papers will “continue to be a significant part of
number of mills that have closed over the past four years. the overall paper market and therefore it was important
Words by These closures have formed a perfect storm following the that Antalis invested in the continued supply of the pre-
Adam Bernstein recovery from a global pandemic and the resulting growth mium fine paper brands”. As he sees it, the company “cer-
in demand for some paper- and fibre-based products, vari- tainly hasn’t seen any negative change in demand, on the
ous global logistics issues, the energy price crisis, spiral- contrary, we have experienced a heightened level of
ling raw materials costs, and the fastest rate of paper price enquiries”.

26 PrintWeek MENA February 2023 www.printweekmena.com