PwC reveals mixed financial trends for global fibre-based pack firms

The 2008 edition of PwC’s Global Forest, Paper & Packaging Industry Survey, showed different parts of the world facing different business and environmental factors, “creating opportunities for some and challenges for others”.

It found Latin America, emerging Asia and the US to be the top three regions in terms of return on capital employed.

Western European paper consumption increased 0.4% to 102.5m tonnes, compared with the previous edition, and the weak US dollar has caused exports to decrease in favour of imported products.

Clive Suckling, PwC global forest, paper and packaging leader, said “Of the many economic factors which have affected the industry, the continued depreciation of the US dollar and rising costs of transportation, raw materials and energy have had the greatest burden on financial results.”

The report, which shows data collected from 2007, also published a list of the top 100 global firms in the sector headed by International Paper and Finnish firm Stora Enso.

UK and Ireland firms in the PwC Top 100 are: Smurfit Kappa (10), Mondi Group (11), DS Smith (26) and The Lecta Group (46).

The full report is available here.

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