KELLY H. FERGUSON is editor ofPulp & Paper Magazine

LATIN AMERICA

Markets and mill coverage of the rapid rise of the paper industry in Latin America includes profiles of some of the latest technologies being installed for pulping and papermaking and a look at many of the newest big players in the worldwide paper industry.

PULPING/BLEACHING CHEMICALS

This editorial report examines trends in technologies that are driving chemical use throughout the fiberline, including such bleaching chemicals as chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, oxygen, and ozone.

FINISHING/CONVERTING

Willamette's newest sheeting operation in Tennessee improves the company's ability to convert and deliver high-quality uncoated free-sheet products to its customers.

 

Who's biggest?

The pulp and paper industry has always been interested in superlatives, Guinness Book of World Records items that apply only to those companies and mills involved in producing pulp, paper and paperboard. You know the types of questions: Who has the fastest paper machine? Who holds the single-day production record for a specific grade? Who has the highest paid CEO?

Magazines like Pulp & Paper consistently document such industry superlatives. Our sister publication, Pulp & Paper International, annually publishes its Top 150 paper companies list, which seems to be a constantly shifting roster that should probably be updated daily based on the ongoing merger mania. For example, International Paper was recently dethroned as the largest single pulp and paper producer in the world by the
marriage of Stora and Enso, but there is speculation that even this new combination might be outdone by some other merger even before the ink has finally dried in Finland and Sweden.

However, during an editorial meeting a few weeks ago, the topic for a new superlative was mentioned that requires-the editorial staff decided-some thought from readers. Who is the biggest single consumer of paper?

MULTIPLE CATEGORIES. What an intriguing question. Certainly, we already have consumption figures by country, so we know the U.S. is way ahead of the pack when it comes to per capita use. But what single entity uses the most pulp, paper or paperboard products?

The first thought that comes to mind has to be the U.S. federal government. Despite constant reminders of the Paperwork Reduction Act (Who are they kidding?), the U.S. government probably keeps the equivalent of 15 paper companies in business every year.

For example, it's true that you can download special IRS forms from the Internet, but I stopped by an IRS regional office this past spring and saw thousands of those ugly, gray paper forms and booklets that they print every year. And think of the warehouses full of catalogs, magazines, and pamphlets sitting in Pueblo, Colo., where the General Service Administration's Consumer Information Center is housed. And it's staggering to think of all the paper that must disappear into the multitude of federal buildings every year.

The U.S. government would be closely followed by the governments of other countries, state and provincial bodies, and municipalities. However, it's hard to imagine that any other government could out-consume Uncle Sam.

But what about private companies? Who is the No. 1 consumer in that area? The first inclination is to choose a publishing company, such as Gannett or Time Warner, because they purchase so much printing paper on which to produce the reams of their editorial and advertising matter.

Other consideration might be given to some major electronics manufacturer, such as Sony or IBM, due to their use of boxboard in which to ship product. Or what about companies like General Foods, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, or Revlon, which package their innumerable offerings in high-quality paperboard, sometimes with multiple layers that win satirical accolades for overpackaging?

But one editor, during the discussion, brought up the fact that you can't just consider what a company produces when calculating how much paper product it uses. The companies already mentioned also purchase and use items such as stationery, marketing materials, magazines, annual reports, and, yes, even toilet tissue and toweling.

All of these paper products should figure into the total. Given those variables, large conglomerates might surpass the tonnages of those that utilize paper to carry their message or surround their products.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE. Finally, there should be a superlative for a single human or family. For example, there are times when I feel that if recycled fiber prices would only move upward, I could collect and sell all the paper products that end up on and around my desk during a week and retire on the profit. But there is a gentleman in my office that would probably surpass the personal wealth of Bill Gates if he were to "clear-cut" the urban forest that is his office.

A friend of mine tells me that her mother could probably win an award in the single-user category based solely on her daily consumption of paper towels. We're considering trying to sell one of the large towel producers on featuring her in a commercial that highlights the three or four rolls of towels that she can go through every day. If there are more people like her, maybe we could patent a multi-roll, household dispenser so she wouldn't have to waste time replacing rolls.

If you have any thoughts on the world's largest paper consumers, please fax a note to me at 770-933-0666 or send an e-mail to kferguson@mfi.com.