The paper industry is one of the most successful production industries, with 90% production during containment. But Philippe d'Adhémar, the president of the French Union of Cardboard, Paper and Cellulose Industries (Copacel), at the employers' organisation's annual press conference, expects paper companies to be hit hard by the recession.
"Admittedly, we have got through this phase of containment without putting a strain on public finances, with virtually no recourse to short-time working. We have taken charge, we have done the job: we have ensured basic needs during this period.
But beware, the threat from the recession is real and serious. It will weaken our sector because of problems of competitiveness and demand, even though we are an industry that we are going to need. Sites that stop do not come back. Tomorrow we are going to need a green economy, we are going to need decarbonation, we are going to need substitutes. And our territories more than ever will need their ecosystem to cope with the social crisis."
In order to cope with this looming recession, Copacel has developed a detailed six-point recovery plan, which we will return to shortly in the columns of GraphiLine .
