THE MONTH THAT WAS

Essity makes breakthrough on journey to net zero emissions

Essity initiated the pilot for CO2-free tissue production in the second half of 2021. The pilot, encompassed efficiency programmes and electrification through renewable energy, and used hydrogen as a final building block to replace natural gas in the hood dryer of the papermaking process. As a result, Essity has successfully achieved a CO²-free production process for tissue.

“With this initiative, we have become the first in the world to use renewable hydrogen for tissue production. This is a major milestone in our ambitious climate agenda - and a big step toward a decarbonised society. We are creating a sustainable process that is setting a new benchmark for the industry,” said Donato Giorgio, president of global supply chain at Essity.

Up until now, the paper-drying process has relied on natural gas to achieve the required high temperatures of 600°CO². Renewable energy has not been a viable alternative in this part of the process but, by using hydrogen in the drying process, Essity has demonstrated that energyintensive production processes can also become CO2 emission-free. The company aims to continue applying breakthrough technologies to significantly reduce its environmental footprint.

Integra announces £25,000 Initiative giveaway

Integra Business Solutions has announced it will be giving away over £25,000 to members during 2023 to celebrate ‘25 Years of Initiative’ and to thank them for their continued support. Throughout 2023 members will have the chance to share in over £25,000 worth of prize draws, promotions and pricing support.

The first promotion, launched in conjunction with Bi-silque, will see six lucky winners travel to Portugal to enjoy the beautiful city of Porto. The promotion runs from January to June with the trip taking place in September 2023. Members will have the chance to win simply by purchasing Initiative and Bi-Office Boards, Easels and Flipchart pads via Antalis, VOW or direct, to reach their sales target. Members will be sent further details via the ‘Indulge with Initiative’ reward programme which includes regular sales target updates.

London Stationery Show announces LaunchPad winners

After dozens of entries, London Stationery Show are delighted to announce the six businesses which have won their annual LaunchPad competition.

LaunchPad aims to shine a light on emerging businesses looking to break into the stationery industry and showcase their unique products to a wider audience. The opportunity enables the winners to exhibit alongside market-leading brands at the London Stationery Show and meet top buyers visiting the UK’s leading trade event dedicated to arts and crafts, greeting cards, paper products and writing instruments.

The 2023 LaunchPad winners are: Curlicue Gifting Limited, Enayball, Jennifer Tune, Ladies Let’s Plan, Lione and Sheikh and Moonducks Design.