Innovation through cooperation: SWM hosts industry forum at Quimperlé site

SWM International recently opened our doors to peers from the French pulp, paper, and board industry when we hosted the Comité Enjeux Industriels et Innovation (CE2I) at our Quimperlé site in France. This event was hold for the first time at a production site. It was organized by Vincent Motin, RID Director within the Strategic Project, Technology and Innovation team at SWM International, and co-hosted with the Centre Technique du Papier (CTP).

We caught up with Vincent at the event, alongside Guy Eymin Petot Tourtollet, Prospective and Innovation Director at the CTP, to get the full story about the CTP and how the CE2I is helping to accelerate innovation in the industry.

Guy Eymin Petot Tourtollet, CTP | Vincent Motin, SWM

Driving innovation in the paper industry

“The CTP has existed for over 65 years and employs around 120 permanent staff,” explains Guy. “Its mission is to add value to the industry by anticipating market needs so that the right solutions are available at the right time. For example, CTP teams help manufacturers incorporate new properties into cellulose products. In this way, new materials can be positioned to replace plastics in certain markets. Several areas are being explored, including barrier properties, paper extensibility, and the elimination of adhesives from packaging. We’re also looking at ways to reduce the energy and water consumption of operations.”

In 2019, the CTP created a committee to involve manufacturers in its research and development process to ensure that it meets the needs of the industry: CE2I. This innovative forum brings together industrial site managers and R&D directors from across the French paper industry. Representatives from related organizations, including French packaging recycler Citeo, are also part of the initiative. The committee meets three to four times a year to discuss regulatory, environmental, technological, scientific, and economic issues and to define joint projects to help remove obstacles and develop technologies and know-how.

“Joining the CE2I and its international network of technical and institutional experts was a natural fit,” says Vincent. “Its ethos matches our proven commitment to innovation in the paper industry, so we have a lot to offer each other. Hosting an event at our Papeteries de Mauduit site in Quimperlé was therefore a logical next step. It allowed us to showcase our expertise and discuss with other paper mill representatives about their capabilities and how they’re overcoming common challenges through innovation. The feedback we’ve received from attendees has been very positive, particularly regarding our eco-design initiative and decarbonation program of our production site.”

The CE2I is the perfect forum to pool experiences, find out what’s working well and what need to be improved, and ultimately discover new solutions together with industry partners to ensure a bright future for the industry.

Vincent and Guy want to repeat the operation on another industrial site and emphasize that solutions based on cellulosic materials are a real asset. They conclude. “It’s now up to the RID teams at CTP, SWM International, and other paper mills to continue to create value while targeting more circular and zero-toxicity solutions.”

Learn more about the work of the CTP here. If you’d like to discuss more sustainable solutions with SWM International’s RID experts, you can contact us.