Innovation: Search for strongest team on paper

Brussels - The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) is launching an innovative competition in a bid to generate new technologies that improve the efficiency and sustainability of pulp and paper manufacturing.

The initiative will see two competing teams, comprising experts, scientists, manufacturers, suppliers and representatives of the pulp and paper industry and other sectors, to identify breakthrough concepts of technologies and processes.

Today’s innovation model is fragmented, the industry group argues. Wile innovative research takes place at companies and universities on a daily basis, it says only a small percentage is deployed in industrial processes.

“The Two Team Project uses open innovation - sharing ideas across companies, research institutes, academic institutions and public authorities - to generate new concepts and solutions efficiently,” said CEPI.

Both teams are looking for support from stakeholders within the pulp and paper industry, and beyond: anyone with a creative idea and an enthusiastic mind-set is called upon to submit ideas and to contribute to designing the future forest fibre mill.

At least four breakthrough technology concepts are to be delivered this November. The jury - composed of CEOs and high-level European officials - will select the winning concept, with the winner announced at CEPI’s Annual Meeting at European Paper Week 2013.

Anyone with ideas for the most efficient forest fibre mill can submit them at www.unfoldthefuture.eu