“EUDR-Compliant” Recycled Paper from Koehler Paper – Sustainable and Exempt from Due Diligence Requirements
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- “Recycled Paper – EUDR Ready” event in Hamburg
- The EUDR does not apply to Koehler Paper’s premium recycled paper offerings
- Using recycled paper – advantages for businesses and the environment
The new EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) comes with enormous challenges for companies, including many in the paper industry. This is also the case with the preceding EUTR, which has been in effect since 2013 but does not apply to recycled paper either. This overwhelming advantage is complemented by the fact that Koehler Paper keeps raising the bar when it comes to premium recycled paper.
“Recycled Paper – EUDR Ready” event in Hamburg
Well aware that prospective and existing customers wanted to learn more about the new EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products, Koehler extended an invitation to its “Recycled Paper – EUDR Ready” event at the “Alte Druckerei” in the German city of Hamburg. Agencies, print shops, branded companies, and other interested parties congregated at the venue, where they would learn more about the regulation in connection with the products and services offered by the Koehler Group. A welcome speech by Udo Hollbach, the Managing Director of the Koehler Paper Greiz mill in Germany, was followed by a keynote speech given by Koehler Group Sustainability Manager Jens Kriete, who talked about the due diligence requirements that the Koehler Group must meet in order to prove that its virgin fiber products are deforestation-free. Among other things, the attending guests learned about the impact of the EUDR on global supply chains and how Koehler is working on implementing all requirements related to the EUDR. In fact, the requirements in the EUDR will be added to existing processes for all company operations by the fourth quarter of this year. Then came ecosocial graphic designer, author, and system designer Pia Weißenfeld, whose keynote speech convincingly showed that recycled paper is much more than just a mere alternative: Instead, it offers true added value for sustainable design. Finally, Lenzing Papier Managing Director Ernst Brunbauer presented new low-grammage paper grades that significantly expand the range of potential applications for these products, with Sattler Media confirming the extraordinary printability and subsequent processing capabilities of these recycled paper offerings – both with offset and digital printing.
Premium recycled paper products by Koehler Paper: An EUDR-compliant alternative
The goal behind the new EU regulation is to ensure a transparent supply chain so as to protect forested areas and biodiversity. In fact, it is the same goal that the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) had when it came into effect back in 2013. In compliance with this older regulation, Koehler has had to conduct a risk assessment for all imports into the EU to date. These requirements will be superseded by the EUDR at the end of this year, with the new regulation also describing the type of documentation required in detail. More specifically, all Koehler Group suppliers will have to document the exact origin of their wood with geolocation information in an EU database in the future. This is where the Koehler Paper Greiz mill, located in the German state of Thuringia, is of interest. The mill, part of the Koehler Group family business, offers recycled paper products made from 100% secondary fiber material. The EUDR does not apply to these products, meaning that they are automatically “EUDR-compliant.” In other words, there is no due diligence statement requirement for them, since they do not use any raw materials from forests or plantations.
Using recycled paper – advantages for businesses and the environment
Circular value creation is in Koehler Paper’s DNA: The Greiz mill takes wastepaper and turns it into new paper – conserving resources while maximizing both efficiency and transparency. In addition, its supply chain also features full traceability, except that the journey taken by goods and materials through the chain is usually much shorter than that for conventional paper. Not only that, but close collaboration with certified partners and continuous improvements in material and energy efficiency enable Koehler Paper to ensure a sustainable and secure supply of inputs. No surprise then that using recycled paper comes with a series of important advantages for businesses: legal certainty, less red tape, material efficiency as a result of recycling, and no EUDR due diligence requirements. “Our recycled paper offerings are crystal-clear proof of our commitment to responsible business practices – as well as a real solution for companies that want to be in compliance with the EUDR. In addition, the new EU deforestation regulation is opening new market opportunities for our mill,” says Udo Hollbach, the Managing Director of the Koehler Paper Greiz mill.
Best regards
Alexander M. Stöckle Corporate Director Marketing & Communications Press Spokesperson
Koehler Holding SE & Co. KG
Tel: +49 7802 81-4749 Fax: +49 7802 81-5749 mailto:alexander.stoeckle@koehler.com