Paper is our largest and most important purchase, and we currently source c.240,000 tonnes of paper each year.

Our Group Procurement Director, Bernice Andrew, explains the pivotal part we play in the UK corrugated manufacturing sector and how sourcing paper is critical to this.

Paper is the foundation of our manufacturing operations and securing the right raw material at the right time positions us as one of the major paper consumers in the UK. It allows us to support our customers with their exact requirements across a wide range of board grades and be efficient in our production and supply chains.

As the only independent corrugated board manufacturer in the UK, our paper buying strategy is very different to that of our competitors, who are all vertically integrated and typically biased to buying from within their own supply chains. This difference allows us to put our customers requirements before the needs of a paper mill and ensures we always secure the best paper available.

We source paper from the UK, Europe and (occasionally) from further afield, and because we manufacture such a wide range of board grades, having the autonomy to source the best paper from the best producers, at the right price and in the correct timescale brings an agility to Board24 which differentiates us in our market offering.

Ultimately, our customers see the benefits of this through a broad and high-quality product offering delivered in an agile way which is focused on supporting our customers to succeed in meeting the ever changing conditions of the market.

Strategic Sourcing

Long-standing and trusted partnerships have been established with all the major paper mills and traders and we have an extremely thorough understanding of each mill and manufacturers capabilities and specialities.

All paper we purchase is FSC certified which allows us to manufacture 100% FSC certified board, supporting our customers in achieving their sustainability targets and ensuring we support the sustainably managed forests initiatives to allow for responsible paper production.

Over two thirds of our consumed raw materials are fully recycled, with the rest being from sustainably sourced virgin fibre mills, which is representative of the paper we manufacture for our sheet plant customers. A large percentage of our suppliers are located across Europe  with the remaining  from other parts of the globe. This gives us flexibility to effectively manage any global supply chain challenges we may face to ensure our board production keeps running smoothly.

Considerable industry and paper sourcing experience means we are proficient, efficient and adaptable to ensure we source our paper from the most appropriate mills, and we stay close to the market to ensure we keep a pulse on the opportunities and threats coming down the line.

To facilitate agile and efficient sourcing, we have established partnerships with numerous suppliers, creating contingencies across the diverse paper types to enable corrugated board manufacturing at our three sites. The paper we order is delivered direct to each site and stored in our reel stores until the corrugator requires the material.

It’s a hugely complex operation and sourcing the paper is just the start of a detailed production process.

How could the future of paper sourcing change?

Without question, paper and corrugated board will remain the preferred packaging material for businesses seeking to establish, maintain or develop their sustainability goals.

As the industry evolves, the future of paper sourcing will continue to be shaped by key trends – sustainability, environmental stewardship and enhanced transparency and traceability. It is not unrealistic to expect that technological advancements will also impact on the way paper is sourced by the largest sheet board manufacturers in the UK.

In the short term, the largest changes we are facing are the regulatory change of Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), a policy framework and legal requirement to address and mitigate the environmental impacts of deforestation within Europe.

Whilst it came into force on 29^th June 2023, operators and traders of large and medium sized companies have until 30^th December 2025 to implement the new rules and due diligence process to ensure compliance.

Due to our policy that only paper sourced from suppliers who hold a FSC certification are used within our manufacturing process, we have a resilient and responsible supply chain. This, along with our dedicated team, means we are confident of our timely compliance with the new regulations. This will help our customers and onward consumers to meet their own reporting requirements of EUDR.

Whatever the market and trends dictate, Logson Group and Board24 remain committed to responsible and strategic paper procurement and will continue to maximise the opportunities presented to us, as the largest manufacturer of corrugated board in the UK.