2009 foreign competition: Paperitalo 2nd Tuesday Surveys

Survey subject:

Foreign competition

2^nd Tuesday Surveys are Copyright 2010 by Paperitalo Publications and used by permission of the Copyright Owner

Confidential level and error band:
(95% confid. Level, +/- 10% error band)

No. of respondents: 98

Pulp & Paper Industry

65% US respondents, 7% Canada, 6% Western Eurpoe each, all other areas were less

• When asked about foreign competition: 48% said it is a threat to their mill
   
• The biggest concern was labor costs (32%) followed by loose environmental regulations (18%)
   
• 66% of respondents report their company regularly lobbies their home country’s government for protection
   
• 63% cite “other cost cutting” as the primary way they address foreign competition.
   
• 38% say it is “possible” or “almost certain” foreign competition will be responsible for their mill to shut in the next five years
   
• 76% report their country does not use tariffs to thwart foreign competition
   
• 17% report their country uses threats of retaliation with other goods to protect forest products
   
• 35% blame environmental groups for favourable treatment of foreign pulp and paper products in their home market