Asia pulp and paper has made its mark in the pulp and paper industry for nearly 100 years. As of 2013, it accounted for about 25% of the world’s paper production! However, over time, this percentage has declined significantly due to aggressive expansion by Asian competitors such as China.
The company is still operating successfully today despite these setbacks, but it continues to face tough competition from other once-small companies who have quickly upstaged them in recent years.
Background Information
In the early 20th century, the company was known as the Asiatic Paper Company and was one of the first to produce paper from recycled waste from large plantations in Malaysia.
It was helped by large government subsidies, but despite these incentives, it did not start out very successfully and had to be bailed out several times over its history.
After several notable changes in leadership, it was renamed “Asia Pulp & Paper” in 1976 and began to see growth once again. At its peak, it employed more than 20,000 workers and had a total workforce nearing 50,000 (IFC). As of 2013, Asia Pulp & Paper’s workforce is about 10,000.
The Company Today
Asia Pulp and Paper is a huge company for its size. It was very surprising to learn that it does not have a large presence in the United States; this may be due to its new “Better Workplace” initiative, which aims to improve employee-employer relations and work practices.
This initiative has affected the company across the board, including progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its pulp mills and upgrading its paper production facilities. The company continues to expand despite the rapid growth of domestic competitors in China.
The Company Goal
Asia Pulp & Paper’s goal is to “establish sustainable leadership within the paper industry, both in China and internationally. Since its founding, AP&P has pursued a strategy of innovation and growth to meet the ever-changing needs of the pulp and paper industries around the world.
Today, AP&P is focused on continuing this tradition of innovation by creating value for stakeholders through creativity, determination, professionalism, and teamwork” (IFC). This shows that Asia Pulp & Paper has a definite direction for itself in its long-term goal of being a leader in an industry where change happens very quickly.
Asia Pulp & Paper is an interesting company to learn about because of its size and involvement with Southeast Asia. As a middle-sized company, it also has the ability to innovate within the industry despite the current decline in leadership.
One of its unique ideas is the Asia Paper Network to help companies grow in other countries, yet still, support each other. This proves that it is still a valuable asset to have even though most others are struggling to survive. This can also serve as an effective way of continuing its growth despite major setbacks on the global scale.
Conclusion
Overall, Asia Pulp & Paper is a prominent international organization that has established itself as a major force in the pulp and paper industry. Through some hard work and lots of luck, it has become one of the biggest players in the business and continues to fight for its place in the market.