Pulp, paper and packaging company Oji Fibre Solutions is owned by Oji Holdings and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ). They have manufacturing sites in Australia and New Zealand. The company employs more than 1600 people, based in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia.
The company showcased their new ownership and new brand in 2014, setting an inspiring new direction for the organization. Oji Fibre Solutions is a leading player in the pulp, paper, and packaging industry in Australia and New Zealand.
The company’s products are manufactured from pinus radiata which is grown in New Zealand. It is one of the strongest fibers in the world suitable for robust, high-quality packaging products and other specialist applications. Their brand combines a strong local heritage with the power of the Oji Group, bringing – one of the largest global pulp and paper companies. Oji Fibre Solutions is focusing on solutions in new and growing markets for wood-based fiber products.
Oji Fibre Solutions is part of a circular economy, from sustainable virgin wood fiber to packaging products and back to recycled paper. The company produces market pulp, containerboard, and packaging solutions. The company also provides services for logistics and shipping, delivering products to global markets, and operates a large paper recycling service across New Zealand.
The Savvy Leader of Oji Fibre Solution
Dr. Jon Ryder, CEO started with Oji Fibre solutions in 2012. He has a strong professional background in the pulp and paper industry. He has a Ph.D. in pulp and paper chemistry from the University of Manchester’s Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in the UK.
He began his career in technical management before moving to New Zealand to work for Carter Holt Harvey – a company which later became part of Oji Fibre Solutions. In 2006, Dr. Ryder moved to Australian Paper, taking on a number of senior roles. He returned to Carter Holt Harvey as the Chief Executive Officer of CHH Pulp and Paper and Packaging.
Soon after taking the role of Chief Executive, Dr. Ryder contributed to the team that led the divestments of the pulp, paper and packaging assets to the new owners. The new identity and refreshed focus were inspired by the combination of employee aspirations, who created the name, and those of its principal owner, Oji Holdings, who is pushing to transcend traditional and conventional boundaries in the pulp and paper industry.
Unique Services of Oji Fibre Solutions
Oji Fibre Solutions’ strong workforce prides itself on creating long-standing relationships with its communities, customers, and key stakeholders. The company strongly believes that “innovation is a company brand value.” An example of this innovation is its fibre cement pulp product. Oji Fibre Solutions was involved in the early development of these products, originally used as a replacement for asbestos. The long, strong fibers in the company’s pinus radiata pulp produce a high toughness in cement boards and finishes.
Oji Fibre Solutions is adept at combining virgin fibers from wood with recycled fibers in different proportions for optimum performance. Their ECOKRAFTTM liner boards are another example of the innovative use of a hybrid combination of virgin and recycled fibers producing a quality product extracting full value from the life cycle of cellulose fibers. The people at Oji Fibre Solutions are aware of this material particularly for performance in highly humid areas, such as cool stores.
The company’s innovations in food packaging come from close relationships with the primary production industry. Examples include a cardboard lattice bin for the nutritional milk powder industry, which has revolutionized the ability to move and store bulk powder in processing plants; and CORRUCAPTM, a clever system to secure stacks of cardboard fruit boxes, allowing efficient handling for transport. These types of innovations support the development of its wider packaging products, such as point of sale packaging; paper bags for milk and food powder and other cardboard box products.
Accepting the Challenges and Executing the Plans
Oji Fibre Solutions aims to be true to its name by helping customers solve problems with their products. Like most industries, the pulp, paper and packaging industry is very competitive. In the recent years, the company’s biggest challenges have been the need to drive up efficiencies, especially at the larger sites in New Zealand. The business/company has been working hard on a transformation programmer looking closely at maintenance structures and other areas.
Future Take of Oji Fibre Solutions
The vision for the company is to reinvest and increase vertical integration. Within months of the purchase in 2014 Oji Fibre Solutions made the decision to expand and upgrade their paper bag-making facility in Auckland and this was quickly followed by a new $70 million-plus Greenfield development at Yatala, near the Gold Coast, creating up to 50 new jobs for local people in Queensland.
On course for completion in October 2017, the Yatala facility will manufacture and supply corrugated packaging products to customers throughout Queensland, Northern New South Wales, and Northern Territory.
