Confederation of Paper Industries

What Confederation of Paper Industries does

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is the leading UK trade association for the Paper-based Industries, formed in 2000 from the Paper Federation and headquartered in Swindon. It represents 86 member companies spanning the full supply chain — paper and board manufacturers and converters, corrugated packaging producers, soft tissue paper makers, and paper collectors for recycling — collectively accounting for an industry with £15 billion in aggregate annual turnover, 56,000 direct employees, and 59,000 indirect employees. Its operational scope covers the UK's 41-47 paper mills producing 3.3 million tonnes of paper and board, 5 million ksm of corrugated board, and 714k tonnes of tissue parent reel annually, with 6.3 million tonnes of recovered paper collected for recycling.

CPI's core products are knowledge and advocacy assets rather than physical goods: industry statistics and an annual Economic Value Report, policy and position papers (including a 2050 Decarbonisation Roadmap), technical guidance documents (Design for Recyclability Guidelines, Food Contact Guidelines, REACH guidance, Fire Prevention Plan), training programmes (Papermaking Apprenticeship Scheme, SIAS Level 2 Certificate), the PaperWorks school resource, and recognition programmes including the Paper Awards. Its wholly-owned subsidiary TMC manages the sector Climate Change Agreement and provides EU ETS technical support to all UK paper mills. The organisation coordinates PABIAC, the tripartite health and safety partnership with HSE and trade unions formed in 1979, and works closely with Defra, the Environment Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Forestry Commission, CEPI, FEFCO, and WRAP.

CPI's revenue model is subscription-based membership fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The organisation operates a community-led go-to-market motion, distributed through its paper.org.uk website (with member-only login), industry events (Paper Awards, Biennial Health and Safety Conference), publications, press releases, and organic social channels. The senior leadership team comprises 13 staff including CEO Alex Veitch (appointed August 2025) and COO Neil Fishburne.

Name

Confederation of Paper Industries

Legal name

Confederation of Paper Industries

Website

https://paper.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Confederation of Paper Industries is the UK trade association representing 86 member companies across paper manufacturing, corrugated packaging, tissue, and paper recycling — collectively a £15bn industry. It delivers advocacy, technical guidance, training, and policy representation to UK paper-based industries from its Swindon base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills (3221), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219), Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers (424130)

SIC

Paper Mills (2621), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110)

akta.pro primary industry

Paper-Based Packaging & Single-Use Paper Products (Paper Bags, Wraps, Cartons) (CRADALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consumer Tissue Paper (Facial, Toilet, Paper Towels, Napkins) (IMAMAGAA), Paper & Printing Grades Distribution (Printing/Writing, Newsprint, Specialty) (IMAMAIAF)

Keywords

• Paper industry advocacy
• Trade association services
• Industry representation
• Paper recycling guidance
• Sustainability publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Swindon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CPI operates as a trade association funded through membership fees from paper and board manufacturers, converters, corrugated packaging producers, tissue paper makers, and paper collectors for recycling.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is a UK trade association that represents the paper-based industries supply chain, including paper and board manufacturers and converters, corrugated packaging producers, soft tissue paper makers, and collectors of paper for recycling. It provides members with government advocacy, industry statistics, health and safety guidance through PABIAC, technical expertise on papermaking processes, sustainability guidance, and policy publications.

Product overview

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is a trade association representing the UK's Paper-based Industries, not a product company. It offers a portfolio of knowledge products including publications (Annual Reviews, Fact Sheets, Position Papers, Discussion Papers, Case Studies), guidance documents (Design for Recyclability Guidelines, Fire Prevention Plan, Food Contact Guidelines, REACH guidance), and training programs (Papermaking Apprenticeship Scheme, SIAS qualifications). Key educational resources include PaperWorks for schools and the Paper Awards ceremony. CPI serves as the authoritative voice for the paper and board manufacturers, converters, corrugated packaging producers, soft tissue paper makers, and paper collectors for recycling across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PaperWorks: The Paper Industry's award-winning school resource providing educational materials about paper and cardboard
• PABIAC

Products and services

• PaperWorks Award-winning educational resource designed to help children discover a world of paper and cardboard through educational content about papermaking, history, and recycling.
• CPI Annual Review Annual publication covering the Confederation of Paper Industries' activities, achievements, industry developments, and outlook for the UK paper-based industries.
• Design for Recyclability Guidelines Fourth edition guidelines helping retailers and brands design fibre-based packaging that can be easily recycled in standard paper mill processing.
• Papermaking Apprenticeship Scheme Comprehensive apprenticeship scheme for the UK's Paper-based Industries combining the nationally recognised Process Industry Manufacturing Technician (PIMT) qualification with bespoke papermaking training.
• UK Paper Sector Decarbonisation Roadmap Strategic roadmap outlining the pathway for the UK paper sector to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• SIAS Level 2 Certificate in Fundamentals of Paper Technology Qualification for the UK Paper Industry developed with SIAS, providing structured introduction to papermaking including main raw materials, chemicals, processes, stages of production and quality control.
• CPI Publications and Reports Suite Suite of publications covering industry issues including Fact Sheets, Position Papers, Discussion Papers, Guidance Documents, Case Studies, and Economic Value Reports.
• Paper Awards Annual ceremony recognising excellence and achievements within the UK paper and paper-based industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• The UK paper industry produces around 4 million tonnes of product annually with almost a million tonnes exported
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SIAS (Cogent Skills)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026CPI partnered with SIAS to develop the SIAS Level 2 Certificate in Fundamentals of Paper Technology, a qualification for the UK Paper Industry. SIAS is a leading Awarding Organisation for STEM industries and part of Cogent Skills group, established in 2015 by industry for industry.
• Paper and Board Industry Advisory Committee (PABIAC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979PABIAC is the tripartite strategic health and safety delivery partnership for the paper, board and recovered paper industries. The partnership includes HSE, employers and Trade Unions, formed in 1979. PABIAC's mission is to help prevent death, injury and ill health to those at work within the industry. CPI coordinates PABIAC activities throughout the membership.
• Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI is affiliated with CEPI, the Confederation of European Paper Industries, representing the UK's Paper-based Industries at the European level. CPI works with CEPI on guidelines such as the Industry Guideline for compliance of paper and board materials for food contact.
• Federation Europeene des Fabricants de Carton Ondule (FEFCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works with FEFCO on corrugated packaging matters. Andy Barnetson represents the UK at the FEFCO Association Directors' meetings.
• British Coatings Federation (BCF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI provides links to BCF as part of its useful external links for members.
• British Wood Pulp Association (BWPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI provides links to BWPA as part of its useful external links for members.
• Paper and Board Association (P&BA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI provides links to P&BA as part of its useful external links for members.
• Paper Industry Technical Association (PITA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI provides links to PITA as part of its useful external links for members.
• Recycle NowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI is pleased to support WRAP's Recycle Now Campaign, promoting paper and cardboard recycling in the UK.
• WRAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works with WRAP on the Recycle Now Campaign and resources to improve paper recycling rates in the UK.
• Paper Cup Recovery & Recycling GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI is a member of the Paper Cup Recovery & Recycling Group, supporting the manifesto to improve recycling of used paper cups.
• Food Standards AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works closely with the Food Standards Agency on food contact materials and compliance issues related to paper and board for food packaging.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works with Defra on environmental policies affecting the paper industry including recycling, waste management, and sustainability.
• Environment AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works with the Environment Agency on environmental permitting, water abstraction, and climate change adaptation for the paper sector.
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works in partnership with HSE through PABIAC to agree new policies for the industry and improve health and safety standards.
• Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI is a member of EIUG, working together on energy policy issues affecting energy-intensive industries including the paper sector.
• Forestry CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI works with the Forestry Commission on sustainable forestry and responsible sourcing of woodpulp for papermaking.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Recycle Now (WRAP campaign): Recycle Now is the UK recycling behaviour-change campaign run by WRAP, with which CPI has a core partnership. It performs a complementary trade-association-adjacent role focused on consumer recycling communications for paper and packaging.
• American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA): AF&PA is the US national trade association for the pulp, paper, packaging, and wood products industry. It mirrors CPI's role representing mills, converters, and recyclers in advocacy, sustainability, and statistics, but for the US market.
• Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO): FEFCO is the European federation for the corrugated packaging industry. CPI works directly with FEFCO via Andy Barnetson, and FEFCO plays an analogous trade association role for the same corrugated sub-segment CPI covers in the UK.
• Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI): CEPI is the European-level trade association for the paper industry and CPI's direct affiliate. It performs the same advocacy, statistics, and sustainability function as CPI but at EU level, making it the closest structural peer.
• Paper Industry Technical Association (PITA): PITA is the UK-based technical association serving the paper industry and is linked from CPI's useful external links. It complements CPI with deeper technical training and conferences, making it a closely adjacent trade/technical peer.

Emerging players

• Two Sides: Two Sides is a cross-industry initiative tackling misperceptions about print and paper, including a 'Paper Claims' campaign. It overlaps with CPI's myth-busting and sustainability positioning but is narrower in scope and global in footprint.

Regional players

• Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC): FPAC is the Canadian trade association for wood and forest products including pulp and paper. Comparable role to CPI but covering forest products more broadly, serving as a North American reference peer.
• Japan Paper Association: Japan's national paper industry trade association, providing the same advocacy, statistics, and sustainability function as CPI but for the Japanese market. Useful peer for understanding how national paper associations operate outside the UK/EU axis.
• Forestry & Timber Association: UK trade body covering forestry and timber, an upstream input to the paper supply chain CPI represents. While focused on wood rather than paper, it shares the same UK advocacy and sustainability remit for a related fibre-based industry.

Others

• British Coatings Federation (BCF): BCF represents the UK coatings, printing inks, and wallcoverings industry and is linked from CPI's useful external links. It is an adjacent materials trade association whose members overlap with CPI's converter and packaging segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Confedofpaper
• Facebookfacebook.com/Confedofpaper
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/confederation-of-paper-industries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Confederation of Paper Industries