"Sustainability is the DNA of Steinbeis Papier"

As one of the leading manufacturers of recycled paper in Europe, Steinbeis Papier GmbH has set itself ambitious goals for the future. In this interview, Managing Director Marc Gebauer talks about the successes of the past year, the company's goals for 2025 and the challenges and opportunities in the paper industry.

Mr Gebauer, how do you look back on 2024, both personally and as a company?

It was a successful year for Steinbeis Papier. We achieved good capacity utilisation and were able to celebrate important strategic successes. We are particularly proud of the new magazines we won in the LWC sector, which helped our innovative products Steinbeis Nature and Steinbeis Select in particular to achieve a breakthrough. Another milestone was the complete takeover of the shares in the power plant in Papenburg. This strategic acquisition enabled us to increase the proportion of sustainably generated energy in Steinbeis Holding to 100 per cent.

Personally, I look back on the year with satisfaction and pride, as we have taken another significant step forward as a company, both economically and ecologically. We have consistently pursued our commitment to a sustainable future and were able to further consolidate our market position in the recycled paper sector.

What goals and visions do you have for Steinbeis Papier up to 2025?

Our vision remains clear: we want to further expand our role as European market leader and pioneer for recycled paper made from 100% recovered paper. By 2025, we want to expand our market share, develop new innovative products and further reduce our CO₂ emissions. One focus is on customised solutions for our customers and investments in research and development. At the same time, we are focusing on the targeted development of our employees. Another key building block for 2025 is the development of a comprehensive concept for recording our CO₂ emissions, accompanied by a long-term sustainability strategy with specific measures up to 2040.

How is Steinbeis Papier preparing for changes in the industry?

The paper industry is facing a transformation towards a sustainable recycling system. Recycled paper is gaining in importance, while the demand for graphic paper is declining. In order to remain competitive, we are focussing on efficient production, innovative recycling processes and flexibility for smaller order volumes.

Securing waste paper as a raw material is also crucial, especially with the increasing proportion of composite packaging. We have prepared for this in good time with the speciality paper line in order to be able to use new sources of waste paper. Steinbeis is ideally positioned in terms of energy supply - with its own power plants and sustainable energy from its own green power supply.

What innovations are planned in production and product development?

In production, we are already focussing on process-oriented workflows and plan to invest even more in digital solutions in the coming years in order to make our processes even more efficient and resource-saving. We are also focussing on our label paper portfolio. In addition to the optimisation processes for the existing Steinbeis Label Wet and Steinbeis Label Dry products, further features and new products are in the development phase.

Sustainability and ecological responsibility are key issues for Steinbeis Papier. How do you put these into practice?

Sustainability is the DNA of Steinbeis Papier, and we will continue to do everything we can to minimise our ecological footprint.
An important and complementary step in this direction is our cooperation with our suppliers. Sustainability in the supply chain has a direct impact on our Scope 3.
A good example of this is our collaboration with Evonik Active Oxygens. Thanks to this partnership, Steinbeis Papier can ensure that the hydrogen peroxide used is as climate-neutral as possible, not only in its application but also in its production.

Transparency and ESG standards are becoming increasingly important. How does Steinbeis Papier position itself?

We attach great importance to complying with the highest ESG standards along the entire supply chain. That's why we now assess our suppliers according to strict ESG criteria. At the same time, we have undergone this assessment process ourselves and have been awarded the highest rating of "A - Excellent" by the Synesgy platform.
This rating shows that we not only fulfil the ESG requirements, but also implement international best practices. The assessment is based on renowned standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

How are you tackling the shortage of skilled labour?

The shortage of skilled labour is also a challenge for us. We rely on a strong employer brand and offer secure, future-proof jobs in a culture of diversity and innovation. Our training and further education programmes prepare employees for the future, while we provide targeted support for career changers.
We maintain close contact with schools, sports clubs and the region in order to inspire young talent to join us at an early stage. Many interns gain valuable experience at our plant, and we have more than doubled our trainee quota in recent years. Local social commitment strengthens our connection to the community, while awards as a "top employer" emphasise our attractiveness.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for Steinbeis Papier, and what changes are necessary to achieve this?

The greatest opportunities for Steinbeis Papier lie in the further development of our product range and the opening up of new markets. We are convinced that sustainability is the key to success and see a clear trend towards increased demand for environmentally friendly products. We will do everything in our power to capitalise on this trend and further expand our position as market leader. Necessary changes continue to concern the digital transformation and the optimisation of our processes - an ongoing process in which we are making very good progress. It is also important to promote flexibility in order to be able to react quickly and effectively to new market conditions and customer requirements. Even if flexibility costs money, it is essential for our future success.