Mission Statement

The guiding theme is: Our future in every fiber

ZELLCHEMING is the platform for professional exchange between all those involved in the development and manufacture of sustainable paper and fiber-based products. In addition, ZELLCHEMING offers its members a wide range of opportunities to get involved in our industry and to maintain personal contacts across generations.

The paper and pulp industry has a tradition of sustainability and is uniquely shaped by it: The main raw material, virgin pulp, comes from renewable sources and is recycled after its first use. Technology and research have always been focused on optimizing this resource and production efficiency. Recycling is also practiced on a large scale as upcycling. The focus is on innovation as a path to sustainable prosperity and economic stability, embedded in pragmatic, holistic thinking.

The association has set itself the new goal of addressing the key facets of sustainability in its internal work, both practically and thematically, as well as actively communicating and representing our industry's special relationship with sustainability to the outside world.

The association is guided by the definition of the BMZ1: "Sustainability or sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is important to give equal consideration to the three dimensions of sustainability - economic, social and environmental. The Association's work is closely aligned with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)2.

The Executive Board drives the topic of sustainability forward in a focused manner, while the specific, practice-oriented design is closely linked to the work in the technical committees and leads to recommendations for action for the corresponding orientation and organization of the association's work as well as for processes at the industrial level.

1 Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung
2 https://unric.org/de/17ziele/

Tasks

The factors that unite ZELLCHEMING members include:

  • A fascination with engineering and technology for process and product innovation.
  • The conviction that the paper and pulp industry can initiate and implement positive changes that have an impact on society beyond industry.
  • A commitment to sustainability, which includes a conscious use of natural resources at all levels and, where possible, a reduction in the use of these same resources and the emission of harmful greenhouse gases.
Mission Statement Vision

Mission Statement

ZELLCHEMING sees itself as a link between science and the manufacture and marketing of paper and fiber-based products.

ZELLCHEMING's technical committees develop technical topics and address new areas of growing importance to industry. By highlighting best practices and standardization work, ZELLCHEMING promotes knowledge transfer within the association, in research and in industry. Special emphasis is placed on the promotion of young talent through awards, scholarships, financial and technical support.

All technical committees (TC) integrate the topic of sustainability into their organizational structure and thematic work. The respective activities are bundled by the Sustainability Officer and communicated within the association. The way in which the topic is dealt varies according to the profile of the TC, but they all have one thing in common: reporting during the year as part of the ZELLCHEMING Expo from 2025 onwards. The relevant passages in the mission statement will then be revised and updated once a year.

Two pilot projects on sustainability will be initiated by the Executive Committee and the Secretariat before Expo 2025, and others will follow during the year.

Vision

ZELLCHEMING makes a positive contribution to securing the future viability of an innovative paper and fiber-based industry as a responsible shaper and trendsetter. This makes ZELLCHEMING an important player in the circular economy, which is increasingly being promoted and demanded by politicians, companies and society, with a sustainability-oriented EU bio-economy as its core element.
By 2030, all the association's activities will be aligned with the following guiding themes:

  • Careful use of our resources: conservation of water, energy and raw materials, low-CO2 or carbon-neutral production.
  • Use of digitalization technology and artificial intelligence in production and marketing to improve the social and economic components of sustainability.
  • Increase the recyclability and recycling rate of paper and fiber-based products to further optimize the circular economy.
  • To develop, design and market innovative products made from cellulose, cellulose derivatives and lignin, as well as other plant-based raw materials, as important elements of a circular economy.
  • Sustainable organization of the association's work, recognition of commitment through a sustainability prize, which is awarded annually to two technical committees.

 

Our history

The Association of Pulp and Paper Chemists and Engineers (ZELLCHEMING) was founded in Berlin in 1905 and is thus the oldest technical-scientifical association in this industry.

The office of the association was relocated to Darmstadt after the reestablishment in 1948. Since December 2023 the office of the association has moved to Rödermark. Way back then the founding fathers decided not to state any nationality in the name of the association so that it would be open to everybody in every country who is involved in the manufacturing of pulp and paper or its supply industry. The association continues to encourage this international character - over 20% of its members come from abroad.

ZELLCHEMING is a founding member of the European Liaison Committee for Pulp and Paper - EUCEPA - based in Paris. The association's awareness of the industry's requirements in its settings of aims is reflected by the number of members. In 1923, there were already 447 members. Now, the association has around 1,300 members, 210 of which are supporting company members.