Employment:
Pulp and paper industries

Pulp and paper industries involve the conversion of fibre, usually from wood but also from other plants, into pulp and further into a wide range of products like paper, packaging material, etc. In a growing number of countries, the pulp and paper industry is among the largest manufacturing industries and exporters. In countries like Canada, Sweden and Brazil it accounts for 2-3.5% of GDP. At 3% per annum the sector is the most rapidly growing among the wood-based industries. While the downstream manufacture of paper products is often still characterized by small units and conventional technology, pulp and paper manufacturing is dominated by very large mills and "high-tech". In recent years, there has been a very strong trend towards mergers, both nationally and across borders, leading to high degrees of concentration in some countries and the formation of large multinationals in the sector.

World employment in pulp and paper is estimated to be some 4.3 million, representing around 2.1% of manufacturing employment. Employment has grown much more slowly than output. Most employment growth is in developing countries, while productivity gains have led to job losses in most industrialized countries.