Get behind Packaging from Nature

Competition from alternative materials and subsidies for biomass are the two most pressing issues facing the international timber industry today. This is why the European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging manufacturers (FEFPEB) has launched a public relations campaign to promote wood as the raw material of choice for our sector throughout Europe.

The Packaging from Nature initiative highlights the economic and environmental benefits of timber use in packaging and pallets to users, with the added message to policymakers that the current system of biomass subsidies must change.

It is being funded on a modest budget by FEFPEB members, representing the European manufacturing sector, as well as pallet pools and associate members.

We want to present a universal message throughout Europe; giving a strong voice to our industry in those FEFPEB member countries that do not have their own PR initiative, and complementing the work of those awareness campaigns that are already running on a national basis.

The campaign will be in contact with the major industry and logistics magazines and online news sites across Europe, targeting packaging users and decision makers, as well as NGOs.

Its main resources are based online to give maximum reach and accessibility throughout Europe, and have been launched in English. They will be available in French, German, Italian and Spanish by the end of the 2011. Versions of the Packaging from Nature logo will also be produced in all FEFPEB member languages.

We launched the campaign website www.packagingfromnature.com in English, in October; and it will be made available in French, German, Italian and Spanish by early next year.

We'll be strongly encouraging FEFPEB members to include the logo and website on their company websites, and to make use of the other free resources.

For the first time, the European packaging and pallets industry is co-ordinating its PR approach to the threats posed by alternative materials and biomass subsidy. We urge everyone in the sector to get behind this initiative.

Gil Covey is president of FEFPEB, the European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging