Sustainable Growth and Global Reach: Redefining Forestry Markets with MSC

Pulp, paper, and forestry goods are an important part of MSC’s global cargo. In Scandinavia, the Baltic states and Central Europe, for example, forestry products make up half of some countries’ exports. But it isn’t just Europe: 37% of the world’s certified forests are in Canada. 

MSC has recently solved a problem for one of Canada’s major pulp and paper companies, whilst simultaneously opening opportunities for other businesses in the region and enabling sustainability across their supply chains. 

Kruger was founded in Montreal in 1904 and has grown to be an important manufacturing company, leading in products such as tissue products, 100% recycled containerboard, corrugated packaging, pulp and paper and more. The company has also evolved to provide renewable energy production and puts sustainability at the forefront of its priorities. 

Exporting products across North America and throughout the world, transport and logistics are key to the company’s continued growth. 

Overcoming logistics challenges, together  

Kruger’s Corner Brook Mill, on the west coast of Newfoundland and Labrador was facing a logistics challenge. Until very recently, products had to be trucked across to the east coast of the island for onward shipping. This was time-consuming, expensive and also a logistical burden. 

Kruger approached MSC for help with finding an alternative solution, relying on MSC’s expertise serving the forestry industry. The result is a shipping service that runs from the port next to the mill. Within six months of the original request, Kruger was shipping goods across the US and to virtually every continent every day directly from the Mill. 

In an insightful conversation with Darren Edwardson, Deputy Managing Director of MSC Canada, Catherine Rayle, Kruger's Vice President of Sales Operations, commented “it was a logistic burden to move the cargo across the island. Since working together on the new solution, we’re now shipping directly from the west coast and the port is just across from our mill operation, giving us better access to our worldwide customers.” 

Collaborating to achieve sustainability goals 

The new service has helped make Kruger’s operations more efficient and, by cutting the number of truck journeys required, and is in line with Kruger’s drive towards its sustainability journey.  

In terms of CO₂ emissions per tonne of cargo transported, shipping is recognised as the most efficient form of commercial transport, emitting roughly 95% less CO2 grams/tonne-km in comparison to a truck for example.*  

It has also helped the local community both by generating new jobs at the port and by providing shipping capacity for local businesses, opening up access to global markets. 

Darren Edwardson commented: “Opening the direct service from Corner Brook not only helped Kruger, but also helped the local economy get access to gateways all over the world which were previously inaccessible.” 

For an in-depth look at Kruger's operations and the transformative solution brought forth by MSC, watch the video above. This collaboration demonstrates MSC’s continued support for Canada's forestry sector, showcasing innovation, efficiency, and a commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth on the global stage. 

Find out more about MSC's global pulp, paper and forestry solutions. 

* https://www.ics-shipping.org/shipping-fact/environmental-performance-environmental-performance/