Published - 13 Dec 2024
Forest Industry, Opticom
God jul and good will to all! - Forest Newsletter #4 2024
And here we are again, looking back on another year and ahead to the future. It’s been a year of milestones here, not least because Opticom celebrated its 35th year of service to the forest products industry.
Over the decades, I’ve watched the sector evolve and innovate in response to a world in constant flux. I co-founded Opticom after being inspired by this industry’s potential all those years ago, and I continue to be impressed today by its resilience, sophistication, expertise and ability to move with the times. There has never been a better moment to work in an industry that has such a huge role to play in the green transition, while improving the everyday lives of people around the world. Its potential cannot, must not, be underestimated.
One of our major projects this year was the completion of an in-depth study of 10,000 European consumers for Skogsindustrierna, the Swedish Forest Industries Federation. It highlighted the need for the value chain to work more closely together to educate the consumer about an industry built on the wonderful, renewable resource that is trees. It’s great to see one of our regular clients walking the talk; read about Södra’s latest campaign here.
Legislation continues to evolve and surprise. This quarter’s analysis reflects on the latest initiative from the EU which aims to empower consumers and squash greenwashing. The idea is sound, as long as the execution doesn’t backfire. Read more here.
As we look ahead, we’ve learned to expect the unexpected. The pandemic was hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime event, but geopolitical uncertainty continues, especially with regards to the impact of a second Trump administration on global trade, and sadly, continuing conflicts on Europe’s border, the Middle East, and elsewhere in the world.
Economically, 2024 was mostly a disappointing year for growth. We hope for better in 2025, consumers need a boost to their confidence. At least central banks are well into the process of cutting interest rates back to more normal levels and inflation has fallen dramatically over the past two years, so there is room for optimism.
For sure, AI will be a major disruptor, requiring further innovation and an open mind from those who seek to make best use of its potential. We recognise its growing importance, we use it, but we still value the human touch more than any other, as Niklas Schulz, Research and Sustainability Team Lead, explains here. He is just one of our multi-lingual, multi-talented team providing the integrity and depth needed to help you make better decisions, next year and beyond.
We’ll be back in the New Year, but until then, from all at Opticom, have a restful and joyful Festive Season.
If you haven't already, read the last Forest Insights of 2024 here.