The four-month program with the pulp and paper giant will identify new growth opportunities via open innovation

São Paulo, July 5, 2021 – The National Industry Confederation (CNI) and SOSA, a global open innovation firm, have formed a partnership with Klabin, Brazil’s leading packaging paper producer and exporter, only producer to offer solutions in hardwood, softwood and fluff pulp, and leading producer of corrugated board packaging and industrial bags. The partnership’s goal is to diversify and promote the development of biobased products derived from planted forests.

Klabin has been expanding its strategy in bioeconomy. Innovation, adopting advanced technologies and fostering the circular economy are key vectors of the sustainable growth of its businesses. Focusing on the development of sustainable, competitive and economically viable products in the industry, Klabin has intensified its efforts in research, development and innovation to discover new solutions based on renewable, recyclable and biodegradable materials to meet the demands of increasingly conscientious consumers.

Given the dynamic nature of the pulp and paper industry, the open innovation program under the CNI-SOSA partnership with Klabin will be customized to address the company’s unique challenges in sustainability in both Brazil and Latin America. SOSA, in partnership with CNI, implemented a four-month challenge program whose multifunctional business units will conduct a deep-dive in open innovation activities working closely with startups from around the world considered technology leaders in their sector.

Through the program, SOSA will tackle predefined challenges and focus on developing innovative solutions in renewable materials. The Corporate Challenge Program will cover:

identifying and defining the company’s most pressing challenges in light of the new opportunities;
gaining access to global systems and companies using advanced technologies;
building high-quality proofs of concept (PoCs) with strategic collaborations for deployment.

The companies selected will have an opportunity to conduct proofs of concept of their solutions and to potentially leverage Klabin’s efforts to deliver better and more sustainable results for its entire value chain.

Strengthening the innovation strategy to improve market positioning
According to CNI’s innovation director, Gianna Sagazio, the CNI-SOSA partnership, signed one year ago, aims to foster the innovation capacity of Brazilian manufacturers and to expand their competitive advantage at the global level. “By participating in a corporate challenge under our project, Klabin will strengthen its strategy for innovating and promoting technologies with a focus on sustainability and through this process continue to improve its market positioning,” said Gianna.

Francisco Razzolini, Klabin’s industry technology, innovation, sustainability and projects director, noted that the company aims to become an industry reference in responsible solutions that meet society’s ever-changing needs. “Open innovation initiatives have proven excellent tools for solving a wide array of challenges and for bringing together partners who want to be part of the collective effort to build a sustainable future. “We’re very excited about the possibilities that should emerge through this partnership with SOSA. I’m certain that we will connect with ideal partners that are aligned with Klabin’s strategy,” he added.

The CEO of SOSA, Uzi Scheffer, said that promoting the circular bioeconomy is an undeniable need. “Working alongside Klabin is a unique opportunity for us to leverage innovative processes with the leading player in sustainable initiatives in the packaging industry,” he said. “By working with Klabin, we expect to incentivize its efforts to accelerate sustainable innovation and offer the market environmentally responsible products,” concluded Scheffer.
 

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