Page 11 - BOSS Today Issue 55

60 SECOND INTERVIEW
60 SECOND INTERVIEW BOSS Today #55

Deck Hand

BOSS Today talks to Tim Percival, Category Director – Office and Digital at Antalis UK

BT: Please can you give us a brief capacity reduction (closures or TP: Our approach has been to be
summary of your career so far? repurposing); global shipping transparent and upfront and
disruption; extreme price inflation provide our customers with as
TP: I started in the papers market linked to hugely increasing pulp much substantive and accurate
over 30 years ago as a trainee and energy costs; container information as possible, and
Inside Sales Executive. I moved shortages; mill strikes; and of this has often been a difficult
to Sales Desk Manager and then course, the recent and terrible and negative message to deliver.
made the leap to external sales situation in Ukraine. Preserving inventory, managing
with Wiggins Teape. During the margins and passing on the
transition to Antalis I moved into BT: How long will the supply shortage increases will be absolutely
Sales Management, then became situation continue? critical.
National Accounts and then
Divisional Director for the Office TP: Globally, the best market BT: Tell us something else about
business in the UK. Recently, I intelligence suggests a significant yourself that few others know.
expanded my product portfolio and increasing gap between
and in addition to the office improving demand and actual TP: Growing up in Manchester in the
papers market I am now also production capacity. It’s 1980s, the music scene played a
responsible for the digital papers impossible to see what the other big part of my formative years,
market as Category Director. side of the current challenges look with many nights spent in the
like or when we will see supply famous Hacienda nightclub. I still
BT: What involvement have you had improving. As post pandemic enjoy the house music scene and
with BOSS to date? demand levels off and inventories for relaxation I will spend a few
fill, there is no doubt that the hours on the decks putting a mix
TP: I have always supported BOSS, current situation will improve, but together. It’s quite flattering and
from regional quiz nights in the ‘when?’ is an impossible question grounding when my 20 year old
90s to the prestigious annual to answer! son asks if I have done a new mix
BOSS Awards. Diary and travel yet and ‘can he have a copy?’!
restrictions permitting, I always BT: Overall, what kind of paper price
find value in the industry meetings increases can the OP industry
associated with BOSS. expect to see in 2022?
Widespread relief
BT: What is behind the current TP: Because of the significant as Finnish paper
shortages in paper supply? increases in input costs, paper strikes end
producers are still experiencing
TP: At risk of using a much over-used very low, if not negative, operating
The strike at Finland’s UPM
expression, we are in the eye margins, despite a significant paper mills, which saw a severe
of a ‘Perfect Storm’ with many period of price inflation. Prices paper and label supply shortage
negative influences impacting need to reflect the true cost of in the UK, has finally been
global supply. In ‘normal’ times, the product and ensure that paper resolved on the 22nd April. UPM
and the Paperworkers’ Union
paper is a challenging market, manufacturing is a sustainable
have approved a settlement
where we have to constantly and viable industry, so if we proposal following the strike
adapt to the accepted/expected consider the actual percentage by almost 2,000 workers which
year on year decline of demand increases seen in both energy and lasted almost four months.
associated with digitisation. pulp, we must believe we still have Concerns remain about how
long it will take for supply to
That is still very relevant, but some way to go. be restored. Orders already
there are now many other placed will take priority, with
influences impacting it: Covid- BT: What advice would you give new orders likely to be accepted
related changes in office working the OP industry distributors from now onwards. However,
practices; post-pandemic about how to handle the paper lead times may still be lengthy.
demand recovery; paper mill shortages and price increases?

11