2022 marks the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the original UK trade association for the paper sector

This year we will be celebrating the roots of the Paper Federation of Great Britain, a founder association of CPI.

 
We will be including in CPI's special 150th Annual Review some spectacular images taken as part of the Anniversary celebrations.  These will also be displayed at the CPI Biennial Health and Safety Conference in June where delegates can view the Anniversary exhibition in full. 

CPI is also taking advantage of its 150th anniversary to give something back to both the industry and the community in which it lives.

This year, we will enable each CPI staff member to give a charitable donation of £500 to a charity local to them that supports projects in areas close to our heart, like sustainability, recycling, and energy efficiency. We look forward to seeing these projects make a meaningful difference to people’s lives and environments in the coming months.

We will also be supporting a student, with an interest in paper science or other appropriate materials related subjects, with a £5,000 bursary to enable them to pursue their studies and improve their knowledge of this industry and its challenges.

We will of course report on both these initiatives in more detail as the anniversary year progresses.

We will be adding more information to this page, so check back regularly for updates!

Where it began.....

In spring 1872, disturbed by the increasing costs of coal, chemicals and wages, paper mill owners unanimously agreed that a united effort should be made to increase the price of paper to consumers.

John Evans, the son-in-law of John Dickinson (a very successful papermaker of his time who invented the cylinder papermaking machine) had taken over control of Dickinson mills. He became a large producer and user of esparto pulp.  John sent a circular to all papermakers in Britain, calling them together ‘to form a national association for mutual protection’.

More than 100 UK mill owners attended this meeting......

….and so, on 29th October 1872, at the Terminus Hotel in London, the nucleus of The Paper Makers’ Association of Great Britain and Ireland came into being.

 

Sir John Evans who formed
The British Paper & Board Makers'
Association in 1872.

He was its President until 1908.

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