The story of the CPI

The story of the CPI

We are proud to be members of the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI), indeed Alex Kelly our CEO has represented the Logson Group on the board for many years.

There to provide a support network to all paper-based industries in Britain, the CPI is a great advocate for the industry, the work it does and the supply chain and economies that it supports.

When reading their latest annual report, we found this great back story on how it all began, and decided we’d share with you all.

NB – The following text is copyright of CPI

A STORY STILL UNFOLDING…

In April 1840 at the age of 17, John Evans started work at Dickinson Paper Mill, owned by his uncle John Dickinson.

He became a partner in the business in 1850, and later took control of the mill. The industry then suffered a serious scarcity of rags, and anxious papermakers were having to pay extortionate taxes on foreign rags to make paper.

Sir John Evans set about finding a substitute raw material and soon became a large producer and user of esparto pulp which made him a central figure in the industry.

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 defend the interests of the Paper Industry.

John Evans sent a circular to all papermakers in Britain to call them together ‘to form a national association for mutual protection’.

More than 100 UK mill owners attended this meeting, where John Evans said that the proposed association would bring together all sections of the trade, and it would promote a mutual feeling of friendship and confidence. ….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….