PaperlinX to promote several of its senior merchanting executives

Aug 05, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. PaperlinX announced a positive progression for several of its senior merchanting executives, building on the strength and depth of its global management team. As previously announced, Roger Breen, group general manager, Merchanting Australia and New Zealand will assume the position of executive general manager, Merchanting with a brief to further support our merchants around the world to improve communication, coordination and overall effectiveness. Martin Fothergill, regional president, PaperlinX UK and Ireland will relocate to Melbourne and assume the position of group general manager, Merchanting Australia and New Zealand reporting to CEO Tom Park. Martin brings 30 years experience in merchanting to this role, and until November 2003 was managing director of The Paper Company (previously Bunzl Fine Paper), acquired by PaperlinX in 2002. In his new role, Martin will be responsible for all of PaperlinX’s Australian and New Zealand paper merchant businesses; Spicers Paper, Dalton Fine Paper, Dalton Web Paper, Spicers Office Papers and Spicers and Dalton Fine Paper in New Zealand. These businesses have total revenues of around AUD 1 billion ($0.7 billion) and employ 700 people across Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, Eduard de Voogd, chief executive officer of PaperlinX Europe, has announced that Toby Marchant, currently managing director of Robert Horne Limited, one of PaperlinX’s leading paper merchant businesses, will be appointed regional president, PaperlinX UK and Ireland. Toby has led Robert Horne for the past eight years and has over 25 years industry experience. Tom Park commented, “We are delighted with the strength and depth of our new merchanting team, and will benefit from the cross fertilisation of ideas that the individuals bring to our global Group. Our acquisitions have performed well as we have built and integrated our global platform to become the largest fine paper merchant in the world. This is largely attributable to the quality of people in existing and acquired companies. There is more to be done, but we have the people and structure to achieve our goals.” PaperlinX is the world’s leading fine paper merchant, with businesses in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, North America and Europe. Through its Australian Paper division, it is also the only Australasian producer of high quality communication papers, and a major producer of high performance packaging and industrial papers.