b'GLOBAL INDUSTRY TRENDSproduced in familiar consumeris astronomically higher thanPOST-COVID FOCUS: HYGIENEformats for away-from-home use,it was 15 years ago. In lookingThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought however, and a significant portionat previous recessions, peoplea new focus on cleanliness and of the commercial tissue productionusually step down to value orpreventing the spread of disease is converted in formats that cannoteconomy brands. But duringthrough personal contact and be readily adapted for at-home use.the Great Recession starting incontaminated surfacesespecially in While this resulted in a temporary2008, consumers continued topublic spaces. Fisher clients in both gap in supply for consumers atbuy the highest performanceEurope and North America are asking home, the issue is mostly behind ustissue available despite theif we are going to see some pull back at this point.tough economic times. Thisfrom air dryers that have a reputation trend is likely to continue forfor being less hygienic than hand TRENDS TO WATCH high-end brands or privatetowels.The strong demand for toilet paperlabels from club stores.to keep the supply chain full droveTissue makers focused on the tissue mills to work extremely hardSince we are still without a vaccinecommercial or the away-from-home and at capacity, which has resultedand are unsure where we are in themarket have long understood that in delaying scheduled maintenanceviruss lifecycle, we are also not surehand washing and drying with a over the last few months. Now thatwhere the tissue and towel sectorpaper towel is an underserved market the supply chain is equalising,will settle. The best estimates areneed. If people followed professional producers are able to take care ofthat the effects will continue forguidelines, there would be a these issues and pay closer attentionanother 12 months as vaccines aresignificant increase in paper hand to a few developments taking shapedeveloped, approved, produced,towel demand.in the market. distributed, and implementedHistorically, there are two problems 1.Commercial tissue demandacross significant populations. Inwith this simple recommendation: in highly affected areas willthe interim, a large percentage of1) not everyone washes their hands, continue to see more outages.the workforce continues to workand 2) those who do rarely take the The Tissue Machine productionfrom home; for instance, Google hasprescribed time to do so properly.numbers will remain steady orinstructed its associates to plan on increasing as tissue base sheetremaining home until July 2021.A 2003 study by the American paper can be diverted, but theThese habits will continue to driveSociety for Microbiology found 83 converting machinery devotedstrong demand for at-home, ultra- percent of women washed their to only commercial productpremium tissue products, which willhands after using the restroom, formats can be expected toalso continue to negatively impactbut only 74 percent of men did the see layoffs. This trend could bedemand for certain formats suchsame. And this isnt unique to the moderated partially by increasedFisheras dispenser napkins and handUS, as a British study conducted in hand towel consumption in foodclients aretowels at restaurants, bars, and retailhighway service station restrooms prep and health care, but it isasking if weestablishments that remained closedusing electronic sensors to measure unlikely to make up for closedare going toor operate at limited capacity. compliance found that 65 percent schools, offices, and travelsee some pullof women and 35 percent of men facilities.back fromThat said, a newfound emphasis onwashed their hands. 2.North American consumersair dryershygiene in public spaces is poised toThere are many reasons why people continue to demand mostlythat have adrive significant demand for tissuedo not clean their hands. It is ultra-premium products atreputationand towel products as we approachprobably most difficult in a medical home. Roughly 55 percent offor being lessflu and cold season and as stay-at- setting (where washing is required at-home tissue use in Northhygienic thanhome orders are lifted and we getafter each patient interaction) than in America is ultra-premium, whichhand towels. back to moving about in public.food processing, where the work is 10 WORLD PULP&PAPER'