Pulp and paper manufacturer Billerud has announced that it has created a new European business unit.
Matthew Hirst, the former EVP of commercial, has been appointed as president of Billerud Europe, the company said.
"I am convinced that the new structure for Europe will create positive synergies for the entire European value chain and contribute to better long-term profitability," Hirst said.
Hirst will lead the new European division, which will include commercial, operations and procurement, and wood supply functions.
Kevin Kuznicki will continue as president of the North American unit, the company added.
'The Packaging Of Tomorrow'
"I’m pleased that Matthew has taken the position of leading the Europe region, and I’m convinced he will take the region forward on the journey to challenge conventional packaging solutions and create the packaging of tomorrow”, said Ivar Vatne, acting CEO and president of Billerud.
"As we look ahead, we now have a harmonised, clear and simple operating model with two geographical regions that will create value in each market," Vatne added.
Andrei Krés
Elsewhere, Billerud has appointed Andrei Krés as acting chief financial officer and member of the group management team.
Krés has held various positions in Billerud, and most recently he served as the vice-president of the group finance.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Lund University in Sweden.
Billerud reported a 13% year-on-year decline in net sales to SEK 9.95 billion (€860 billion) in the second quarter of its financial year due to lower sales volumes (831,000 tonnes) driven by low demand and inventory adjustments by customers, which resulted in further production curtailments.
