Interview: New EPF MD | 13
Above: Wood-based panels have a compelling green narrative
replacing other materials. So, I think it is going in a good direction.”
CAREER BACKGROUND
Mr Rantanen grew up in the middle of a forest in Finland, so the raw material is very familiar to him. “We had some forest as a family, so taking care of the raw material with my father and brother was a hobby.” His father, a plumber by trade, set up and built a family construction business focusing on plumbing and electricity installation covering the south-west of Finland. It employs around 130 people today. Mr Rantanen studied economic and business management – a tailored programme aimed at family business continuance. But with his older brother already working for the company, he eventually fell into politics. “I was elected to my local city council when I was 19. Then, four years later I was on the city board.”
Mr Rantanen went on to work in the Finnish parliament, initially becoming an assistant of an MP before being recruited as secretary of international affairs for the centre right party (National Coalition Party, KOK) in Finland, which was in government at the time. This involved international relations
with the party and sister parties around Europe, and much work with the EU. This fixer role involved travelling and creating co- operation between political parties. He also became chairman of the board at the family company, with his brother taking the reins as MD from his father. The prime minister of Finland Jyrki Katainen, who represented the KOK party, stepped down in 2014 to become vice- president of the EC. “I found Brussels an interesting place and
I wanted to explore other opportunities there. A Finnish communications agency was wanting to open their own branch there at the same time, so we reached an agreement. I moved to Brussels and was their representative there, so in effect a communications consultant and doing advocacy. “We had six different industry clients, including the Finnish forest industry, but also aviation. You needed to be on top of all these policy positions at the same time, which was practically impossible!” After five years doing this, he saw other opportunities and became MD of the Federation of European Producers of Envelopes and Light Packaging. The main task was to shift the association from envelopes to e-commerce packaging,
modernising the product portfolio. This was followed by a move to the
European Paper Packaging Alliance as director-general, where the big topics included raw materials, the EUDR, and packaging waste regulations – some close links to the wood-based panels industry. “I was in many meetings with Clive Pinnington (former EPF MD), in the Circular Choices Coalition advocacy group for the forest-based industries, lobbying the EC,” said Mr Rantanen The path to the EPF followed contact
by a recruitment consultant and several conversations with EPF president Pablo Figueroa López.
What specifically attracted him to the EPF? “I like the forest-based industry, and I
also like the link to construction. I believe it is a good time for the industry – with the bio-economy agenda at the Commission, recycling of wood also being important, and the cascade principle, as well as wood in construction replacing other materials. “I still think wood is the future, that we
have a great story and a great product. I felt it was a story I wanted to be involved in.”
TAKING THE REINS As well as visiting major trade show exhibitions, Mr Rantanen has been to visit
www.wbpionline.com | June/July 2025 | WBPI
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