Today has a good news, a few weeks ago, we suggested to one of our Vietnamese clients: “Instead of just buying parent rolls, why not look upstream — into woodchips?”
He didn’t have the capital to go big. So he started small.
Using his Chinese background, he began connecting large Chinese buyers with local wood suppliers — brokering deals between them.
At the same time, he set up a small processing line to produce woodchips for smaller buyers. This gave him steady cash flow to keep trading.
And here’s the key part:
He used this woodchip supply position to legally reduce import costs on parent rolls.
After months of a flat market in Vietnam, this move changed his game. His business is picking up. And he’s now positioned for growth — not just as a buyer, but as a player in the upstream supply chain.
What this tells me:
✅ The market is shifting upstream — those who adapt early win.
✅ Even small steps in the right direction can unlock big advantages.
✅ Differentiation isn’t just about products — it’s about how you position yourself in the supply chain.
This is exactly what we’ve been discussing over the past few weeks — and it’s real, happening right now.
If you’re in the tissue paper business and feeling the squeeze, maybe it’s time to ask: where’s your upstream?