A NEW DAY AT CELLMARK

OUR STORIES OUR PEOPLE

Different places, different stories. We want to give you an insight into the daily life at CellMark in different parts of the world. Meet our people.

#SURPASSINGEXPECTATION

A NEW DAY IN Barcelona
Alex Carneado

A NEW DAY IN

Barcelona, Spain

NAME Alex Carneado

POSITION Sales Manager for Spain and Portugal, Basic Chemical division

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2012

What do you focus on in your daily work?

My day to day is diverse. I review stocks of all our products and arrivals of the new merchandise from ships and iso tanks, plan visits and have meetings with clients. I contact potential new clients to offer our services and close new orders with regular customers. I also analyze the market situation and the position of our competition. In addition to this, I have daily contact with transport companies, port terminals, and analysis laboratories for our products.

When are you having most fun at work?

I have fun almost all the times, but the absolutely best part must be when a client, after several meetings, send their first order or enter into an annual contract with CellMark. Sometimes, closing the first order with a new client can be after one year. I also enjoy visiting the customer’s plants to see and learn how they use our products in order to obtain the final product.

What does ”surpassing expectations” mean to you?

For me, it means to not only achieve the goal ─ but to reach beyond it! By dealing with daily situations, you learn from mistakes and get perspective for the future. This makes you grow personally and enables you to surpass expectations next time.

 

Alex Carneado

Sales Manager for Spain and Portugal, Basic Chemical division

2012

Barcelona

─ Before I joined CellMark I was working as Sales Representative for Spain and Portugal at BCS Company. One day, a friend of my father, Ventzi Andreev (both working with BCS Company) proposed to me to go and meet with a certain person for another job. That person happened to be Ersin Alkan, current president of CellMark Basic Chemical division.

CellMark Basic Chemicals was born, and I was onboard. Getting the chance to be a part of this new CellMark project made me feel very fortunate. I love new challenges!

Today, I’m still very motivated, proud and happy to belong to the CellMark team. My colleagues are great, and I really appreciate the humanity that is within the company. CellMark is like my second family and I share several passions with the colleagues in my office. Sport is one of them. We also like to do outdoor activities together and make tapas routes around the city.

Barcelona, where I work and live, is a Mediterranean and cosmopolitan city surrounded by the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a fantastic meteorology and considered a cultural capital with the largest tourist affluence in Spain.

There are many places to visit in Barcelona; streets, neighborhoods, modernist buildings, parks, and museums. There are also a great gastronomy of tapas, fish and seafood, as well as an incredible traditional Catalan cuisine.

In my free time I do cooking classes and visit different restaurants, discovering exotic cuisines from all over the world. I like to travel and to explore new countries and cultures.

I also like sports. Since 2015, four or five times every year, I participate in obstacle races called Spartan Race. To finish these races, I need to dedicate my free time to lots of training. My weekly training routine is two days of 10─15K running, and four days of cross fitting and fitness training. We have a dedicated team called AA Spartan Racers Team. Please feel free to follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram.

Together with a non-profit organization called Positive Egoism, I also participate in sport events for children and adults who for any disease use wheelchairs. Positive Egoism organizes marathons, half marathons and 10K training running through different cities in Spain and Portugal. By pushing the wheelchairs while running, we compete together in a party atmosphere. Seeing these people having a really joyful time is the greatest personal satisfaction I have ever experienced in the world of sport.

Alex Carneado

Barcelona, Spain

A NEW DAY IN Qingdao
Jennifer Sun

A NEW DAY IN

Qingdao, China

NAME Jennifer Sun

POSITION Basic Chemical division

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2013

What is your role at CellMark?

My role is the team leader of Basic Chemical’s team in China. Since it’s a fairly small team, I’m involved in lots of areas in my daily work; problem solving, sourcing, sales, developing and strengthening relationship with existing vendors and approaching new ones. I also have lots communication with my team colleagues and overseas colleagues.

What does ”surpassing expectations” mean to you?

To believe that everything is possible, and to be open, creative and never give up. Then you will eventually be surpassing expectations!

Tell us about Qingdao.

Qingdao is located on the east coast of China with clear air and an enchanting sea view. Bordered by The Yellow Sea on two sides, the city has the largest bathing beach in Asia. It is also surrounded by mountains where you can go hiking and enjoy all kinds of winter activities, such as skiing. Qingdao also has a great deal of European style architecture, a remnant of the colonial past. All that make Qingdao a famous tourist city in China. On the east side, a short distance across The Yellow Sea, lie South Korea and Japan, making Qingdao to the top three port for international trade in China. Qingdao is also the important city for One Belt, One Road project.

Jennifer Sun

Basic Chemical division

2013

Qingdao

– My major is international business, so after university I worked in a chemical import and export company for five years. I got the chance to learn the business from the ground, including documentation, whole procedures of import and export, accounting and financing and international trading.

In 2008, I joined BCS Company as sourcing manager in the China team. In 2012, Ersin Alkan (current president of CellMark Basic Chemical division, ed’s note) established CellMark Basic Chemicals with nine colleagues from BCS Company. So, I joined Ersins’s team and officially started my career in CellMark in April 2013.

Basic Chemical division provides sourcing and trading for a selected range of basic chemical products, such as acetic acid, acetyls, caustic soda, fertilizer, phosphoric acid, chlorinated solvents, and lignosulfonates. I love what I do, so am always having fun at work whether it is dealing with the daily work or travelling, immersing myself in different cultures, and meeting different people. Besides that, I also enjoy greatly the moment when I’m able to solve a difficult task, like turning impossible into possible!

In work, the feeling of accomplishment when overcoming challenges keeps me motivated to find solutions to improve. And also, the trust from our managing team, knowing that the company will support your ideas inspires me to open my mind to be creative with new opportunities and to identify it, to try harder to achieve it!

In life, my daughter keeps me motivated to try a little harder. I think kids are here to teach you to grow, to be a better human. Since I believe that children learn by example, I want to become a super model for my daughter. All the time I keep asking myself the same question: how can I improve myself and how can I do better?

Jennifer Sun

Qingdao, China

A NEW DAY IN Krakow
Philippe Gresko

A NEW DAY IN

Krakow, Poland

NAME Philippe Gresko

POSITION Senior Sales Manager, Chemicals

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2006

What divisions are represented at your location?

Here in Poland, two divisions are represented: Chemicals and Basic Chemicals. I am working with CellMark Chemicals. Our division offers speciality chemicals and minerals to a wide range of industries, for example gas processing, glass, pharma, synthesis, cosmetic, refractory, resin, and plastic.

Tell us about Krakow.

Krakow is one of the best cities to live in Poland. It is a city of culture with many theatres, museums, galleries and cinemas. It is green with nice parks and you do not really need a car to visit it. Many expats live here and I am always positively surprised to meet French, Brazilians, Mexicans, Ukrainians or Swedish people who live here and do not plan to go back to their country.

When are you having the most fun at work?

I really enjoy seeing my colleagues. As I am working in a remote geographical area, it is always a nice feeling when I meet them. I also have fun when I visit customers, travelling with my car through the countryside and listening to good music.

 

 

Philippe Gresko

Senior Sales Manager, Chemicals

2006

Krakow

─ I was born in Belgium, but all my family is originally from Poland. In my childhood, I spent 6,5 years in Brazil and 2 years in Indonesia, this was due to my father’s job. After I graduated in Belgium in 1999, I started my career as a financial auditor in Luxembourg with a “Big Five” accounting company. I liked finance, but my dream was to move to Poland and work in the industry, either in sales or purchasing.

In 2003, I made the step and got my first experience in sales and also purchasing with a Belgian company producing racking systems. In 2005, Alcan International Network, now CellMark, was looking for somebody to open an office in Poland, I felt that this was something for me, I applied and finally got the job. I started with the Metal division and was in charge of selling aluminium half-products. In 2010, I joined the Chemical division and today I am selling products in Central Europe. My role is to maintain the existing business and to develop new ones.

CellMark has been created and managed by very intelligent people who trust their teams. In my opinion, that is why CellMark has been a very successful company. This kind of trust is lacking in many companies. I have already heard from some of my customers or suppliers that they would love to join a company like CellMark.

One of my passions in life is environmental protection. This passion is something I share with my colleague Alina. Although Krakow is a nice city it has a problem with smog in the winter due to the fact that people still use coal for heating. Krakow will be the first city in Poland to ban coal and wood starting from 2019.  Me and Alina really look forward to this ban as it will for sure contribute to a better environment for our kids. 

What inspires me in life is my wife, my kids and my family. The are my first source of energy.  Meeting persons such as my colleagues or my customers who come from different horizons are also a source of energy for me. Being connected with them makes me happy. Thanks to them I am learning every day.

Philippe Gresko

Krakow, Poland

A NEW DAY IN Belgrade
Marijana Matejin

A NEW DAY IN

Belgrade, Serbia

NAME Marijana Matejin

POSITION Business Development Manager, Basic Chemicals

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2016

What do you do in your daily work?

My key role is to create the sales, sourcing, monitoring and developing the business in the region of CEE and SEE. My daily work focus is to keep the regular contact with the customers and following the fulfillment of the contracts, developing relationships with existing business partners and approaching new business opportunities. I usually communicate a lot with my team members and colleagues from other locations during my daily work. I appreciate a lot team work, ideas and approaches that helping me to enlarge my knowledge, increase efficiency and create new opportunities.

What keeps you motivated to try a little harder?

I am excited about potential opportunities which are surrounding us on one side, and the real achievements on the other side. It is pushing me to try harder to identify opportunities and find solutions to improve the achievements. I am always asking myself the same question: “how can I do better next day?”. 

How can CellMark set an example for other companies to follow?

There are many things I like in CellMark but if I should put them in couple of words as a good example for the other companies to follow, I choose: synergies, strong agile teams, friendly relations, welcoming innovative ideas and respect in all sense.

Marijana Matejin

Business Development Manager, Basic Chemicals

2016

Belgrade

– After graduating Economics at Belgrade University, I worked for two production companies before I joined CellMark. I spend more than 13 years in the Serbian company, which was an important European Methanol and Acetic acid producer. During that time, I got a wonderful opportunity to meat Ventzi Andreev, a niceexperienced person and trustable business partner. We did a lot of Acetic acid business together and I was happy with the idea to join a global and open company like CellMark

Coming from the relatively small Balkan country and state-owned production plant, it was inspiring to enter something new and different. The business of distribution and trading is giving me a lot of challenges and new business areas for constant improvement.

Having friendly colleagues from different part of the globe dedicated to work and specialized in assorted products and services, is giving me a possibility for expanding horizons, understanding differences of various economics of the world and learning how to bring more flexibility for achieving better results.  

Most people don’t know that I am working from my home office surrounded with a nice garden and different kind of parrots originating from different part of the world. I am big lover of nature and animals, so this atmosphere especially during the spring and summer time gives me a piece of paradise and helps me to reset myself. 

My family is giving me energy and inspiration in life with their different characters. I am happy spouse and mother of two nice children. If you feel loved, supported and happy than there are no limitsyour mind is free and open for new challenges. 

Marijana Matejin

Belgrade, Serbia

A NEW DAY IN Ho Chi Minh City
Tan Nguyen

A NEW DAY IN

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

NAME Tan Nguyen

POSITION Pulp

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2013

Which divisions are represented at your office?

So far only the pulp division is represented locally here in Vietnam, along with the sub-division Energy. I am the representative of the company in Vietnam, mainly focusing on selling pulp and exporting wood pellets.

What are your responsibilities?

Currently, there are limited pulp resources so I am focusing most of my time on the wood pellet business, managing the pellet export out of Vietnam. My daily work revolves around problem solving, sales, planning allocation, and scheduling shipping/delivering with our wood pellet team.

What keeps you motivated?

The feeling of accomplishment when overcoming challenges. Witnessing the implementation of something you’ve worked hard on planning, seeing that come to life phase by phase is really rewarding. Also, that I can freely open up my mind and be creative about new opportunities, knowing that the company will support my ideas.

Tan Nguyen

Pulp

2013

Ho Chi Minh City

– Sometimes I can’t help but believe that the world around you is all arranged and ready for you to step in, play your role and let things flow out as planned. Let me tell you my story.

In the early 1980’s Vietnam was still a very poor country after the war with USA. Everything had to be shared, every kilo of rice, each piece of meat, everything. Many people looked for better opportunities in other countries and a lot of them managed to go away illegally by boat.

One night in 1982 my uncle showed up at my family’s house. He had secretly arranged a boat trip out of Vietnam and wanted my family to come along. But my parents couldn’t do it. They both worked for government related enterprises and realized that they would be thrown in prison if they were caught by the border police, and if they weren’t caught they would still risk dying at sea. Not to mention that they had three young children – I was only two years old.

Very early next morning my uncle was secretly carrying food and water to the boat. Suddenly he caught a glimpse of my older brother (who was nine years old at the time). It turned out my brother had overheard some of the discussion from the night before, and had decided to wake up really early so he could get a glimpse of the boat.

As soon as my brother saw the boat, he got really excited and jumped onboard. My uncle commanded him to go back to the house and my older sister, who had snuck out with my brother, was crying and begging him to get off the boat. The other refugees started to worry about drawing too much attention to the boat and urged my uncle to resolve it before anyone got caught. Maybe in a state of panic my uncle quickly got on the boat and decided to take my brother with him. That was the last we saw or heard from my uncle and my brother for seven years.

One autumn morning in 1989 I woke up to the voice of a man calling my parents’ names outside the house, followed by the sound of my mother crying. The man outside the house was my uncle! He had returned to Vietnam to tell us that he had prepared all documents required for us to come to Finland to reunite the family.

It was a hard decision since my parents had worked their way up and were doing fairly well by then. If they decided to move to Finland they would have to give up everything they had worked so hard for, and start anew in a foreign country they knew very little about. On the other hand it would mean that the family could be together again, with my brother who they for seven years feared was dead. In the end my parents decided to bring the family to Finland. They left their jobs and gave away our home and our land to relatives on both sides.

I remember the flight out of Vietnam, it was my first time in an airplane. I was so excited and kept telling my mother how all I wanted was to fly a lot in the future.

Meeting my brother after so long was a bit weird, to be honest. It took us a few years to really be brothers again, but eventually we grew really close. And that’s how I ended up in Finland.

As the years passed I felt a growing desire to go back to Vietnam. Maybe it was because of my father’s sadness. He had given up everything – his career, their house, their land – and now he was a foreigner in Finland with nothing but memories, wondering what his life could have been like.

I saw the sadness in his eyes and I always wanted a job that was somehow related to Vietnam. I wished that I could go back there one day, bring my parents with me and show them that their decision to go to Finland was right.

After university I went to work for a Finnish company selling second hand equipment in the pulp and paper sector. After being involved in several projects in Vietnam and wanting to start building woodchip business over there, a friend put me in touch with a man called Fredrik Andersson who in turn put me in touch with a man called Craig Jackson.

We started doing business together, and right after I sold a pulp mill to Vietnam a couple of years later I was finally hired by CellMark to build more business for the pulp division in Vietnam! Craig Jackson is now my boss and Fredrik Andersson is now the President of CellMark.

So now I’m back in Vietnam. I have shown my parents that they made the right choice. And I actually do fly a lot!

Fate or destiny, call it what you want. All I know is that it has taken me this far and taught me to appreciate the opportunities that come my way. Now every morning when I wake up I can’t wait to see what the day will bring about – so many things can be done!

Tan Nguyen

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A NEW DAY IN Ghent
Herman De Cleene

A NEW DAY IN

Ghent, Belgium

NAME Herman De Cleene

POSITION Metals

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2002

What is your role at the Ghent office?

I am a sales manager, spending half of my time travelling around to visit customers and suppliers. That’s the part of the job I like the most. Once back in the office I make quotations and follow up on projects. This office is active only in the Metals division. We represent lot of foreign first class foundry suppliers and act as a one stop shop with both consumables and equipment.

What is a challenge for you?

I sell consumables for some suppliers, but my specialty is in larger equipment. I enjoy the challenges, but the disadvantage is that those projects are very binary: 1 or 0. The customer will not buy half a machine from us and the other half from a competitor!

How has your daily work changed since you started in the business?

Business is not as easy now as it was 30 years ago when I started. Back then you could stay in the office and make sales over the phone and have dinner with a customer now then. This is now completely different. Success is only possible by being very active together with the customer and trying to find a good solution for their problem. If you can solve this together with them, you will always win in the long run.

Herman De Cleene

Metals

2002

Ghent

When I graduated as a tropical agricultural engineer back in 1983, my first idea was to go into development work far away. But I met my future wife and we got married before she finished her studies, so I had to earn some money… My father asked me to join him in his business and after quite a lot of “no thank you”, I finally agreed to do it. And now – 32 years later – I am still in the same business.

My father passed away much too young. My colleague Luc and I had just bought my father’s company. It was a hard time, but we managed to pursue my father’s business and even expand it a lot.

In 2002 we were acquired by a much larger company and things really changed. We were not independent anymore, but employees with a salary and extra duties like 5 year plans and tremendous amounts of meetings on how to sell more instead of actual meetings with the customers. We went through two more owners before we finally became a CellMark office.

Being at CellMark is more like we used to know it when we were self-employed: we are encouraged to take initiative, have more freedom to develop new opportunities and can focus on the business part.

We are only 6 people in our office. I have known most of them for more than 10 years and we are a real team, more a kind of family. There are no sirs or madams in our office; everybody is at the same level, which for me seems to be quite general at CellMark.

Our office specializes in the iron foundry business, which is a niche industry. We offer almost all consumables and equipment a foundry could possibly need, promoting ourselves as a one stop shop where the customers can buy not only material, but solutions as well. Hearing a customer saying on the phone ”I have a problem, can you help me?” is a call we like.

But besides work there is private life. Nobody can be happy at work or performing well if he or she is not feeling good in their private life. I went through quite a turbulent time myself: lost both my parents and other family members in a short period, and got divorced. But now it is OK again. The relationship with my children is (and has always been) great, I met a new girlfriend 6 years ago and found a new hobby that keeps me in good physical shape: 2–3 times a week I do long jogging tours and running in the nature is one of the most relaxing activities I know. When I go on a business trip I always try to take my running shoes with me. And humor – I think humor is maybe one of the most underestimated ways of getting out of difficult times.

Herman De Cleene

Ghent, Belgium

A NEW DAY IN Qingdao
Alex Xu

A NEW DAY IN

Qingdao, China

NAME Alex Xu

POSITION Paper

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2008

What does the Qingdao office specialize in?

The Paper division is the only division represented here, but we source all kinds of products upon requests from our customers. We also support customer service as the back office of CellMark International and CellMark Asia, doing their documentation and supporting logistic services worldwide.

What do you focus on in your daily work?

Sourcing is my main job, but finding and developing new opportunities is becoming more and more important to me. As the competition of paper products becomes harder and the profit is less, we must find the right products besides paper to make us more competitive. It is a big challenge!

Besides sourcing new products, how do you overcome these challenges?

If my last 15 years of work experience have taught me anything, it’s that you should be a good person first, then do good business. Most of the clients get the product from you because of who you are. So by trying my best to be a good person, I can build long-lasting relationships with suppliers and customers. Some of these people have ended up becoming close friends of mine.

Alex Xu

Paper

2008

Qingdao

– My colleagues and I always try working proactively, taking action before things go in the wrong direction. Doing something rather than just waiting. I think all of us have this positive mindset – despite all the challenges we face every day and despite not knowing what’s going to happen tomorrow, we know that if we just focus we can achieve any target we set.

We are living in an ever-changing world. Our competitors, our clients, our suppliers – they are all changing. If we cannot stay with the changes we will lose our advantage and lose the opportunities. Since the second half of 2016 until now, the domestic demands of paper in China has grown a lot, so almost all the paper mills have increased the export selling price. Which means that the paper from China is losing its advantage. In this case, we must find the suitable products or suppliers as an alternative option. It is a quite a challenge! But challenges, in turn, is what keeps me going.

I hope this is my last job. I joined CellMark in 2008 and never want to work for another company again. The trust my colleagues place in me becomes an inspiration and motivation for me to work hard. The same goes for a lot of clients and suppliers; the mutual trust inspires a lot of good business. And with the relationships we build doing business together I consider some of my customers to be among my best friends.

Qingdao, where I live and work, is a city on the east coast of China. It has beautiful sceneries and a pleasant climate. The city’s typical red-roofed buildings are surrounded by lush trees, with the winding coastline and little islands painting a beautiful picture before your eyes, mountains in the background. Many of the European-style buildings here used to be home to many famous figures.

The most famous thing to come out of Qingdao, though, is beer! Tsingtao Brewery has made their world famous beer here for more than a century and is named after the city. As the temperature rises and summer gets closer, you see more and more people stopping by the shops after work to pick up some refreshing Tsingtao beer.

Alex Xu

Qingdao, China

A NEW DAY IN Los Angeles
Candace Purvis

A NEW DAY IN

Los Angeles, USA

NAME Candace Purvis

POSITION Sunset Trading

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2002

Tell us about Sunset Trading.

Sunset Trading is part of the CellMark Recycling Division and has several locations in the USA. In our office, we trade stocklot paper/board, scrap metals and waste paper. Our business partners look to us to source high quality and reliable, yet cost effective paper or metal to produce various end products. Our office is located in Sunset Beach, California (although our mailing address is Huntington Beach). Sunset Trading was named after this boating and surfing community. We are spoiled with an awesome water view from our office windows.

What is your role?

I am an Export Sales Trader. My daily sales are generally focused in Latin America and South East Asia. When not in our local office I’m on a plane off to wonderful places like Manila, San Salvador or Medellin to meet our customers.

Which part of your job do you enjoy the most?

First off you could never use the word “boring” to describe any day at CellMark. Every day is different and there is always fun found in each day for me. I get my “high” from making the deal – but the most fun for me is being somewhere in the world, sitting with a client, taking in the culture that country and person has to offer, building that relationship, and closing the sale. I just love what I do!

Candace Purvis

Sunset Trading

2002

Los Angeles

– I think being in sales, it’s natural that you are just pretty competitive in nature. In this business you often get to see the results of your hard work immediately. That “instant gratification” is motivating and pushes you to the next level. I am always inspired by the outstanding group of colleagues here at Cellmark. Their professionalism, success and encouragement are such sources of motivation. They make you want to be your best every day.

Outside of work, my daughter is without a doubt my greatest inspiration and source of energy. Being a single mom is the hardest job I do any given day but she is my reason for everything and what makes the world so beautiful to me. I hope through mine and other amazing family members’ example, she grows up knowing the value of hard work but also how important it is to find something you love to do, and do it well.

I’ve been in the paper business now going on 17 years, but I was really born into the business. Or as we second generation paper traders say, “paper is in our blood”. My late father had a successful waste paper trading company that my mother now continues to run.

It was my father who introduced me to Tom Curran, my boss, after I had spent several years in retail management (my first job after graduating from the University of Arizona). That introduction set me on a career path that has been better than anything I ever dreamed.

I’ve been so fortunate because what I do for a living allows me to visit so many places in the world, and learn so much about other lifestyles, meet so many great people that I can now call friends, yet I’m still able to call Southern California home.

When Dad passed two years ago, on a personal trip overseas, a long-term business partner of both CellMark and my father’s company took the most amazing care of my parents in his country until we could bring Dad back home. I’m always deeply humbled and grateful for the relationships all over the world that I have made because of CellMark and being a second generation paper trader.

Candace Purvis

Los Angeles, USA

A NEW DAY IN Tokyo
Leo Claydon

A NEW DAY IN

Tokyo, Japan

NAME Leo Claydon

POSITION Metals / Chemicals

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2013

What is your role at the Tokyo office?

I am in both divisions represented at this office; the Metals and Chemicals divisions. I have been working with both customer service and sales for my team, however, I will be focusing to work on the sales side more and handing over most of my customer service representative duties to my colleagues. My main sales products are Aluminium powders and Copper powders. I will be responsible to expand these businesses on top of the regular orders we obtain today by promoting these products to new customers.

What is your background and how did you start working at CellMark?

My father is from the UK and my mother is from Japan, and I was born and raised in Japan. Being a child with a foreign name, as it wasn’t so common in Japan at the time, I was always the odd one out with both pros and cons. I was lucky enough to live in the UK for short while, and that was enough for me to know that being different was not too bad after all. I wanted to build my language skills, and then decided that I wanted to use it when I worked. That is how I met CellMark in the first place, and now I am here.

What does “surpassing expectations” mean to you?

To be able to be care about people. If you care enough, you would do whatever it takes to help them, and maybe find a better way to do it. You care about your customers, suppliers, colleagues, and those who are around you. I believe that would give you more power to surpass expectations.

Leo Claydon

Metals / Chemicals

2013

Tokyo

– CellMark has shown that diversity and strong ties between offices around the world will make a robust and flexible group of people. This office alone has a mixture of age groups and different specialties, where everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences to help each other out.

Discussing various topics with my colleagues, I find it very interesting to see other people’s views and gain knowledge and ideas through them. I know it is important to build connections with customers and suppliers, but I think it is equally important to get to know your colleagues. We can combine the energy of our younger team members with the experience of our senior colleagues – we have six people that have worked here for more than 20 years – and the future of this office is ours to make.

We are located in Shinjuku which is part of a terminal station. It is the busiest railway station in the world with over 3.5 million people using it every day. Although Tokyo is the third smallest prefecture in the country, it holds the largest population with 13 million people living here.

Tokyo is the political, financial and cultural center of Japan, and has a mixture of old and new together. You can have food from any cuisine from anywhere in the world. I assure you, it is nothing like what you would find in Europe or the Americas.

I love travelling and would like to travel more if I had the choice. Visiting new places, encountering other cultures and listening to different sounds and languages – not many experiences can compete with that. I feel that by putting myself into an environment which is totally different from my usual life, I can reset my mind and feel very relaxed. So I always have to make sure that the places I go to are Japanese free!

Returning from a trip somewhere always reminds me how important home is to me. My family is the reason for anything I do. We have a little daughter and in my spare time I like to put her in a baby carrier and go out with her on my back. We will typically go to a park, enjoy our time together and have lunch there. It might not seem like much but these little moments make me very happy.

Leo Claydon

Tokyo, Japan

A NEW DAY IN Shanghai
Cathy Ren

A NEW DAY IN

Shanghai, China

NAME Cathy Ren

POSITION Customer Service Representative

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2012

How did you start working at CellMark?

When I was at university, I dreamt that one day I could work in Shanghai even though my hometown is far away. After graduation, I worked in Shenzhen but in 2008 I finally came to Shanghai. In 2010, I joined Alcan International which was acquired by CellMark in 2012. CellMark is like a big family. Every employee is willing to help others. We can have open dialogues and everyone treat each other with respect. No one will blame me if I try something new and make a mistake. We trust in each other and believe we can do it.

Tell us a bit about the Shanghai office.

There are five divisions in the Shanghai office: Pulp, Packaging, Recycling, Metal and Chemical. We are supplying paper related products, fine chemicals and metals. We focus on sales, logistics, documentation work supporting other abroad offices and financial solutions to customers. Everyone at the office is willing to develop new business, even outside of their own fields. I think we have a passion for development.

What does ”surpassing expectations” mean to you?

Surpassing expectations means better, better us, better solutions, or better ways to work. Never give up thinking. If we keep thinking, there is always a better solution. It is like Yoga, you never know how well you can do. Try a little harder every time, and you will eventually surpass expectations.

Cathy Ren

Customer Service Representative

2012

Shanghai

– As a customer service representative, part of my job is to create valuable communication links between customers and the sales team. Our sales people work hard to develop new markets, new customers and new products, which means they are very busy. My responsibility is to take care of details and support them.

I filter important information from customers and suppliers and transfer it to sales, helping them make decisions more efficiently. Dealing with order processing and giving suggestions to sales is another way of supporting hem. Knowledge about the products and product processing, as well as creativity, is key in this line of work.

Being creative is a big part of CellMark. For instance, let’s say a supplier stops the production of one product for some reason. Then we must suggest to our customers that they try another, similar product with close specifications but a higher quality or lower price. The collaborative spirit of the Shanghai office really helps in finding new solutions.

Growing up with novels and movies describing this city, how modern and fashionable it is, I always dreamt of one day being able to call Shanghai my home. I was attracted by the passion and energy of the city, and now I live here!

Shanghai is a global financial center and a transport hub with a population of more than 24 million people. The city is a growing tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi. With its ever-expanding skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai is gaining a reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design. It has also become the largest center of commerce and finance in China, and has been described as the ”showpiece” of the booming economy of mainland China.

I like this city, it is so full of energy. But I would still say that what inspires me the most is my family. A nice husband and a cute daughter who drive me to be a better person, not only in life but also in work. The harmonious family is what I truly cherish. It is very important for me.

Cathy Ren

Shanghai, China

A NEW DAY IN San Francisco
Michelle Staples

A NEW DAY IN

San Francisco, USA

NAME Michelle Staples

POSITION Packaging

AT CELLMARK SINCE 1992

What is your job role?

I keep our supply chain flowing. Working closely with our sales and service teams, forecasting business needs of our suppliers and customers. While growing and maintaining strong partnerships with our service providers (shipping lines, truckers, warehouse operators). I believe in a “hands on” approach. Frequently visiting all sectors of our supply chain, including Mill partners, customers, our shipping lines… to learn what is important to them. From this we can form true strategy – listening and learning make us better and more successful partners.

What inspires you?

The daily boosts we get from those around us. That could come from our family, our work colleagues, or a complete stranger who share a story while standing in line at the grocery store. Communication is a positive energy – when it’s being done well, it’s a true driving force and I find it very energizing. Also, we are blessed to house the PaperSeed foundation at our location. The PaperSeed team are inspirational and add a dynamic to the busy days.

CellMark’s vision statement is Surpassing Expectations. What does it mean to you?

Thinking outside the box. Believing that anything is possible and not to cut ourselves short. “It’s not in the realm of possibility” should not exist. Being open and creative will lead us.

Michelle Staples

Packaging

1992

San Francisco

– I worked for an international furniture company, importing from Europe to the USA. I was initially hired to answer phones and help administratively, but quickly grew interested in furthering my scope within the company. When I was presented the opportunity to move into customer service I jumped at the chance, and from there I went into management of our service team, and then finally logistics. Which now I know was when I found my true passion.

Working at CellMark, I find myself using our guiding principles more and more in my meetings. They add a different spin to a meeting and brings attention to what we are doing now and how we can do business better, together. I’m also inspired by CellMark’s philosophy that we have the capability to make anything great, no matter how small it may seem.

I love the challenge of solving tough problems and setting end goals that we can work towards together. When my sales team comes to me with; “Michelle, get ready to be very busy – we’ve concluded a lot of volume and need you to ship immediately,” I get so pumped up!

The San Francisco Bay Area where I live and work is a hub of culture and natural beauty. You can go from surfing in the ocean to skiing in the mountains within a matter of hours. This micro-climate is unique. And admittedly annoying at times! Waking up to heavy fog and dressing accordingly, only to find yourself needing shorts and sandals by mid-day. But this allows us to have the beauty we do, redwood trees feeding from the fog, to the many vineyards where grapes thrive in the heat of the day as they ripen, preparing for harvest. I’m proud to be a native Northern Californian and living in the middle of wine country, and I love every day of it.

Michelle Staples

San Francisco, USA

A NEW DAY IN Shanghai
Anne He

A NEW DAY IN

Shanghai, China

NAME Anne He

POSITION Pulp

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2002

What do you do at CellMark?

I deal with all the details regarding commercial issues like contracts, LCs, shipments and logistics. I take calls and emails from customers, answering questions, solving their problems and making sure their issues are dealt with. I also work closely with the sales team providing any information or support they might need.

What is your background and how did you start working at CellMark?

I was born and raised in Shanghai and studied at the International Business College of Shanghai University. After graduation I worked for an E-business company before being headhunted and hired by CellMark in 2002. Working at CellMark is more like being part of a global family rather than a global company.

Where would you take a first-time visitor in Shanghai?

I would start with the Shanghai Tower, it’s the tallest building in China and one of the tallest buildings in the world. You can get a really nice view of the whole city from the observation deck on the 121st floor. Then for some historical sights and traditional food I would go to the Chenghuang Temple, before moving on to the more modern Xintiandi. Every foreigner loves Xintiandi! That’s where the best night life in Shanghai is and there are restaurants with food from all over the world. Finally I would go to the Bund which is my personal favorite. It’s an area along the Huangpu river where you can see both skyscrapers and old buildings, and there are some excellent restaurants with truly amazing food.

Anne He

Pulp

2002

Shanghai

Anne He

Shanghai, China

A NEW DAY IN Geneva
Charlotte Rodriguez

A NEW DAY IN

Geneva, Switzerland

NAME Charlotte Rodriguez

POSITION Back office sales, Pulp Division

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2007

Tell us about Geneva.

Located at the foot of the Alps, Geneva has an attractive natural setting on Leman Lake. It is an old city full of history, with a rich cultural life and a nice balance between nature and urbanism. Geneva has a long history of diversity and tolerance, and houses many of the world organization headquarters such as ISO, World Trade Organization and many more. The city has an ideal location at the heart of Europe.

What are the functions of the Geneva office?

The Geneva office is the regional hub of the Pulp division for Europe and Africa. Over the past years we have also developed into the fields of biomass and energy. Being a regional hub means we can be a central office for various synergies within Europe for other CellMark divisions. Our teams network with most of the European market including the Mediterranean area, North Africa, Lebanon and Turkey. Beyond the Pulp division, our office also provides credit management support globally to both the Chemicals and Metals divisions.

What is a source of inspiration for you?

My parents. They have always encouraged me to transcend limits and barriers, and to push forward with an optimistic mindset. It may be a simple thing to say, but if you act on it every day you are constantly moving towards a better future. When thinking about my parents, a proverb comes to mind: “We can give two things to our children: roots and wings.”

Charlotte Rodriguez

Back office sales, Pulp Division

2007

Geneva

What makes my daily work interesting is that there is no ”normal day”. Every day is different as my purpose is to do personal service, trying my best to satisfy customers and suppliers. I have to adapt my work to the needs of each day.

For example, I can work for biomass in the morning, switch to letter of credit for North Africa, go to the post office after lunch, then check some container arrivals and order coffee for the office in the afternoon. And of course have some moments of fun with my colleagues in between.

We are a small team organizing daily tasks from A to Z. Most of us have been working together for 10 years and know each other very well. I would say that our team is defined by its moral values and sense of reality. These things bring about a personal and professional respect which give me comfort and courage. I am never alone facing a difficult case. Any of us can submit a problem to the team and we find a solution together, exchanging different ideas and points of view. I find it very energizing.

I feel absolutely free to ask any questions without judgement. This creates an environment where you’re never afraid to bring up a new idea, really favoring creativity. I feel that CellMark allows me to be myself in a continuous learning experience. I regard some of the work I do to be ”custom made”, letting me add my own personality to what I do, and creating added value benefitting our customers and suppliers.

The pursuit of solutions is what keeps me motivated. Taking in the surroundings and adapting to unknown situations, listening and accepting to learn from anyone. It’s important for me to stay curious and alert. I can do that by allowing myself to say ”sorry, I do not understand, please explain,” and learn from the team I work with. Even after 10 years working for CellMark I still have much to learn. To me it is a part of personal growth.

Charlotte Rodriguez

Geneva, Switzerland

A NEW DAY IN New York
Liz Rainone

A NEW DAY IN

New York, USA

NAME Liz Rainone

POSITION Paper Division, Accounting Department

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2002

What do you do at the Norwalk office?

The divisions represented at the Norwalk office are Paper, Recycling, and Pulp. There is also the business unit CellMark Graphics. I am in the accounting department of the Paper division. This means handling daily entry and application of cash receipts, research payment discrepancies, notification of paper discrepancy to Inside Sales Reps – among many other things. I am also involved in PaperSeed.

What gives you energy in life?

I would say my volunteer work at the Stamford Hospital. I have been volunteering there for the last two years, along with my colleague Lisa Ferretti. We do massage therapy for patients, which helps to promote faster healing for the patients along with helping them relax and giving them companionship. We also provide NODA (No One Dies Alone). This program is for patients that are near death, usually 12–24 hours from passing. We sit with patients that either do not have family or have very few family members that can’t be with their family member. Lisa and I sit with these patients, just to be present with them. These two programs to me are very rewarding and inspire me to continue helping people.

And at work?

What keeps me motivated and inspired is knowing that hard work pays off. 14 years and l’m still here. CellMark is as great of a place to work at today as it was 14 years ago and I consider myself very lucky.

Liz Rainone

Paper Division, Accounting Department

2002

New York

Before joining CellMark I was an at-home mom raising triplets. When they started kindergarten I started working here part-time, and have been here since. My kids are all in college now but when they still lived at home I would say my real job started when I got off work!

A lot of us here at the Norwalk office have worked together for many, many years. We all contribute to making this a fun workplace, like our Ugly Sweater contest, our cookie exchange and our bowling parties. We’ve just started a Biggest Loser weight loss competition, working as a team to get healthy and encourage each other with a bit of friendly competition thrown into the mix.

The team I work with is awesome. My boss, Dominick, may be very busy most of the time, but his door is always open for us. My colleague Silvia and I are always there to back each other up if either of us need to take vacation or just a day off. She is always there to answer any questions I have. The other people in the accounting department are just as helpful. They are a great group of people and I am very lucky to work with them.

Besides my duties in the accounting department I also participate in the PaperSeed Foundation, a non-profit organization that CellMark supports in many ways. My involvement in the PaperSeed foundation is to help organizations in our local area, for example doing Back to School drives for the Open Door Shelter where we provide clothes, supplies, backpacks and other necessities.

Working with the PaperSeed foundation we have also helped with Christmas at the Malta House for the children and their moms. We get their wish list for the children and moms and get as many items as possible to make their holiday memorable. We’ve done a golf event to raise money for Project Music. It is a local organization that supplies free musical instruments and free music lessons to children in need. All the work I put in is so worth it when you see the look on all the kids faces. It truly is priceless!

Liz Rainone

New York, USA

A NEW DAY IN Paris
Joe Lam

A NEW DAY IN

Paris, France

NAME Joe Lam

POSITION Chemical

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2006

What do you do in your daily work?

I am in charge of the Health & Personal Care and especially the pharmaceutical industries. We are importing and distributing specialty chemicals that go into daily consumers’ goods like face cream, toothpaste, hair gel, deodorant, etc. One of our key priorities is to monitor executions, identify and manage risks of current projects (quality, traceability, logistic, regulatory support, forex risk, toll manufacturing). I am constantly looking at developing new projects for our clients and enhancing our products’ portfolios and suppliers’ bases.

So not just trading then?

Exactly. Our clients come to us not only for sourcing new molecules but especially when they have problems to solve! We are more of a service provider than a mere chemical distributor. Our priorities are to develop tailor-made solutions (blending, formulations, milling, repacking, etc.) to our clients, hence creating more added-values.

What is the Paris office like?

Fun fact: our small but cozy office is perfectly situated in term of ‘Feng Shui’! Lightly-bright, south-oriented and cornered office looks over the beautiful Avenue Charles de Gaulle – a principal artery of the city that runs from the East (La Défense) to the West (Les Champs Elysées).

Joe Lam

Chemical

2006

Paris

– A normal day at the office starts with a croissant and pain au chocolat from the bakery downstairs, and then checking the Euro against the USD. A normal day at the office also means I am actually at the office and not on a plane or train to somewhere! I consider the group of people I work with to be pretty much a dream team. Knowledgeable, fun and supportive they all contribute to a smooth workflow where we can all focus on our own responsibilities.

I was born and raised in Hong Kong. While most of my peers pursued postgraduate studies in countries like the States, Canada or Australia, fate led me to France instead. I was granted a scholarship and continued my studies in Paris. Hence I am triple Franco-Chinese-’British colony’ culture. I speak all languages with accents except my mother tongue Cantonese. In regards to culture, arts and cuisine I am more French, but definitely 100% Chinese when I am doing business.

Having worked with grains and oil-seeds trading, and then cosmetic packaging, I got the opportunity to join CellMark in 2006. I’m still grateful to the management for trusting that a five-legged sheep (as they would say in French) who used to deal with beauty packaging could also handle complex molecules like 2-Phenoxypropionyl Chloride or Hexamethyldisiloxane.

Getting to know Paris has been a bit of an adventure. The city has a surface area of 100 km², consisting of 20 districts and more than 6,000 streets. My dream is to cover all 1,000 km of these streets – I have finished 8 districts already. During weekends I will go city-trekking and discover all these Paris-secret places.

For example, I have been to more than 180 museums and many of the unknown ones are very interesting. Like the Counterfeit museum, the Chocolate Story museum and the museum of Fairground Arts. Another hidden gem is the catacombs that form a labyrinth 20 meters beneath the very heart of Paris.

I will gladly be a tour guide for any visiting CellMark colleagues. Other than that, my advice for any visitors or tourists is: don’t hesitate to push front doors or gates, and you will discover many beautiful and unexpected backyards, gardens, cemeteries and other places you never knew existed.

Joe Lam

Paris, France

A NEW DAY IN Istanbul
Tuğba Doğan

A NEW DAY IN

Istanbul, Turkey

NAME Tuğba Doğan

POSITION Basic Chemicals / Rubber Department

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2013

What is Istanbul like?

Cosmopolitan Istanbul is a meeting place of cultures, and has been for centuries. I’m in love with the city for many reasons. It is steeped in history, tradition and culture while the modern lifestyle of today is going on. You can have your breakfast in Asia overlooking Europe and then have lunch in Europe overlooking Asia. Istanbul also has a very important strategic location when you consider the business line. Especially being a natural bridge between the East and the West it is getting a larger share of international trade every year by attracting many multi-national companies.

What do you do?

I am working as Product Manager of Rubber Chemicals under Basic Chemical division. I am responsible for the supply chain, marketing and sales of carbon blacks, synthetic rubbers and special rubber additives. I am always in touch with the customers for their regular orders and I make negotiating periodically and visit them in order to discuss actual company status and monitor possible new business opportunities.

What is it like to work at CellMark?

I feel that Cellmark is a very humanistic company. Every member of the company is important and there are no strong hierarchical boundaries. Every member of the company is supportive, we listen and promote open dialogues and treat each other with great respect.

Tuğba Doğan

Basic Chemicals / Rubber Department

2013

Istanbul

– After graduating university with a degree in Chemical Engineering I spent three years working as a sales engineer at different companies. Then one day I ran into Ersin Alkan (Division President of Basic Chemicals) and he mentioned CellMark’s new project with rubber chemicals, especially for carbon black. Hearing about it made me very excited and without losing any time I decided to join CellMark. That is one of the best choices I’ve ever made.

CellMark is a company where everyone is an entrepreneur. Every member of the company is encouraged to bring new ideas to the table, and change is always welcome. Gaining the trust of our customers and suppliers – and maintaining our reliability – is very important to CellMark. Meeting set targets within deadlines really motivates me and gives me a sense of accomplishment. It gives me energy to keep going.

Believing that something can happen is the first step to making it happen. I use mediation to realize my dreams and connect to my inner voice. Concentrating on my breathing only, it helps me to control my thoughts and contemplate my desires. Additionally, my daily meditations give me the opportunity to reset myself each evening and find the necessary energy removing all the struggles for the next day.

Another thing to keep the creativity flowing is putting your own touch on the work space. As long as it is okay for all colleagues, I believe that making your work environment more fun and homey can make a big difference. I have a small garden near my desk. White, yellow and purple orchid flowers are the queens of my garden, and there is also some special kind of cactus – violets. Spraying water on their leaves and touching their potting soil is really relaxing and helps me clear my head.

We have a cat in our office named Corsy. During one morning traffic jam, I found her on the road, terrified and cold. She was 1,5 month old and I took her to our office that morning. While I was looking for a warm home for her, my colleagues made a democratic vote and wanted to care for her in our office, which made me very happy. Now she is our mascot!

Tuğba Doğan

Istanbul, Turkey

A NEW DAY IN New York
Lisa Ferretti

A NEW DAY IN

New York, USA

NAME Lisa Ferretti

POSITION Executive Assistant, Paper Division

AT CELLMARK SINCE 1996

What do you do in your daily work?

My role is the Executive Assistant to the Executive team located here in our office. My day to day focuses are assisting the team with clerical, projects, etc. Travel, car services, meetings and expenses. I also organize all parties, in the office and out of the office, as well as any outings, either local or abroad. Pretty much anything and everything that makes the team’s life easier. A lot of my job is subject to confidentiality which I of course take very seriously, and have been named “the Vault” by my superiors.

How would you describe the team you’re working with?

Well, this company is filled with kind, flexible, supportive, compassionate, fun, and hard working people. We all have the goal to succeed as a first priority, and enjoy the journey to get there along the way. There are many colleagues working in my division that have been with this company for the 20 years that I’ve been here, or even longer. In my opinion that speaks volumes.

20 years – don’t you drive each other crazy?

Not at all! A bunch of us more or less grew up working for this company and would have never stayed as long as we did if the company wasn’t great. We have been together about half of our lives. We have been through many birthdays, weddings, purchases of new homes, births of children, as well as sad times too. I feel that this group has formed a very special bond. To me, this core group is an extension of my family. We all care deeply for one another. This is a very unique group in my opinion.

Lisa Ferretti

Executive Assistant, Paper Division

1996

New York

– I live in Stamford, about 20 minutes by car to our office location in Norwalk. Having two school age children, it is nice to know that I can be home as quickly as possible if need be. Stamford is like a mini Manhattan so it is very busy place. I’ve lived there all my life and will probably never move away as I love my city.

For two years now I have been volunteering at the Stamford Hospital on Monday nights. I am part of the Tender Touch team which offers patients the gift of touch. I go to patients of all situations and cases. Some are very sick, some have just come out of surgery, some are pregnant or in ICU and about to pass away. My favorite department is the Mental Illness wing as those people are pushed to the side because others are afraid to go in there. Those people need touch and communication just as any other patient in that hospital and they look for me every single week.

The feeling that I leave with every Monday evening after working with the patients is more rewarding than anything that I have ever done. This is my passion, and my quest is to make as many people as I can in my lifetime feel special and to know that they are not alone.

I am also part of the NODA team which is the “No one dies alone” program at the hospital. I have been trained to sit with people who have 72 to 24 hours to live that have no family or friends. I offer comfort to these people at their dying hour. It is very intense but once again an incredible gift to carry.

At work I am inspired by the faith and trust that my colleagues and bosses have toward me to do whatever task I am given. To see their smiles and know that they had a nice time at, let’s say, a holiday party or a successful meeting makes it worth all the effort. Knowing that things went well in the end and all my hard work paid off motivates me to work even harder.

I ended up working for CellMark 20 years ago when we were still “Perkins Goodwin”. I got the job through a temp agency and my title started out as front desk receptionist. I had a switch board to answer with more lines than I could even imagine. There was no voice mail, no direct lines, no scanners, and no internet. The funny thing was when I started the job, about a couple of weeks into it I said to myself that I would stay at this job for a year and then move on. Well, it’s been 20 years now…

Lisa Ferretti

New York, USA

A NEW DAY IN San Francisco
Anneli Paulsson

A NEW DAY IN

San Francisco, USA

NAME Anneli Paulsson

POSITION Accounting

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2016

What divisions are represented at the San Rafael office?

Packaging & Recycling. Our Packaging division offers full-service marketing of containerboard and sack kraft, assist with documentation, finance and administration management for its global mill partners and customers. The Recycling division has a large network of offices and material recovery facilities engaged in buying, selling, producing, financing and transporting recyclables across the globe. I work in the Accounting department, primarily supporting the Packaging and Recycling divisions.

When are you having the most fun at work?

I just experienced my first picnic – which was a lot of fun and a really nice and memorable day spent with my co-workers on a catamaran on the bay. Besides that, it’s always very rewarding when you meet deadlines, or solve a task with your team that you have been struggling with for a while. It can be as simple as a bank reconciliation with no reconciling items – or an AR aging with no outstanding balances in the >90 days bucket. I know – I’m a nerd!

What is something that other companies can learn from CellMark?

CellMark was founded by entrepreneurs who set the tone for the entire organization. The focus is on possibilities and opportunities rather than the windy and sometimes long road to get there.

Anneli Paulsson

Accounting

2016

San Francisco

– When I was fresh out of college with a Master’s degree in Business Administration, I joined a certified public accounting firm in Gothenburg, Sweden. The firm just so happened to be CellMark AB’s auditors. I was put on the CellMark account and audited CellMark AB for six years, learning all about paper commodities, inco terms and FX contracts. Little did I know that this would be a more frequent element of my work life in the future.

After six years in Gothenburg, I decided that it was time to move on and see more of the world. Through CellMark AB, my firm had connections with CellMark Inc.’s auditors, Armanino LLP. In 2011 I joined Armanino and was put on the CellMark Inc.’s account, as I had CellMark “expertise”.

Then, after the audit in 2016 I was asked if I wanted to join the “other side” and it just felt like a natural step in my career. I didn’t have to do much due diligence. I already knew that CellMark was a great company to work for based on my 10 years of auditing them.

This is a very diverse and energetic office – many different nationalities and cultures are represented and we speak 15 different languages. Being service providers we always need to adjust to the changing world and market to stay in business. We always want to be one step ahead of the game to provide impeccable services to all our business partners.

But it’s also important to have fun. We spend many of our wakening hours at work – it becomes your second home – and there must be room for fun too. The people here love to bake and bring in to the office – and are also big on decorations. As we approach Halloween the office is filled with skeletons, witches, detached body parts and rats.

My motto has always been “I’d rather regret something that I did do – than I didn’t do”. Growing up I would always hear my grandmother say that she regretted buying my dad a moped instead of getting her own driver’s license. That’s when I decided I didn’t want to be old and look back and regret things that I never did. This took me all the way to California. Who knows where I’ll end up.

Anneli Paulsson

San Francisco, USA

A NEW DAY IN Gothenburg
Magnus Lindberg

A NEW DAY IN

Gothenburg, Sweden

NAME Magnus Lindberg

POSITION Pulp Division

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2000

What is Gothenburg like?

It’s a very pleasant city with beautiful surroundings. Not to mention the culinary experiences, the seafood here is amazing. The location and proximity to the sea has made our city famous for its fresh seafood – and for the same reasons Gothenburg has been an important place for trading throughout history. Thanks to the location of the city’s harbor, it has always been a perfect hub for Scandinavian forest companies to have trading companies here in Gothenburg handling their sales and logistics worldwide.

Tell us a bit about the Gothenburg office.

This is CellMark’s headquarters so most divisions are represented here; Pulp, Paper, Basic Chemicals, Packaging, and our Energy sub-division. The services we offer are mainly sales, marketing, logistics, and financial solutions – services covering a large part of the supply chain. I work in the Pulp division myself, dealing with new business development. I also trade pellets and caustic soda.

What keeps you motivated?

The challenges! When I’m challenged by our suppliers to find outlets for their products, or to solve supply issues for our clients. I’d rather be on the edge of my seat all day than never being challenged at all. It’s what keeps me going.

Magnus Lindberg

Pulp Division

2000

Gothenburg

– To me it’s very rewarding when the reason a customer wants to buy from us is that we’ve earned their trust. The same goes for when a supplier expressly shows their gratitude after we’ve solved a problem for them. That’s when I know that we have done our job well.

Developing businesses, new or existing ones, is a source of inspiration. I’m always interested in new things. I’m interested in change, basically. Changes often lead to new opportunities. And with the whole world as my playing field I’m always on the lookout for these opportunities.

A while back a UK based company came to us with a request. They run a coal power plant and were looking to switch from coal to wood pellets. The reason they came to us was that they needed a complete supply chain from the Baltic States. Since there wasn’t one in place we connected eight pellet producers and set up two storage facilities, one in Riga and one in Ventspils. The objectives for the UK company is to pick up shipments from these storage facilities once a month. That’s the kind of challenge that gets me going, and it was really inspiring making all these pieces fit together.

I grew up in Australia so I’ve always been used to having international working relationships. For example I spent four years working at the Swedish trade council in Canada. Maybe moving around has made me more open to change. When moving to a new city or a new country, the trickiest part has always been finding a new dojo! I’ve been practicing full contact karate since I was 16, and still do. I guess it’s not the most common sport for people over 50 but I love it. It gives me great self-reliance and a sense of harmony.

If I were to give advice to another company – partner or competitor – it would be to contemplate the expression ”good things come to good people.” We fulfill every contract, and strive to be an honest company. Even if a supplier fails to deliver, we buy from someone else just to deliver on the promise with the customer. I think we have attracted a lot of business just by showing that CellMark is a company that you can trust.

Magnus Lindberg

Gothenburg, Sweden

A NEW DAY IN San Francisco
Jeff Rice

A NEW DAY IN

San Francisco, USA

NAME Jeff Rice

POSITION Recycling

AT CELLMARK SINCE 2010

What are your duties in the Recycling division?

My responsibilities include sourcing primarily from North America and the Caribbean region, sales into parts of South East Asia, and some sales in the domestic market. Most of the grades I handle are bulk grades of recovered fiber, though recovered plastics continues to be a growing sector for the team as a whole.

What keeps you motivated?

Without question, I am inspired by my colleagues. Growing up around the company since a young age, CellMark has been like a family to me. We’ve celebrated occasions, endured losses, shared in achievements and overcome adversities. The pressure to contribute and help continue to provide a livelihood for our people and our families is all the motivation I need!

If CellMark could set an example for others to follow, what would that be?

I think CellMark already sets a good example through our guiding principles, commitment to corporate social responsibility, and our focus on sustainable growth. One thing I see plague other companies is the power struggle. Being too focused on rank, titles or seniority hinders collaboration and development. A company is only ever as good as its people. Taking a “people first” approach and giving everyone a voice, as long as it’s constructive, forges stronger bonds and invites the best ideas.

Jeff Rice

Recycling

2010

San Francisco

– Many of us here at the office share a passion for travel. Working with as many different countries as we do on a daily basis, most realize there is no substitute for visiting a place, meeting the people and experiencing other cultures firsthand.

I really enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories. I’m a firm believer there is something to be gained from every encounter. The person we ultimately become is simply a collection of a lifetime of interactions. At the end of the day we all have a lot more in common than we think, and have a lot more to learn from one another than we may realize.

Our location, the San Francisco Bay Area, is known for its diversity, ingenuity and natural beauty.  No matter a person’s social, political or religious views, there is a place for them here.  Whether working on the next big thing in tech, the arts, finance or blue collar industry, there is a place for them here. No matter if someone enjoys the snow, the beach, the farm or the forest, there is a place for them here!

I grew up here in Marin County, California. When I was 17 years old my curiosity and a call to service washed over me. In search of answers, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After six hard years as a Longshoreman and Marksmanship Instructor (including a nine month deployment to the Middle East) I hung up my boots and renewed my focus on education.

Three years later I graduated from UC Berkeley receiving my bachelors degree in Sociology with an emphasis in International Relations. Following a year abroad in Bali, Indonesia teaching English, I returned home to combine my logistical training with my passion for foreign cultures, and joined the ranks of the CellMark family.

I find myself enjoying work the most when working in small teams to achieve a collective goal. I’m more driven by the pressure to perform for my colleagues, more engaged in the brainstorming process, and more confident that an individual’s strengths will shine through to help achieve the group’s objective.

Jeff Rice

San Francisco, USA

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