Toppan Leefung Printing Limited was the first printer to set up an IT system to capture EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) data, says Mae Zhao, SVP of marketing and head of international sales. “We were the earliest party to contact Osapiens, which offers a scalable, AI-powered platform to automate and monitor sustainability metrics in real time.”

Toppan is the only print supplier who is interested not only as a client but also as a Osapiens collaborator to enhance its platform and tailor it to the publishing industry, Zhao says. “Toppan Leefung was also the first vendor to carry out an IT-to- IT discussion with Osapiens to clarify integration requirements and to determine the best approach to streamlining data submission and onboarding.” Toppan’s leadership, Zhao says, “is committed to supporting EUDR from the very beginning and has provided clients with regular EUDR updates on compliance status of paper suppliers.”

The last two years have seen Toppan adding a slew of new machineries that are also more environmentally friendly, including an eight-color Komori LED UV press, a Horauf high-speed auto-casemaking machine, a Fuerda paper-sheeting machine, a Sunrise high-speed shrinkwrapper, and new folding and auto-packing lines. “We have acquired equipment that meets dynamic industry changes,” Zhao says. “Take edge treatments of book spines: Our strong presence in France, where its publishers are particularly creative, means that we are exposed to the latest trends there. We now have in-house machineries to handle complicated spine designs. The Epic Classic series with its complex book production and edge printing that we handled for Arcturus was one such example.”

Meanwhile the company’s photovoltaic power generation is entering its second phase, upping its renewal energy rate to 19.35% in 2025. Its carbon emissions, which is verified via ISO14064, has dropped 44% since 2022. “By 2026, we aim to beat the 0.23kg Book Chain Project target, which is its benchmark in assessing carbon footprint of producing a physical book,” Zhao says. “Our 2025 target is to hit 0.24kg.” Toppan’s green initiatives also include a comprehensive waste management system, a complete change to 100% non-mineral oil inks, exclusive use of FSC paper, and starting on July 1, exclusive procurement of EUDR-compliant paper.

“Toppan Inc. is stronger than ever, and Toppan Leefung is growing as many of our sister subsidiaries are expanding into technology-driven industries and forming alliances in Europe, South Africa, South America, and the UAE,” Zhao says. “Toppan Leefung is committed to continuous improvement in our core book business with our consistent high-quality, exceptional service, trustworthy delivery, creative innovation, and proactive value-added services to global publishers.”

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