Suzano: How Geospatial AI can Improve Paper Sustainability

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Suzano has partnered with geospatial AI company Marvin - Credit: Suzano
Suzano has signed a long-term deal and invested in AI startup Marvin to improve sustainability efforts in its paper production operations

From cardboard packaging to receipts, paper products are everywhere and can provide a more sustainable alternative to plastic.

However, the industry is linked to deforestation, excessive water consumption and can be an energy-intense practice. 

Suzano, the world’s largest pulp manufacturer, has a long-term deal with AI startup Marvin to address some of these issues. 

Alongside this, the company’s capital ventures arm has a strategic follow-on investment into Marvin following initial investment in October 2023. 

Yhasmin Paiva Rody, R&D Manager at Suzano, says: “Our partnership with Marvin has been an enriching journey of learning and innovation.

Yhasmin Paiva Rody, Sustainability Manager at Suzano

“This validation reflects not only the capabilities of Marvin’s technology, but also our collaborative approach to innovation, driven by an in-depth technical understanding and the agile development of cutting-edge solutions. 

“A standout achievement is the creation of a pioneering operational platform that, through remote sensing tools and ground-validated data, is able to measure water use and carbon sequestration and allows us to evaluate the impacts of climate change across Suzano's 27,000 square kilometres of farms and native forest.”

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About Suzano

Alongside being the world’s largest pulp manufacturer, Suzano is one of the largest paper producers in Latin America and the leader in the toilet paper industry in Brazil. 

The company creates products that are present in the lives of more than two billion people including paper, books, straws and cups, sanitary pads and toilet paper.

Its eucalyptus farms and plants are used to create raw materials such as pulp, used to create different types of paper, fluff pulp, used in menstrual pads and nappies, microfibrillated cellulose which can be transformed into fabric and lignin, a product used in tires, resins and adhesives. 

A Suzano eucalyptus farm - Credit: Suzano

Each year it has a pulp production capacity of 13.4 million tonnes and paper production capacity of 1.7 million tonnes. 

The company had 2023 revenue of US$6.5bn and more than 35,000 employees.

Meet Marvin

Founded in 2023, Marvin is an all-in-one AI platform that aims to scale the transition to a sustainable economy using science-driven technologies. 

Its proprietary platform can analyse land use, combining the latest scientific research, geospatial and satellite data and artificial intelligence.

The company has expanded rapidly through providing scalable, comprehensive applications for businesses with operations, supply chains or investments across mining, forestry, biofuels and agriculture. 

Suzano uses the forest mosaic method, with eucalyptus trees of different ages interspersed with native forests to preserve biodiversity, soil and rivers - Credit: Suzano

Suzano’s partnership and investment follows the successful technical validation of its platform product through extensive and varied trials that demonstrated applicability across the company’s operations. 

The company has signed a multi-year contract to use Marvin’s land use geospatial intelligence products to strengthen its approach to a variety of sustainability applications. 

Álvaro Gómez Rodríguez, Senior Manager at Suzano Ventures, explains: “Before investing in Marvin, we carefully assessed a number of geospatial intelligence products available on the market that were potentially applicable to silviculture. 

Álvaro Gómez Rodríguez, Senior Manager at Suzano Ventures

“We are confident that Marvin’s technology offers the most sophisticated tool for forest producers like Suzano, which we have now validated through trials in our own business.”

Suzano will use Marvin to improve its approach to:
  • Yield production
  • Water resource and risk management
  • Carbon measurement and verification
  • Forest certification
  • Supply chain optimisation and traceability

Ofer Judovits, Co-Founder and CEO at Marvin, says: “We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Suzano, as both a strategic investor and a key customer for Marvin.

“It is very significant for us to receive validation of our platform product’s technical and economic value from a business with a well-earned reputation for excellence in its forest operations, that has been at the forefront of innovation and technology in the pulp and paper sector.

“We recently opened an office in Brazil, because we believe it is important to be present in South America to strengthen our capabilities and accuracy in the complex and globally significant biomes in this region, as well as to meet the growing demand from regional businesses. 

“We know that while some companies may initially come to us because of regulatory requirements and sustainability due diligence concerns, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation, they quickly realise that our data and insights can provide a lot more than compliance benefits.”

Yhasmin adds: “The development of this platform is testament to the scale of innovation that can be achieved through deep, strategic partnerships between large corporations and startups and demonstrates the potential for Marvin’s technology to transform land management practices across a wide range of sectors.”


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