The Navigator Company has announced the launch of gCELL, a new brand for its pulp portfolio, aligned with the differentiation and value creation it brings to the global pulp market. With gCELL, Navigator brings its pulp business under a unified and distinctive identity rooted in more than 70 years of expertise in Eucalyptus globulus pulp production.
The company pioneered Eucalyptus Bleached Kraft Pulp 70 years ago – a leadership that traces back to a landmark moment in 1956, at the Company’s Cacia mil (Aveiro), where a small team demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, the industrial production of kraft pulp from eucalyptus, namely the Eucalyptus globulus. Internally remembered as the TE‑24 project, this breakthrough confirmed the potential of eucalyptus fibre and led to two major innovations: the large-scale industrial production of eucalyptus kraft pulp and the development of high-quality papers based on 100% eucalyptus fibre. It also revealed the versatility of this raw material, opening the way to future applications such as tissue, as well as packaging papers, specialty and decor papers, and emerging applications such as moulded cellulose solutions.
Navigator is now Europe's largest producer of eucalyptus-based pulp, with an annual capacity of 1.6 million tons. Since its inception, innovation has been embedded in the company's DNA, combining industrial know-how with a forward-looking approach to fibre performance and customer needs.
Four pillars driving gCELL’s value proposition
The new brand is built on four core pillars: innovation and heritage, credibility and reliability, versatility, and sustainability. These pillars are grounded in tangible strengths: a long-standing track record of industrial innovation, fully integrated operations ensuring consistent quality, the unique adaptability of Eucalyptus globulus fibre across multiple applications, and a production model based on renewable resources and efficient use of natural inputs.
Together, these pillars express the unique value of Navigator's Eucalyptus globulus fibre and its ability to support a wide range of sustainable end-uses.
The name gCELL reflects both the origin and essence of the product. The dot and the letter "g" refer for globulus as the genesis of Navigator's guarantee of reliability, performance and versatility. "CELL" refers literally to the smallest unit of life - the foundation of living organisms - and to cellulose, being the basis of a wide range of high-quality products, in a variety of end uses. The organic design of the lettering represents the adaptability and versatility of Navigator's pulp, allied with its consistent high quality.
"gCELL represents a natural evolution of our pulp business", said João Escobar Henriques, Global Pulp Sales Director at The Navigator Company. "By creating a dedicated brand, we are reinforcing the unique value of our fibre and strengthening our connection with customers. gCELL is more than a name - it reflects our commitment to delivering high-performance, sustainable solutions that help optimise processes and enhance end-product quality."
Credibility and reliability are central to the gCELL proposition. Navigator's fully integrated mills provide full production control, helping ensure consistent quality across the entire value chain, from sustainably managed forests to industrial transformation. The company's operational expertise spans multiple applications - including printing and writing, packaging, tissue and moulded cellulose - and is supported by proven industrial credibility, reflected in leading brands such as Navigator premium office paper.
The gCELL portfolio serves a broad range of applications, including printing and writing papers, tissue, packaging papers, decor and specialty papers. The unique properties of Navigator's pulp deliver outstanding performance across these applications, combining high strength properties, excellent dimensional stability, optimal surface properties, superior brightness, high bulk, excellent softness, low dust levels, strong runnability and high printing quality.
Sustainability as a core driver of performance and value
Sustainability is a core pillar of gCELL. Navigator's Eucalyptus globulus fibres are sourced from sustainably managed forests, and the pulp is produced from responsibly sourced, deforestation-free raw materials. The company's certified managed forests are covered by internationally recognised standards, including FSC® and PEFC, while certifications across the value chain remain a competitive and strategic pillar.
The brand also reflects Navigator's broader commitment to resource efficiency and climate action. Eucalyptus globulus enables lower wood usage compared with other species for the same quantity of final application, supporting the saving of natural resources, while also contributing to reduced consumption of water and chemicals in the production process.
Navigator works to ensure the sustainable use of soil and forestry resources, including biodiversity, and has set the goal of cutting direct CO2 emissions from its industrial complexes under the EU ETS by 86% by 2035, compared with a 2018 baseline. The company is also recognised among the top performers in the forestry sector globally for sustainability and ESG risk management.
Driven by innovation, reliability, versatility and sustainability, gCELL creates unlimited possibilities for sustainable end-uses. With the launch of the new brand, The Navigator Company reinforces its strategy of moving up the value chain and strengthening its leading positioning in eucalyptus pulp, combining a legacy of innovation with a future of excellence.