Sappi Fine Paper North America Releases 2013 Sustainability Report

BOSTON, Jan. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sappi Fine Paper North America today announced its 2013 Sustainability Report, the company's third annual regional report highlighting a transformative year of strategic investments across the business to drive sustainability and long-term growth. The report details enhancements in facilities and products as well as impactful contributions to surrounding communities over the 2013 fiscal year.  Building upon the company's pillars of people, planet and prosperity, the company also increased focus on recruiting new hires and training its people who will directly contribute to Sappi's sustainable future.

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"Looking back on a year of dynamic change, it is rewarding to see how much progress has been made through an investment in our people, our mills and our brands." said Mark Gardner, president and CEO, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "Sappi's commitment to both our economic and operational sustainability has strengthened the company's overarching strategy for success. Looking forward we must now work towards optimizing on these investments for even greater efficiency and productivity."

Investments for a Sustainable Future
At the core of Sappi's strategy for economic sustainability is a diversification of products across coated paper, release papers, kraft pulp and dissolving pulp. This past year the company reached a turning point, as the hard work and resources invested in continuous improvement came to fruition.

At its three mills in Maine and Minnesota, Sappi undertook important capital projects to advance its coated paper and release businesses, strengthening its platform to bring the highest quality product for a range of different end uses: graphic communications and textured surfaces. Most notably, in October 2013, Sappi announced the successful completion of its US$170 million capital conversion project at the Cloquet Mill in Minnesota to produce Specialised Cellulose, a versatile raw material for a wide range of products including textile fibers and household products.

Smart Consumption
The impact of Sappi's continued commitment to achieving strategic goals in sustainability extends beyond its mill gates to local communities, customers and industry partners. Operating under the lens of smart consumption - meaning Sappi strives to produce and deliver products with minimal waste in energy, water, pulp or other raw materials – the company continues to seek solutions to leave an even smaller carbon footprint.

"At Sappi, we understand that running a successful business also means running a smart business that provides the greatest value to our customers," said Jennifer Miller, executive vice president of coated business and chief sustainability officer, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "We challenge ourselves each year to be more nimble, resourceful and responsible in all aspects of our business. This includes educating our customers to recognize appropriate uses of paper so that they can become more efficient consumers of our product."

The smart consumption of natural resources is a key priority for Sappi. Currently Sappi is investing in its infrastructure at the Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, Maine to take advantage of new access to natural gas, a cleaner energy alternative for the environment.¹

Consistent with Sappi's holistic approach to sustainability efforts across the paper making life cycle, the 2013 Sustainability Report also includes an overview of water usage in an integrated pulp and paper mill such as Sappi's Somerset and Cloquet Mills. For more information about Sappi's water usage in papermaking, view the infographic featured on page 26-27 of the Report.

Sappi is fully committed to achieving its regional five-year goals outlined for 2012-2016. Spanning people, planet and prosperity, these goals represent focus areas for many of the company's continued investments in North America. For more information, please see Sappi Fine Paper North America's 2013 Sustainability Report.

¹ Carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas are 43% lower than coal and 30% lower than #6 fuel oil based on equivalent energy input.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers, as well as dissolving wood pulp and market kraft pulp headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. Its food packaging brand, Lusterprint is a greaseproof product with an excellent print surface. The company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi globally is the world's largest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp, a versatile raw material for a wide range of products including textile fibers and household products. Sappi Fine Paper North America, through the recent conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill, manufactures dissolving pulp under Sappi's Specialised Cellulose division primarily for the textile markets.  

Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na.

For further information:

Joanna Rieke
Manager, Corporate Communications
Sappi Fine Paper North America
Office:  617-423-5409
[email protected]

Shannon McLoughlin
Burson-Marsteller
Office:  617-912-5412
Mobile:  646-379-7508
[email protected]  

SOURCE Sappi Fine Paper North America