International technology Group ANDRITZ has successfully started up the rebuilt BM1 for PJSC Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill at their site in Obukhiv, Ukraine.

The rebuild of the packaging paper machine covered the upgrade of the press and calender sections, including extensions to the existing automation system. To improve the machine’s capacity and the surface quality of the paper, ANDRITZ relocated the existing press from the second to the third press position and installed a new PrimePress X shoe press in the second position. Due to its special shoe design, the PrimePress X enables gentle dewatering and reduced energy consumption. In the calender section, a new PrimeCal Hard hard-nip calender was installed to provide a consistent CD caliper profile, bulk control, and excellent surface finish.

ANDRITZ PrimePress X shoe press for gentle dewatering and bulk savings. © ANDRITZ

The BM1 has a design speed of 800 m/min and a working width of 4.2 m. It produces White Top Liner, White Lined Chipboard, and Testliner in a range of 125–420 gsm. Start-up of the rebuilt BM1 ran smoothly according to schedule and achieved the promised guarantee values for dryness, bulk and smoothness right away.

PJSC Kyiv Cardboard and Paper Mill, part of the Austrian Pulp Mill Holding, is one of the largest European cardboard and paper producers. The main raw material used for production at Obukhiv is recycled paper.

ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper is a leading global supplier of complete plants, systems, equipment, and comprehensive services for the production and processing of all types of pulp, paper, board, and tissue.

The technologies cover processing of logs, annual fibers, and waste paper; production of chemical pulp, mechanical pulp, and recycled fibers; recovery and reuse of chemicals; preparation of paper machine furnish; production of paper, board, and tissue; sizing, calendering and coating of paper; as well as treatment of reject materials and sludge.

The service offering includes system and machine modernization, rebuilds, spare and wear parts, on-site and workshop services, optimization of process performance, maintenance and automation solutions, as well as machine relocation and second-hand equipment. Biomass, steam and recovery boilers for power production, gasification and flue gas cleaning plants, systems and plants for the production of nonwovens and absorbent hygiene products, dissolving pulp, and panelboard (MDF), as well as recycling and shredding solutions for various waste materials also form a part of this business area.

Data analytics and insights empower smarter procurement – maximizing supplier performance and optimizing business processes

merQbiz^®, a solutions and analytics provider for buyers and sellers in the recovered paper (RCP) industry, introduces BaleVision^™, providing companies actionable insights into their RCP quality. Combining a leading quality assessment tool with comprehensive data, BaleVision helps RCP buyers maximize supplier performance and sellers earn a fair price for their product.

Until now, the industry has had limited options for measuring RCP quality. Conventional measurement methodologies – such as ocular inspections and bale breaking – can be costly, labor intensive and highly subjective. Furthermore, any data collected is often unreliable and provides very little information for business decision-making and process optimization.

BaleVision overcomes these limitations with a device for effective quality measurement and a system for data analysis and visualization. The quality assessment tool analyzes the bale from the inside out, collecting detailed data on fiber content, moisture, plastic, ash and other bale contaminants. merQbiz has partnered with the manufacturer, PTS, to be the exclusive distributor of the device in North America.

But the real power of BaleVision is two-fold: It significantly increases the volume of bales that can be inspected and delivers data analytics that provide information transparency via dashboards. Combining the customer’s data with market and seasonal data, the system supplies trend analyses for quality, operations, procurement and finance.

“BaleVision is an industry-first solution that gives sellers insights into the real value of their paper and enables mills to proactively optimize procurement and operational processes,” said John Fox, President & CEO of merQbiz. “There’s nothing like it in the industry that can deliver this level of value.”

As a comprehensive quality performance program, BaleVision includes data collection, bale inspections, data analysis and industry trends. merQbiz will tailor the solution to each customer’s requirements, and it can be integrated with existing enterprise technology platforms or function as a stand-alone system.

To complement BaleVision, merQbiz is launching a new analytics platform that will house the dashboards and related services such as claims management and an RCP export procurement solution.

BaleVision is now available in North America and will soon be rolled out in other international markets. To learn more or schedule a demo, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.merqbiz.com/quality.

About merQbiz

merQbiz is a services provider for buyers and sellers in the RCP industry. The company delivers solutions across quality, analytics, logistics and procurement to help customers grow their business. Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Beach in Los Angeles, merQbiz is a joint venture of Voith and Boston Consulting Group Digital Ventures. www.merqbiz.com

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, has just published its sustainability targets for 2030. One of the company’s targets is to achieve fossil free mills by 2030 with zero fossil CO₂ emissions_.  This ambitious target includes both emissions from the company’s own energy production (scope 1) as well as purchased energy (scope 2). Currently, 82% of the energy used at Metsä Board mills is fossil free.

In addition, Metsä Board is aiming for a 30% reduction in water use per product tonne and a minimum of a 10% energy efficiency improvement by 2030 compared to the 2018 level. These will also play an important role in reaching the fossil free mills target.

“The new targets demonstrate our commitment to mitigate climate change supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Naturally, this requires investment. Our recently announced plan to renew the Metsä Board Husum pulp mill would be a substantial step to take us towards our target of 100% fossil free production,” says Mika Joukio, CEO of Metsä Board.

Metsä Board Husum mill site in Sweden

The main raw material in Metsä Board’s paperboard production is renewable and 100% traceable wood sourced from sustainably managed Northern European forests. Metsä Board’s target is to reach a minimum of 90% share of certified wood out of all sourced wood raw material by 2030. In 2018, the company’s share of certified wood raw material was 79%.

Metsä Board is part of Metsä Group that is already a significant carbon sink as its operations already result in more carbon being bound than being emitted. Metsä Board’s sustainability targets are based on the strategic sustainability 2030 objectives of Metsä Group. More information about Metsä Board’s sustainability and all new sustainability targets for 2030 as a whole can be found at the company’s website: https://www.metsaboard.com/Sustainability/Pages/Sustainability-targets.aspx

Metsä Board

www.metsaboard.com

Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards including folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. Our lightweight paperboards are developed to provide better, safer and more sustainable solutions for consumer goods as well as retail-ready and food service applications. We work together with our customers on a global scale to innovate solutions for better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. The pure fresh fibres Metsä Board uses are a renewable resource, traceable to origin in sustainably managed northern forests.

The global sales network of Metsä Board supports customers worldwide, including brand owners, retailers, converters and merchants. In 2018, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion, and it has approximately 2,400 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Valmet will supply boiler diagnostics system to Shandong Sun Paper Industry Joint Stock Co., Ltd. in China. The system will be installed in a new recovery boiler of Sun Paper, and it will optimize the recovery boiler availability and operation.

The order is included in Valmet's orders received of the third quarter 2019. The system will be delivered during the last quarter of 2019. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

“Valmet is an important partner for Shandong Sun Paper. We trust their people, technology and solutions. We believe their combustion diagnostics and monitoring system will help to optimize our recovery boiler operation,” says Fei Da, project manager of Shandong Sun Paper.

The Valmet Furnace Imaging System provides the most advanced integrated infrared (IR) imaging and temperature measurement capability for critical boiler areas.

“We are very glad that we can now provide a wider range of offering to our pulp and paper customers. This high-tech combustion diagnostics meets well our customers’ needs, helps them to improve efficiency and safety, and provides possibilities to extend to advanced closed loop control to decrease the emissions of recovery boiler,” says Chenglin Si, Area Sales Manager, China, Automation, Valmet.

Information about Valmet's delivery

Valmet's delivery consists of a Valmet Furnace IR Camera System. Valmet Furnace IR boiler cameras provide superior image quality and depth of view, enabling comprehensive observation and analysis at full load. This real-time ability to identify problems and apply solutions can result in higher boiler availability, reduced risk of catastrophic failure, improved heat transfer efficiency, and lower maintenance costs.

Information about the customer Shandong Sun Paper

Shandong Sun Paper Industry Joint Stock Co., Ltd. is one of the subsidiaries of Shandong Sun Holdings Group. Founded in 1982, Shandong Sun Holdings Group is a leading cross-national papermaking group integrating timberland, pulping and paper making. Headquartered in Yanzhou District, Jining City of Shandong Province, it is a leader in Chinese papermaking industry and a top 50 papermaking company in the world. Shandong Sun Paper has six major product lines, namely premium coated packaging paperboard, high-class art paper, high-class cultural and office paper, specialty fiber dissolving pulp, household paper, and industrial paper.

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2018 were approximately EUR 3.3 billion. Our more than 13,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Read more www.valmet.com

Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is one of the founding members of Alliance Gobelet Carton that was founded in the spring to organise a pilot for the collection and recycling of paperboard cups in France. The first collections with partnering restaurants will start soon.

Alliance Gobelet Carton is an association of four paperboard cup producers and two paperboard producers. It aims to create a collection system to recycle paperboard cups and to bring together cup producers, paperboard suppliers, cup users and the recycling sector. Participants in the scheme will be issued with a collection box that can take up to 750 cups. Piloting the collection system will begin with selected fast food restaurants and vending machine companies in France over the coming weeks.

“Paperboard cups can be collected after use, recycled and used as valuable raw material when producing new packaging products. This is what we intend to demonstrate through the pilot project and to create a model that can be widened to more extensive use”, says Laurence Sovran, Sales Manager at Metsä Board.

Metsä Board

www.metsaboard.com

Metsä Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards including folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. Our lightweight paperboards are developed to provide better, safer and more sustainable solutions for consumer goods as well as retail-ready and food service applications. We work together with our customers on a global scale to innovate solutions for better consumer experiences with less environmental impact. The pure fresh fibres Metsä Board uses are a renewable resource, traceable to origin in sustainably managed northern forests.

The global sales network of Metsä Board supports customers worldwide, including brand owners, retailers, converters and merchants. In 2018, the company’s sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion, and it has approximately 2,400 employees. Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Metsä Group

www.metsagroup.com

Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable and sustainably managed northern forests. Metsä Group focuses on wood supply and forest services, pulp, fresh fibre paperboards as well as tissue and greaseproof papers. 

Metsä Group’s sales totalled EUR 5.7 billion in 2018, and it employs approximately 9,300 people. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 103,000 Finnish forest owners.

Sun Paper, Voith’s long-term partner in China, recently awarded two new orders to the paper machine pioneer. This sets a new record for cooperation between Voith and Sun Paper with 11 paper machines having now been ordered in total. The new order includes PM 39, a graphic paper machine, and the major components for PM 40, an MG paper machine.

• New record achieved with 10th and 11th order placement
• Order comprised of PM 39 graphic paper machine and key components for PM 40 MG paper machine
• Notable accomplishments achieved as a result of the Sun Paper and Voith collaboration

Both machines will be installed at Sun Paper’s Yanzhou facility, where PM 21, 24, 29, 36 and 37 are also located. With a width of 10.5 m and a design speed of 1,800 m/min, PM 39 has an annual capacity of 450,000 metric tons. The scope of supply for PM 40 includes a MasterJet Pro FB headbox with ModuleJet, a complete press section with a Single NipcoFlex press and an EcoCal Soft calender.

Sun Paper is Voith’s long-term partner, with the deep cooperation between the two companies resulting in a remarkable accomplishment:

• • Both PM 36 and PM 37 started-up ahead of schedule
  • PM 37 start-up set a new record for packaging machines with 1 hour 57 minutes for stock on wire to paper reel
  • Sun Paper’s first two paper machines to be located outside of China were also supplied by Voith

Guangdong Ying, Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer at Sun Paper, emphasized his company’s trust for Voith: “Voith is the leading company in the papermaking industry, and its XcelLine paper machines have been supplied for many outstanding projects globally. At the same time, Sun Paper has contributed greatly to the development of the Chinese paper industry. In joint cooperation with Voith, our PM 36 and PM 37 had very successful start-ups. We like cooperating with Voith.”

About Sun Paper
Founded in 1982, Shandong Sun Holdings Group is a leading cross-national papermaking group integrating timberland pulping and paper making.

To date, Shandong Sun Paper has RMB29.2 billion total assets and more than 10,000 employees, ranking the 306th among China's top 500 enterprises. It is a leader in Chinese papermaking industry and a top 50 papermaking company in the world. Shandong Sun Paper has six major product lines, namely premium coated packaging paperboard, high-class art paper, high-class cultural and office paper, specialty fiber dissolving pulp, household paper, and industrial paper. Main brands include Golden Sun (a famous brand in China, Huaxia Sun, Brilliant Sun, Weier, Lecopy, Koolprint and Sun Elements.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 19,000 employees, sales of € 4.2 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the large family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, components and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers solutions from one single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations takes papermaking to the next level and facilitates resource-conserving production. With its Servolution concept, Voith offers its customers tailored service solutions for all sections of the production process. Voith Papermaking 4.0 ensures that equipment is optimally connected, while the secure use of generated data enables paper manufacturers to improve plant availability and efficiency.

Combined companies will offer unprecedented data-driven insights to global forest products markets

Battery Ventures, a global technology-focused investment firm, announced that it has acquired two companies:

Forest2Market, Inc. a firm supplying data, analytics, supply chain expertise and strategic consulting services to the global forest products industry; and Fisher International, Inc. a firm supporting the pulp and paper industry with business intelligence and strategy consulting services.

Forest2Market and Fisher International will continue to operate individually as the transition is planned and implemented.

"We believe both Forest2Market and Fisher International are leaders in their industry, with sophisticated business intelligence platforms that offer data-intense, technology-based solutions for the global forest products industry. Combined, the companies will offer greater insight to customers and provide better customer solutions and service, while setting the stage for dynamic, profitable growth for both companies going forward," said Jordan Welu, principal at Battery Ventures. Welu and Battery’s Dave Tabors will join Peter J. Stewart, founder and CEO of Forest2Market, on the board of directors.

Stewart will also become CEO of the combined organizations. Rod Fisher, the founder and president of Fisher International, will step away from the day-to-day management of the company and serve as a senior advisor to both the new CEO and Fisher International customers.

The Forest2Market team and the balance of the Fisher International team will remain in place. "I look forward to working with the Fisher International and Forest2Market teams. We believe this will create powerful new products and services and provide unprecedented global data-driven insight to our customers," said Stewart.

These acquisitions put both companies on a path to attain their long-term corporate goals. "Forest2Market's goal for the last five years has been to expand both internationally and across the value chain, from wood raw materials to end-products markets, and the combination of Forest2Market and Fisher International will accelerate that growth,” Stewart added. “We will continue to work with Battery to grow the companies, build out the value chain and offer the data and analytics that our forest products industry customers around the globe rely on to make complex business decisions."

"Pete and I have worked on specific engagements over the years, and we've talked about ways our companies can work together to enhance the value we bring to all of our customers," said Fisher. "Battery Ventures recognized the opportunity to join these two complementary companies as a way to increase the efficiency with which both companies deliver data, end-to-end insight, guidance and platform solutions. The synergies are clear, and I am excited to see the many advantages we will bring to our customers as a result of our working together."

About Forest2Market, Inc.

Forest2Market provides pricing data, supply chain expertise and strategic consulting services to participants in the global wood and fiber supply chain. The Forest2Market's unique databases contain more than 400 million rows of transaction data; they are the foundation for all analytics available in the firm's business intelligence platform, SilvaStat360, as well as client resource studies and consulting engagements. Founded in 2000, Forest2Market is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. To learn more, visit www.forest2market.com.

About Fisher International, Inc.

Fisher International supports the pulp and paper industry with business intelligence and strategy consulting services. With research resources in nearly every pulp and paper producing country in the world, Fisher’s comprehensive databases, analytical technologies and expert consultants are used by the paper industry around the world every day. Founded in 1985, Fisher is headquartered in South Norwalk, Conn. To learn more, visit http://www.fisheri.com.

About Battery Ventures

Battery strives to invest in cutting-edge, category-defining businesses in markets including software and services, web infrastructure, consumer internet, mobile and industrial technologies. Founded in 1983, the firm backs companies at stages ranging from seed to private equity and invests globally from offices in Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, London, Israel and New York. Follow the firm on Twitter (@BatteryVentures) and at www.battery.com, and find a full list of Battery investments here.

The ongoing development of its products is just as much an integral part of the corporate philosophy of paper and board manufacturer Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel (PKV) as the constant improvement of production efficiency. To achieve these goals the company, which was established in 1938, has been working with Voith for many years. For its current rebuild of the PM 4, PKV is also relying on the expertise of the technology group from Heidenheim.

• IIoT OnCumulus platform the basis for fast, reliable and secure access to all machine and production data.
• OnEfficiency.Dewatering module and Tandem NipcoFlex press increase dry content by 1 percent
• 15 percent increase in total output planned

On the PM 4, PKV produces packaging papers with a wide range of basis weights from 120 to 280 grams per square meter. Previously, the web width on the pope roller was 5,250 mm. As part of the rebuild, the width will be increased to 5,450 mm. The new width necessitates various adjustments to upstream components. Voith team will increase the widths of the first dryer group, the existing headboxes, the wire and press sections and the Fourdrinier wire.

The key items on PKV’s agenda were increasing the total output by 15 percent, improving runability and reducing specific energy costs. In addition, optimizing the dewatering capacity is intended to raise the dry content downstream of the Tandem NipcoFlex press by at least one percent.

Varel paper mill

IIoT platform OnCumulus: pivotal to digitalization
An essential prerequisite to achieving the desired effects was the integration of the latest Papermaking 4.0 technologies. In this context, the OnCumulus platform is absolute crucial, as it enables fast, reliable and secure access to data from local machines and systems in the cloud and makes them available for efficient use. Other modules from the Voith OnCare product range like OnEfficiency.Strength or OnEfficiency.Dewatering are used to monitor paper production at PKV. All modules and components are networked with one another. The PKV team also has transparent access to all relevant data at any time.

Fewer strength fluctuations
OnEfficiency.Strength uses statistical models and virtual sensors to reduce strength fluctuations in machine direction. As a result fiber use and starch use are optimized. Continuous measurements and automatic adjustments to parameters ensure fewer fluctuations, which in turn minimizes broke, reduces deviations in production output and improves paper quality during grade changes.

Stable dry content
By means of systematic regulation of the former vacuum the OnEfficiency.Dewatering module stabilizes the dry content upstream of the press. This helps to save energy, while the Papermaking 4.0 technology ensures consistently high ply bond strength. To ensure the requested one percent improvement in dry content, Voith installed a Tandem NipcoFlex system designed in this case for web widths of up to 5,700 mm. Its innovative design allows optimum dewatering for the entire basis weight range of the PM 4. As a result, PKV can further improve the strength and surface quality of its corrugated baseboard made from secondary and virgin fibers. A closed web run in combination with separation suction boxes allows production speeds of up to 1,200 m/minute and is therefore the main basis for the substantial increase in production capacity requested by customer.

Initial clothing of PM 4 by Voith
To achieve the required dry contents, it is important that the clothing is perfectly matched over the entire paper machine. From the outset, the PM 4 will be fitted with I-Series forming wires, Infinity press felts and MultiTech dryer fabrics.

More uniform CD profile
In addition, the existing ModuleJet II headbox system in the backliner headbox will be extended by adding an OnQ Profilmatic CD profile control. OnQ Profilmatic can determine the proportion of random noise in the measurements. Its continuous dynamic profile mapping allows exact local assignment of the actuator control zones to the measured values. This results in more uniform CD profiles and therefore improved paper quality. On the Fourdrinier wire, the extensively proven HiVac high vacuum suction box will replace the previously used couch roll. The vacuum system helps reduce the paper machine’s energy consumption and increases the dry content of the paper web.

Saving resources in the white top and achieving optimum paper edge
EdgeExpert returns the white paper fibers to the appropriate system, ensuring that these fibers are preserved for use in the white top. EdgeDeckle S is the latest tool for controlling the edge in the wire section. It ensures a good paper edge with optimum profile quality.

Efficient cleaning systems for greater runability
The installation of cutting-edge cleaning systems like CleanLine Excell or ProLub improves runability and increases the total output of the PM 4. The permeability of the Voith clothing is maintained for longer, which results in a more homogeneous paper web. In addition, CleanLine Excell needs much less water than high-pressure showers and cleans so effectively that the use of chemical cleaners is much reduced or dispensed with altogether.

Safer reel change
The EcoChange W reel changing system, which works with traversing high-pressure water jet nozzles, is another component which has enabled Voith to achieve PKV’s specified goals like an increase in total output and improvement in the runability of the PM 4. The system enables efficient changing of the paper rolls and will be integrated as part of the adjustment of the Pope roller’s web width, resulting in minimal broke during reel changes.

In addition, Voith’s scope of supply also includes upgrading the air systems, adapting the dryer hood and drive technology, and automating the paper machine. In this context, the Voith team was also able to contribute its expertise in detail engineering and is supporting PKV with the approval of the plant in accordance with the German Federal Immission Control Act.

About the Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 19,000 employees, sales of € 4.2 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the large family-owned companies in Europe.

The Group Division Voith Paper is part of the Voith Group. As the full-line supplier to the paper industry, it provides the largest range of technologies, services, components and products on the market and offers paper manufacturers solutions from one single source. The company’s continuous stream of innovations takes papermaking to the next level and facilitates resource-conserving production. With its Servolution concept, Voith offers its customers tailored service solutions for all sections of the production process. Voith Papermaking 4.0 ensures that equipment is optimally connected, while the secure use of generated data enables paper manufacturers to improve plant availability and efficiency.

Sappi has appointed Kouris Kalligas as Head of Digital Transformation for Sappi Europe. Kouris started his career in Sappi in 2008 as a management trainee and then became the Supply Chain Service Manager for Sappi Europe. He then spent 5 years in Silicon Valley navigating the world of Venture Capitalists, gaining first-hand experience of running a tech start-up. 

Berry Wiersum, Sappi Europe’s CEO comments on three reasons as to why Sappi is ready for a Digital Transformation. ‘’One is driven by the market we operate in, one is driven by its own workforce, and the third one is driven by the desire to not only be good, but great.

1. The market Sappi operates in is a tough one. But over the last few years  we have done much to start winning in the graphics market  and we have  made big strides  to grow in our  Packaging & Specialities  business. . . However, markets continue to change and the digital revolution requires us to offer our customers the solutions they will be looking for in the future.

2. Sappi’s  workforce is ready to embrace new initiatives and digital solutions offer a new platform for innovation and efficiency. They give our workforce the opportunity to contribute to improving Sappi and make the company ready for the future.

3. In its long history Sappi has constantly adapted and transformed to meet the requirements of its customers and changing markets, so it is logical for us to invest in new technology as it’s developed. We firmly believe that Digital Transformation will play a positive role in the future dynamism of the company.”

In the coming years, Sappi aims to launch internal initiatives with the goal to empower its workforce with new methods & tools to do business, introduce a more connected experience with customers and seek partnerships across the value chain. 

Sappi has already launched Octoboost, a technology startup whose core mission is to develop innovative digital solutions for the print industry. Sappi is also implementing

transformative initiatives in Sales, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to take advantage of new technologies and applications in the world of Industry 4.0.

Kouris will play a key role in the navigating Sappi’s journey of digital transformation in the years ahead.

About Sappi

Sappi is a leading global provider of sustainable woodfibre products and solutions, in the fields of Dissolving wood pulp, Printing papers, Packaging and speciality papers, Casting and release papers, Biomaterials and Bio-energy. As a company that relies on renewable natural resources, sustainability is at our core. Sappi European mills hold chain of custody certifications under the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and/or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification™ (PEFC™) systems. Our papers are produced in mills accredited with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50 001 and OHSAS 18001 certification. We have EMAS registration at 8 of our 10 mills in Europe. 

Sappi Europe SA is a division of Sappi Limited (JSE), headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with 12,500 employees and 18 production facilities on three continents in nine countries, 37 sales offices globally, and customers in over 150 countries around the world.

Learn more about Sappi at www.sappi.com.