Displaying items by tag: sappi

“The industry is serious about sustainability in print.” This was Sappi Fine Paper Europe’s take-home message following its participation in EcoPrint 2012 (www.ecoprintshow.com), positioned as the world’s first exhibition and event 100% focused on sustainable print business.
 
With approximately 2500 visitors to the EcoPrint show in Berlin, it was clear that those attending brought knowledge and experience with them, and were present with a purpose i.e. to embrace sustainable development, and to obtain accurate and honest information about sustainability in the print industry. There is a real opportunity, and a need, for Sappi and the industry to continue to drive and promote sustainability, and to maintain paper’s image as a sustainable product. Faced with a myriad of alternative forms of communication to paper, collaboration, supported by clear and strong messaging, is essential.
 
Jens Kriete, Environmental Manager at Sappi said, “Credit goes to the organisers of the EcoPrint initiative which prompts and encourages collective thought and action on the key topic of sustainability in our industry.”
 
As Education sponsor, Sappi had a vested interested in the success of the event, and was delighted with the outcome.
 
Eric Van den Bruel, Marketing & Product Development Director said, “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We want to share our experience, and continue to learn from others hence our strong interest in the Ecoprint initiative. Working together we believe we can make a positive impact on our industry’s reputation.”
 
To understand more about Sappi’s strong position and track record on sustainability, we invite you to watch a short video narrated by Jens Kriete, Environmental Manager, Sappi Fine Paper Europe:
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Sappi Southern Africa today embarked on an official Section 189 engagement process with staff at its Tugela Mill in Mandeni on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast regarding its decision to mothball the PM4 paper machine from 01 January 2013. In total just over 400 staff have received Section 189 notices, although the eventual number of positions that will be impacted by the mothballing of PM4 will be substantially lower. This will only be known at the conclusion of the consultation period of 60 days. Sappi remains committed to its approach that retrenchments are a last resort, and as such will work with staff to investigate options to minimise retrenchments.
 
Despite on-going corrective actions and interventions to address increased energy, labour and raw materials costs, the Tugela Mill has not delivered acceptable financial returns over the past number of years. In recent times the competitiveness of the mill has further been challenged by overcapacity in the local paper market, an influx of imported products, weak demand for certain papers and depressed selling prices.
 
Initial actions taken during 2011 and 2012 to return Tugela Mill to profitability, included closing one paper machine (PM3), closing down the KCD (Kraft Continuous Digester) pulp circuit, right-sizing the mill to service the remaining assets and ceasing the production on PM4 of Sackkraft products, many of which will be moved to Sappi’s Enstra Mill. PM 4 is currently manufacturing lightweight containerboard products which have been very well received by the market, however the current cost structure and market conditions do not allow PM4 to operate profitably.
 
This decision will enable Tugela Mill to reposition its cost structure and ensure the sustainability of its other paper machine (PM2) which produces a range of fluting and liner products. 
 
Sappi is confident, given current market conditions, that sufficient capacity exists to meet all local containerboard requirements. No disruptions in supply to customers are anticipated as a result of this decision. Sappi believes that when market conditions improve it will be in a position to restart PM4.
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Sappi Alfeld Mill to refocus production to meet strong growth in demand from the Release Liner and Flexpack paper markets. Coated paper production to be moved to other Sappi Mills in Europe.
 
In response to strong growth and positive market forecasts for the packaging market, Sappi Fine Paper Europe has begun the process of converting its Sappi Alfeld Mill in Germany to focus exclusively on producing one-sided coated paper for packaging, labels and technical applications. The project will take 12 months to complete.
 
At the same time, Sappi will actively manage its graphic paper capacity by transferring the current coated paper production of the Sappi Alfeld Mill to other Sappi Mills in Europe in close consultation with these customers. This action will further improve Sappi’s cost position in coated woodfree paper in Europe and elsewhere.
 
The strong growth and improved margins in this market are due to the growth in the demand for paper packaging and a lack of standardization; high degree of customization; and the long qualification times imposed by customers. Sappi has also been successful in the development of innovative and sustainable solutions for this market in close cooperation with end-use customers and converters.
 
Commenting on the conversion, Sappi Fine Paper Europe CEO Berry Wiersum said: “Our decision is in line with the Sappi group strategy to invest in higher growth and higher margin businesses. In addition, it will further improve Sappi’s cost position in coated woodfree paper in Europe and elsewhere.”
 
The decision will entail the conversion of paper machine number 2 (PM2) from producing 150,000 tons of coated fine paper per annum to producing 135,000 tons per annum of speciality paper. Paper machines 1, 3, 4 and 5 at Sappi Alfeld Mill already produce jointly 165,000 tons of speciality paper and board per year.
 
Once the conversion is complete, the Sappi Alfeld Mill will benefit from increased margins, improved quality, increased efficiencies on raw material consumption and an optimized fixed cost profile. The mill will become the biggest and lowest cost producer of these one-sided coated speciality grades globally; with the converted PM2 the fastest and most productive speciality machine in the world.  The PM2 product range will focus on one-sided coated grades from 40 – 180gsm for packaging, technical purposes, liner and label applications.
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ZellstoffLenzing AG, global market leader for man-made cellulose fibers, is intensifying its longstanding cooperation with the paper and pulp group Sappi. Both companies have concluded a multi-year pulp delivery contract at comparable terms and conditions with pricing linked to paper pulp as in the existing supply contract. The agreement is related to the construction of new dissolving pulp capacities by Sappi.

Sappi is the world’s largest manufacturer of dissolving pulp with an annual capacity of 800,000 tons at present growing to 1.3 million tons. Dissolving pulp is used in producing cellulose fibers, amongst other purposes. The raw material is wood mainly derived from certified eucalyptus plantations. Lenzing has already been sourcing high quality pulp for its non-integrated fiber production plants in Indonesia, China, Europe and the USA for several decades, including from the Sappi Group.

source: Lenzing AG

Published in European News

Performance-based maintenance agreement will ensure increased mill equipment reliability and energy efficiency

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has been awarded a five-year Maintenance Improvement Agreement by Sappi to manage and improve all maintenance activities at their Nijmegen abb newfine paper mill in the Netherlands.

Under the performance-based agreement, ABB will manage all maintenance operations to improve overall productivity and equipment reliability at the mill, and retain and further develop all existing maintenance staff and management. ABB will also help the mill to reduce its energy consumption while achieving these production efficiencies.

“This Maintenance Improvement Agreement highlights ABB’s capabilities in providing comprehensive service solutions for the industrial sector. Our innovative approach to performance-based services ensures improved production and equipment performance, energy efficiency and reliability for the entire facility,”said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. 

Sappi’s Nijmegen mill is a producer of coated fine paper located in the middle of its core market. At the Nijmegen Mill, Sappi aims to generate the economic returns necessary to maintain a sustainable business while they minimize their impact on the environment, encourage the development of people and contribute to the communities in which they operate.

“We are confident that together with ABB we will achieve an improvement in paper machine performance reliability and efficiency that, in turn, enables us to better and predictably serve our customers with great product. Equally important, we aim to provide a work environment that allows growth and achievement for our people.” says Wayne Thomas, Mill Director at Sappi Nijmegen.

Under the agreement, ABB also will focus on process optimization and equipment lifecycle management at the site, as well as manage all maintenance related third-party subcontractors and suppliers. 

With more than 100 Full Service® agreements with customers in Pulp & Paper, Mining, Metals, Chemicals and other industries globally, ABB best practices and expertise improves the performance, reliability and energy efficiency of production assets, increasing plant efficiency and optimizing total maintenance cost while reducing environmental impact.

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Sappi Nijmegen, PM 7 in Netherlands has ordered press and dryer section modification by EV Group

The project includes stabilizing technology, tail threading equipment and machine geometry updates for the press section.

In the single felted section, the 1st and the 2nd dryer will be optimized with EV EasyOne high release web stabilizers and with new air systems, felt rolls and stretchers. In EV EasyOne concept, three high release web stabilizers will be installed above the existing dryers, which will be drilled for vacuum rolls on site.

The drying section optimization also includes EVdf Web Stabilizers and air equipment for the 3rd dryer group.

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Metso will supply a new fiberline for chemical cellulose for Sappi’s Ngodwana mill in South Africa. Start-up is scheduled for the first half of 2013. The value of the order will not be disclosed.

Metso’s delivery will include the design and supply of the main equipment for the new fiberline, from cooking to bleaching. The batch cooking plant is to be designed according to the prehydrolysis process and TwinRoll wash presses will be used in all washing positions.

The equipment to be supplied, together with Metso’s experience and know-how of this type of special pulp, will enable Sappi to produce high-quality chemical cellulose pulp for the growing market.

The new fiberline will produce around 215,000 air dried tonnes chemical cellulose hardwood pulp per year. In addition to the cooking plant and fiberline which will be new, Metso will also supply equipment for the upgrade of wood handling, evaporation and recausticizing as well as a new ash leaching system.

The main part of the order is included in Paper and Fiber Technology’s third quarter 2011 orders received and the evaporation and ash leaching equipment delivery in Energy and Environmental Technology’s third quarter 2011 orders received.

Sappi is today the world’s largest producer of chemical cellulose with a production capacity of approx. 815,000 air dried tonnes per year from the Saiccor mill. The Ngodwana mill located in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa will convert all of its market pulp production to chemical cellulose.

Published in Press Releases

Sappi Southern Africa has today announced it will shut down its Adamas paper mill in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The permanent closure of the mill is expected to be finalised at the end of August. This brings to a conclusion the process announced on 24 May 2011 to investigate the continued operation of the mill.

Sappi Southern Africa has concluded an agreement with its Adamas mill employee representatives and redundancy notices have been issued to staff which specifies redundancy terms and includes provisions for outplacement and training support for all employees, to ensure that people have the best possible opportunity to secure new employment. The Adamas mill employed 213 people.

The mill has operated in Port Elizabeth for 47 years. Alex Thiel, CEO of Sappi Southern Africa commented: "As I mentioned when we began the consultation process, we fully recognise and commend the enormous efforts that employees and mill management have put in to try to make the mill competitive and to find a way to create a future for the mill. Unfortunately these efforts have been unsuccessful. We recognize this is a difficult decision affecting our employees, their families and the local communities and we would like to thank all of them for their hard work and support. Unfortunately this action became necessary to address the severe cost pressure that we are facing and the uncompetitive nature of this old and small mill.”

The volumes produced at the mill have been transferred to Sappi Enstra and Sappi Tugela mills.

We expect to take a charge of approximately US$5 million in respect of these closure costs in the fourth financial quarter ended September 2011.

Sappi will maintain its presence in the Eastern Cape as regards marketing and sales as well as the collection and purchase of collected fibre (used for recycled paper) through Sappi ReFibre.

Forestry investment

Furthermore Sappi, in partnership with AsgiSA-EC have developed a joint proposal with a strategic goal of accelerating the establishment and management of 30,000ha of commercial tree plantations by 2020 in the Eastern Cape. It is anticipated that these partnerships will be developed between Sappi and communities that hold land rights, with Sappi being the “implementation partner” as a provider of technical, managerial and administrative support to the community businesses. This development is expected to create 1,400 direct and permanent unskilled jobs and a further 125 jobs for skilled workers. Using industry trends, it is expected that some four to five indirect jobs would be created for each direct job, meaning a further almost 8,000 jobs. In rolling out the project, Sappi and AsgiSA-EC have already developed close to 150ha in conjunction with the Mkambathi and Sinawo communities.

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Sappi Fine Paper North America announced that Melching, Inc. has purchased the Muskegon Mill site, a former pulp mill, paper mill, and converting facility in Muskegon, Michigan. Sappi permanently ceased operations at the site in August 2009 due to industry and economic conditions. Melching is currently reviewing plans to redevelop the site for a variety of industrial uses.

"Sappi Fine Paper North America selected Melching, Inc. as the buyer based on its expertise and successful track record in addressing industrial sites, strong long term relationships in the local area and robust redevelopment plans," said Anne Ayer, Vice President, Corporate Development and Chief Information Officer

Melching, Inc. is a demolition, dismantling, and industrial remediation services company located in Nunica, Michigan. Sanabe & Associates, LLC, acted as financial advisor to Sappi for the transaction.

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altTarget for the investment is to further enhance end product quality and increase raw material savings which, among other benefits, will also have a positive environmental impact.

Metso will supply four modern Metso IQ systems to replace four aging quality control systems in three separate Sappi mills in Europe. The delivery includes a total of twelve scanners for three paper machines in Stockstadt and Maastricht as well as one coater in Alfeld, the latter also including four Metso IQ Coating Profilers.

The replacements are planned for August, September and December 2011.

Sappi Fine Paper Europe is the leading producer of coated fine paper in Europe with an annual capacity of approximately 4 million tons of coated and uncoated paper brands.

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