2 INDUSTRY NEWS


Sappi details mill projects in Europe as part of growth strategy


A


s part of its growth strategy, Sappi is aiming to be the lowest- cost producer and


best service provider in graphic papers and to widen its range of packaging and speciality papers with a number of mill upgrade projects in Europe and the US. Within Sappi Europe’s Vision2020 mission, the projects include equipment upgrades and producti on effi ciencies at its Alfeld and Ehingen Mills in Germany, its Lanaken Mill in Belgium and its Maastricht Mill in The Netherlands. All will be undertaken between 2017 and 2019.


Sappi Europe, part of the


internati onal Sappi Ltd, will aim to grow its packaging and speciality papers business by converti ng its Maastricht Mill to a high-quality solid-bleached-board (SBB) facility and by expanding the lightweight packaging and speciality papers capacity of its Alfeld Mill by 10,000 tons per year. It is expected that the SBB business at Maastricht Mill will grow to 150,000 tons per year in the next three years. The displaced graphic paper volumes will be transferred to other mills. The rapid growth of Sappi


Europe’s packaging and speciality


Pulp Paper & Logistics


Plan for


Tissue 2017 in Florida


Registrati on has opened for the Tissue 2017 Conference and Expo, co-produced between TAPPI and RISI and held in Miami, Florida from 3-6 October. The event brings together


ti ssue industry professionals to discuss market trends, product and manufacturing innovati ons, and the latest industry challenges.


Sappi’s Alfeld mill in Germany: expansion for lightweight packaging and speciality papers


papers capacity will also be supported by the Ehingen Mill, whilst the PM8 machine at the Lanaken Mill will progressively transiti on to coated wood-free producti on over the next three years in line with the expected decline in the coated mechanical market. Chief executi ve of Sappi Europe


Berry Wiersum said: “We are delighted to have received strong support from Sappi’s board. These projects will enable us to make bett er use of our assets to drive


growth in speciality papers, as well as to reduce by 2020 our coated graphic papers capacity by about 200,000 tons.” Steve Binnie, chief executi ve of South Africa-based Sappi Limited added: “Our focus has always been to build and strengthen competi ti ve advantage. Taken as a whole, these investments take advantage of our manufacturing base and the skills and knowledge of our people to enhance the potenti al of the mills, setti ng us on a strong course for the future.”


Tissue 2017 will feature a number of sessions on technical and operati onal aspects of the business to help improve effi ciency and encourage innovati on. Many of the presentati ons will be by industry experts and fi nancial analysts who will provide a holisti c view of the market, and will discuss recent trends and future growth prospects for the global ti ssue industry as well as key regional developments. Att endees will also have the opportunity to learn from a panel of leaders from North and South America, a customer panel that will give a buyer’s perspecti ve, and a poster forum presenti ng the ti ssue industry’s latest academic and insti tuti onal research projects.


Thorold paper mill in Ontario to be idled


Canada’s Resolute Forest Products has idled indefi nitely its Thorold paper mill in Ontario. The facility has an annual capacity of around 197,000 metric tons of newsprint with one machine, using 100 percent recycled furnish. The paper maker said the


March/April 2017


decision was driven by the “ongoing signifi cant decline in North American newsprint consumpti on, coupled with the increasing cost of recovered paper”. Resolute is collaborati ng with Stone House Investments


Holdings, an independent third party interested in converti ng Thorold to producti on of an alternati ve product. Resolute recognises the impact of today’s announcement and believes conversion of the mill would provide a more sustainable future


for the operati on, its workforce and the surrounding community. The company says it remains


committ ed to customer service and delivery of high-quality products, and that it is working closely with customers to ensure a smooth transiti on.


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