Sappi Southern Africa
Sappi, founded in 1936, is a leading global provider of powerful everyday materials made from woodfibre-based renewable resources. As a diversified, innovative and trusted leader focused on sustainable processes and products, we seek to support a more circular economy and to build a thriving world. With operations in four key regions: South Africa, Europe, North America and Asia Sappi is powered by the expertise of more than 12,000 people.

Our product offering in SA includes dissolving pulp, packaging and specialities, graphic papers and forestry products. We generate shared value in the communities in which we operate, by investing in skills training and SMME development to boost employment and grow the economy.

Sappi in KZN
Saiccor Mill is situated 50 km south of the port of Durban in Umkomaas and is the company’s biggest production facility for Sappi Dissolving Pulp (DP). Acquired by Sappi in 1989, this signalled Sappi’s first entry into the global dissolving pulp (DP) market.

The mill has the capacity to produce approximately 890,000 tons of elemental chlorine-free (ECF) dissolving pulp (DP) per annum, mostly for the export market. This, combined with our dissolving pulp production at two of our other mills makes Sappi one of the world’s largest manufacturers of DP.

Branded as ‘Verve’, a large percentage of the DP we produce at the mill is sold globally into the rayon – Viscose Staple Fibres (VSF) and Lycocell (solvent spun fibres) – markets for use in textiles.

As global textile demand grows, driven by population growth, fashion and rising wealth in developing and emerging economies, the need to develop more climate-friendly solutions, derived from renewable materials that are not fossil-fuel based, drives the increasing market share for viscose and Lyocell. Fabrics made from cellulosic fibres differ from other feedstock fibres in that they are breathable, absorbent, recyclable and biodegradable. In addition, they provide a unique and appealing look, feel and drape.

Stanger Mill is unique in South Africa in that it uses bagasse (sugar cane waste) as its basic raw material in the manufacture of office paper and tissue wadding. Situated along the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, the mill is ideally situated to take advantage of the ready supply of bagasse from the neighbouring Gledhow Sugar Company.

The mill’s paper machine has a production capacity of 80,000 tons, while the tissue machine produces around 30,000 tons per annum. It also produces 60,000 tons of bleached bagasse pulp for its own consumption per annum.

Stanger Mill is home to the well-known office paper brand, Typek. This copier paper is an ultra-white multi-purpose paper. It is also acid and lignin free, archive friendly and has been engineered for all types of office equipment. The virgin fibre component is FSC™-certified and is derived from sustainable tree plantations.

Tissue wadding manufactured at the mill is made up of 60% bagasse. Sugar bagasse is a sustainable and renewable resource. The tissue wadding is sold to converters who use it for the creation of industrial and household tissue products.

The Tugela Mill is situated in the town of Mandeni near the Tugela River on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The mill, which has been in operation since 1954, produces 155,000 tons per annum of neutral sulphite semi-chemical pulp (NSSC) for our own consumption and with a capacity of 200,000 tons per annum, produces a range of Ultraflute Plus and Ultraflex corrugating medium manufactured from recycled and virgin fibre.

These products lead the way in packaging innovation in South Africa, offering high-performance container board, which allows customers to develop lightweight boxes. These boxes which retain their strength in cold storage conditions, make them suitable for the agricultural sector and they are used extensively in South Africa, particularly for the citrus export market.

During 2012, the Tugela Mill joined Sappi Biotech as a source of lignosulphonate, producing 25,000 tons per annum of lignosulphonate in powder form and 35,000 tons per annum of liquid product. Used in the manufacture of ready-mix concrete, pelletising of animal feed, pet food and fertilisers, the production of ceramics and clay bricks as a binding agent and in road dust management and soil stabilisation applications, our lignosulphonate product is an exciting addition to the mill’s product range.

We procure board and paper for recycling from an extensive network of agents across the country. From this source, the mill produces 60,000 tons of ReFibre for its own consumption per annum.

Sappi Forests
Sappi Forests has access to 394,000 hectares of owned and leased sustainably managed forests in South Africa.

All wood grown on Sappi-owned land and a large proportion grown on plantations managed by us is Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™)-certified. Sappi Southern Africa Forestry was also awarded the first ever Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certification in South Africa.

Approximately 136,000 hectares of our land is set aside and maintained by Sappi Forests to conserve the natural habitat and biodiversity found there, including indigenous forests and wetlands.