Sappi Wins 2016 AF&PA Award for Energy Efficiency, Greenhouse Gas Reduction

WASHINGTON, D.C. — November 15, 2016 — The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has recognized Sappi North America with the 2016 AF&PA Leadership in Sustainability Award for Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Reduction for its Hood Heat Recovery Project at Somerset. The award was presented at AF&PA’s annual meeting on Friday, Nov. 11 in Cary, N.C.

“Sappi’s Hood Heat Recovery Project at Somerset is a shining example of how improvements to industry infrastructure can benefit the environment as well as the bottom line,” explains AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman.

Sappi’s Somerset Mill in Maine reduced its energy-associated footprint and costs through updates that enable the mill to capture wasted heat and use it to heat water for the manufacturing process. The modifications have resulted in lower operating costs, fossil fuel use, purchased electricity, waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We thank AF&PA for recognizing the achievements of Sappi and our Somerset Mill in particular,” comments Sappi North America President and CEO Mark Gardner. “Reducing energy allows us to maintain a cost-competitive position, which in turn helps us to reinvest in our operations, creating a positive multiplier effect within the local community, while helping the environment.”

Designed to recognize exemplary sustainability programs and initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry, AF&PA’s annual sustainability awards are given based on the merit of entries received across multiple categories.

Projects that support progress toward the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goals qualify for recognition in the “Leadership” category, which has five subcategories that correspond to the goals: Paper Recovery for Recycling, Energy Efficiency/Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Sustainable Forest Management, Safety, and Water. The “Innovation in Sustainability” award is reserved for projects that merit recognition for their contribution to sustainable business practices, not one of the goals specifically.

AF&PA’s  2016 Sustainability Report showed that the U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry has made significant, measurable progress toward achieving its Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goals.

For more information, visit sustainability.afandpa.org.

About AF&PA
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry’s sustainability initiative — Better Practices, Better Planet 2020. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 4% of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures over $200 billion in products annually, and employs approximately 900,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 45 states.

About Sappi North America
Sappi North America, headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. The success of our four diversified businesses — high quality Coated Printing Papers, Specialised Cellulose, Release Papers and Specialty Packaging — is driven by strong customer relationships, best-in-class people and advantaged assets, products and services. Our high quality Coated Printing Papers, including McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are the key platform for premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Specialised Cellulose used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods, and one of the world's leading suppliers of Release Papers with our Ultracast, PolyEX, Classics and Neoterix lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries. Its Specialty Packaging products, such as LusterPrint and LusterCote, represent an important asset in the food packaging and labeling industries. Customers rely on Sappi for high technical, operational and market expertise; products and services delivered with consistently high quality and reliability; and, state-of-the-art and cost-competitive assets and innovative spirit.

Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 13,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world.

Source: AF&PA.