COURTESY OF SAPPI NORTH AMERICA
Paper permeates nearly every aspect of our lives—it’s in our clothes, our cars, our pantries and, of course, our mailboxes. Sappi North America is at the forefront of innovation and sustainability to meet consumer demands, especially when it comes to creating new paper and packaging products to replace or minimize the use of plastic.
Sappi has made strategic investments in excess of $600 million to expand into the packaging business at our Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, including the rebuild and conversion of Paper Machine 2, which will make it the most modern and technologically advanced machine in the industry and double our capacity to produce sustainable paperboard. These investments position us to meet the robust demand in North America for a more environmentally sustainable alternative to plastic packaging. Our paperboard is used in premium packaging for a variety of goods and food-service items, such as plates, dishes and cups that are a sustainable alternative to Styrofoam.
With such forward-thinking investments, Sappi epitomizes the legacy of innovative papermaking in Maine, where it all started with our invention of coated paper 150 years ago. Sappi’s history of investing in sustainability, new technology and state-of-the-art machinery led us naturally to the packaging business.
Sappi scores highly with third-party organizations that rate sustainability in the pulp and paper industry, and we are committed to procuring materials from suppliers who operate within sustainability standards. We emphasize how our active forest-management process leaves forests better than when we found them, noting that Maine has more forest land now than it did 100 years ago.
Due to our innovative leadership, Sappi keeps its eye on the future. Investments and capital flowing to our mills in Maine ensures the company’s long-term viability. The massive investments in Somerset Mill are truly setting us up for the next generation and beyond.
Sappi is a leading global company in the pulp and paper industry with offices and mills in Boston, Maine, Minnesota, South Africa, Europe and more. The company is driven by our vision to bring unity to all Sappi locations and pursue growth opportunities in the wood fiber industry. The work here is challenging and interesting, and the pay is competitive. But most importantly, Sappi is full of seasoned engineers ready to mentor younger staff.
Sappi works closely with the University of Maine’s Pulp and Paper Foundation to support students who express an interest in the pulp and paper industry, ensuring the next generation of paper engineers is the best and brightest. We work with local institutions to offer competitive co-op programs and career development opportunities.
Our 130 local engineers come from a variety of institutions, including the University of Maine, Maine Maritime, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and more.
For hundreds of years, the paper industry has been a staple of Maine’s economy, and Sappi North America’s mills and offices in Skowhegan, Westbrook and Portland have remained a bright spot throughout that time. Our company has set the gold standard for environmental practices, and we continuously update our processes to drive innovation and sustainability.
For more information or to talk with someone about joining our team, visit www.sappi.com.
Engineers Week
