Sappi’s Laura Thompson Explains Why 2014 was a Pivotal Year of Change for the Paper Industry

For Sappi North America, 2014 may long be remembered as a pivotal year of change. We saw a merger of two of the biggest merchants in our supply chain as well as our two largest competitors. Coated paper markets struggled, a global economic slowdown hurt the sales of release papers, and dissolving pulp prices took a sharp downward turn. While it certainly had its challenges, 2014 was also a critical year for foundation building and refinement to position Sappi for the next generation.

Giving Waste New Meaning

The conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill to manufacture dissolving pulp resulted in increased quantities of lime mud due to the cooking requirements of this higher-purity pulp. The impact of this change can be seen in both the total solid waste to landfill and the tonnes of solid waste processed through the Cloquet Mill’s beneficial use program with local farmers.

Conserving Water in North American Mills

Sappi's North American mills use only surface water sources (rivers and lakes) and return treated water to the same primary source. (At Cloquet, we return the water to a publicly owned treatment facility, where it goes through additional purification and is then returned to Lake Superior.) We returned almost 93 percent of the water we used, creating a minimal water footprint.

Latest Campaigns

  1. Cascale Events
    Cascale organizes and participates in a series of events, leveraging its position as a global convener of close to half the sector to bring together...
  2. Goals That Inspire: Positive Social Impact
    Through our Goals That Inspire we strive to make a positive difference in our communities by relying on our ability to understand their needs and then...
  3. KeyBank's Community Investment
    In states where Key has a presence, there are approximately 1.7 million low- to moderate-income (LMI) households. Many LMI individuals don’t have bank...
  4. Nutrition and Health
    Focus on preventing and treating malnutrition across life stages. Highlights include early detection, community-based treatment (e.g., MUAC screening...
  5. Enriching Women's Lives
    60 years ago, Mary Kay Ash created an unparalleled opportunity for women to define their own successes and control their own futures. Her vision of...
  6. 2024-25 AMD CR Report
    AMD Commemorates 30 Years of Corporate Responsibility with 2024-25 Report
  7. Aflac Stories
    Get a closer look at the people, products and stories that make Aflac the company we know today.
  8. Investing in our Communities
    We invest in sustainable community outcomes that improve lives.
  9. Corporate Social Responsibility
    Whirlpool Corporation has several CSR partners including United Way, Habitat for Humanity International, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Consulada...
  10. Healthy Spaces Podcast: Season 5
    Welcome to Season 5 of Healthy Spaces by Trane Technologies, the podcast where experts and disruptors explore how climate technology and innovation...