Sappi Highlights Comprehensive Global Solutions at Pack Expo 2016

BOSTON - (November 3, 2016) - Sappi Packaging and Speciality Papers, a leading producer and global supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, today announced that it will be showing its full range of specialty and packaging grades at the 2016 Pack Expo International in Chicago, November 6-9, 2016. Sappi is committed to offering customers high-quality, innovative and sustainable specialty products via its robust global network.

“We are excited to present again at Pack Expo this year,” said Mark Odgers, Director of Packaging, Sappi North America. “As we continue to grow our business on a global scale, it is important that our customers have access to Sappi’s full product offerings across regions. With our diverse product portfolio, we have the ability to help brands stand apart from the crowd. We continue to heavily invest in our infrastructure with our renewed focus on innovation, very high and consistent quality, increased capacity, and a promise to bring breakthrough products to market each year, which is a significant achievement in our industry.”

Sappi is excited to present new advancements to some of its most popular grades at this year’s Pack Expo. Sappi has recently restructured its containerboard product range to provide new and improved solutions for the corrugated cardboard market. This includes the bright white Fusion topliner as well as corrugating liner & fluting Ultraflute. Fusion topliner is unique in the containerboard market. Compared with other topliners on the market, it has an outstanding surface finish. This is reflected in its exceptional color brilliance with high-shelf impact for excellent brand differentiation. Fusion topliner also enables significant cost savings when it comes to finishing.  A heavy duty semi-chemical flute, UltraFlute demonstrates strength and durability and is ideally suited for high-end market applications that endure rigorous conditions throughout the supply chain.

Sappi saw two advancements in its packaging grades this year in North America. First was the expansion of its LusterCote product line to include heavyweight options. This provides press operators, brand owners and graphic designers with superior performance on a wide range of coated one-side (C1S) applications, including litho labels, envelopes, book dust jackets, set up boxes and point-of-purchase displays and now banderole. This complements the 55 and 60lb grades that were introduced the previous year, primarily targeting the cut & stack market.

Sappi also introduced the McCoy Gift Card 28pt to its McCoy line in North America. Brand owners may now ensure brand consistency throughout all marketing efforts by using the entire McCoy paper line for their printing needs. McCoy gift cards allow for effortless design defined by the details, durability for daily use, and production through renewable resources that help reduce environmental impact.

Introduced earlier this fall at FachPack, Sappi will also be showcasing its premium packaging line, Algro Design. The award-winning Algro Design is typically used for folding cartons containing high-quality products such as cosmetics, perfume, premium chocolate and confectionery. The bleached cellulose carton helps convey the value of the end-product to the consumer.

A new endeavor for Sappi, functional papers with integrated barriers will be a hot topic at the booth. Functional papers from Sappi provide paper-based packaging solutions with integrated functionality. Algro Guard OHG is an innovative paper-based packaging solution with high barrier functionality and heat seal characteristics. It has been developed for flexible packaging applications and features integrated barriers against oxygen, grease, water vapors and mineral oil mixtures. Integrated barriers eliminate the need for special coating or lamination to maintain the flexibility of paper-based packaging. The paper reflects market demand for alternatives to foil and plastic materials, reducing costs as well as environmental impact. In addition, Algro Guard features heat seal characteristics, removing the need for additional sealants. More than 80 percent of this paper-based packaging solution is made up of renewable materials.

Sappi continues to reinvest in its packaging and specialty grades, including its Algro Sol silicone base papers. Sappi is now reinforcing the performance capabilities and benefits of its release liner portfolio with several investments and activities. Together with increased production capacities, a long-term and sustainable supply is ensured to meet the demands of a dynamically changing marketplace.

Sappi is proud to be recognized for its excellence in packaging grades and specialty papers this year with The German Packaging Award for its Functional Papers, and the Printing News Top Product Award in the Consumables, Packaging Substrates category for its Heavyweight LusterCote packaging.

“The recognition we received this year is particularly important to us, not just because of the standard it sets in the industry, but also because it shows that our customers believe in our products and our innovative approach to the industry,” said Thomas Kratochwill, Vice President of Sales & Marketing Packaging and Speciality Papers, Sappi Europe.

To learn more about Sappi’s packaging grades and specialty papers, please visit: https://www.sappi.com/packaging-and-speciality-papers

Sappi representatives will be available at booth #E-10328 during Pack Expo International in Chicago to discuss the company’s full product offerings November 6-9.

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 Graphic 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 Graphic 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. Our 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. Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com.