Latest news with #SappiNorthAmerica
Business Wire
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sappi Casting and Release Announces New Textures and Collaborative Product Launch Ahead of
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and dissolving wood pulp, is preparing for the interzum 2025 exhibition with six new Ultracast textures and a new collaborative product launch. The exhibition will take place next week – May 20 – 23 – in Cologne, Germany. Visitors to the Sappi booth (Hall 6.1 Booth E-048) will be immersed in a sensory experience with surfacing solutions that demonstrate the impact of how we perceive and experience a variety of materials through natural looking design and our sense of touch. The decorative laminate texture six-pack will include new or recently launched textures, including: Canaletto: Canaletto is a new woodgrain texture with a natural, all-over design featuring meticulous details and a well-balanced rhythmic grain pattern. The realistic details, beautiful shimmer, and satiny touch make Canaletto stand out, evoking a soft, precise richness of noble wood. Circuit: The complex interconnections and patterns on electronic components inspire Circuit. Its peaks and valleys look like traces and pathways woven or etched onto its surface. When you examine its haptic surface more closely, you can see a delicate network of lines that resemble conductive routes punctuated by geometric shapes. City: City is an evolution of the Sappi texture Urban, with a refined stone character for a more contemporary appeal. With an expanded scale, softened and adapted to trendy stones like travertine and limestone, City is versatile and can beautifully fit many other décors like marble, concrete, clay and granite. Matte Luxor: Matte Luxor is a decorative laminate version of our textile texture Luxor. The dual gloss surface creates a woven appearance of squares and diamonds. The ultra-fine lines produce a warp-and-weft effect, adding an easy, subtle sheen to the surface design. Matte Luxor's haptic is reminiscent of a pleasing woven engineered finish. When touched, the technical texture has a multidirectional sensory effect: one direction has a gliding smoothness, and the other has a slight roughness. Mokka Vintage: Mokka Vintage exudes a bold, industrial aesthetic with its ultra-flat finish and intentionally weathered appearance. Mokka Vintage's dual finish creates extremes in light and dark qualities, giving the material a raw and rough edge. Deliberately incorporated subtle scuffs, scratches, and irregularities suggest a history of wear and resilience. Vita: Vita, our newest organic texture, features a nicely refined ribbed finish with subtle undulations that exhibit a vibrant play of glimmer and shadow, a vivid sheen that moves with the light. Vita enables unlimited design freedom in interiors with a surface that blends perfectly into the elevated aesthetics of industrial stainless steel and the expressive elegance of statement pieces. 'When creating new textures, we are constantly evaluating what is the most important to consumers – haptics, aesthetics, and function,' says Mark Hittie, Director of Release Business Strategy for Sappi North America. 'We are proud to showcase this new laminate texture six-pack, which combines design with performance. We strive to push the boundaries of texture, with the user experience always top of mind.' In addition to these six new textures, Sappi is announcing a collaborative product launch with Upco SRL. UpcoXtouch, Texture by Sappi, is a three-dimensional textured surfacing solution that provides high-wear and anti-fingerprint performance to decorative laminates, including worktops, countertops, and kitchen cabinetry. 'We strongly believe in this collaboration,' says Florian von Kuczkowski, COO of Upco SRL. 'Combining Upco's innovative functional coating solutions with Sappi's aesthetically pleasing and authentic-to-the-touch textures answers the need of laminators for a textured surface with highly functional properties.' UpcoXtouch will be featured at both Upco's and Sappi's booths during interzum 2025. Learn more about Sappi's Textures here. About Sappi North America, Inc. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi North America, Inc., is a leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that are used worldwide. Sappi NA has a corporate office in Portland, Maine and mills in Skowhegan and Westbrook, Maine, Cloquet, Minnesota, and Matane, Quebec, along with a dedicated Technology Center and Sheeting Facility. Sappi NA employs approximately 2,100 people in the United States and Canada. Sappi NA uses a renewable, recyclable natural source – woodfibre – to create packaging, specialty papers, graphic papers, and pulp that make everyday products more sustainable. Sappi supports sustainable forestry and sustainable manufacturing to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity and improve soil and water quality. Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. To learn more, visit
Business Wire
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sappi North America Releases Haptics Research Study Conducted in Collaboration with Clemson University
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sappi North America, Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today announced the release of 'The Touch Advantage,' a study with Clemson University exploring how touch affects our purchasing decisions and perceptions in the paper and packaging industry. 'The Touch Advantage' will launch May 7 at LUXE PACK New York 2025. The research study analyzes how multisensory packaging, especially the tactile elements, can significantly affect purchasing decisions, brand perception, and customer satisfaction. It specifically explores the correlations between touch and sales, the effects of premium packaging on consumer's perceptions of product quality, and sensory marketing's effects on post-purchase experiences, customer satisfaction and reviews. A few key findings include: Touch frequency and sales: Consumers are 50% more likely to purchase a product after touching its premium packaging just twice. The likelihood increases to 90% after four touches. Impact on e-commerce and unboxing: Premium packaging enhances customer satisfaction significantly, with 95% more positive emotions recorded during unboxing experiences compared to nonpremium packaging. Preference for premium packaging: In comparative tests, products with premium packaging were chosen three times more often than those with nonpremium packaging. ''The Touch Advantage' represents the culmination of years of research and innovation at Sappi North America,' said Patti Groh, Director of Communications at Sappi North America. 'This book not only showcases the power of touch in consumer decision-making but also positions Sappi as a leader in advancing the science of sensory marketing. We believe 'The Touch Advantage' will be a game-changer for brands looking to deepen their connection with consumers through thoughtfully designed, premium packaging.' This experiment was conducted in both retail and home environments, incorporating a combination of biometric analysis, eye-tracking technology and controlled consumer surveys. The study uncovers the impact of high-quality materials and tactile finishes in packaging (i.e., embossing, foil stamping, and gloss coatings) on consumer perceptions, shopping experiences and likelihood of purchase, as well as the impact of sensory-rich packaging elements in fostering stronger emotional connections with brands, leading to increased customer loyalty. 'Multisensory packaging is a key factor in marketing products, providing new challenges and opportunities for brand owners, converters, printers, and designers,' said Dr. R. Andrew Hurley, professor of packaging science at Clemson University and a key contributor to the study. 'Our research demonstrates the substantial impact that touch can have on consumer behavior and highlights the importance of investing in high-quality, tactile packaging.' The book presents empirical data and offers actionable strategies for brands looking to enhance their packaging and connect more deeply with consumers. It is a must-read for professionals in marketing, packaging design and consumer behavior, as well as anyone interested in the intersection of neuroscience and branding. To learn more, register for Sappi's upcoming webinar. About Sappi North America, Inc. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi North America, Inc., is a leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that are used worldwide. Sappi NA has a corporate office in Portland, Maine and mills in Skowhegan and Westbrook, Maine, Cloquet, Minnesota, and Matane, Quebec, along with a dedicated Technology Center and Sheeting Facility. Sappi NA employs approximately 2,100 people in the United States and Canada. Sappi NA uses a renewable, recyclable natural source – woodfibre – to create packaging, specialty papers, graphic papers, and pulp that make everyday products more sustainable. Sappi supports sustainable forestry and sustainable manufacturing to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity and improve soil and water quality. Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries. To learn more, visit
Associated Press
25-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Sappi North America CEO Michael Haws Named Mainebiz 2025 Business Leader of the Year
Sappi North America Inc., a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp, today announces its President and CEO Michael 'Mike' Haws has been recognized as a Mainebiz 2025 Business Leader of the Year in the CEO of the Year category. The Mainebiz Business Leaders of the Year awards recognize executives across Maine's industries who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment to economic growth in the state. The recognition highlights Haws' leadership in driving environmental innovation, workforce development and strategic investment, strengthening both Sappi's industry standing and its impact on Maine communities. Under Haws' leadership, Sappi North America continues to transform the pulp and paper industry through Project Elevate, a more than $400-million capital investment at the Somerset Mill. This initiative expands and converts Paper Machine No. 2 into a cutting-edge production line for fiber-based packaging, offering a renewable alternative to single-use plastics. Together with Sappi's broader environmental goals, Project Elevate positions the company as a leader in responsible manufacturing. 'Mike's leadership has been instrumental in Sappi's growth and transformation,' said Patti Groh, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Sappi North America. 'His vision has not only strengthened our business but deepened our roots in Maine, where our mills and our people play such an important role in the local economy and community fabric.' Beyond capital investment, Haws has championed employee engagement, safety and recruitment. Under his guidance, Sappi has maintained its EcoVadis Platinum rating for the fifth consecutive year, placing it in the top 1% of organizations globally for sustainability. He has also prioritized modern workforce strategies—including digital outreach and co-op programs—to ensure a strong pipeline of talent for the future of manufacturing. 'I'm honored to be named a Mainebiz 2025 Business Leader of the Year,' said Haws. 'This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire Sappi team, who continue to push boundaries in both innovation and environmental stewardship.' With major operations in Skowhegan, Westbrook and Portland, Sappi North America remains a key contributor to the state's economy and a long-time supporter of Maine's forestry sector. The Somerset Mill, alone, supports nearly 1,000 direct jobs and thousands more across the supply chain—from loggers and truck drivers to local businesses. Through continued reinvestment and partnerships such as the Maine Forestry Program, Sappi is helping shape a resilient and sustainable future for the state. For more information about Sappi North America and its sustainability initiatives, visit About Sappi North America, Inc. Sappi North America, Inc., headquartered in Boston, is a market leader in converting wood fiber into superior products that customers demand worldwide. Our four diversified businesses – high-quality Graphic Papers, Dissolving Pulp, Packaging and Specialty Papers – deliver premium products and services with consistent quality and reliability. Our high-quality Coated Printing Papers are used for premium magazines, catalogs, books, direct mail and high-end print advertising. We are a leading manufacturer of Dissolving Pulp, which is used in a wide range of products, including textile fibers and household goods. We deliver sustainable Packaging and Specialty Papers for luxury packaging and folding carton applications with our single-ply packaging brands and for the food and label industries with our specialty papers. We are one of the world's leading suppliers of Casting and Release Papers with lines for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries. Sappi North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 12,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 150 countries.
