Page 107 - KZN Top Business Portfolio 2021/22- eBook

change and we’re at the forefront of technological back to our nurseries where we find ways to grow trees
innovation. By investing in an ambitious programme of better. It is about excellence all along the value chain
research and development, we’ll continue to unlock the from forests to mechanisms to better extract dissolving
true potential of sustainable renewable resources, with pulp to shipping our product to our customers.”
woodfibre at our core. This commitment means we can Craig Daniel, who heads up Sappi Saiccor’s Environ-
diversify our product offering and meet future demand mental Management and Risk Department, said the
in areas such as bio-energy and pharmaceuticals in this new plant would reduce water consumption, effluent
current carbon-constrained age.
to sea, sulphur dioxide emissions and allow Saiccor
Sappi Southern Africa Mill to use its own wood byproducts to make it almost
Sappi Southern Africa operates five mills and has energy neutral, meaning minimal use of external power.
a combined production capacity of 102,000m³ Sappi has advanced environmental monitoring and is
of structural lumber, 690,000 tons of paper, constantly working to reduce its impact.
633,000 tons of paper pulp and over a million tons Vulindlela is described as a ‘closed-loop system’ and
of dissolving pulp per annum. The pulp purchased by improved technology means fossil fuel emissions will
our European business is effectively hedged by Sappi be cut in half, gas emissions will be reduced by 40%,
Southern Africa being a net seller of pulp. water efficiency will be increased by 17% and waste to
We are also the world’s largest manufacturer of landfill reduced by about 50%.
dissolving wood pulp (DWP), from our two mills in Dr Tracy Wessels, Sappi’s General Manager for Group
Southern Africa (Saiccor and Ngodwana Mills) which Sustainability & Research and Development, said
is used worldwide by converters to create viscose Vulindlela was indicative of the company’s commitment
fibre for fashionable clothing and textiles, acetate to sustainability.
tow, pharmaceutical products as well as a wide range
of consumer and household products. Almost all the “We are a bioproducts company that uses sustainably-
production of our mills in South Africa is exported. sourced wood. Our forests are fully sustainable and
internationally certified. A third of our land is dedicated
Unlike many synthetic raw materials, the product to conservation and we are committed to a 10%
supplied by Sappi Dissolving Wood Pulp is produced annual increase in biodiversity on our land. But, our
from a natural and renewable resource. The timber sustainability extends well beyond our forests. Our
consumption of Saiccor Mill and Ngodwana Mills is entire raw materials supply comes from companies
comprised primarily of eucalyptus hardwoods. These that have sustainable practices along their value
fast-growing trees are grown in relative proximity to chain. And our sustainability is also about people. We
the mills, which contribute to the business’ position as a have a shared commitment to overcoming the social
competitive producer of dissolving wood pulp. challenges we have in South Africa, especially in the
Project Vulindlela communities we operate.”
Our current combined R7,7 billion investment at Sappi When Project Vulindlela was first announced during
Saiccor Mill in Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal, known as the Presidential Investment Conference in 2018, Sappi
Project Vulindlela, is aimed at increasing capacity, said annual cost savings attributable would be at least
improving global competitiveness and significantly R300 million and foreign currency earnings would be
reducing the environmental footprint, along with about R1.3 billion.
equipment and process upgrades. The project
expansion and upgrades will include a new evaporator,
recovery boiler, screening and washing plant, as well
as upgrades to the bleach plant and pulp machines,
improved recovery circuits and additional magnesium
digesters.
Sappi Saiccor General Manager, Dr Beverley Sukhdeo,
said the investment in new technology increased
production to cater for international demand for Sappi
products, but it would also have a profound effect on
sustainability.
“Our business is based on the value of unlocking natural
resources in a way that is holistic; getting as much
benefit from the tree as possible and working towards
a circular economy. This extends from this plant right Sappi Saiccor General Manager, Dr Beverley Sukhdeo

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