Sappi Fine Paper North America Achieves Triple Chain of Custody Certifications at All Coated Fine Paper Mills
Achieving SFI, FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody certifications underscores Sappi’s commitment to sustainable and responsible manufacturing

February 20, 2008 - Sappi Fine Paper North America is pleased to announce that its Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, Maine; Muskegon Mill in Muskegon, Michigan; and its Cloquet Mill in Cloquet, Minnesota have each achieved triple chain of custody certifications to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®, Forest Stewardship Council, and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification programs.  In addition, its Cloquet and Somerset Mills are also certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiatives’ Fiber Sourcing program. 

Sappi Fine Paper North America has worked diligently during the past 18 months to certify its three coated fine paper mills to the FSC, SFI and PEFC Chain of Custody standards, and renew certification to the 2005-2009 SFI® Standard, which was first achieved in 2004.  All certifications were achieved through independent third-party audits managed by Bureau Veritas Certification.

“Sappi has made a strong commitment to demonstrate our sustainable and responsible manufacturing and procurement practices to our valued customers.  With each of our coated fine paper mills certified to three Chain of Custody programs, we can offer our customers environmentally sound products that are Chain of Custody certified,” stated Mark Gardner, President and CEO, Sappi Fine Paper North America. “We are proud of our certification achievements with FSC, SFI and PEFC Chain of Custody certifications and are confident that we can meet our customers’ needs for an environmentally responsible paper manufacturer.”

In addition to multiple fiber sourcing and chain of custody forest sustainability certifications, Sappi also demonstrates its commitment to sustainable and responsible operations through many other initiatives, including:

• Offering Sappi products with Post-Consumer Waste fiber – Sappi products are available to be manufactured with at least 10% Post-Consumer recycled fiber.  Sappi is also pleased to announce that its new brand, Lustro Offset Environmental (LOE) offers 30% PCW content. In addition, Sappi is now offering 30% Post-Consumer Recycled fiber in its Opus web products.
  
• Limiting contribution to greenhouse gases – Sappi is reducing its use of fossil fuels and limiting contribution to the CO2 balance in greenhouse gases by generating green power at its mills. Over 78% of the power generated and consumed at Sappi Fine Paper North America’s mills is from renewable resources including hydro power, the burning of biomass and black liquor (recovered lignin from the wood used for pulp).
  
• Dedication to conserving natural resources – In the past five years, Sappi’s mills have reduced water usage by 18% per ton of product and reduced total energy use by over 22% per ton of product across all North American manufacturing sites.
  
• Sappi’s commitment to sustainable development – Sappi has a strong commitment to social responsibility – including the global Sappi Ideas that Matter program which, since 1999, has provided $1 M annually to help designers carry out projects that help the environment, health, education, science and social conditions.  In addition, Sappi supports AIDS prevention programs, youth at risk programs, a corporate wildlife conservation partnership with the New England Aquarium and sponsorship of educational programs on public television and radio.

Sappi Fine Paper North America’s sites that have achieved SFI Fiber Sourcing and/or SFI, FSC or PEFC Chain of Custody certifications are as follows:

Cloquet Mill, Cloquet, Minn. (FSC Chain of Custody BV-COC-060801; SFI Chain of Custody BV-SFICOC-US07000220;  PEFC BVC-PEFCCOC-US08000067; SFI Fiber Sourcing BV-SFIS-205583);
Muskegon Mill, Muskegon, Mich. (FSC Chain of Custody BV-COC-061202; SFI Chain of Custody BV-SFICOC-US08000078; PEFC Chain of Custody BV-PEFCCOC-US08000079);
Somerset Mill, Skowhegan, Maine (FSC Chain of Custody BV-COC-070510; SFI Chain of Custody BV-COC-209962-A; PEFC Chain of Custody BV-COC-209962-B; and SFI Fiber Sourcing BV-SFIS-205583);
Allentown Sheeting Facility, Allentown, Penn. (FSC Chain of Custody BV-COC-070406)

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America is the leading North American producer of coated fine paper used in premium magazines, catalogues, books and high-end print advertising.  Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Sappi Fine Paper North America is known for innovation and quality.  Its brand names, including McCoy, Lustro Offset Environmental, Opus, and Somerset, are some of the industry’s most widely recognized and specified.  SFPNA is a division of  Sappi Limited (NYSE:SPP), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa,  with manufacturing operations on four continents in nine countries, sales offices in 50 countries, and customers in over 100 countries around the world.   Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com.