Across North America, Sappi is helping build a thriving, sustainable world by unlocking the power of renewable resources to benefit people, communities, and the planet.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with a corporate office in Portland, Maine, our Somerset, Cloquet, Matane, and Westbrook Mills, along with our dedicated Technology Center and sheeting facility, employ approximately 2,056 people in the United States and Canada.
At the center of our business is a renewable, recyclable natural resource – woodfibre. We use this to create packaging, specialty papers, graphic papers, and pulp that make everyday products more sustainable. We support sustainable forestry and manufacturing to mitigate climate change, protect biodiversity and improve soil and water quality.
Sappi has made the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) an integral part of our business and we are committed to setting science-based targets for emission reduction in collaboration with the Science Based Targets Initiative. Our EcoVadis Platinum rating puts us in the top 1% of all companies surveyed across a broad range of social and environmental indicators.
Technology Center
The Westbrook Technology Center is a research and development location that houses approximately 50 technicians, engineers and scientists.
Sappi North America lead team
Mr Mike Haws
Mr Haws was named President and CEO of Sappi North America in 2019 and is responsible for leading all Sappi operations in the region. Previously he was the Vice President Manufacturing responsible for the Somerset, Cloquet and Allentown operations as well as the research and development facility. Mike joined Sappi in 2012 as Managing Director of the Somerset Mill. Prior to Sappi, he held a variety of operational roles with Verso Paper, International Paper and Champion International. Mike has over 30 years of experience in the paper industry and holds a BS in Paper Science and Engineering from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Age: 62
Qualifications: BS (Paper Science and Engineering)
Mr Paul Bortolan
After joining Sappi Europe in 1996, Mr Bortolan spent the next 22 years in a variety of business management, marketing, sales and finance roles within Sappi Europe and Sappi Southern Africa, including General Manager of Sappi Southern Africa’s paper business. In 2018, Paul joined Sappi North America as the Director Graphics Web and Coated Business. In 2020, he assumed the role of Director Packaging and Graphics and became accountable for all brand management, product management and marketing communications. Paul joined the Sappi North America executive leadership team in 2024 as VP of Research, Development and Sustainability. Paul is a University of South Africa graduate with a degree in business economics.
Age: 51
Qualifications: BCom (Business Economics)
Ms Annette Luchene
Ms Luchene was named Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2004. Annette is accountable for all finance, treasury and accounting functions, in addition to leading the Information Technology and Lean Six Sigma organizations. Annette joined Sappi in 1996 as Director Management Accounting and then Director Finance. Prior to her time at Sappi, she spent ten years with Packaging Corporation of America, a division of Tenneco and Ply Gem Industries, where she worked in various accounting and finance positions. Annette has an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago and a BS in Accounting from Northern Illinois University.
Age: 63
Qualifications: BS (Accounting), MBA
Ms Anne Ayer
In addition to managing Sappi North America’s pulp business since 2015, Ms Ayer became responsible for logistics and operations planning in 2018 and procurement in 2019. Anne's previous experience includes leading strategic and corporate development initiatives from 2006 through 2018 and serving as Chief Information Officer and Vice President Fiber Resources and Corporate Development. Prior to joining Sappi in 1996, she worked as a consultant at the Monitor Company, a strategic consulting firm. Anne has an MBA from Stanford University and a BA in Psychology from Harvard.
Age: 60
Qualifications: BA (Psychology), MBA
Ms Sarah Manchester
Ms Manchester was named Vice President Human Resources and General Counsel of Sappi North America in 2006. Sarah is responsible for leading the human resources and legal functions as well as government affairs and corporate communications. Since joining Sappi in 1997, Sarah has held a variety of roles, including Assistant General Counsel and Vice President and General Counsel. Prior to her time at Sappi, Sarah was an associate at the global law firm, Ropes & Gray. Sarah has a BA in History from Dartmouth College and a JD from Cornell Law School.
Age: 60
Qualifications: BA (History), JD
Mr Sean Wallace
Mr Wallace's impressive career in the fiber resources industry spans decades, starting at Sappi’s Westbrook Mill and progressing through roles at Appleton Coated and StoraEnso. Sean served as Managing Director for StoraEnso Suzhou Paper Company and held leadership roles at NewPage and Glatfelter. Since joining Sappi as Managing Director of the Somerset Mill in 2019, Sean has led the team to achieve unprecedented safety performance along with significant operational improvements. Sean holds a bachelor's degree from Penn State, a master's degree in Paper Science and Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.
Age: 59
Qualifications: BS (Chemistry), MS (Paper Science and Engineering), MBA
Mr Kirk Ross
Mr Ross is Vice President Manufacturing for Sappi North America, responsible for overseeing all manufacturing operations across the region. Kirk has more than 28 years of technical and manufacturing experience in the pulp and paper industry and has held leadership roles, including Director Manufacturing Services, Research & Development Director, and Director Marketing Brand Management, as well as multiple manufacturing positions at the Somerset Mill. Kirk has led major capital projects such as Project Elevate, the conversion and expansion of paper machine 2 for packaging applications, and Project Balance, which converted paper machine 1 for packaging. Kirk holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maine.
Age: 50
Qualifications: BS (Chemical Engineering)
How we apply ourselves
Our mills are where we practice what we preach – explore their operations and certifications.
Cloquet Mill
Our integrated pulp and paper mill in Cloquet, Minnesota, is the most modern pulp mill operating in the US. By utilizing Continuous Batch Cooking, we are able to achieve extended delignification while maintaining high yield and strength properties.
Matane Mill
Near the St. Lawrence River in the Matane region of Quebec, the Matane Mill is the newest addition to the Sappi North America family.
The pulp produced here is a high-quality, high-yield bleached chemi-thermo mechanical pulp (BCTMP) made from either Aspen or Maple hardwood.
Somerset Mill
Located on 2,500 acres of land in central Maine, our Somerset Mill is an integrated pulping and papermaking operation where we manufacture graphic papers, packaging and label papers and bleached chemical pulp. the latest technology.
Westbrook Mill
The Westbrook Mill, originally purchased by Samuel Dennis Warren in 1854, became the manufacturing hub for the S.D. Warren Company, a pioneer in coated printing papers. It later transformed into the world's leading producer of casting and release papers.