A powerful new approach at Ngodwana Mill

Climate change is here to stay and the search is on for sources of renewable energy.

This is where the 25 MW Ngodwana Energy biomass power plant at Ngodwana Mill comes in. The plant, which is currently under construction and in which Sappi has a 30% stake, will use biomass from surrounding plantations to generate power that will feed into the national grid.

Ngodwana Energy will use biomass from surrounding plantations to generate power.

Creating shared value impact

Our vision of a thriving world is based, among other things, on the creation of responsibly sourced and sustainable solutions as viable alternatives to fossil-based products and on helping local communities prosper. This initiative emphasises our focus on sharing value with our stakeholders in the following ways:

ZAR15 billion direct value add over 20 years.
44% local spend of ZAR1.5 billion project costs
350 people employed during construction.
91% empowerment spend as a percentage of total procurement spend.
ZAR400 million allocated to small, medium and micro enterprises and ZAR200 million to women vendors in terms of preferential procurement spend.
The collection of biomass from surrounding plantations will create around 50 new jobs.
The total electricity produced will support 20,000 households.
The operations and maintenance of the boiler will create 130 new jobs.

Significant value add includes 91% empowerment spend.

Ngodwana Mill

Ngodwana Mill has been in operation since 1966 and entered the dissolving pulp (DP) market in 2013 with the conversion of part of the mill’s paper grade pulp production to DP.

Our sustainability targets for a thriving world

We’re unlocking the power of trees to make every day more sustainable – for the customers we serve, the communities where we operate and the planet we all call home.

A sweet future for biochemicals

In South Africa, we’re using our leveraging our novel Xylex technology – acquired in 2017 – to progress the extraction of sugars from woodfibre to produce xylitol and furfural.

Transitioning from coal in South Africa

The South African energy sector is heavily dependent on coal and 150 years of intensive coal mining have produced about a billion tons of discarded thermal-grade coal fines. These can potentially cause environmental and health problems.

Sappi ReFibre: following the principles of reduce, recover, re-use – and capacitate

Sappi ReFibre for a more circular world

Sappi ReFibre, Sappi Southern Africa’s secondary fibre division, sources used paper products from an extensive network of agents across the Southern African region as well as from waste producers.

Sweet solutions for a thriving world

At Sappi, we're cultivating more value and purpose from every tree. Together with our partners in South Africa, we're building a thriving world by unlocking the power of renewable resources. 

Cross-functional, pro-active collaboration at Stanger Mill

Adapting our business to COVID-19 at Stanger Mill

COVID-19 led to the closure of borders, airports and trading ports. And this, in turn, led to the shutting down of almost all the supply chain channels for the sale of printing and writing paper, to a point where Stanger Mill was forced to take commercial downtime.

Product CoC Claim Options

2023 Sappi Annual Integrated Report