Research and development

Our R&D initiatives focus on optimising our equipment and forestry assets, driving cost competitiveness and cost reduction, and consolidating and growing our position – and that of our customers – in our targeted markets segments. Our overarching aim is to collaborate with our stakeholders to make all processes and materials more sustainable.

Technology centres

Technology centres in each region cover each section of the value chain and are staffed by technicians, engineers and scientists whose goals are to share best practices and new findings from new customers, discover and implement new products, optimise current product quality, improve product cost and work closely with our partners.

Our research team is part of a global Sappi network where collaboration between the regions ensures synergies and speed of implementation.

Sappi Europe

Gratkorn (Austria) and Maastricht (The Netherlands) Centres of Excellence

• Nanocellulose
• Papermaking processes

Wilton R&D Centre (United Kingdom)

• Furfural
• Lignin
• Xylose

Sappi North America

Westbrook Centre of Excellence (United States)

• Coated woodfree papers
• Packaging and speciality papers
• Casting and release paper development

Sappi Southern Africa

Forestry Research Centre (Tweedie, South Africa)

• Tree breeding 
• Propagation techniques 
• Silviculture

Sappi Technology Centre (Pretoria, South Africa)

• Fibre processing 
• Paper science 
• Chemical sciences 
• Environmental sciences

Sappi Dissolving Pulp Centre of Excellence (Umkomaas, South Africa)

• Applications testing 
• Fundamental cellulose properties