| Wed 3 Aug 2011, 12:02 | | SAP - Sappi Limited - Sappi announces final closure of Adamas mill |
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SAP - Sappi Limited - Sappi announces final closure of Adamas mill
Sappi Limited
(Registration number 1936/008963/06)
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
Share code: SAP ISIN: ZAE000006284); NYSE code SPP
("Sappi" or the "Company")
Media Release
03 August 2011
Sappi Southern Africa announces the closure of its Adamas mill
Johannesburg -- Sappi Southern Africa has today announced it will shut down its
Adamas paper mill in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The permanent closure of the
mill is expected to be finalised at the end of August. This brings to a
conclusion the process announced on 24 May 2011 to investigate the continued
operation of the mill.
Sappi Southern Africa has concluded an agreement with its Adamas mill employee
representatives and redundancy notices have been issued to staff which specifies
redundancy terms and includes provisions for outplacement and training support
for all employees, to ensure that people have the best possible opportunity to
secure new employment. The Adamas mill employed 213 people.
The mill has operated in Port Elizabeth for 47 years. Alex Thiel, CEO of Sappi
Southern Africa commented: "As I mentioned when we began the consultation
process, we fully recognise and commend the enormous efforts that employees and
mill management have put in to try to make the mill competitive and to find a
way to create a future for the mill. Unfortunately these efforts have been
unsuccessful. We recognize this is a difficult decision affecting our employees,
their families and the local communities and we would like to thank all of them
for their hard work and support. Unfortunately this action became necessary to
address the severe cost pressure that we are facing and the uncompetitive nature
of this old and small mill."
The volumes produced at the mill have been transferred to Sappi Enstra and Sappi
Tugela mills.
We expect to take a charge of approximately US$5 million in respect of these
closure costs in the fourth financial quarter ended September 2011.
Sappi will maintain its presence in the Eastern Cape as regards marketing and
sales as well as the collection and purchase of collected fibre (used for
recycled paper) through Sappi ReFibre.
Forestry investment
Furthermore Sappi, in partnership with AsgiSA-EC have developed a joint proposal
with a strategic goal of accelerating the establishment and management of
30,000ha of commercial tree plantations by 2020 in the Eastern Cape. It is
anticipated that these partnerships will be developed between Sappi and
communities that hold land rights, with Sappi being the "implementation partner"
as a provider of technical, managerial and administrative support to the
community businesses. This development is expected to create 1,400 direct and
permanent unskilled jobs and a further 125 jobs for skilled workers. Using
industry trends, it is expected that some four to five indirect jobs would be
created for each direct job, meaning a further almost 8,000 jobs. In rolling out
the project, Sappi and AsgiSA-EC have already developed close to 150ha in
conjunction with the Mkambathi and Sinawo communities.
ENDS
Issued by Brunswick 011-502 7300
For further information contact:
Elijah Masondo Andre F Oberholzer
Corporate Communications Group Head Corporate Affairs
Sappi Southern Africa Sappi Limited
Tel: +27 11 407 8478 Tel: +27 11 407 8044
Mobile: +27 83 661 7012 Mobile: +27 83 235 2973
Elijah.masondo@sappi.com andre.oberholzer@sappi.com
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