Fine Paper Europe

For more information, please contact:

Sappi Europe SA Chausse de la Hulpe 166 B-1170 Brussels Tel +32 (0)2 676 97 25

speciality.paper@sappi.com Kerstin Dietze - kerstin.dietze@sappi.com Marketing Manager Speciality Papers +49 518177 266 Ingo Kaiser - ingo.kaiser@sappi.com Marketing Communications Specialist +49 518177 536

www.sappi.com

Media Release
Brussels, 28 March 2014

Sappi Set to Celebrate 60m Alfeld Mill PM 2 Rebuild

Ambitious project transformed Papermaking Machine PM 2 to better align with todays market realities
Sappis ambitious 60m transformation of Alfeld Mills PM 2 was concluded on schedule with the quality exceeding expectations. To celebrate the successful completion, Sappi hosted a special event of the official inauguration of PM 2 rebuild on March 27th to commemorate this amazing undertaking. More than 200 customers, partners, officials, suppliers and members of the media joined Sappi at this celebration event.

This major project created probably the largest, most innovative and versatile papermaking machine. The state of the art inline machine is producing one-sided coated speciality papers. It involved the use of Europe's largest crane to drop in place a 135-ton MG cylinder 6.5 meters in diameter. In addition to the new MG cylinder, rebuilding PM 2 also included installation of a new head box with dilution system and pre-dryer section as a single tier arrangement. The entire project was completed in an extremely short time frame, says Dr. Stefan Karrer, Mill Director Sappi Alfeld GmbH. We have already received very positive customer feedback on the high quality achieved, and we were excited to be unveiling the results to a larger audience at this celebratory event.

The program started at noon with a welcome reception, just the first aspect of a very exciting and informative afternoon that included an interactive panel discussion featuring Cherno

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Jobatey, the famous German TV presenter, who moderated a panel discussion on Future Industry Trends in paper making. Following informative and interactive sessions conducted throughout the afternoon, visitors were invited to see PM 2 live in production. The event finished with an evening dinner, the perfect opportunity for all participants to network and share impressions.

Prepared for the Future The new papermaking machine delivers a very smooth top-side surface, greater dimension stability and lower penetration of pigments. This improves the overall quality of the grades manufactured on PM 2, enhancing their converting capabilities. The fast and innovative MG machine for one-side-coated paper in the world, it will produce 135,000 tonnes per annum at 1,200m per minute or 72km per hour. The PM 2 rebuild project has allowed us to establish Alfeld Mill as a Sappi Competence Center for Speciality Papers and Boards, Dr. Karrer added.

Rosemarie Asquino, Sales & Marketing Director, Speciality Papers Sappi Fine Paper Europe, adds, Among the first grades to be produced by the new machine were Fusion, Parade Prima, Algro Finess and Algro Sol. We have been able to achieve remarkable print results, top dimensional stability and excellent flatness which we know will help our customers achieve high quality results. The higher capacity guarantees customers paper availability in the future. Sappi Alfeld will continue to develop new products for the release liner, flexpack and label segment market utilising the new capabilities and capacity made available by the transformation of PM 2. ###

About Sappi Alfeld Mill: Founded in 1706, Alfeld Mill became part of Sappi in 1992. It has five papermaking machines and an integrated pulp plant using locally harvested wood. The OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001, EMAS, ISO 9001 certified pulp mill produces totally chlorine-free (TCF) bleached chemical pulp for its own use. The Alfeld MIll has also received the ISO 50001 certification for adhering to energy efficiency regulations.

About Sappi Sappi Fine Paper Europe (SFPE) is the leading European producer of coated fine paper used in premium magazines, catalogues, books and high-end print advertising. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Sappi Fine Paper Europe is recognised for innovation and quality. Its graphic paper brands include Magno, Quatro, Vantage, Royal, Galerie, GalerieArt and Jaz ranges. Algro,

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Fusion, Leine and Parade are the brands for speciality labelling, topliner, packaging papers and boards. Sappi papers are produced in mills accredited with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification and EMAS registration for all our mills in the EU. SFPEs mills hold chain -of-custody certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and/or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes. Sappi Fine Paper Europe is a division of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries, sales offices in 50 countries, and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at www.sappi.com.