MPBN speaks with Rice about Sappi, keeping Maine mills afloat
The Maine Public Broadcasting Network interviewed Robert Rice, a wood science professor at the University of Maine, for the report, “Sappi’s reinvestment helps keep mills afloat despite falling demand for paper.” Struggling mills in Maine have had to declare bankruptcy, cut jobs or close. Sappi Paper, which operates mills in Westbrook and Somerset, has been able to avoid the large setbacks that have hit others in the industry, according to the report. “In times when business is bad, they take the time to modernize and reinvest where they can,” Rice said of Sappi. Through research and development, the company has created a more diverse product line that includes specialty papers such as grease-resistant sheets, used in pet food bags and labels for canned soup and other food products, the report states. “They know how to run the business and they have pretty solid management at all of their mills,” Rice said, adding Sappi’s size is another big advantage, allowing the company to export from the U.S. to Europe or from Europe to the U.S., depending on market conditions.