Taking back the business: Rejuvenation of a bagasse-based coated publication paper mill

Sappi Stanger is an integrated pulp and paper mill situated on the Indian Ocean coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. It is one of the few mills in the world to produce high-quality coated paper from bagasse, the residual fiber left after sugar cane is processed. In 1992, the mill experienced a significant threat to its market share due to increased availability of European coated woodfree products. An aggressive program of quality, equipment, method, and personnel development was undertaken, using relatively little capital investment, to combat this threat and gain back the lost market share. As a result, quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction were significantly improved to the point that much of the lost market share was regained. Methods such as ISO 9000 and Total Productive Manufacturing were entrenched to ensure that the mill sustains a climate of continuous improvement.