Sappi’s Somerset Mill receives food safety certification

COURTESY / SAPPI NORTH AMERICA Sappi North America this week announced its Somerset Mill in Skowhegan received food safety management system certification that ensures products meet industry standards. Sappi unveiled its newly rebuilt Paper Machine 1 at the mill in 2018.

Write a Comment

By Staff

Sappi North America's Somerset Mill in Skowhegan has received certification that its products meet industry standards for food safety.

The certification, awarded through International Organization for Standardization, applies to all products produced at the mill, according to a news release Tuesday.

Sappi, a producer of diversified graphic and release papers, packaging products and dissolving wood pulp, produces a variety of paperboard packaging for use with food. The company is considered a Tier 3 supplier in the food supply chain.

In order to meet the food safety management system requirements, Sappi evaluated the production, storage and transportation processes for potential hazards and implemented monitoring and control systems to prevent product contamination.

“With this certification we are now able to provide our customers in the food packaging industry with assurance out of the gate that our products meet the strict industry standards for safety,” Director of Packaging Brands Heather Pelletier said in the release. “We continue to invest in and improve our mills to make sure our products meet our customers’ needs. This is an important next step in our journey as we continue to set the new standard for paperboard packaging.”

In 2018, Sappi completed a substantial rebuild of Paper Machine 1 at the Somerset Mill, and the machine today is used for paperboard packaging. The year-long rebuild was part of an overall $200 million investment in the mill.

About Sappi North America Inc.

Sappi North America, part of South Africa-based manufacturer Sappi Ltd. and headquartered in Boston, operates four diversified businesses: high-quality coated printing papers, dissolving wood pulp, packaging and specialty papers and casting and release papers. It employs over 2,000 individuals at its three mills, sheeting facility, technology center and supporting offices across the U.S. Altogether, the sites produce 1.35 million metric tons of paper, and over 800,000 metric tons of kraft and dissolving wood pulp annually.