Forestry and paper

The sector is proud of its green credentials.

Several myths were debunked when leaders of the forestry and paper sectors gathered in July 2023 for a roundtable discussion hosted by the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA).

The first relates to misconceptions about plantations. “Deforestation happens when you cut trees down and do not replant them,” explained Jane Molony, executive director at PAMSA. “We do not use indigenous or natural forests in this country. We farm trees in just the same way you would farm grain or maize.”

Noting that wood products can be good for the environment, Dr Tracy Wessels, Group Head of Sustainability and Investor Relations at Sappi noted, “By harvesting a small proportion of mature trees and replanting with new trees each year, we improve the carbon sequestration rate.”

Timber plantations or planted forests represent just 7% of the planet’s forest area but provide about 50% of the wood for global industrial use such as pulp, paper and timber for construction. In South Africa, about 30% of the forestry-owned land is set aside for biodiversity. The roundtable also discussed the latest trends in packaging and working towards a circular economy through better management of waste.

Sappi has 19 production facilities on three continents (of which five are in Southern Africa) and 12 800 employees in over 35 countries. Sappi’s Stanger Mill is situated close to sugar cane fields from which it takes bagasse (dry sugar cane pulp) for use in its production processes. Typek office paper is made at this mill, which has the capacity to produce 80 000 tons of paper and 30 000 tons of tissue.

At the company’s Tugela Mill up to 200 000 tons per annum of containerboard (corrugating medium) can be manufactured from recycled and virgin fibre. The giant Sappi Saiccor mill 50km south of Durban is the world’s biggest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp.

The Mondi Group has grown into an international behemoth with 26 000 employees and operations in more than 30 countries. Mondi’s Merebank Mill produces a range of office paper products

Online Resources

Forestry South Africa: www.forestry.co.za

National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment: www.dffe.gov.za

Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA): www.thepaperstory.co.za

South African Institute of Forestry: www.saif.org.za

Sector Insight

30% of forestry-owned land in South Africa is set aside for biodiversity.

including the well-known brand, Mondi Rotatrim. Uncoated woodfree reels are manufactured for the South African and SubSaharan African markets.

Nampak produces crêpe paper at Verulam and Rafalo produces tissue paper. SA Paper Mills is another paper producer.

Mpact has plastics and paper operations, with the paper section divided into three divisions: paper manufacturing, corrugated and converted paper products and recycling.

The National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has set a target for South Africa to plant 10-million trees, two-million per year for five years. ■