Sappi Europe

Kirkniemi Mill in Finland:
Sustainable paper production
powered 100% by biofuels

Sappi is one of the largest paper producers in the world. It has a strong presence within Europe, with 8 mills across Germany, Finland, Italy, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Environmental, social and governance leadership is highly important to Sappi Europe and drives their efforts in increasing sustainability within its mills and operations.

Sappi Europe sought a PR and marketing agency to run PR efforts across Europe and within European cities where it operates within to create awareness and media exposure opportunities around its mills and papers.

In steps Bright8. One of our earliest projects with Sappi Europe was for its flagship mill, Kirkniemi Mill, Finland, the largest coated mechanical mill in the world. In September 2023, Sappi Europe completed a €16.5 million project at Kirkniemi Mill to transition from fossil fuel dependencies to 100% biofuels. We were able to deliver a multi-pronged, sophisticated effort to create awareness and drive coverage within the major related European media. Our successful efforts resulted in positive media reports about the mill’s ability to slash the paper production emissions by a massive 40%.

The Bright8 difference

We are skilled at developing strategy for elaborate international stakeholder landscape. Our intimate knowledge of media relations and highly efficient media monitoring mean we create exposure for our clients. Sappi Europe’s stakeholders are across many countries within the continent and that is reflected in our how we implement our efforts. We target media in various regions and their languages, including English, Italian, German, Finnish and Dutch.

We are also adept at developing strategies around sensitive topics to mitigate negative exposure. Our storytelling aims to speak our client’s truth with honesty, calm and precision.

Expert attention, expert results

By the time we launch the ‘rocket’, we’ve already made sure our press packages are carefully thought out. We pay attention to the small details. Even down to how our press releases look—the extra thoughtfulness goes a long way!

We’re also not a one-rocket launch! Proof is in the pudding, when our follow up generates successful media coverage. The Kirkniemi Mill news has been reported in a media such as Printweek (UK), EUWID (Germany), Skogsindustrin (Sweden), Metsälehti (Finland) and Alimarket (Spain).

Proven excellence leads on to bigger and better

Our ability to strategise, our understanding of the media scapes, our competency in creating effective media relations and our ability to storytell is leading on to more with Sappi Europe and we look forward to a long and prosperous journey for and with them.

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Sappi Europe is the producer of high-quality packaging, printing and specialty papers for industry, trade and consumer use. It owns 8 mills within Europe, producing more than 3.4 million tons of paper each year. Sappi Europe is dedicated to its ESG ambitions and has three pillars that align with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals; to produce sustainable paper-based solutions, to innovate products for the bio-based, circular economy and to partner throughout the value chain to accelerate change.