Sappi Announces Final Closure of Biberist Mill in Switzerland
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Following an exhaustive search, Sappi Fine Paper Europe this week announced that it has not found a suitable acquirer for its Biberist mill in Switzerland, and thus has decided to completely close the mill. Production on paper machines 8 and 9 has already ceased and production on the uncoated paper line will halt at the end of August. Redundancy notices to all remaining employees affected by the closure have been sent out.
"The process to find a suitable purchaser included numerous discussions with interested parties and involved close cooperation between local mill management and Sappi's European and global management teams to make the purchase as attractive as possible," said Sappi Fine Paper Europe CEO, Berry Wiersum. "Unfortunately several industry players quickly withdrew their interest and we were unable to come to an agreement with any other interested parties."
Some 550 employees in total will be affected by the closure, of which 134 had earlier been given notice. Sappi has agreed to a social plan with the employees and the labor unions. Meanwhile, the company continues its search for a new owner.
With the cessation of coated graphic paper production at Biberist, Sappi will reduce its graphic paper capacity by 500 000 metric tpy. Volumes produced at the mill will be transferred to other Sappi sites in Europe, and the company notes that there will be no supply interruption to customers during the mill closure and transfer of production.
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