Sappi Fine Paper North America Recognized by CIO Magazine as one of the CIO 100 Award Winners

BOSTON, June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sappi Fine Paper North America is pleased to announce today that the company was selected as a recipient of IDG's CIO magazine 2013 CIO 100 award. The 26th annual award program recognizes Sappi's Ringer Detection System project at the Somerset Mill for exemplifying the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology (IT).

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"This award is really an acknowledgement of the entire cross-functional team at the Somerset Mill," said Anne Ayer, VP of Corporate Development & CIO, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "I am impressed by the collaborative efforts of the team to creatively develop a state-of-the-art solution that directly contributes to the bottom line of the mill and the company. This is also a reflection of the broader Sappi IT team objectives to work closely with our business partners in order to drive valuable innovations."

Sappi's Ringer Detection System project utilizes an innovative smart camera technology that minimizes costly downtime on paper machines by detecting defects that can occur during the production of coated paper. On an annual basis, the impact to yield by minimizing roll failures is equivalent to $1.5M.

"For 26 years now, the CIO 100 awards have honored the innovative use of technology to deliver genuine business value," said Maryfran Johnson, Editor in Chief of CIO magazine & events. "Our 2013 winners are an outstanding example of the transformative power of IT to drive everything from revenue growth to competitive advantage."

The recipients of this year's CIO 100 award were selected through a three-step process. First, each company submitted an online application form detailing its innovative IT and business initiatives. Next, a team of judges reviewed the applications in depth, looking for unique practices and substantial results. Finally, CIO editors reviewed the judges' recommendations and voted on the final 100.

Executives from the winning companies will be recognized at the CIO 100 Symposium & Awards Ceremony, to be held Tuesday evening, Aug. 13th at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Coverage of the 2013 CIO 100 awards will be accessible online http://www.cio100.com on August 1, 2013 and in the August 1st issue of CIO magazine.

About CIO Magazine
CIO is the premier content and community resource for information technology executives and leaders thriving and prospering in this fast-paced era of IT transformation in the enterprise.  The award-winning CIO portfolio—CIO.com, CIO magazine (launched in 1987), CIO executive programs, CIO custom solutions, CIO Forum on LinkedIn, CIO Executive Council and CIO primary research—provides business technology leaders with analysis and insight on information technology trends and a keen understanding of IT's role in achieving business goals. Additionally, CIO provides opportunities for IT solution providers to reach this executive IT audience.  The CIO Executive Council is a professional organization of CIOs created to serve as an unbiased and trusted peer advisory group. CIO is published by IDG Enterprise, a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, events, and research company. Company information is available at http://www.idgenterprise.com/.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers, as well as dissolving wood pulp (DWP) and market kraft pulp headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. The company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi globally is the world's largest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp and the leading supplier of viscose staple fiber. Dissolving wood pulp is a versatile raw material used by manufacturers to produce a wide range of products including textile fibers, pharmaceutical, beauty, and household products. Sappi Fine Paper North America, through the recent conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill, manufactures dissolving pulp under Sappi's Specialised Cellulose division primarily for the textile markets.  

Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na.

SOURCE Sappi Fine Paper North America