Sappi is a

global diversified wood fibre company focusing on providing dissolving pulp,

packaging and speciality papers, graphic papers as well as biomaterials and

biochemicals to their direct and indirect customer base across more than 150

countries. Sappi is the world's biggest producer of dissolving wood pulp, which

is marketed under the name 'Specialised Cellulose’. The Saiccor mill has been

manufacturing dissolving wood pulp since 1955 – it was bought by Sappi in 1989

– so there is a wealth of expertise and experience at the individual level,

both in terms of production and marketing. Sappi owns extensive plantations in

South Africa that are well suited to growing the hardwood fibre required to

supply the mills. Sappi plantations in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga are already

being converted from softwood to hardwood to meet the growing demand. The

company does not own plantations in North America but has access to sufficient

hardwood timber resources to supply the Cloquet mill with its raw material

requirements.

In 1989, Sappi

followed a ______ corporate growth strategy.