FORM
6-K
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Report of
Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of October, 2009
Commission
file number: 1-14872
SAPPI
LIMITED
(Translation
of registrant’s name into English)
48
Ameshoff Street
Braamfontein
Johannesburg
2001
REPUBLIC
OF SOUTH AFRICA
(Address
of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
|
Form
20-F
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X
-------
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Form
40-F
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Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted
by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b) (1):
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted
by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b) (7):
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in
this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant
to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
|
Yes
|
No
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X
-------
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If “Yes”
is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Sappi
Limited’s press release below furnished by the Registrant under this Form 6-K is
incorporated by reference into (i) the Registration Statements on Form S-8 of
the Registrant filed December 23, 1999 and December 15, 2004 in connection with
The Sappi Limited Share Incentive Scheme, (ii) the Section 10(a) Prospectus
relating to the offer and sale of the Registrant’s shares to Participants under
The Sappi Limited Share Incentive Scheme, (iii) the Registration Statements on
Form S-8 of the Registrant filed December 15, 2004 and December 21, 2005 in
connection with The Sappi Limited 2004 Performance Share Incentive Plan and (iv)
the Section 10(a) Prospectus relating to the offer and sale of the Registrant’s
shares to Participants under The Sappi Limited 2004 Performance Share Incentive
Plan.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
In order
to utilize the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”), Sappi Limited (the “Company”)
is providing the following cautionary statement. Except for historical
information contained herein, statements contained in this Report on Form 6-K
may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Reform
Act. The words “believe”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate “, “plan”,
“assume”, “positioned”, “will”, “may”, “should”, “risk” and other similar
expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends
which do not relate to historical matters identify forward-looking statements.
In addition, this Report on Form 6-K may include forward-looking statements
relating to the Company’s potential exposure to various types of market risks,
such as interest rate risk, foreign exchange rate risk and commodity price risk.
Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because they involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are in some cases
beyond the control of the Company, together with its subsidiaries (the “Group”),
and may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to
differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements (and from past results,
performance or achievements). Certain factors that may cause such differences
include but are not limited to: the highly cyclical nature of the pulp and paper
industry; the impact of the global economic downturn on the Group’s business;
pulp and paper production, production capacity, input costs including raw
materials, energy and employee costs, and pricing levels in North America,
Europe, Asia and southern Africa; any major disruption in production at the
Group’s key facilities; changes in environmental, tax and other laws and
regulations; adverse changes in the markets for the Group’s products; any
delays, unexpected costs or other problems experienced with any business
acquired or to be acquired and achieving expected savings and synergies;
consequences of the Group’s leverage; adverse changes in the South African
political situation and economy or the effect of governmental efforts to address
present or future economic or social problems; and the impact of future
investments, acquisitions and dispositions (including the financing of
investments and acquisitions) and any delays, unexpected costs or other problems
experienced in connection with dispositions. These and other risks,
uncertainties and factors are discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form
20-F and other filings with and submissions to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including this Report on Form 6-K. Shareholders and prospective
investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of the
submission of this Report on Form 6-K and are not intended to give any assurance
as to future results. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new
information or future events or circumstances or otherwise.
 |
Limited
Fine
Paper Europe
|
Press
Release
22 October
2009
Sappi
Finland I Oy begins consultations at Kangas mill in response to market
conditions and lower demand in coated magazine paper
In response to the
reduction in European consumption of coated magazine paper arising from the
global recession it is apparent that the industry is experiencing overcapacity.
Sappi has taken a substantial amount of commercial downtime since the beginning
of the year in response to a reduction in demand. Sappi Finland I Oy has today
announced that it will enter into a consultation process with its Kangas mill
employee representatives. The aim of this process is to identify the best way of
improving company profitability, which may include a full closure of Kangas
mill. The continued level of downtime is no longer considered viable and it is
therefore necessary to review production capacity. Possible redundancies would
be implemented by the end of the year 2009.
The Sappi Finland I
Oy’s, Kangas site employs around 150 employees. Sappi employs around 800 people
in Finland.
In the event that
the Kangas mill ceases production the Galerie Silk range would be supplied to
customers from the Sappi Lanaken mill in Belgium. Sappi would also launch a
complementary grade, Galerie Fine Silk, from Sappi Finland I Oy’s, Kirkniemi
mill thereby widening the customer offer of its coated magazine paper range
while ensuring that there is no supply interruption.
Kangas mill, has
the capacity to produce 210,000 tonnes of coated magazine paper annually. The
consultation does not concern Sappi Finland I Oy’s Kirkniemi mill and its Sales
Office.
END
Issued
by:
Brunswick South
Africa on behalf of Sappi Limited
Tel + 27 11 502
7300
Fax + 27 11 268
5747
For further
information contact:
|
Anders
Ek
Mill
Director
Sappi Finland
I Oy
Kangas
Mill
Tel +358 1046
45261
Mobile +358
50 307 1103
Email: anders.ek@sappi.com
|
Martti
Savelainen
Mill
Director
Sappi Finland
I Oy
Kirkniemi
Mill
Tel + +358 10
464 2475
Mobile +358
505 987 621
Email: martti.savelainen@sappi.com
|
|
Claudia
Hammerich
Manager
Corporate Communications
Sappi Fine
Paper Europe
Tel: +32 2
676 97 84
Mobile: +32
472 61 89 66
claudia.hammerich@sappi.com
|
André
F Oberholzer
Group Head
Corporate Affairs
Sappi
Limited
Tel: +27 11
407 8044
Mobile: +27
83 235 2973
andre.oberholzer@sappi.com
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
Date: October
22, 2009
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SAPPI
LIMITED,
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| by | /s/ L. Newman | |
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Name: L.
Newman
Title: Group
Financial Controller
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