In May 2025, Sappi North America and Valmet celebrated the successful start-up of the rebuilt paper machine 2 (PM2) at the Somerset paper manufacturing facility in Skowhegan, Maine, USA. The machine produced its first roll of solid bleached sulphate (SBS) board, marking a key milestone in Sappi’s strategic transition to packaging grades.

While optimization work continues, the early production of commercial-grade board highlights the strength of the partnership and the progress achieved through close collaboration.

“Valmet has once again shown deep technical knowledge and strong project execution,” said Kirk Ross, VP Manufacturing at Sappi North America. “Their ability to adapt to complex requirements and global supply chain challenges helped us move this project forward. We’re pleased to see commercial-grade product coming off the line as commissioning progresses.”

"Following the success of Project Balance, the PM1 rebuild project in 2018, we did it again with Project Elevate. The sustainable conversion of PM 2 has transformed it into a modern state-of-the-art board machine. This achievement is a testament to excellent collaboration and incredible teamwork. We are grateful to the entire Somerset team, our valuable partners, and all the Valmeteers involved for their hard work on a complex project,” adds Tuomo Rämö, Project Manager, Valmet.