Begrudgingly get out of bed in the morning for another day at this company..... - Anonymous employee Sappi Employee Review

1.0
Jan 14, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people to work with (for the most part). New Group CEO who doesn't come from South Africa. Some leadership team members are a pleasure to work with. Good 401k plan. Location in South Portland or Boston is good for non-mill people.

Cons

Lead team disjointed. Manufacturing focused, and 1950's management style. Systems are antiquated and data mining tools haphazardly rolled out by IT folks, not business users. CYA mentality and lack of true leadership at the CEO level (in North America). Bonus plan attractive, but rarely does it pay out. Stock options are a joke and aren't worth the price of the paper they are printed on. PMP process (performance management) collaborative in some functions, but in others you had better make sure that you don't have any "old tapes" or your career is ruined. Favoritism abounds, especially if you go snowmobiling with the CEO or drive a pick-up truck. Stress levels always elevated. No room for growth given the tenure of "paper" people.

Explore other reviews about Sappi

5.0
Nov 18, 2025
Anonymous intern
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Kind co-workers and good hands-on experience.

Cons

Doesn't have very high tech.

2.0
Apr 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Decent entry level pay for newly graduated mechanical engineer as a reliability engineer -Operations-Maintenance coordination has some improvements, not sure if they will stick

Cons

-Cloquet mill is very disorganized and chaotic -Near constant reactive "firefighting" operations -Maintenance department is not treated as a partner, but rather as a servant -Training in maintenance is a joke

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