One way to ace the word association test for high-end printing papers is to say “Sappi.” Domiciled in South Africa, the company sends 6 million tons of paper annually to nearly every country on earth where top-quality papers are used. Its three North American mills produce better than 1 million metric tons of coated, fine, and specialty papers every year for printers, publishers, advertisers, and designers. Over the years, Sappi has been a leader among paper manufacturers in championing the use of paper for visual communications.

Not as well known or as heavily promoted, but now being repositioned by the company for higher visibility, are the grades Sappi makes for packaging and labels. Sappi showcased several of these lines at last year’s Pack Expo event in Las Vegas, where it committed to bringing at least two new label and packaging products to market each year. The push is taking place under the direction of Mark Odgers, director of packaging for Sappi North America, who spoke about the packaging portfolio and Sappi’s market ambitions for it.

Growing market share for packaging papers everywhere in the world is “a focus of development for us,” said Odgers, a 30-year paper industry veteran who was appointed to head the North American packaging group when Sappi launched it last year. He said that packaging products currently account for about 10% of worldwide sales—a volume Sappi believes it can increase to 25% of the total with a sustained market-building effort.