Sappi has announced a major restructure of its UK management team.


Former Sappi Transcript managing director Ron Traill has been appointed as mill director at its Blackburn, replacing Jan Willem Merkx, whose temporary contract has come to an end and has not been renewed.


Traill said his second spell at the mill was a bit like groundhog day. I was told I had completed the job I was bought in for at Transcript, and the mill has been left in a much better state than when I arrived.


Former operations manager Angus Morrison will take the reins at Transcript until a permanent appointment has been made. Transcript is certainly in a safe pair of hands," Traill said. "Angus has been there man and boy.


Ian MacLennan, the new sales and marketing director at Sappi Nash near Hemel Hempstead, also comes from Trabscript and will still be in charge of Transcript's sales.


He said: Nash is a very strong mill competing in a difficult market. I believe it has the strengths and capabilities to face the challenges ahead.


On the challenge facing him at Blackburn, Traill said: There is enormous potential here. I think Sappi wanted to bring someone in who had local knowledge. There has been a history of environmental issues in the past, and this is one of the challenges I will address.


Story by Andy Scott