Sappi Khulisa
Forestry
Sappi Khulisa: Digitising Forestry Field Operations Through a Self-Service Application
Sappi is a global company supplying dissolving wood pulp, paper pulp, and paper-based solutions to customers in more than 160 countries. It produces approximately 5.6 million tons of paper per year, around 2.5 million tons of paper pulp, and about 1.3 million tons of dissolving wood pulp. The Sappi Khulisa programme supports a large network of independent growers across South Africa.
Challenge
The scale and scope of the Sappi Khulisa programme requires information to move effectively between growers, field teams and Sappi’s wider operational environment.
As the programme evolved, Sappi Khulisa sought to digitise paper-based processes, strengthen the capture of field information at source, and support greater consistency across silviculture and harvesting activities. Closer integration with core Sappi systems was also important to creating a connected operational environment from planning through to execution.
Objectives
Sappi Khulisa set out to digitise end-to-end workflows covering grower onboarding, contractor appointments, silviculture and harvesting execution, seedling and input supply, logistics, and risk events, while capturing field data at source with photos, GPS, spatial polygons, and time stamps.
It aimed to support consistent processes through rules, validations, and templates; strengthen planning through Gantt-based schedules and reusable regime templates aligned to the Annual Plan of Operations; integrate with SAP, Timber Control System (TCS), MicroForest, and ESRI/GIS; and empower growers with a self-service application for reporting, profile updates, and training materials.
Solution
Foresters now run mobile field operations in Forcelink to sign up independent growers, appoint contractors, prepare and manage silviculture and harvesting plans, manage spot timber and plots, oversee seedlings, fertiliser and chemicals, coordinate jobs and logistics, and record risk management events; capturing information digitally in the field.
Structured data capture supports complete and accurate information from the point of capture. Information is recorded with drop-downs, photos, GPS coordinates, spatial polygons, notes, and automatic time stamps, creating auditable records that move directly from field to office. Planning is aligned to the Annual Plan of Operations. Gantt-based schedules and reusable regime templates support activity sequencing, highlight dependencies, and help keep silviculture and harvesting activities on track.
Forcelink integrates with SAP, TCS, MicroForest, and ESRI/GIS to provide a connected operational view while limiting the need for duplicate data entry. These integrations support reconciliation and reporting across the programme. A dedicated Grower Application enables Khulisa growers to engage directly with Sappi, view and update information, access financial reports, and make use of guides and training videos, providing convenient access to programme information and resources.
Benefits
Forcelink supports the security of Sappi’s timber supply by providing end-to-end visibility across growers, contractors, and field operations. Digital data capture with GPS coordinates, photos, spatial polygons, and timestamps creates reliable, auditable records, while configured workflows, rules, templates, and validations support consistent processes and compliance across applications, harvesting, silviculture, seedling supply, and risk events. Early risk flags and auditable job trails help teams identify and respond to potential supply risks.
Real-time dashboards and reports provide management with visibility from plot to delivery, including activity, materials, costs, and outcomes. Gantt-based schedules and reusable regime templates support planning against the Annual Plan of Operations, while resource allocation based on location, workload, and skills helps coordinate field teams. Live status updates and GPS tracking further improve visibility of resource deployment and field activity across the Khulisa programme.
End-to-End Supply Visibility
1.
Track activities, inputs, resources, and risks from growers and contractors through to timber delivery.
Reliable Field Data
2.
Capture GPS locations, photos, spatial data, and timestamps at source to create accurate, auditable records.
Smarter Planning & Resource Allocation
3.
Use schedules, regime templates, and live field updates to align resources with workloads, seasons, and terrain.
Real-Time Operational Control
4.
Dashboards, alerts, and reporting provide visibility of performance, costs, risks, and outcomes to support informed decisions.
