Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) is one of the world’s largest producers of bleached hardwood kraft (BHK) pulp, with manufacturing operations in Riau Province, Indonesia. Established in 1993, APRIL manages a fully integrated pulp and paper mill, as well as about 344,000 hectares of government-licensed production land concessions, together with supply partners and community forest partners.
APRIL’s operations in Pangkalan Kerinci comprise a 1750-hectare complex that holds our pulp and paper mills, offices and employee housing facilities.
Commercial pulp and paper production commenced in 1994 and 1998 respectively. As of of 2012, the mill’s annual designed production capacity was 2.8 million tonnes for pulp and 820,000 tonnes for paper.
Large scale plantation establishment for APRIL began in 1993, with Acacia as the key genus (Acacia mangium and Acacia crassicarpa), grown in five to six year rotations.
APRIL aims to balance business growth with the social and environmental considerations relevant to Indonesia’s progress as a developing country. APRIL, its affiliate companies and supply partners have collectively created employment for almost 25,000 people in Riau Province, through both direct and indirect opportunities. APRIL directly employs about 5,400 permanent employees in its mill and forestry operations in Riau.
As a pioneer of sustainable forestry in Indonesia, APRIL has applied a no-burn policy since operations began in 1993. In 2005, APRIL enacted a voluntary High Conservation Value (HCV) policy for land use planning. This policy provides practical and responsible solutions to the challenges of deforestation and degradation.
As of 31 December 2012, APRIL and supply partners had set aside and protected more than 220,000 hectares of forest and indigenous tree species areas as conservation in Riau.
APRIL invests significantly in science and technology to cultivate high quality plants. These plants are more disease resistant and demonstrate superior growth rates. APRIL nurseries in Indonesia can produce about 200 million cuttings and seedlings annually to supply trees for our year-round plantation programme. In 2012, APRIL enabled the planting of more than 130 million trees on its own plantations and the land of supply partners.
APRIL sells pulp and paper products to key markets across the Asia Pacific and Middle East, North America, the EU and Africa. Our pulp segment recorded positive growth in 2012, with sales growing 8% over the previous year. Paper sales increased by about 1% in 2012 over the previous year.
APRIL’s flagship office paper brand PaperOne™ is made from renewable plantation fibre and is sold in over 70 countries worldwide.
