Major Announcements

Domtar Corp. announced Friday (Aug. 7) it would permanently shutter its paper machine operations at its Ashdown plant to save $200 million by 2021. The South-Carolina based company will transition its Ashdown operations to softwood and fluff pulp production.

Domtar Corp. has announced it will permanently close its Port Huron paper mill, which employs nearly 200 employees.

Domtar announced in a quarterly report that it is shutting down uncoated freesheet manufacturing at the Kingsport Mill. The mill has been idle since April 2020 and will not recommence operations. The layoff has impacted more than 300 people.

Saica Group, one of the largest and most advanced European players in the development and production of recycled paper for corrugated packaging announced it is establishing its first North American facility near Cincinnati, Ohio.

BillerudKorsnäs has appointed Christoph Michalski as new President and CEO. He succeeds Lennart Holm, who has been acting President and CEO since November 2019. Christoph Michalski will assume his new position November 1, 2020.

Georgia-Pacific has been piloting its Juno recycling technology in Georgia since 2013.

Sappi North America said it will permanently shut down a paper machine and lay off 75 people, nearly 30 percent of the workforce at its Westbrook mill. Just hours later, Pixelle Specialty Solutions said it will lay off 59 workers in the first part of a phased workforce reduction, in response to a suspension of pulp production there after its pulp digester exploded in April.

Appvion Operations, Inc., launches an industry leading antimicrobial coating technology for a variety of substrates called SafeShieldTM!

Washington's Employment Security Department on Tuesday confirmed the Ponderay Newsprint Co. paper mill in Usk is permanently shutting down and laying off 148 workers.

This innovative truck was built by the Forestry Unit, which brought the technology from Australia and, in partnership with a specialist company, deployed it in the company's truck, adapting it to the area's daily routine. Initially, the truck will operate together with the traditional fleet but in the test phase.

Riversedge Developments has hired an international appraisal and auction company to sell the machinery and equipment at the Fort Frances paper mill.

The Södra Foundation for Research, Development and Education has decided to grant an additional SEK 6.8 million to 13 research projects linked to forestry and the forest industry.

Paper Excellence Canada will be curtailing operations at its pulp mill in Mackenzie.

Verso Corp. said Tuesday, June 9, that it expects to lay off about 1,000 employees, as it idles idles mills in Duluth, Minnesota and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin this summer, given the accelerated decline in demand for graphic paper given the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board of Södra has appointed Lotta Lyrå as new President and CEO. She will take office this year and thereby replace CFO Peter Karlsson, who has been Interim President since 20 February this year.

Canfor Pulp Products Inc. is announcing the curtailment of Prince George Pulp and Paper and Intercontinental Pulp for approximately four weeks starting July 6, 2020.

Five employees in Smurfit Kappa's 46,000-strong workforce have died from Covid-19.

The mill has been idle since November when Niagra Worldwide purchased the property and assets at scrap prices for $2.2 million after Flambeau River Papers put the mill into a receivership saga that lasted over six months.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing its inspection of the Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC paper mill that was heavily damaged in an explosion April 17.

A printing company with a local history that goes back more than 100 years is closing its Henrico County plant and laying off 184 employees.

Resolute Forest Products Inc. is temporarily laying off more than 1,000 workers mainly in Quebec because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twin Rivers Paper has once again announced a leadership change. President and CEO Bob Snyder will retire from Twin Rivers effective immediately, and Tim Lowe has been appointed by the Board of Directors to assume his role in an interim capacity.

Domtar plans to temporarily idle the operations of its Hawesville, Kentucky, mill beginning May 5th 2020.

On April 22, 2020, the Pixelle Specialty Solutions mill in Jay, ME restarted two of its paper machines. The A4 and A5 machines are now running 24x7 and customer service and sales personnel are taking orders from customers.

Graphic Packaging has revealed plans to close White Pigeon, Michigan coated recycled board (CRB) mill and PM1 containerboard machine in West Monroe, Louisiana.