Operations News

Mercer International Inc., a global forest products company with operations in Germany, the U.S., and Canada, announces that its German pulp mill, Mercer Rosenthal, will extend its maintenance shutdown.

Beech Island fire crews responded to a confirmed fire at the Kimberly-Clark facility in Beech Island Thursday afternoon, June 25,according to officials.

When crews arrived, they found heavy fires burning in the "bag house" silos outside the building and immediately began attacking the blaze. As additional personnel arrived, firefighters entered the facility and located fire in the plant's sander machine.

One person was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning, July 1, after what initially appeared to be a hazardous materials incident at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company facility in Longview, the site of a deadly chemical tank implosion in May.

Smurfit Westrock has notified the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development that it plans to permanently close its Lebanon facility, affecting 52 employees.

The UPM Kaukas pulp mill will be temporarily shut down as of August 3, 2026 for approximately six weeks. In addition, a potential temporary shutdown of the UPM Pietarsaari pulp mill is being planned for October.

Public records show employees at the Nippon Dynawave paper mill in Longview raised alarms about deteriorating equipment and maintenance needs years before last month's chemical tank rupture that killed 11 people and injured seven others.

Arriving at the mill, crews found the man had "moderate" injuries after falling into the pit, placed him in a rescue basket, then lifted him to safety.

The measures will lead to the termination of employment or a change in duties for 72 people.

The paper mill employs 550 people. It's unclear how many employees are unable to work but will be compensated.

Firefighters remained on scene for approximately three hours. A damage estimate is not yet available.

Sonoco will have a 24-hour fire watch set up for the coming days, officials said.

Officials have identified all 11 victims killed in the accident. Families are paying tribute to their loved ones on social media and through online fundraisers.

A freeway procession was held Saturday, June 6, to return the Longview paper mill victims to their homes from King County.

This past week, the Japanese-owned company confirmed that some shipping activities had resumed, and a union spokesperson said a number of workers were back at the mill, with the remainder ready and available to come back when they're called."

The investigation into last week's chemical tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave plant in Longview is ongoing. The deceased were identified as Gilberto Bernal, 52; Tyler Covington, 29; Brad Covington, 27; Robert Wilson, 48; Dale Miller, 54; Jared Ammons, 35; Braydon Finkas, 38; Clinton Duran, 26; John Forsberg, 51; Norman Barlow, 58; and Dillon Miller.

Susana Alejandro, Saica's CEO welcomed Ambassador Emma Aparici to the company's Manchester site, home to the PM11 paper machine and a flagship example of circular economy manufacturing in the UK.

The facility is in Manson, North Carolina.

Nearly 200 emergency responders battled what officials described as a deep-seated blaze three-alarm fire at a paper recycling facility on Victory Boulevard for more than 12 hours Thursday, officials said.

DS Smith looks set to close one of its South West sites with the loss of all 167 jobs.

There were no injuries.

The incident was brought under control in about four hours after crews arrived "largely due to the density and composition of the materials involved," officials said.

The FDNY responded Thursday morning to a fire at the Pratt Industries paper recycling facility in Travis.

It took 175 firefighters to extinguish Ontario's 1.2-million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark paper goods warehouse allegedly set alight by a disgruntled employee who wanted higher pay on April 7.

Hilty is responsible for setting the IIB business unit's strategy, strengthening commercial execution, and driving financial results. He is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will report to Novolex Chairman and CEO, Stan Bikulege.