Another Nova Scotia mill is showing signs of strain. Minas Basin Pulp and Power Co. Ltd. Downsized its paper mill staff by almost 8% on Nov. 2.
Another Nova Scotia mill is showing signs of strain. Minas Basin Pulp and Power Co. Ltd. Downsized its paper mill staff by almost 8% on Nov. 2.
Local media are reporting that 13 full-time positions were terminated as a cost-cutting measure.
“Yesterday we made the tough decision to reduce our workforce in the order of 8%. It’s not a large number, but those dedicated employees that we let go and said goodbye to, it was a tough day,” Scott Travers, president of Minas Basin, told CBC News.
Travers said the whole industry has had a terrible time in North America in the last 10 years, adding that his paper-packaging sector is doing better than fine paper mills thanks to electronic media.
The paper plant employs about 180 people.
Travers told CBC news his company’s problems are high energy costs and the U.S. exchange rate. However, he said the mill would not be asking for a special power rate, as other local mills have done.
Nova News Now reports that the cuts were made in various departments with the long-term sustainability of the company in mind.
“What makes us different is that we have a solution – we’re not closing our doors,” said Travers, according to Nova News Now. “We’re making tough cost-cutting measures within the mill… and watching every dollar that’s spent.”
Minas Basin is the only mill in the Maritimes to produce paper from 100% recycled fibre. The company also has investments in wind and tidal power.
Print this page
