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Paper Excellence extends curtailments at two B.C. mills

Paper Excellence Canada will extend the shutdowns at two of its British Columbia paper mills until at least the middle of summer.

Paper operations at Powell River and Crofton, which ceased temporarily on March 1, will continue to be curtailed, with intermittent manufacturing runs in Crofton as opportunities permit.

The Port Alberni mill will continue production with enhanced health and safety protocols as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

In a statement, the company says the confluence of several factors led to the decision, including a lack of wood fibre in B.C. , an external malware attack that downed enterprise systems at several mills, and the COVID-19 crisis’ impact on the supply chain.

The company discovered the malware attack on Feb. 19 and is still working to bring its enterprise and communications systems fully back online.

Paper Excellence Canada says that the ever-changing situation means timelines for reopening may change.

“We are hopeful that decisions of municipal, provincial and federal governments with respect to mitigation measures offered to help maintain business during the COVID-19 upheaval will provide immediate needed relief for our industry,” the company says.

“These continue to be unprecedented times and we will continue to engage with governments as we seek to chart a path forward for our affected employees and communities hit the hardest by these events.”

Paper Excellence Canada operates nine facilities in Canada and France producing over 3.6 million tonnes annually.