News Environment & Sustainability Equipment & Systems Paper Workforce
Port Hawkesbury Paper marks eight years since revamp

Port Hawkesbury Paper is celebrating its eighth year of operation under the ownership of Stern Partners and Wayne Nystrom today (Sep. 28).

The Port Hawkesbury mill site has a long history of contributions to the region.

The mill was first developed in 1962 as a sulfite pulp mill and expanded into manufacturing newsprint and pulp for the next three decades.

In 1998, the Port Hawkesbury site expanded again by investing $850 million on a state-of-the-art supercalender (SC) paper machine.

In 2012, the mill at Port Hawkesbury was reopened by Stern Partners as Port Hawkesbury Paper and today continues to manufacture supercalendered paper that is sold throughout North America and around the world. Since reopening in 2012, the mill has shipped over 2 million metric tonnes of paper.

Regional impact

Over the past eight years, Port Hawkesbury Paper has continued to build on sustainable performance.

Based on a recent economic impact report, some of the critical indicators of the value of this business to the region include over $1.4 billion spent in provincial expenditures since start-up in 2012 with a supply chain that includes over 500 Nova Scotia companies.

The mill has created an estimated 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs, with 325 at the mill and another 700 in spinoff activities, and provides provincial tax revenue of $24 million per year.

Port Hawkesbury Paper maintains inclusive relations with Mi’kmaq communities in its forest management and manufacturing operations, and holds three international third-party audited forest management and chain-of-custody certifications (FSC, SFI and PEFC).

The company is currently entering a new four-year agreement with Nova Scotia Power for the more efficient operation of the provincial grid, which the mill says will provide multi-million dollar savings for all electricity customers.

Workforce key to success

“The company has a deep history in eastern Nova Scotia and our business is integral to the region’s economic success,” says Allan Eddy, director of business development for Port Hawkesbury Paper.

“Over the past eight years, Port Hawkesbury Paper’s spending has reached virtually every part of the province, and the mill’s financial impact is critical to Nova Scotia and provides economic cohesion that stabilizes rural communities.”

The company says its success and future growth will come through its highly skilled employees’ continual innovation, focus on using all available assets at the mill and investing in research on value-add projects.

“We are very proud to be part of Port Hawkesbury Paper,” states Ron Stern, founder and President of Stern Partners. “The Port Hawkesbury Paper team has done an exceptional job in improving our products, our operations and exceeding all of our social commitments in Nova Scotia.”