Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. began production and sale of NBHK pulp from the company’s mill in Thurso, Que., on May 28. The mill reopened May 1 after being shut down by its former owner in early …
Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. began production and sale of NBHK pulp from the company’s mill in Thurso, Que., on May 28. The mill reopened May 1 after being shut down by its former owner in early 2009. Fortress Specialty intends to produce NBHK pulp while undergoing transformation to become a dissolving pulp producer in mid-2011.
AbitibiBowater is indefinitely closing its newsprint mill in Gatineau, putting 350 people out of work. The mill shut-down began April 19 as a temporary closure.
Kruger Inc. ceased coated and super-calendered paper production at the Trois-Rivires mill and extended the interruption of directory paper production at the Wayagamack Mill for an indefinite period of time. The company cites persistently unfavourable market conditions and the strong Canadian dollar as reasons.
At the Trois-Rivires mill, the No. 1 (coated paper) and No. 6 (supercal-endered paper) paper machines, and the No. 8 coating machine were shut down indefinitely, effective June 11, 2010. This measure affected approximately 320 employees in production, maintenance, and administration. The mill, however, will continue to pro-duce newsprint, employing almost 300 people.
The No. 3 machine at the Kruger Wayagamack mill, which had stopped making directory paper on December 31 and was to resume operations in June, will be idled indefinitely. The extended shutdown will affect approximately 120 employees. However, the mill will maintain coated paper production, which means continued employment for more than 350 employees.
Catalyst Paper will permanently close its Elk Falls paper mill near Campbell River, B.C., in September. This facility has been indefinitely curtailed since February 2009. Catalyst cites the steep decline in commodity paper markets, and uncompetitive labour and tax costs as reasons for the closure. The Elk Falls mill began operation in 1952, and at its peak, produced 784,000 tonnes of pulp, paper and kraft paper annually. The company also announced the permanent closure of its paper recycling operation in Coquitlam, B.C. The facility, which supplied the company’s Crofton mill, was indefinitely idled in February.
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