Operations News

An electrical fire knocked the power out to the Tolko Industries sawmill in Armstrong after the site's electricity substation went up in flames early Dec. 28.

The fire had been discovered by mill employees, who activated the fire suppression system for the machinery.

Workers at Port Hawkesbury Paper have signed their first agreement in 10 years, making long-overdue gains for members of Local 972.

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. announced that its facility at Jesup, Georgia has been impacted by a force majeure declared by its natural gas provider, Southern Natural Gas Company, L.L.C., due to an unscheduled outage of the Elba Express Pipeline's Hartwell Compressor Station (the "SNG Force Majeure Event", or "Event").

The Event impacted natural gas supply to the Company's facility in Jesup, Georgia, and has resulted in an estimated $4 million EBITDA impact to the Company. The Company continues to reserve all rights to more fully examine, and potentially contest, the validity of the financial penalty it has been assessed.

Over 200 Unifor Local 5025 members voted strongly in favor of a new deal with Resolute Forest Product's Thunder Bay Sawmill that will see the current collective agreement re-opened and extended by 4 years to September 8th, 2028. The new extension will include key language improvements, an additional 24% average pay raise and achieve all provisions of Unifor's Eastern Canada Pulp and Paper Pattern established back in May.

Tolko says the curtailment affects the Armstrong and Soda Creek lumber operations, and that the downtime will be evaluated at the end of January to determine the next steps.

Despite efforts to rescue him, a worker died in a hopper accident at a Newark gypsum plant and distribution center Tuesday, Dec. 27 according to the Alameda County Fire Department.

Layoffs are expected to begin March 31.

A firefighter was transported to Jefferson Healthcare for exhaustion-related symptoms from fighting a fire Tuesday morning, Dec. 13, at the Port Townsend Paper Mill.

Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, has started production at its €16 million greenfield plant in Morocco, which can produce 100 million paper bags each year.

Employees at the Woodland Pulp mill in Baileyville could strike by the end of the month.

Jari Suominen, Executive Vice President (EVP), Forest division and a member of the Group Leadership Team, has decided to leave Stora Enso. After more than 25 years with the Company, Jari will now pursue career opportunities outside of Stora Enso. Per Lyrvall, currently EVP Legal, has been appointed as new EVP Forest division. Per will assume the role beginning of December and continue as a member of the Group Leadership Team (GLT).

Firefighters put out a fire at an Ahlstrom facility in Windsor Locks on Thursday, Nov. 17.

According to Sheriff Mark Herford, a man was injured between a truck and a trailer. He was treated at a local hospital and was released.

PCA issued this brief statement through the Jackson mill: "Due to economic conditions and lower demand for our products, we have temporarily laid off workers at the Jackson mill. The mill is currently idled. We fully intend to resume operations after the holidays."

Sonoco will discontinue its tube and core operations at its facility at 800 Fremont St. in Wisconsin Rapids.

Canton paper mill union members have voted against proposed contract terms for a second time, according to union president Troy Dills.

Pixelle Specialty Solutions says it will keep its paper mill in Jay open a little longer than initially announced.

The union which represents more than 450 pulp mill and woodlands employees at Domtar is asking for conciliation after stepping away from the bargaining table this week.

Workers at the Woodland Pulp mill say they are on the verge of a strike vote.

The fire was located deep into the warehouse of the smoke-filled facility and was surrounded by stacks of other pallets of product, making locating and extinguishing the fire difficult.

According to initial reports, smoke was seen coming from the converting warehouse at the facility.

This will mean the loss of 85 jobs.

Crews battled a big fire Tuesday night, Nov. 8, at a waste paper plant on the property of Sonoco of Hartsville, according to an official.