Operations News

Mercer International Inc. announced that its Peace River mill has taken downtime to complete necessary repairs to the mill's digester after experiencing a mechanical failure. The Company currently expects the repairs and related assessments will be completed in mid-October 2024, and anticipates that NBHK production at the mill will be reduced by approximately 45,000 tonnes during such period.

Antti Eskola has been appointed Sawmill Manager at Metsä Fibre's Renko sawmill as of 1 November 2024. Previously, Eskola has been responsible for the procurement and contract management of Metsä Group's Kemi bioproduct mill project, has been involved in several strategic procurement projects, and held different procurement positions in Metsä Group.

Metsä Fibre's Joutseno pulp mill, part of Metsä Group, is undergoing a production shutdown to adapt to the current market situation. In addition, on the basis of construction technical reviews, the mill's baling plant building has been placed under a temporary operating ban due to the potential risk of collapse detected in the roof structures.

Union spokesperson Joe Gallagher said the mill's last day would be 18 December and at least 72 workers at the mill had been affected.

The preliminary investigation determined that on September 18, 42-year-old Anthony Smith Jr., of Milton, a Cottrell Paper employee, became trapped in a compactor on-site. Company members as well as firefighters and emergency medical personnel were able to remove Smith from the machinery, but officials say he couldn't be revived and he was declared dead at the scene by a Saratoga County coroner.

Tolko Industries announced a two-week shutdown of its lumber plant in Armstrong, British Columbia, citing ongoing market challenges and resource shortages. The closure will last from September 16 to October 1, according to a statement from company spokesperson Chris Downey.

The indefinite curtailment of Lake Butler Sawmill will impact approximately 130 employees and reduce West Fraser's U.S. lumber capacity by approximately 110 million board feet.

Canfor will indefinitely curtail one shift at its Darlington facility in South Carolina, and reduce operating hours at its Estill, South Carolina and Moultrie, Georgia locations.

OPFD officials said that a conveyor belt carrying wood chips caught on fire.

Crews were able to contain the blaze before it got out of the building.

The negotiations covered the entire workforce of these two sawmills, a total of approximately 70 people in Lappeenranta and 100 in Vilppula.

Joining Roseburg later this month, Hamill and Karuppuswamy bring a combined 50 years of operations and HR expertise to Roseburg's leadership team as the company moves forward with its ambitious capital projects program and new product lines.

Ulla Nurminen has been appointed Metsä Group's Group Treasurer as of 1 October 2024. She will transfer from the role of VP, Cash Management & Treasury Support. Before that Nurminen has worked in various positions at Metsä Group Treasury and Nordea.

Falah Hadi, 32, was identified as the worker killed Tuesday at Menasha Packaging in Alsip as he guided a semi-trailer into a loading dock.

Crews are investigating a three-alarm structure fire at Roseburg Forest Products in Medford, Monday, Aug. 26.

A pile of cardboard is believed to have caught fire, according to a public alert put out about the fire.

An employee at a Perry County pulp mill was burned severely Friday, Aug. 16, and airlifted for treatment to a Jackson hospital.

Klabin continuously invests in fire prevention. To address this issue, the Company relies on a structure equipped with an advanced system for monitoring its forests, teams trained for the rapid containment of incidents, and the dissemination of information to raise awareness among the population about the risks and show that prevention is the best approach.

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, has concluded the change negotiations on possible temporary layoffs at Joutseno pulp mill on 26 August 2024. The negotiations covered the entire workforce of the Joutseno pulp mill, a total of approximately 190 people.

The respective participation processes with the employee representatives have been concluded. The number of positions affected is 338.

The UPM Kaukas and UPM Kymi pulp mills in Finland will adjust their production temporarily to meet market conditions. The mills' production will be curtailed in accordance with the change negotiations held in March.

With the layoffs of almost 200 workers at the McKinley Paper mill looming in two weeks, the union representing them is still attempting to negotiate a softer landing for their members and get some clarity on when the mill might reopen.

Port Hawkesbury Paper, involved in paper manufacturing in North America, announces the hiring of Eric Huard as the Director of Specialty Sales.

Essity Southeast Regional Human Resources Manager Bryan Dyar said the warehouse was strategically built to collapse from within, crediting the design with controlling the fire in one area.

Senior Vice President Tom Plath to leave company at end of year.