Enthusiastic Employees Return to Work in Kingsport

2022 has brought new life to our Kingsport Mill. In addition to 31,500 tons of material from the mill’s original structures being recycled to form the foundation for the mill’s future, employees who once made paper there are set to return to work as new buildings rise in the place where the others stood for more than a century.

Construction isn’t the only new life being breathed into the mill. The site is buzzing again as employees prepare to return to work and get accustomed to the mill’s new layout, containerboard product and processes.

With all the changes to the site, even long-time employees are having to relearn their way around.

“It’s really easy to get turned around,” says Nikki Armstrong, a paper machine operator who returned to work on Jan. 5.

Return to Work Brings New Opportunities
Armstrong, a seven-year mill employee, says coming back was like a family reunion. “I was super excited to get back and see my brothers and sisters.”

Since returning, Armstrong and her colleagues have been attending training courses that range from safety refreshers to specific learning for new production roles.

“The shutdown presented a unique opportunity to establish and implement a whole new work design,” says Mill Manager Troy Wilson. “We were able to reevaluate the workflow and design a schedule to meet our production needs while also providing a better quality of life for our employees.”

The new approach is a high-performance work system with a focus on flow to work and pay for skills. The new work design, coupled with a new work schedule, gives employees a better quality of life by allowing employees more time off.
more at: https://newsroom.domtar.com/employees-return-to-work-kingsport/