Verso Corporation Announces Sale of Duluth, Minnesota, Mill

The owner of the Androscoggin Mill announced Wednesday that it will not rebuild a wood pulp digester that exploded April 15 and will permanently shut down one paper machine idled by the blast. Alan Ulman, spokesman for Pixelle Specialty Solutions based in Pennsylvania, said the decision is part of its long-term strategy to continue manufacturing specialty papers on its other two machines and utilizing more than 250 full-time employees. About 177 jobs have been eliminated at the mill since the explosion, which halted manufacturing for eight days and initiated months of recovery and strategic planning to ensure the mill would operate successfully and competitively. The mill will continue using pulp sourced from other mills, including Maine-based facilities.

AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman issued the following statement in strong support of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). AF&PA and member company leaders will meet with administration and Congressional offices on March 20 to advocate for free and fair trade policies that recognize the strong global position of the paper and wood products industry. “NAFTA countries account for $9.6 billion or 45% of our industry’s pulp and paper exports, making them a vital industry market. As negotiators work to modernize NAFTA with Canada and Mexico, we support constructive changes that will ensure these markets remain open to our country’s exports and recognize the benefits of an interconnected supply chain. Maintaining open access for U.S. exports and a level playing field for U.S. companies, retaining the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, implementing transparent and sound science-based regulatory practices and combatting illegal logging and associated trade remain our top priorities. Click Read More below for additional information.

Glatfelter announced the introduction of Adena Opaque 96, a new brighter and whiter shade of paper, providing an additional cost-effective option to its growing line of opaque papers, further enhancing the ability for customers to bundle products and streamline their supply chain. Adena Opaque 96 is manufactured at Glatfelter’s Specialty Papers facilities in Chillicothe, OH and Spring Grove, PA, whose central locations enable Glatfelter to offer service that supports small orders and quick turn requests. “Glatfelter offers one of the broadest uncoated paper portfolios and has been the industry’s trusted source for book publishing and uncoated printing papers for more than 150 years. With the introduction of Adena Opaque 96, customers will have the ability to bundle nearly a dozen different product lines such as: tags, ledgers, index, inkjet, security papers, carbonless, laser MOCR and form bond, just to name a few,” said David Dickerhoof, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Glatfelter’s Specialty Papers Business Unit. “One call to Glatfelter avoids the cost and inconvenience of coordinating multiple suppliers and eliminates freight inefficiencies, saving customers time and money.”