Resolute Forest Products to idle Machine 9 at Quebec paper mill

MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): Resolute Forest Products Inc., has announced its decision to close one out of three paper machines at the Alma, Quebec mill facility. The shutdown of the machine is scheduled to occur by early-April 2015. The company stated sluggishness in specialty paper grades market and high input costs as the key reasons for the closure.

The Alma facility employs nearly 340 people and has three paper machines with a total annual production capacity of 350,000 metric tons. The shutdown of Machine #9 is expected to remove 75,000 metric tons of annual specialty papers production capacity. The closure of the machine is likely to remove nearly 85 jobs. Resolute will work with government officials and unions to ensure that the decision brings minimal impact to affected employees.

The company also accused Greenpeace and other environmental activist groups for carrying out “misinformation” campaign against the company. The campaign eventually raised false concerns on the company’s compliance with the Quebec’s Sustainable Forest Act. It further called upon the provincial government to act against such unjustified efforts by organizations.

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, specialty papers, market pulp and wood products. The company owns or operates some 40 pulp and paper mills and wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea, and power generation assets in Canada.