Kruger Inc. Records Remarkable Progress with Modernization of Quebec Paper Mills

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Kruger Inc. has provided an update on the progress of diversification and modernizations works at its Quebec paper mills. The $107.5 million investment project, announced by the company in September last year, was mainly focused on Brompton Newsprint Mill and Wayagamack Coated Paper Mill. It must be noted that Kruger Inc. has invested nearly half-a-billion dollars in upgrading Quebec area mills over the past three years.

According to the press release, the Brompton Mill will start producing new specialty products by the end of this month, when the timeline for Phase-1 of the project is scheduled to come to an end. The new products include super-calendered kraft paper (SCK), coated one-side paper (C1S) and food packaging paper. The introduction of the new products is expected to secure around 200 jobs at the mill. Also, the mill will see gradual decline in production of newsprint and magazine paper, whose markets have witnessed huge decline over the past few years. Along with maintaining the production of coated paper, the Wayagamack Mill will start producing new specialty products starting December 2018.

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In response to the rapidly declining publication papers market, Kruger Inc. has been implementing a bold strategy to transform its key mill operations. The $250 million conversion of the No. 10 Newsprint Machine at the Trois-Rivières Mill had protected around 270 jobs in the region.Also, it invested $67 million in adding a new paper machine and converting line to its Crabtree plant, thereby consolidating 640 jobs.

The completion of the investment project will enable Kruger Inc. to significantly boost local procurement of wood chips, which in turn will lead to revival of Quebec’s sawmill sector as a whole.