In Canada, Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (Canfor Pulp) part of forest industry major Canfor Corporation has announced a decision to permanently close the pulp line at its Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill, in Prince George, British Columbia (BC) in a move to "right-size" its operating footprint.
According to a statement, the announced closure will result in a reduction of 280 000 tonnes of market kraft pulp annually. The Specialty Paper facility at the site will continue to operate.
The decision follows an extensive analysis of its operating footprint and the long-term supply of economic residual fibre.
In recent years, several sawmills have permanently closed in the Prince George region due to reductions in the allowable annual cut and challenges accessing cost-competitive fibre. This has had a material impact on the availability of residual fibre for our pulp facilities and we need to right-size our operating platform. As a result, we have made the very difficult decision to shut down the pulp line at Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill and will continue to operate the Specialty Paper facility, said Kevin Edgson, President and CEO of Canfor Pulp.
Over the next few months, Canfor Pulp Products will be following an orderly wind-down process.
The pulp line is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2023 and is anticipated to impact approximately 300 positions across the organization by the end of the year.
We greatly appreciate our valued team members who have been helping to navigate a very challenging business environment. We understand and regret the impact today’s announcement has on our employees, their families, the businesses that support our operations, and the local community. We will be working in the weeks and months ahead to support our employees through this transition, Kevin Edgson said.
