Voith Paper
Past Issues | TAPPI.org | Advertise | Buyers Guide | TAPPI Press Catalog
Travels with Larry Archive

Sinar Mas to Acquire, Restart Pope & Talbot Pulp Mill in Mackenzie, B.C.

Print Print this article | Send to Colleague

Sinar Mas, Indonesia, will buy the idled Pope & Talbot pulp mill in Mackenzie, B.C., Canada, with plans to export production to Asian markets by this fall. According to a Reuters news report, Sinar Mas officials said last week that the company's Netherlands-based unit, Paper Excellence BV, will pay C$20 million ($19.8 million) for the mill, and invest between C$30 million and C$40 million to restart it, plus additional costs. The mill's union reportedly has signed a contract for the more than 240 workers, and the McLeod Lake Indian Band, which holds resource rights in the area, says it will ensure the facility receives sufficient fiber supplies.

Sinar Mas plans to market about 80% of the mill's NBSK pulp production in Asia, Peter Wardhana, a director of Paper Excellence, stated in the Reuters report. Wardhana said the company, which already owns a mechanical pulp mill in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, is interested in more acquisitions in Canada. It is in final talks with Tembec to buy two of its mills in France. Sinar Mas tried to buy the Mackenzie mill in 2008, but the deal fell through partly because of the international credit crunch. That proposed transaction had also included two other Pope & Talbot mills.

 

Nalco Company
EKA Chemicals Inc.