Cascades Inc. recently announced that it will build a new tissue converting plant in Scappoose, Oregon (USA). The US$64 million investment includes new state-of-the-art converting lines that are scheduled for commissioning at the end of the first quarter of 2017.
This new, modern and automated converting plant will employ 80 people once the work is finished. It will manufacture virgin and recycled bathroom tissue products and paper hand towels for the Away from Home market. The unit will be supplied by the Cascades tissue paper plant located 12 kilometers away in St. Helens, Oregon creating considerable synergies.
The new plant's production capacity will be close to six million cases per year, or approximately 53,000 tonnes of finished product.
"This new plant is a concrete example of Cascades increasing capacity to service customers on a national scale. This project, which is part of our strategic plan for development, will provide us with a new converting capacity that will improve our integration rate and coverage of the West Coast. The plant will be strategically located to allow us to better serve our customers and continue to grow in a region that offers potential for our Company," commented Mario Plourde, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cascades.
Jean Jobin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cascades Tissue Group, added, “This major investment consolidates our presence in Oregon and on the West Coast and allows us to take another important step toward achieving our objective of expanding into key markets in the southern and western United States. This new plant will be equipped with some of the most modern assets in the industry, which will help us win additional market share. This investment will also allow us to increase our integration rate and to offer ever greater quality and flexibility.”
According to Cascades, the project is made possible thanks to the incentive programs from local, regional and state governments. Construction will begin once the municipal permit process has been completed.
