International Paper recently announced that it has restarted its paper mill near Franklin as a fluff-pulp operation with 200 employees.
The mill is capable of annually producing up to 270,000 metric tons of high quality fluff pulp for the global market.
The company expects that most of the fluff pulp made at the plant will be exported. Fluff pulp is used in a variety of absorbent products (baby diapers, adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, etc.) and in airlaid products such as cleaning and baby wipes.
Prior to its closure in 2010, the Franklin mill produced 600,000 tpy of uncoated freesheet on three machines, and 140,000 tpy of coated paperboard on one machine.
