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Bad news from UPM Blandin

Started by barbender, October 24, 2017, 11:38:03 PM

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barbender

It was just announced today that the UPM Blandin mill in Grand Rapids, MN, will be permanently shutting down it's #5 paper machine, leaving just the #6 in operation. It's very bad news for our company, as I'd guess roughly 50% of our production goes there- I've been working on UPM company lands since June. Not to mention all of the folks that will be losing their jobs directly👎

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4348331-upm-laying-about-150-workers-blandin-mill-grand-rapids&ved=0ahUKEwiqofrO0YrXAhUE_IMKHc5XAYcQxfQBCCYwAA&usg=AOvVaw2-VPGmWhO3CtNGDfCFuIyT
Too many irons in the fire

Gary_C

I saw that same story on the news tonight. The paper markets are in full decline and the pine pulp markets in WI are struggling too.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

thecfarm

 More sad news. Maine has been going through a lot of the same bad news.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

snowstorm

the bright spot in the future of the paper industry will be.......cardboard.....

snowstorm

i would assume this is the upm that had a mill in madison maine. when that closed we went from a pretty good sp fir pulp market to pretty much nothing

barbender

I've watched you fellas in Maine losing all of your paper mills, and wondered when our turn was🙄 We're down to 3 paper mills in MN, I think (Sappi in Cloquet produces cellulose fiber for rayon, etc. now) UPM Blandin and the Verso mill in Duluth have, from what I understand, the 2 newest paper machines in North America (They are "sister" machines, built in the late 80's I think). Hopefully that will keep them competitive, but it doesn't matter how cheap you can produce a product if no one is buying it👎
Too many irons in the fire

chevytaHOE5674

Back in the day "our" paper mill produced unbleached kraft paper (for making cardboard) cheaper than anybody in the country but it still didn't matter when the markets got tight.

Sappi in Cloquet buys a lot of wood from this area so I wonder if that will change with more local supply available.

snowstorm

Sappi.is building on here. They seem to be doing well

snowstorm

Cardboard is coming to a .mill near here. As I was told it costs a lot to gear up for it but the return is better. How much cardboard  boxes dose ups and FedEx deliver every day??




chevytaHOE5674

Quote from: snowstorm on October 25, 2017, 09:44:07 AM
How much cardboard  boxes dose ups and FedEx deliver every day??

Back when our mill closed they said that at that time 70% of commercially shipped boxed are recycled, and a large percentage of that is made into more cardboard.

snowstorm

This was what my inside sourse days
Time will tell

snowstorm

Source says . This phone has a mind of its own. Auto corect

sawguy21

It makes a bad situation that much worse. :'( You people don't have a lot to fall back on. There is one paper mill left operating in B.C. Who is producing the world supply?
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

grassfed

QuoteWho is producing the world supply?
Brazil; they ramped up production over the last 5-6 years and got SFI exemptions for clearing the rainforest by letting the cattle industry clear for pasture and then turning that pasture land into monoculture eucalyptus plantations.
Mike

ehp

were not doing much better here. Price sure has crashed and one of our 2 mills burnt to the ground

thecfarm

snowstorm,is right about Sappi. I have no idea what they are doing,but other paper mills should take notes.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Maine logger88

Sorry to hear that barbender we know the feeling well we went from 10 in 2014 to 6 now it really messed up our softwood market and hasn't helped the hardwood any .
Quote from: thecfarm on October 25, 2017, 02:38:50 PM
snowstorm,is right about Sappi. I have no idea what they are doing,but other paper mills should take notes.
Sappi is doing well this new wood room makes me nervous tho I've heard a few things there doing and I hope it works out well and doesn't turn into another nightmare like Madison's slasher situation
79 TJ 225 81 JD 540B Husky and Jonsered saws

snowstorm


Maine logger88

Rumor I heard is the are going from 3 debarkers that take 8ft wood to and are reversible if it gets plugged up to 1 huge debarker that takes 20ft wood and is not reversible. Maybe it will all be good and run great but I like the idea of having several debarkers so if one goes down production doesn't stop. The other rumor is they are gonna run hardwood all week and  softwood on the weekends at the mill and have carriers chip hardwood.
79 TJ 225 81 JD 540B Husky and Jonsered saws

snowstorm

Now that the mills have the price of sw where they want they may use more of it

barbender

More numbers that I heard today- Aspen pulp will decrease by 80,000 cords, down to 30,000 total. It will remain to be seen how this will affect our summer logging program.
Too many irons in the fire

Clark

Quote from: grassfed on October 25, 2017, 12:45:56 PMBrazil; they ramped up production over the last 5-6 years and got SFI exemptions for clearing the rainforest by letting the cattle industry clear for pasture and then turning that pasture land into monoculture eucalyptus plantations.

As I understand the world of paper economics Brazil is having little impact on us. The size and weight of paper make shipping it internationally unprofitable. There will always be domestic paper mills but the onset of cell phones, e-books, online newspapers, etc. there is less use of the product. Tell your kids to put their phone down and buy a book!

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

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