International Paper is investing $300 million in its Riverdale Mill in Selma to help grow its industrial packaging business. The announcement was made Friday at the company’s headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee.
“I think it’s pretty exciting in terms of investment in the Riverdale Mill and what that means in terms of our position here in the community,” said Arthur McLean, communications manager of Riverdale Mill.
The investment in Dallas County’s largest employer will convert one of the mill’s two paper machines from producing uncoated freesheet paper to high quality whitetop linerboard and container board.
“Basically, what that means is it basically makes copy paper and printer paper — office paper,” McLean said. “What it will convert to is something called whitetop linerboard. That is used in consumer packaging. If you get a box that’s got the white exterior coating on it that can be printed on, that’s what we’re talking about.” McLean said the product is new to Riverdale Mill, but it is already something other International Paper mills are producing.
“It’s a growing market,” McLean said. “You think about all of the things that come in those kinds of packaging, and it’s a growing market for us.” The conversion, which McLean said will take around 12 months, is expected to be completed by the middle of 2019. The investment will add around 450,000 tons of annual capacity to Riverdale Mill.
From The Selma Times-Journal: https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2017/09/22/international-paper-to-invest-300-million-in-riverdale-mill/