Cascades Inc., a leader in the recovery of recyclable products and manufacturing green packaging products and tissue paper, officially inaugurated the Greenpac Mill LLC (Greenpac Containerboard Mill), located in Niagara Falls, New York. Greenpac is a company created by Cascades in partnership with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Jamestown Container and Containerboard Partners.
Considered the most advanced facility of its kind in North America, Greenpac manufactures a lightweight linerboard, made with 100% recycled fibres, on a single machine having a trim of 328 inches (8.33 metres) with an annual production capacity of 540,000 short tons. Built and operated by Norampac, a division of Cascades, the Greenpac Mill employs 135 people.
"The investment we are inaugurating today is the tangible result of the deployment of our strategic plan aiming to position Cascades as a leader in the packaging industry in terms of both productivity and profitability. Greenpac offers high-performance and innovative products that will enable us to better fulfill the needs of our customers, with one of the lowest costs in the industry," stated Mario Plourde, president and chief executive officer of Cascades.
"We are very proud to officially inaugurate Greenpac today, with the people who have helped make this major project a reality," added Charles Malo, Chief Operating Officer of Norampac. "Greenpac's success since launching operations has confirmed that we made the right choice by investing in modern equipment and technologies that enable us to offer superior-quality products."
This project was also made possible thanks to the involvement of organizations such as the State of New York, Empire State Development, the City of Niagara Falls, the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency, the New York Power Authority and the New York Department of Environment Conservation.
Since the beginning of production on July 15, 2013, the mill's performance has continued to improve and demand for its innovative products has surpassed expectations. Combining the latest paper production technologies, Greenpac XP—a new type of recycled linerboard—stands out from the competition with its superior strength and unparalleled print quality while maintaining a lower basis weight than traditional linerboards. An innovative manufacturing process makes Greenpac XP a more economical option for customers as it requires less fiber and gives the paper an unprecedented performance and finish.
With respect to energy efficiency and the use of water, the Greenpac Mill is an industry leader thanks to the automation of numerous operations, a state-of-the-art water treatment system, high-performance drying equipment and the re-use of process water.
The success of Cascades' most ambitious project in 50 years is also due to the exceptional dedication of its employees, whose commitment to excellence from start-up has made all the difference in enabling the mill achieving its objectives. Furthermore, the Greenpac team takes great pride in its exemplary health and safety performance, as this is at the heart of everyone's day-to-day activities.
"We would like to take the opportunity to thank everyody who has played a role in this project including, in particular, all the employees and suppliers who have been involved in building and operating the mill, and our partners in this project, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Jamestown Container and Containerboard Partners," said Mr. Malo.
Dignitaries, partners, suppliers, customers and employees were on hand as the Greenpac Mill in Niagara Falls opened its doors to the media for the first time.
About Cascades
Founded in 1964, Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products composed mainly of recycled fibres. The Company employs close to 11,000 women and men, who work in over 90 production units located in North America and Europe. With its management philosophy, half a century of experience in recycling, and continuous efforts in research and development as driving forces, Cascades continues to deliver the innovative products that customers have come to rely on. Cascades shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, under CAS.