Irving commits $40M to improve energy use at pulp mill

As well, more than 25 co-op students from the University of New Brunswick, Dalhousie University, Memorial University in Newfoundland & Labrador, and the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) will receive hands-on learning experiences, says the privately-owned conglomerate company.

Irving says the upgrades will help improve energy use and further reduce the site’s carbon footprint, which already uses 95 per cent green mill.

“The pulp mill is the heart of our forest products value chain – from seed to store shelf – sustaining over 9,600 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across New Brunswick,” said Mark Mosher, vice president of the Irving Pulp and Paper Division. “Every year we are growing more wood than we harvest. This wood goes to our sawmills. Chips from sawmills across the region are the primary ingredient for the pulp mill here in Saint John. The pulp is then used to produce quality tissue in Saint John, Dieppe, Toronto, New York and in 2019, Macon, Georgia. The work we are doing will improve the quality and volume of tissue made for Canada’s top brands: Royale and Majesta as well Scotties in U.S.”

The project is scheduled for completion on May 14, 2018.

“New Brunswick is home and our owners are focused on a strong future for these mills. We’re really excited about what this modernization means for our employees, Saint John and our many suppliers across the province,” said Mosher.

Earlier this year, JDI announced it plans to fill 1,510 new jobs in Canada and 190 in the United States over the next three years.