Thursday, May 23, 2024
The Mining Journal 5A
Region
Billerud’s Escanaba paper
mill is shown.The Swedish
company announced plans
to convert the mill to pro-
duce cartonboard have been
scraped for financial reasons.
(Escanaba Daily Press photo)
Billerud scraps plans to convert Escanaba mill
By ILSA MINOR
Escanaba Daily Press
ESCANABA
planned conversion of the than 12% Tuesday, follow- that could be used for pack- for a period of 15 years, was
Escanaba paper mill to pro- ing the announcement. aging liners has resulted expected to result in approx- the county or township tax deep cleaning.
duce cartonboard, a pack- “For us, there’s not even strong customer feedback, imately $1.96 million worth abatements during his call “Although we have not
aging material found in an option to talk about according to Vante. of abated property taxes Tuesday, but said Billerud’s found a direct link to the
items like cereal boxes, was Billerud moving forward The three Escanaba pa- annually to support the ex- change of direction likely worksite, many fell ill and
scrapped Tuesday, Billerud without Billerud North per machines — known pansion project. Over the took the state’s subsidies off we are deeply saddened by
announced. America (as) part of this. individually as E1, E3, and course of the FPPRZ period, the table. the death of a person who
“We have decided on a We’ve been so impressed E4 — could have different that would have resulted in a “It’s very reasonable to worked as a contractor at the
new direction to transform since we took over two applications under the new savings for the mill of $29.4 assume that this grant or the mill,” the company wrote in
our production in the U.S. years ago how the cultural plan. E3, which currently million. discussions that we’ve had its 2023 annual report.
towards packaging mate- fit has been, performance produces specialty paper, is Further tax abatements by in Michigan state is off the Later in 2023, the mill
rials, and one part of that that we’ve been able to see the most likely machine to Delta County, Wells Town- table. We are very thankful was subject to short-term
means that we will not move quarter after quarter, and continue in its current use. ship and Escanaba Town- for all of the support and layoffs, which occurred at
forward with the planned also the access to cost-com- “Speciality, I think, fits ship through the Plant Re- the, let’s call it, very, very multiple mills across Biller-
and original cartonboard petitive fiber we see in that our portfolio like a hand in habilitation and Industrial good discussions that we’ve ud’s holdings, including in
conversion in Escanaba,” very good, central U.S. lo- a glove. That is in a growing Development Districts Act had with all of the Michigan Europe. The layoffs in Es-
said Ivar Vante, president cation,” said Vante. market, and we have good (Public Act 198 of 1974) state over the years, but I canaba were attributed to
and CEO of Billerud, during Vante was unable to pro- plans, and definitely that is were also approved, and think that the base assump- reduced paper demands and
a conference call with me- vide a detailed plan of how in our strategic sweet spot were expected to result in tion is that this is off the ta- a need to manage inventory
dia and financial analysts. the company would transi- going forward,” said Vante. $657,000 over 12 years, ble with our new plan,” he levels efficiently.
The reasons for the expan- tion to packaging materials
sion being canceled were fi- or a when those transitions smaller E1 could be used for tax abatement to support the
nancial, according to Vante, would take place. However, graphic paper, low-gram- plant’s revitalization.
who said the investment lev- he was able to provide some mage cartonboard, or some
Billerud’s stock, which in the graphic paper mar- Renaissance Zone.” Biller- lion grant agreement between outbreak; one person, a con-
is traded on the Stockholm ket. Early test runs on that ud’s approval for the FP- Billerud and the MEDC was tractor at the mill, died from
Exchange, jumped more machine of uncoated papers PRZ, which was to be valid signed. the disease; and the mill was
Vante did not mention idled for three weeks for
—
A
Vante
suggested
the based on a 50% property said.
Currently, only two North
While Vante spoke high- American mills are in Biller-
ly of its North American ud’s portfolio, the Escanaba
The largest boost to the pro- operations since it first pur- and Quinnesec mills. The
el needed for the conversion idea of how the company’s form of kraft paper. The posed project, however, came chased the mills formerly company divested of its
for the mill was significant- North American assets future of the E4 machine from Whitmer and the state owned by Verso two years mill in Wisconsin Rapids,
ly higher than the Swed- might be used towards that is less certain, but it may legislature, which approved ago, the Escanaba mill has Wis. in March. That mill
ish-based company’s ingo- goal.
ing projections. When asked “I think you need to at this low it to produce container project in the state budget for 2023, 118 cases of blasto- but was once in contention
to elaborate on the cause point start looking at the board in combination with 2023. The funds were part mycosis, a fungal respirato- for the expansion that was
of the financial pressures, different assets, you know, graphic papers. of the Michigan Economic ry infection, were identified planned in Escanaba.
Vante said it was primarily machine for machine. “We just need a bit more Development Corporation in mill workers or contrac- Despite selling the mill
receive modifications to al- $200 million to support the had a rough few years. In had been idled since 2020
I
an issue of inflation raising think Quinnesec mill, for us time to review all the op- (MEDC) appropriations for tors. Fourteen people were land and equipment to a pri-
the cost of equipment and that’s the flagship, it’s the tions on how the plan and the year. A celebration kick- reported to have been hos- vate equity firm, Billerud
services needed for the proj- crown jewel of our North the sequence will pan out on ing off the project was held pitalized by Public Health has kept an active conver-
ect but confirmed the weak- American business. That is the E4,” said Vante.
ness of the Swedish krona to a very, very good machine,” The original expansion during which the $200 mil- Counties as a result of the Rapids.
the U.S. dollar also played a said Vante. plan was highly subsidized
Currently, the Quinnesec by both state and local gov-
at the mill on July 11, 2023, Delta and Menominee sion facility in Wisconsin
factor.
Vante stressed that Biller- mill produces coated graph- ernments.
ud would continue to shift ic papers. Vante said hav-
NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS AND
ELECTORS OF THE TOWNSHIP
OF REPUBLIC AND THE USERS
OF THE TOWNSHIPS WATER
SUPPLY SYSTEM OF THE
INTENT TO ISSUE BONDS AND
THE RIGHT OF REFERENDUM
RELATING THERTO
In late 2022, Gov. Gretch-
the to producing packaging ing exposure to the graphic en Whitmer and the Michi-
materials in North America, maket was still a “good gan Economic Develop-
but would do so incremen- match” for Billerud, but that ment Corporation (MEDC)
tally, at a different pace, and the company was explor- announced that the Billerud
with more modest invest- ing how to make specialty paper mill had been ap-
ments than the original plan papers on that machine to proved to be designated a
for the Escanaba mill.
compensate for the decline “Forest Products Processing
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Professional Licensing
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
July 8, 2024
9:00 a.m.
Location: 611 W. Ottawa Street, UL-5
Lansing, Michigan
The hearing is held to receive public comments on the following administrative rules:
Psychology – General Rules
(MOAHR #2023-052 LR)
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the
Township Board of the Township
of Republic, County of Marquette,
State of Michigan, (the “Township”)
intends to issue and sell its limited
tax general obligation capital
improvement bonds pursuant to Act
34. Public Acts of Michigan, 2001,
as amended, in a principal amount
not to exceed Three Hundred Fifty
Thousand Dollars($350,000), for the
purpose of paying all or part of the
cost to acquire, construct, furnish
and equip improvements to the
Township’s water supply system,
consisting generally of replacing
the existing lead service lines with
new copper water service within the
existing water service area of the
Township, togetherwithalltherelated
appurtenances and the attachments
thereto.
Authority: MCL 333.16145, 333.16148, 333.18201, 333.18223, and 333.18233,
and Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1991-9, 1996-2, 2003-1, and 2011-4, MCL
338.3501, 445.2001, 445.2011, and 445.2030.
Overview: The proposed rules include: revisions to follow current drafting standards
and edits to supply clarification for easier reading; updates to the latest educational
standards; clarification of the length of time an individual may hold the educational
limited license; clarification of the requirements for requesting approval of a post-
degree practicum and the required credentials of a practicum supervisor; removal
of the exception to completion of continuing education in the first license cycle;
clarification that a licensee who completes implicit bias training under R 338.7004
may also use that training toward fulfillment of continuing education requirements; and
supplies updated ways to obtain continuing education credit.
The rules will take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State, unless
specified otherwise in the rules. Comments on the proposed rules may be presented
in person at the public hearing. Written comments will also be accepted from date of
publication until 5:00 p.m. on July 8, 2024, at the following address or e-mail address:
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Professional Licensing– Boards and Committees Section
P.O. Box 30670
Lansing, MI 48909-8170
Attention: Departmental Specialist
A copy of the proposed rules may be obtained by contacting Board Support at (517)
241-7500 or the email address noted above. Electronic copies also may be obtained
at the following link:
Psychology – General Rules
To allow for broad public attendance and participation, including for persons with
disabilities, members of the public may access this meeting by both web and phone
and provide either oral or written comments. Closed captioning will be provided, when
available. Members of the public who are speech or hearing impaired may also attend
and participate in this meeting by dialing 7-1-1 and using the Michigan Relay service.
mpsc/0,9535,7-395-93308_93325_93425_94040_94041---,00.html.
People with disabilities requiring additional accommodations (such as materials in
alternative format) to participate in the meeting, or those that have questions should
contact the department at BPLBoardSupport@ michigan.gov.
questions related to the hearing.
