Catalyst mill reopens after shutdown



Catalyst mill reopens after shutdown

BRITISH COLUMBIA ((From the Nanaimo Daily News) -- The Catalyst Crofton Pulp Mill reopened last week after an unscheduled nine-day shutdown that cost the mill up to $6 million.

Eduarda Hodgins, a spokeswoman for Catalyst Paper which owns the mill, said the facility's treatment plant had unanticipated "mechanical issues" which was exacerbated by a power outage at the mill that required a stop in production until the issues were dealt with.

As a result, the mill incurred production losses of approximately 8,600 tonnes of pulp and 8,600 tonnes of paper during the shutdown. Hodgins said no health or environmental issues occurred as a result of the issues with the treatment plant and the power outage.

"We're back in full production now," Hodgins said.

"The shutdown had no impacts on any commitments we have made with our buyers because we had a certain amount of product in our inventories to cover us during the nine-day shutdown."

Major products from the mill include newsprint, directory paper and kraft pulp, which is used to manufacture printing, writing and tissue papers.