Childersburg, AL – AbitibiBowater says it will shut down its last paper machine at the Coosa Pines plant in about one month.
The decision announced on Monday ends a pilot project intended to manufacture brown paper grade products. Of the 400 employees now working at the plant, 150 will lose their jobs.
Richard Garneau, the company's president and CEO, said in a statement that the plant had made progress in the production of recycled lightweight and ultra lightweight packaging and linerboard.
But he said a review shows the capital investment needed to make the products at low cost is not practical.
The pilot project involved utilizing one paper machine at the mill to manufacture the new brown paper grade products. The plant's machines originally were used for making newsprint, the paper on which newspapers are printed.
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