MILL WATCH 
Multiply the number of workers unemployed by eight , as in this industry that is the ratio of people directly affected by the loss of one person's job.
Domtar To Idle Pulp Mill In May - 400 people to be laid off
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail100875html
Old Town Mill Reopens With New Name - Old Town Fuel & Fiber
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/100229.html
Millinocket Mill to Close In 60 Days - Governor Visits Mill MILLINOCKET, Maine - State officials are pursuing three options to maintain the Katahdin Paper Co. LLC mill and create an independent energy production facility on the Katahdin Avenue campus, Gov. John Baldacci said Monday.
Update Below:
MILLINOCKET, Maine — Brookfield Asset Management will spend about $1.5 million to winterize and assess the Katahdin Avenue paper mill for a biomass boiler that will generate about 20 megawatts of electricity, a company senior vice president told the Town Council on Thursday. more |
WAUSAU Paper Mill in Jay Laid Off 40 Employees on April 12th, 2008 as reported on Channel 2 WLBZ_TV news
Upadte : Wausau Paper to cut back production schedule
By The Associated Press
JAY, Maine — Wausau Paper plans to cut back from a seven-day to a five-day-a-week schedule on its No. 11 paper machine in Jay due to the economic slowdown.
The statement Friday night by Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mike Nelson follows the company’s announcement in August that it would shut down another paper machine, known as No. 10, by the end of the year, put-ting about 150 of its 235 workers out of a job. The No. 10 machine has been running a limited five-day schedule since spring.
Members of a state labor response team were at the Otis mill site this week to talk to workers about their options once they are laid off.
Feb. 22nd, 2008 Sun Journal
Rumford - The no.11 paper machine will continue producing until the end of the month, rather then shutting down Feb. 25th. Tony Lyons, spokesman for NewPage Corp. announced Thursday afternoon that the extension was made so orders can be filled. " It is a difficult time for us, " he said. The decision to permanently shutdown No. 11 was part of a so-called integration process.
*** A loss of 60 jobs, which includes five -seven salaried positions. Retirement packages are being offered to those eligible, lessening the unemployed figure to 25. ( 200 people directly affected ) ****8 people were called back to work this past week 3/2008
Moose River Speaks Out In Morning Sentinel
Moose River Sales manager; Steve Branahan states that his company is not planning on going anywhere, although he admittted that his company is running at a loss. He states that to shutdown would devastate the small rural communities that depend on the mill and it would also mean loosing employees. " It is something that everybody who runs a sawmill or woods operation right now is faced with: do I keep going or do I stop? " Banahan said. He further stated that the stakes for the mills are higher this time around and if a mill goes under, it is much less likely a new mill will be constructed to take it's place.
Feb.27th,2008
Maine Woods Portage Hardwood Mill's production manager verified to the Coalition that their mill is struggling due to market downtime. They have laid off 39 employees ( 312 people directly affected) and are working with a skeleton crew of 23 at 1/3 throttle , hoping that in 6-8 weeks to come back to full production if the economy changes. In the meantime they are working at a reduced schedule and are using the time as beneficially as they can to attend to making their mill as efficent as possible.
Feb. 27th, 2008
WLBZ-Channel 2 News reports : Louisana Pacific lays off 76 Employees; (608 people directly affected ).
February 12th, 2008 Lincoln Mill Co-Owner's Status Report Upbeat
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?a=160123&zoneid=164
Finally some good news to report on the Mill Watch Page!
How many blows can this industry take? 
" Two more paper machines come to a stop."
February 11th,2008 On this evening's WLBZ-TV 2 News, Fraser Paper Inc. in Gorham, New Hampshire announced that in 2 months , on April 13th,2008 they would be scaling back their operation by closing down 2 paper machines in their mill there. Putting 167 millworkers out of work. ( 1336 people directly affected) The news story stated that the cost of oil and market price of pulpwood as the determining factors.
This following the January 18th, 2008 announcement in the Bangor Daily News of Fraser Paper Inc. in Ashland, Maine announcing it's temporary four month shutdown, stating low lumber prices due to the weak U.S. housing markets as the cause. Operations to cease as soon as current log supplies were processed. The return of the 70 millworkers , ( 560 people directly affected )depending on future market conditions.
On January 17th, 2008 officials for J.D. Irving Forest Products stated that the Pinkham Sawmill in Nashville Plantation, Maine would be closing it's doors in two months. An indefinate closure due to market conditions. A closure that would put about 73 millworkers out of work, (584 people directly affected)
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