Canfor Pulp to Take Three Weeks Downtime at Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George, BC
Canfor pulp is postponing the planned extended spring maintenance shut at Northwood Pulp Mill until later this year, and instead will curtail the mill's production of NBSK pulp for three weeks.
March 30, 2020 - Canfor Pulp Products on March 26 announced actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic uncertainty. The company is postponing the planned extended spring maintenance shut1 at Northwood Pulp Mill until later this year, and instead will curtail the mill for three weeks during the period the turnaround was originally scheduled to occur. This will result in a reduction of approximately 35,000 tonnes of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) pulp production. "Our top priority is working to protect the safety and well-being of our employees," said Don Kayne, CEO of Canfor Pulp. "At the same time, we are responding to volatility in the marketplace and reduced fibre availability, and taking necessary steps to protect the business." In addition, Canfor Pulp is reducing its planned capital expenditures for 2020 by $15 million to $25 million, representing a $78 million decrease from 2019 capital expenditures. This reduction will be realized through the deferral of planned projects and suspension of in-progress initiatives that can be paused without significant impact. Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, Canfor Pulp is closely monitoring potential staffing shortages, customer demand and volatility in the financial markets. There is the potential that further adjustments to operating plans may be required as a result, the company said. 1 The Northwood Pulp Mill's planned maintenance outage had been scheduled to take place in the second quarter of 2020 with a projected 30,000 tonnes of reduced NBSK pulp production. About Canfor PulpCanfor Pulp Products Inc. is a leading global supplier of pulp and paper products with operations in the central interior of British Columbia (Canada) employing approximately 1,300 people throughout the organization. Canfor Pulp owns and operates three mills in Prince George, BC with a total capacity of 1.1 million tonnes of Premium Reinforcing Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft Pulp and 140,000 tonnes of kraft paper, as well as one mill in Taylor, BC with an annual production capacity of 230,000 tonnes of Bleached Chemi-Thermo Mechanical Pulp. For further information, visit: www.canfor.com. SOURCE: Canfor Pulp |