Total Fiber Recovery Partners with Cellmark to Build Recycled Pulp Facility in Virginia

Total Fiber Recovery of Chesapeake will begin operations in Q4 2023 and annually process up to 300,000 tons of mixed paper and Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) from the region's materials recovery facilities.

July 5, 2022 - Total Fiber Recovery of Chesapeake (TFRC) said that it has started construction of its $80 million recycled pulp production facility in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia. This will be the first of several such pulp facilities by Total Fiber Recovery. The Virginia Small Business Financing Authority authorized the issuance of $65 million of Green Bonds for the facility that were sold earlier this month to Alliance Bernstein.

TFRC is a joint venture between Oregon-based Total Fiber Recovery and CellMark Inc. The project will be supplied by CellMark's Recycled Fiber Division and all pulp produced will be marketed by CellMark's Pulp Division. Bulk Handling Systems, an affiliate of Total Fiber Recovery, is furnishing the equipment for the facility. Crowder Industrial Construction of Charlotte, North Carolina is the EPC.

TFR will begin operations in Q4, 2023 and annually process up to 300,000 tons of mixed paper and Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) from the region's materials recovery facilities (MRFs). The company will increase the region's capacity to process recycled fiber and produce a clean recycled pulp for consumption in paper mills around the world.

With domestic and international offtake agreements in place, the pulp product created by TFR in Chesapeake will be transported to paper plants to become new products.

"The paper industry demands recycled pulp to make new products, and North America is home to some of the world's most advanced MRFs that produce high-quality recycled fiber," said Steve Miller, CEO of Total Fiber Recovery. "From consumers recycling at their homes, to legislators and regulators developing creative waste management plans, to the dedicated MRF operators sorting out materials, Americans have shown that we care about recycling.

"We are grateful for the support of Governor Youngkin, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Port of Virginia, Mayor West, and the Chesapeake City Council," Miller added.

Doug Smith, President of CellMark's Pulp Division, commented, "We are delighted with this exciting new opportunity to market this fast-growing pulp segment. The market is welcoming new entrants, and the Chesapeake project has all the critical elements for success: experienced partners, a plentiful recycled feedstock, a sophisticated cleaning process and excellent logistics."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Chesapeake's Economic Development Department and the Port of Virginia to secure the project for Virginia.

Total Fiber Recovery (TFR) is an Oregon-based company that specializes in building recycled pulp facilities in North America; converting recovered paper into dry recycled pulp, creating a high-value product ready for use in paper mills throughout the world.

SOURCE: Total Fiber Recovery