Clearwater Paper Suspends Idaho Operations Due to Severe Weather Conditions

Jan. 15, 2024 - Clearwater Paper today announced that it has had to temporarily suspend its operations in Lewiston, Idaho due to uncertainty in natural gas supply and damage caused by extreme cold weather.

Temperatures in the region over the past weekend dropped to a low as minus 10 degrees.

According to a local news report, the interruption in natural gas availability has led to a standstill in paper production, thereby affecting the company's overall operations. Natural gas, a key requirement in the paper manufacturing process, has been rendered unpredictable due to the extreme cold weather conditions.

The company said it is restarting equipment and production at the facility as weather conditions permit.

"We are focused on the safety of our employees and protecting our assets during this period of extremely cold temperatures in the region," said Arsen Kitch, president and chief executive officer. "We are in the process of repairing equipment and resuming our overall operations."

The company expects to provide an update on the anticipated impacts of the outage in a future announcement.

Clearwater Paper (NYSE: CLW) is a premier supplier of private brand tissue to major retailers, including grocery, club, mass merchants, and discount stores. In addition, the company produces bleached paperboard used by printers and packaging converters, and offers services that include custom sheeting, slitting, and cutting.

SOURCE: Clearwater Paper Corporation