Mercer Rosenthal has the capacity to produce 360,000 metric tons per year of kraft pulp, primarily supplying customers in Germany and Italy.
Oct. 7, 2026 - Mercer International reported that its kraft pulp mill, Mercer Rosenthal, located in Rosenthal am Rennsteig, Germany, halted its restart process following a four-week maintenance shutdown due to discoloration in the vicinity of the wastewater discharge point into the Saale River.
During the restart process, the mill received a report on October 1 regarding discoloration around the wastewater discharge point. As a precautionary measure to rule out any adverse effects on the environment and water bodies, the company immediately halted the restart process and the wastewater discharge, retaining the wastewater in the plant's own buffer basins, Mercer said.
The Saale-Orla District Office subsequently issued a temporary swimming ban for the southern section of the Bleiloch Reservoir as a precaution, the company added.
In a press release, Mercer explained, "Since the wastewater discharge was suspended on Thursday [Oct. 1], the company has been in constant direct communication with the relevant authorities. On this basis, discharge from the plant's own wastewater treatment facility into the Saale River was gradually resumed on October 3 in close coordination with the relevant environmental authorities. At the same time, preparations are underway to resume pulp production."
Mercer Rosenthal produces kraft pulp mainly for paper and tissue manufacturing. With an annual production capacity of 360,000 metric tons, the company primarily supplies customers in Germany and Italy. The majority of the pulp is transported by rail.
In addition to high-quality pulp, Mercer Rosenthal manufactures other wood-based products such as tall oil and lignin. The company also operates a large biomass power plant with a thermal capacity of 413 megawatts and an electrical capacity of 57 megawatts.
Mercer International is a global forest products company with operations in Germany, the United States and Canada with consolidated annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes of pulp, 1,023 million board feet of lumber, 210,000 cubic meters of cross-laminated timber, 45,000 cubic meters of glulam, 17 million pallets and 230,000 metric tonnes of biofuels.
SOURCE: Mercer International Inc.