Ribbon Cutting Event. From left to right: Joe Williams, VP of Operations, FRS North America, Voith Paper; Sherry Bohannon, Manager of Engineering, West Monroe, Voith Paper; Jeff Berg, Chief Operating Officer FRS, Voith Paper; Adam Leach, Area Manager, Maintenance, West Monroe, Voith Paper.
Oct. 14, 2026 - Voith on Oct. 13 celebrated the completion of a multi-million-dollar expansion and modernization of its paper roll service center in West Monroe, Louisiana (USA). A portion of the project includes a dedicated Training Center. The expansion, which increased the roll service center by nearly 50%, marks Voith Paper's largest, most recent investment in North America.
"West Monroe is a critical part of our position as the market leader in mechanical roll services," said David Buchanan, President FRS North America, Voith Paper. "Maintaining that leadership position requires us to keep investing. It requires us to anticipate where the market is going, listen to what our customers need, and have the capacity and capabilities to deliver."
The roll service center provides product support and optimization, as well as mechanical roll services including rebuilds, grinding, balancing, and vibration analysis. It also offers roll coverings, roll and part replacements, and spreader roll rebuilds and repairs.
"Our customers can expect to see increased capacity, improved logistics, a faster and more seamless service experience, and hands-on training opportunities where they get to work side-by-side with a Voith expert," said Buchanan. "This is a customer-centric expansion that is focused on meeting the growing needs in our region and industry."
The project was designed to improve operational performance efficiency and includes a dedicated Voith Paper Training Center. The Training Center will provide hands-on instruction in a realistic industrial setting for Voith customers and employees across North America. Through a partnership with Louisiana Delta Community College and relationships with local schools, it will also serve as a hub for training future industry professionals.
The expansion, which began in September 2025, was completed safely, on time and on budget, and created more than 20 new jobs, some of which are still being filled.
Voith Paper, part of the Voith Group, is the full-line supplier to the paper industry, providing a wide range of technologies, services, components and products, and offers paper manufacturers solutions from a single source.
SOURCE: Voith