KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Domtar Corporation’s (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) Kingsport, Tennessee, mill is donating $10,000 to Healthy Kingsport as part of its year-long 100th anniversary celebration.
Throughout 2016, the mill is commemorating its milestone anniversary with local activities and events that reinforce the mill’s long-standing dedication to the Kingsport community. Domtar has been a supporter of Healthy Kingsport since its inception last year, upholding the organization’s vision of a community where healthy living is the norm.
“For an entire century, this mill has grown along with the local community,” says Bill MacPherson, Kingsport mill manager. “Together, the Kingsport mill and the Ridgefields converting facility employ 390 people, making Domtar the third-largest manufacturing company in Kingsport. We’re very invested in the health and safety of our employees, as well as our larger community, so partnering with Healthy Kingsport and promoting positive lifestyle choices in our region is a natural fit.”
Healthy Kingsport’s primary focus is to make Sullivan County, Tennessee, a healthier place to live, work and play through increased physical activity, healthier eating, and a reduction in tobacco use. The organization has teamed up with multiple area businesses to create a culture of healthy living by promoting awareness, influencing policy and enhancing infrastructure.
“We are thrilled that Domtar’s Kingsport mill is continuing to support our health and wellness efforts in this community,” says Kandy Childress, executive director of Healthy Kingsport. “Domtar is not only giving financial support, they are actively demonstrating healthy living principles among their employees and our community in general.”
In addition to the donation, which will be made in two installments of $5,000 each, Domtar’s Kingsport mill is elevating company participation in the #LiveSugarfreed movement, a national campaign also supported by Healthy Kingsport. The mill has been participating at a bronze level, encouraging employees and guests to choose water over sugar-filled drinks, and supplying healthier drink options in the workplace. The mill is seeking to become a silver-level member, which requires organizations to actively discourage the selection of sugary drinks by limiting their availability and displaying total calorie counts for each item.
Domtar’s Kingsport operation began in 1916, when local businessmen constructed the mill, known as the Kingsport Pulp Co., to process fiber from a wood alcohol extract operation. Although the mill changed hands multiple times over the years, each of its owners made continuous investments in the facility and its operations.
In 1972, under the Mead Corporation name, the Kingsport plant operated five paper machines, one of which was considered the fastest in the world. After being acquired by Willamette Industries, the mill underwent an upgrade in 2000 to make it more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. In 2002, new owner Weyerhaeuser invested $475 million to install a new uncoated free-sheet machine, recovery boiler, and bleached hardwood pulp line ― essentially rebuilding the mill, and making it the newest and most modern paper facility in North America.
In 2007, Domtar took over the Weyerhaeuser Fine Paper group. Today, the plant has the capacity to produce nearly 420,000 tons of paper and more than 300,000 tons of pulp annually. The Kingsport mill has an estimated regional economic impact of $190 million per year.
About Domtar
Domtar is a leading provider of a wide variety of fiber-based products, including communication, specialty and packaging papers, market pulp and absorbent hygiene products. With approximately 9,800 employees serving more than 50 countries around the world, Domtar is driven by a commitment to turn sustainable wood fiber into useful products that people rely on every day. Domtar’s annual sales are approximately $5.6 billion and its common stock is traded on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges. Domtar’s principal executive office is in Fort Mill, South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com.
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For more information, contact Roger Smith,
director of public affairs and manufacturing support at Domtar’s Kingsport mill,
at 423-392-2738.