There will soon be a new owner of the Dryden Domtar Mill.
Due to anticipated regulatory requirements following the sale of Resolute Forest Products and its mills in Ignace, Atikokan and Thunder Bay to Paper Excellence Group, plans are being made to sell the Dryden and Espanola operations to a third party.
Regional Public Affairs Manager Bonny Skene says that is contingent on the bigger transaction closing, but those plans have been set in motion.
“It’s business as usual. We’ve got lots of priorities in terms of running the mill well. The closing of the transaction is about a year out so there is lots of time and lots of runway to stay focused on what’s important.”
Skene notes, “I think it’s also fair to say people who have been employed or retired from the mill have likely experienced a number of owners. Some of younger employees may not have experienced a change in ownership but a number of us have.”
She says they have a great operation in Dryden and adds, “There are many opportunities that lie ahead with a change in ownership and we’ve lived that experience. Our challenge right now is keep our eye on the ball, stay focused, and run well.”
The sale is expected to completed in the first quarter of 2023.
In May of this year and In Consent Agreement with the Commissioner of Competition Canada, Paper Excellence agreed to sell Domtar’s pulp mill in Kamloops, British Columbia in order to resolve the Commissioner’s concerns about the merger’s implications on the purchase of wood fibre in the area.