Bucksport paper mill announces 2-week shutdown in September

BUCKSPORT – Verso Paper Corp. announced on Friday it will be shutting down its Bucksport mill for two weeks later this summer.

The “downtime” will begin on Sept. 8, said mill spokesman Bill Cohen.

“The paper industry runs in cycles,” he said. “It is typical for a mill to close when supply and demand aren’t in balance.”

Verso, based in Memphis, Tenn., produces coated groundwood, coated freesheet and supercalender products.

The downtime will result in more than 13,000 tons of reduced coated groundwood production, according to a press release. Verso has already taken 19,000 tons of maintenance-related downtime this year.

According to Cohen, there is less demand for the company’s products right now, and the short time the mill will be closed will allow the market to catch up.

Three of the four paper machines in the mill will be shut down during the break.

Cohen was unsure which employees will be affected by the downtime.

“We are currently working through union contracts and working with employees to see who will work and who will take vacation time,” he said. “Employees will have some options to consider.”

The mill employs 795 people in the Bucksport area.

The break is not expected to affect the company’s mill in Jay.