RUMFORD – MeadWestvaco expects to lay off about 1,000 employees companywide this year in a effort to improve efficiency.
How that layoff and other initiatives outlined in a press release issued by the Stamford, Conn.-based, paper company will affect the local mill is unknown right now.
“It’s an initiative in place for the full year,” said Tony Lyons, a spokesman for the Rumford mill. “There’s a good chance we may know by the end of the month.”
On Jan. 29, the industry headquarters is expected to announce a more detailed plan about how savings will be made. According to the press release, the plan is to eliminate 1,000 jobs, close an unnamed number of facilities and improve production.
“We’re not certain what our contribution will be,” said Lyons. “There are multiple phases to this productivity initiative, and it takes some time for the initiatives to work their way through.”
Local 900 President Gary Hemingway said he believes “all the feelers” point to an impending sale of MeadWestvaco’s Paper Group, a division of the corporation that produces paper. Other divisions produce office products and corrugated cardboard, among other things. The Rumford mill is one of five mills in the paper group division, and the only MeadWestvaco-owned mill in Maine.
“We’re suspicious that the paper group mills may be being prepared to be sold,” he said, adding that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “With our accessibility to fiber and water, and the best paper makers in the world, we are still a very viable company. We may have a chance to grow in capacity. We’re still a good investment.”
MeadWestvaco sold most of its 530,000 thousand acres of forestland in Maine late last year, resulting in the layoff of about 20 forester jobs in Rumford.
The No. 11 coated paper machine has been down since August, but Lyons said no layoffs resulted because of this. The No. 12 machine was also shut down for about a week around Christmas, but is up and running again. Production has not been interrupted for the mill’s remaining machines, No. 10 and No. 15, along with pulp dryer No. 9.
The Rumford mill employs about 1,150 people.
eadams@sunjournal.com
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