ND Paper Produces First Paper Roll on R12 Machine at Rumford Mill

Successful production trial marks a step towards the potential restart of the machine, which has been idle for more than two years.

ND Paper’s Rumford Mill has successfully produced its first roll of paper on the R12 paper machine, marking a significant milestone in efforts to bring the machine closer to returning to service.

The first roll was produced on 5 November following several weeks of testing and production trials. However, ND Paper has not disclosed the paper grade manufactured during the trial or confirmed whether a decision has been made to restart the machine.

R12 had been idle for more than two years amid unfavourable market conditions. Its latest production milestone follows a broader initiative to expand the Rumford Division’s capabilities in packaging grades.

In 2020, ND Paper announced plans to further develop the Rumford operation’s packaging paper production. A key component of the project involved upgrading R12 to manufacture specialty packaging grades, including natural kraft liner and unbleached packaging papers.

Before the project, the machine was configured to produce coated and uncoated freesheet. The expansion was intended to broaden its product capabilities and strengthen the mill’s position in packaging paper markets.

The successful production of the first roll represents progress in the machine’s testing and commissioning process, although its full return to operation has yet to be confirmed.

Rumford Mill: Integrated Production Capacity
ND Paper’s Rumford Mill is an integrated pulp and paper production site with an annual capacity of approximately 120,000 tonnes of northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) pulp, 215,000 tonnes of packaging paper and 300,000 tonnes of coated and uncoated freesheet.

The mill operates one pulp dryer and three paper machines – R10, R12 and R15 – and employs approximately 530 full-time staff.