Tembec has kept its word on a promise made in November of last year.
The company announced July 18 plans to start up operation at its Kenogami mill near Kirkland Lake.
“When we closed the mill in November, 2002, that was difficult for us to do,” says Martin Simard, director of public relations for Tembec. “But Charles Gagnon (Tembec vice-president of corporate relations) went to the mill to meet with the workers and made a promise that we would find any way we could to reopen the mill. That’s what we have done.”
Following a $1-million investment to upgrade equipment in the mill, one shift of approximately 30 people will be returning to work at the mill starting Sept. 8. That is almost half of the 67 workers laid off at the mill over the past couple of years, says Simard.
“This is good news for the town,” says Don Studholme, director of economic development for the Town of Kirkland Lake. “It is really going to help the morale of the community that has had this facility in limbo for close to a year now. It’s going to mean an increase in morale and confidence in the community that there is some long-term potential for the mill.”
Tembec is investigating ways of making the Kenogami mill a value-added mill, says Simard. The mill is also part of a recently announced joint venture by Tembec and Domtar merging mills in Ontario and Quebec.
