By Shereen Siewert
An unknown number of employees at the Rhinelander Paper Mill will be impacted when the company idles one of its paper machines, officials announced this week.
Ahlstrom-Munksjö, which owns the Rhinelander mill, said the paper machine has a capacity of 14,000 tons per year. The machine is one of four at the plant.
“The total number of people affected is yet to be determined based on retirements and other potential job assignments,” said Addie Teeters, head of marketing, communications and public affairs for Ahlstrom-Munksjö.
The Rhinelander plant, founded in 1903, employs about 500 people. The company employs about 1,800 people statewide.
Company officials insist the measure is a temporary one.
“In a very competitive marketplace, we must continue to provide cost-effective and innovative products, challenging our machine capabilities to generate optimum results,” said Robyn Buss, executive vice president of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Food Packaging and Technical Solutions Business Area. “Our robust manufacturing platform is well-positioned for continued success. By utilizing several other machines in our regional system, we will provide our customers with the level of service required to meet their needs.”
