Dryden Mill

Dryden Mill. . , Dryden has been a center of the forest industry for over a century due to the availability of timber, its location on the Canadian Pacific Railroad and, before the existence of the power grid, the potential for power generation by the Wabigoon River. , A dam was first built at the mouth of the Wabigoon River in 1898, and a sawmill was built in 1908 on the site of the current kraft mill. The original dam was replaced in 1912 as part of the construction of the new pulpmill. On startup in 1913, the mill (the first kraftmill in Ontario and only the fourth in Canada), produced 40 tons per day of unbleached kraft pulp and sheathing, employing 206 people. Before 1920 the mill expanded into paper production and by the early 2000s the site included a sawmill, modern kraftmill, two paper-machines and a converting operation. It was producing cutsize copy paper, form bond and offset printing papers, as well as bleached softwood kraft pulp. , Starting in the early 2000s, the fine paper industry began to experience a structural decline driven by electronic substitution. Sales volumes dropped, inventories climbed, and prices fell. This caused significant changes in the once cyclical paper industry. Between 2003 and 2008, the Dryden mill shut down the sawmill, woodroom, both paper machines, the converting operation and significantly restructured the workforce to enable the continued operation of the kraftmill. , Domtar's Dryden mill is now a manufacturer of premium bleached softwood kraft pulp with an annual production of 325,000 tonnes. The pulp is shipped by rail and truck to customers as far south as Mexico, as far west as Nevada, and as far east as Maine. The product is used to manufacture towel and tissue, coated and uncoated printing and writing paper, as well as coated and uncoated specialty papers such as labels. Dryden pulp is sought after for its strength and cleanliness. , Today's operation uses sustainably sourced fiber from independent third party certified forests. The facility meets almost all of its own energy needs from renewable sources, and operates contemporary air and water pollution control equipment to minimize the mill's impact on the environment. , The Dryden mill employees pursue the goal of long-term sustainability every day. We believe that caring for employee safety, ensuring cost controls and minimizing the environmental impact of the operation, contribute to the facility's longevity. We also believe that responsible fiber sourcing and conscientious forest renewal ensures the resources around us continue to contribute to the ecology for the future. How do we know all this? From experience. We've been here a hundred years already.