ND Paper, a major paper producer, has announced workforce reductions at its mills in Rumford, Maine and Biron, Wisconsin, citing challenging market conditions.
In Rumford, the company plans to idle one of its three paper machines, impacting approximately 100 employees. ND Paper is working with affected workers to help them find other employment opportunities, including those within the company at other facilities. The Rumford mill currently employs about 530 people. Local officials are confident the mill's future remains stable despite the short-term challenges.
At the Biron mill, ND Paper laid off approximately 70 employees last week. The company is consolidating operations to one machine, while the other will be idled due to market conditions. ND Paper will provide resources to assist laid-off employees in finding new jobs. As of last year, the Biron mill employed over 300 people, and the company was actively recruiting for several positions. Company representatives assured the public that the recent changes won't affect ND Paper's long-term commitment to the Biron community.
The exact number of employees ultimately affected by the downtime and layoffs may be lower than initial estimates due to unfilled positions at both mills.
