Buyer of former Fort Orange Paper site in Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, says old paper mill that closed in March 2000 'needs to be taken down,' will build US$250M 100% recycled-based lightweight containerboard mill after site cleanup

Debra Garcia

LOS ANGELES , April 4, 2014 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – Castleton Paperboard LLC, which was created to buy the former Fort Orange Paper Co. site in Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, and build a new paper mill, is moving forward with its plans, reported the Albany Business Review on March 24.

The old paper mill, which has been closed since March 2000, "needs to be taken down" and the 102-acre contaminated site cleaned up prior to construction, said Bernie Corbishley, CFO of MiniMill Technologies Inc.

Castleton Paperboard, an affiliate of MiniMill Technologies, is prepared to buy the property from Rensselaer County for US$600,000 and build a 100% recycled-based lightweight paperboard mill, the Albany Business Review reported.

The project, which will cost about $250 million, will get under way after Castleton Paperboard completes the mandated site cleanup under New York State’s Brownfields Cleanup Program.

Among the environmental violations on the property are asbestos-containing materials, switches containing mercury, and oil-soaked wood flooring, as well as septic tank systems that need to be removed.

Castleton Paperboard has access to the site during the cleanup and will submit a report to the state once it is complete. After the site is cleared by the state, the company will be allowed to begin construction.

The new mill is expected to create 80 to 100 jobs for factory workers and managers. During construction, 400 to 500 workers will be needed for the approximately 18-month building phase, reported the Albany Review.

MiniMill Technologies indicated on its website that it will provide all management services related to site development for the project, which it calls the largest containerboard project now under way in the U.S.

The company, which is based in Syracuse, New York, initially developed the project’s feasibility study, its various financial incentives and grants, as well as participated in the search for technology, according to information on the website.

The primary source of this article is the Albany Business Review, Albany, New York, on March 24, 2014. Click here to view full version of primary's source's original article.

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