Domtar leaders celebrate the Kingsport Mill’s grand re-opening and the company’s corrugated recycling partnership with Food City leaders in May 2023.
Photo Credit: Earl Neikirk/Neikirk Image
Our Kingsport Mill is running again, using recycled fiber from a corrugated recycling partnership established with a regional grocery store chain and attracting customers from across the corrugated industry.
After a successful two-year conversion project and the production of the mill’s first roll of 100-percent recycled containerboard in January, Domtar hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony in May to celebrate the Kingsport Mill’s grand reopening. Local and state officials and employees joined together to mark this important milestone.
The Kingsport Mill’s production has continued apace through the summer, thanks in part to a new corrugated recycling partnership established with Food City. The mill will collect and recycle old corrugated containers from the chain’s 140 stores and use them to produce 100-percent recycled performance linerboard and medium.
“Cardboard and paper waste from area Food City stores will go to Domtar rather than local landfills and will eventually become part of packaging used by customers across the world,” says Charlie Floyd, vice president of strategic capital projects for Domtar’s packaging business.
“We couldn’t be prouder to have a more gracious partner than Food City join this great, exciting new journey and chapter for us,” says Mike Butler, Domtar’s senior director of fiber procurement and sales.
Mill Welcomes Association of Independent Corrugated Converters
In July, our Kingsport Mill team hosted the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters’ annual Southeast Summit. About 60 members, including some Domtar customers, met for two days of networking discussions and a tour of the mill.
“Our value proposition is focused on serving the independent corrugated converter,” Butler says. “So it makes sense for Domtar to support the organization that supports our customer base.”
AICC President Mike D’Angelo agreed, saying the tour was an excellent opportunity to see one of the most sophisticated and highly automated machines in North America up close — a treat for the boxmaking members in attendance.
Butler says customer response to our performance linerboard and medium grades has been excellent.
“We are delivering on our promise to provide our customers a full range of 100 percent-recycled Performance Linerboard and Medium with superior strength and outstanding print performance,” he says. “They have been delighted by the high-quality product the Kingsport team is producing and the response has far exceeded our expectations.”
