Chinese Company Looking To Build Pulp Mill In Arkansas

A Chinese paper company is looking at the feasibility of building a new $1.36 billion fluff pulp mill in South Arkansas.

While on a trade mission to China in November, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed a “letter of intent on investment cooperation” with Sun Paper Industry Joint Stock Co. Ltd., the largest privately-owned papermaking enterprise in China. The letter commits Sun Paper to studying the feasibility of building a pulp mill in Arkansas, with a final decision on the new facility expected by May 1, 2016.

The last “greenfield” pulp and paper mill to be built in the Southern U.S. was by Union Camp Corporation in 1985 at Eastover, South Carolina at a cost of around $600 million. International Paper, which purchased Union Camp in 1999, continues to operate the pulp mill and two paper machines at Eastover facility,

TO SEE THE FULL ARTICLE IN THE WINTER 2016 F&W FORESTRY REPORT, SUBSCRIBE NOW»