October is National Manufacturing Month. Manufacturing businesses create jobs and help local communities. Owensboro Times is highlighting one manufacturer locally, Domtar.
The Owensboro plant is a converting center for Domtar Paper Company, North America’s largest paper supplier.
Chris Buskill plant manager at the Owensboro Domtar, said they convert rolls of paper, which the Domtar Hawesville mill produces, into 8-1/2” x 11” copy paper. They also make pre-punched 3-hole, 14” legal and a wide variety of paper products.
The Owensboro location produces roughly 600 tons of paper per day (30 truckloads in from Hawesville / 30 truckloads out to customers). Rolls weighing roughly 8,000 pounds are ran in groups of five or six at a time through the process, which will cut the paper to size, package the paper in ream wrap, cartonize into boxes, placed on a wooden pallet, and be wrapped in stretch film for safe transportation all over the U.S. and Canada.
Buskill said Owensboro, along with surrounding cities and counties, hosts a wide array of manufacturing opportunities for families to succeed.
“There are many more lives touched than just the employees at Domtar,” he said. “Local dedicated freight companies, uniform suppliers, food and beverage, landscaping; the list can go on and on.”
He said Domtar has added to their mission statement several years ago to become more engaged in the community through various streams.
“By partnering up with several fantastic organizations in and around Owensboro, we’ve been able to utilize our strengths, such as a commitment to care,” he said. “Just recently, we’ve teamed with local leaders to discuss how we can embrace the younger generation in a positive manner, and set them up to succeed through whichever road they may choose. It’s an exciting time locally, not just for Domtar, but for our wonderful community in and around Owensboro.”
Brittaney Johnson, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corp., said Domtar has been a strong employer for a number of years and they are thankful for the economic impact they bring to the community.
We look forward to continuing to cultivate a relationship with Domtar and to all of their future successes in our community.
“The Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation feels that it is important to showcase manufacturers not only during the month of October but year-round,” she said. “Working together with manufacturers and our community partners we can continue to inspire individuals to pursue a career in manufacturing, technology or engineering and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole.”
