Tissue World Magazine
Alexandra Stuthridge, Technical Business Manager, BioProducts Institute (BPI)

Tissue giant Cascades has expanded its tissue presence in the south east of America after it announced a US$55m investment in a new tissue converting facility in Wagram, North Carolina.

Start-up is planned for the end of 2014 and the investment will reorganise and expand the company’s converting activities in the area, which it said was a targeted area of growth.

Suzanne Blanchet, outgoing Cascades Tissue Group president and chief executive, said: “Cascades is expanding its presence in the Southeast, one of the fastest growing markets in the United States.

“This investment will allow us to optimise our converting platform by relocating equipment presently used elsewhere, by adding new manufacturing equipment and installing robotized warehouse management. In doing so, we are moving closer to many key markets, and improving our productivity and logistics while enhancing customer service.”

The total annual capacity for the new converting plant is approximately 10 million cases on six converting lines, with the capacity to produce various tissue products including bathroom tissue, kitchen towels, paper napkins and hand towels for both the Away-from-Home and Consumer Products markets.

Cascades Tissue Group, a division of Cascades Canada, is the fourth largest manufacturer of tissue paper in North America.