Canadian paper maker Domtar is cutting 1,800 jobs and plans to close or sell several mills in a bid to return to profitability.
It expects to close its mills in Cornwall, Ontario, and parts of other mills in Ontario and the capital Ottawa. The plan will also see the firm sell its mill in Vancouver, British Columbia, and shut its saw mills in Grand Remous and Malartic in Quebec.
The Cornwall mill is the largest facility, with 910 employees and a total capacity of 265,000 tonnes of uncoated and coated printing grades on three paper machines. The Cornwall cuts include 390 positions already terminated in December 2004.
Domtar will also consolidate its North American administrative offices in Montreal and Cincinnati, and will overhaul its supply chain.
The strategy will result in pretax restructuring charges of $505 million.
