St. Marys Paper Corp. has engaged Dennis Bunnell as chairman of the board and CEO to head up the plans to restart production at the St. Marys Paper mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. The mill ceased production of groundwood pulp and paper in March of this year.

At that time the company indicated it would manage the shut down in order that paper production could continue when market and business conditions warrant.

"St Marys has used this period of curtailment to conduct an independent updated marketing and sales study and to evaluate the operational and capital changes needed to ensure long term cost competitiveness, says president Gord Acton. "Our goal continues to be to transition the business from simply a paper production facility to a paper production, green energy and bio-economy business."

Bunnell comments: "I am excited to join St. Marys team and believe that the biomass co-generation facility proposed to be built on St. Marys property, when combined with capital improvements in the mill, will ensure the long-term sustainability of the St. Marys business model."

"We have already commenced discussions with stakeholders concerning our plan. These talks will continue with the goal of restarting the paper mill as early as possible this fall. Our discussions with major stakeholders have been positive," says Bunnell.
He notes that Ontario's recently-announced energy conservation program is "one of the critical pieces of our business plan."

The company will solicit support for its new business plan over the coming weeks.