The McKinley Paper Co. mill in Port Angeles, Wash., was shuttered in April 2017 by former owner Nippon Paper Industries USA, but now, the mill is undergoing $6.1 million in improvements and is slated to reopen by the end of 2019.

The mill’s new equipment includes a pulper for processing recycled cardboard into heavyweight bag-grades of paper and corrugated fluting for box liners, according to a report by the Peninsula Daily News. The new pulper will increase production from 700 oven-dried tons of pulp daily to 900 tons, and the gross production of paper grades will increase from 800 air-dried tons daily to 840 tons.

Peninsula Daily News has more information:

Workers are dismantling long-dormant equipment at the McKinley Paper Co. mill to make way for $6.1 million in improvements as the company looks toward reopening the plant by Dec. 31.

The factory was shuttered in April 2017 by Nippon Paper Industries USA, putting 150 employees out of work.

McKinley will hire about 100 workers and is collecting applications, General Manager Edward Bortz said last week.

The company will participate in an Oct. 2 job fair in Port Angeles to generate more interest.

Bortz said the new equipment includes a pulper for processing recycled cardboard into heavyweight bag-grades of paper and corrugated fluting for box liners.

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