Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced $40 million in investments at its Northwestern Ontario, Canada, operations, in addition to $13.5 million in major maintenance and the creation of 25 new jobs.

Lumber

Resolute investing $40 million in its Northwestern Ontario operations

Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced $40 million in investments at its Northwestern Ontario, Canada, operations, in addition to $13.5 million in major maintenance and the creation of 25 new jobs. The investment plan includes $14.7 million for the company's Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as $14.3 million to improve pulp capacity, reduce costs and maintain assets. Resolute also expects to spend $13.5 million in major maintenance at the facility in 2018.

An additional $5.6 million is earmarked for the modernization of the planer line at the company's Thunder Bay sawmill, located on Fort William First Nation land, as well as $5.4 million to optimize its Atikokan, Ignace and Thunder Bay sawmills. These initiatives are expected to increase the annual production capacity of the facilities by a combined 50 million board feet of lumber. Twenty-five full-time jobs have been created.

Close to 90% of the new lumber and pulp capacity is destined for export markets. More than half of project expenditures are slated for the last quarter of 2018.

Resolute employs close to 900 workers across its Northwestern Ontario pulp, paper, wood products and woodlands operations. The company has invested approximately $200 million in the region over the past several years.

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including market pulp, tissue, wood products, newsprint and specialty papers.