Packaging Corporation of America has purchased a dozen pieces of decommissioned power-generation equipment, including heat recovery steam generators and gas turbines, from the former Androscoggin paper mill site in Jay, Maine. The site was sold by Pixelle Specialty Solutions to JGT2 Redevelopment in 2023; the first of nine planned oversize transports delivered a 683,000-pound steam generator to South Portland on 6 October 2026. No purchase price or intended use for the equipment has been disclosed.
Why this mattersThree gas turbines, three steam generators and three turbine-driven generators move from a shut Maine mill to a containerboard producer running nine US mills.
- Packaging Corporation of America purchased a dozen pieces of decommissioned equipment from JGT2 Redevelopment
- JGT2 Redevelopment bought the former Androscoggin mill site in Jay, Maine from Pixelle Specialty Solutions in 2023
- The first oversize load, a heat recovery steam generator weighing over 683,000 pounds, arrived in South Portland on 6 October 2026 after departing Jay on 29 September
- Nine oversize transports are planned in total, comprising three heat recovery steam generators, three gas turbines and three gas turbine-driven generators
- No purchase price or intended use for the equipment has been disclosed
- Packaging Corporation of America is headquartered in Illinois and operates more than 120 facilities including nine mills in the US
Pixelle Specialty Solutions has sold its carbonless sheets business, including the ExcelOne brand, to Nekoosa under a definitive agreement announced on 4 October 2026. Pixelle said the move follows a review of where to focus resources for long-term growth; Nekoosa takes on the business and its existing customers. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Why this mattersPixelle's exit consolidates carbonless sheet supply around a single specialist and redirects the group's resources to its other speciality paper grades.
- Pixelle Specialty Solutions sold its carbonless sheets business to Nekoosa.
- The deal includes the ExcelOne brand.
- The transaction is limited to the carbonless sheet business only.
- Announced 4 October 2026.
- Financial terms were not disclosed.
- Pixelle will close its Fremont, Ohio carbonless-paper mill around 1 December 2026, cutting 61 jobs.
- The buyer of Pixelle's carbonless-paper business plans to move production to a plant in Wisconsin.
- Pixelle filed a WARN notice with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services dated 2 October 2026.
- The largest affected job group at the Fremont plant is 14 slitter operators, followed by six maintenance workers.
U.S. Paper Mill LLC, a subsidiary of U.S. Medical Gloves Company that bought the Chillicothe, Ohio mill from Pixelle Specialty Solutions in October 2025, is reviving the site's number 12 paper machine, idle since the mill closed in August 2025. Thirteen staff are working on the machine, which is due to be fully operational and making paper by December 2026. The owner is in talks with several companies on paper manufacturing and estimates up to 350 paper-operations jobs could be added within a year.
Why this mattersA machine restart returns speciality paper capacity to southern Ohio a year after closure, with up to 350 paper jobs planned, against a wider pattern of North American closures.
- U.S. Paper Mill LLC acquired the Chillicothe, Ohio mill from Pixelle Specialty Solutions in October 2025.
- The mill had closed in August 2025.
- Thirteen current employees are assigned to restart the number 12 paper machine, known as "The Chief".
- The machine is expected to be fully operational and making paper by December 2026.
- More than 180 employees currently work on-site across diverse sectors since the acquisition.
- The owner estimates as many as 350 new employees could be added for paper operations within the next year.
U.S. Paper Mill is reviving the 12 Paper Machine, known as The Chief, at its Chillicothe, Ohio facility, targeting full operation by December 2026. The company acquired the site in October 2025 after Pixelle Specialty Solutions closed the mill in August 2025, and is rehiring former Pixelle staff while forecasting up to 350 new jobs within a year.
Why this mattersRestarting a machine Pixelle closed in August 2025 returns specialty paper capacity to the Ohio market and rehires part of the displaced workforce.
- U.S. Paper Mill acquired the Chillicothe, Ohio facility in October 2025 after Pixelle Specialty Solutions closed the mill in August 2025.
- 13 former Pixelle employees are currently working to restart the 12 Paper Machine, nicknamed The Chief.
- The company expects the machine to be fully operational by December 2026.
- Over 180 employees currently work on-site across diverse operations at the repurposed facility.
- U.S. Paper Mill estimates it could add 350 new employees to paper operations within the next year.
- U.S. Paper Mill announced on 24 September 2026 that paper production is restarting at the Chillicothe mill
- USPM is in discussions with multiple companies to expand paper manufacturing at the site
US shipments of printing and writing paper fell 7% year-on-year in August 2026, the fourth straight monthly decline, the American Forest & Paper Association reported. Underlying demand has held up better, with US purchases of the paper rising slightly in July even as net imports of the three main grades jumped 26% year-on-year that month. Domestic capacity fell 13.9% during 2025 to 7.7 million tons, pushing the industry's operating rate up to 82.8%.
Why this mattersA widening gap between resilient US demand and shrinking domestic capacity signals growing reliance on imports for printing and writing paper.
- US printing and writing paper shipments fell 7% year-on-year in August 2026, per AF&PA.
- Shipments had already fallen 9% in July, 8% in June and 14% in May 2026.
- US purchases of printing and writing papers rose slightly in July 2026 despite the shipment declines.
- Net imports of the three major grades rose 26% year-on-year in July 2026; uncoated freesheet up 38%, coated freesheet up 51%, mechanical paper up 13%.
- US domestic printing and writing paper capacity fell 13.9% in 2025 to 7.7 million tons, after a 6.9% decline in 2024, down from almost 18 million tons in 2015.
- The industry's operating rate rose from 76.8% in 2024 to 82.8% in 2025 as capacity was cut; Pixelle Specialty Solutions ceased production at its Chillicothe, Ohio mill in August 2025.
