Appvion cuts 200 jobs at Wis. plant

Consolidation of work won’t affect operation in West Carrollton.

Paper-maker Appvion Inc. said it will consolidate most of the carbonless paper coating and rewinding operations at its Appleton, Wis., mill, at another mill in Roaring Spring, Pa., and will move the Appleton plant’s sheeting operations to an Appvion-operated facility near the mill, cutting 200 jobs.

The moves will not affect employment at Appvion’s West Carrollton thermal paper coating plant, where the company has about 100 workers.

But the consolidation will shut down three coaters and related rewinding and sheeting equipment at the Appleton plant and eliminate 200 hourly and salaried jobs at that facility, the company said.

About 300 hourly and salaried plant employees will be retained in Appleton.

They will continue producing the company’s thermal paper products and some carbonless and specialty coated grades.

The company expects the transition to start in January and to be completed in the third quarter of 2018, it said Thursday.

Consolidating Appvion’s carbonless paper manufacturing, rewinding, and sheeting to the Roaring Spring area, where Appvion already produces this product, will help position the company for “long-term success by increasing the efficiencies of its manufacturing and logistics operations,” the company said.

“Our consolidation plan is an important operational improvement initiative designed to enhance Appvion’s competitive position in the carbonless paper market,” Kevin Gilligan, Appvion’s chief executive, said in a release.

“This move will allow Appvion to most effectively serve current and future demand for carbonless products and maintain our commitment to a market that we have been proud to serve since our company helped introduce this product 63 years ago,” Gilligan said.

The company said it is discussing the plan with a United Steelworkers bargaining unit in Wisconsin.