Boise Paper (MN) Mill Plans to Lay of Hundreds by Next Week

Boise Paper Mill in International Falls, MN, said decline in product consumption and a need to reduce costs prompted the closing of three of their machines...and the laying off of close to 300 people.

"They were primarily smaller, vintage machines that produced specialty products and they added complexity to our mill," said Lori Lyman, public affairs manager at the mill. "And the fact that we had to purchase pulp from the outside, that made them higher cost machines, which was not sustainable in the long term."

Machines will begin closing Saturday. Layoffs will be concluded by October 1st.