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The Company's Penstock magazine of February 1979 announced a $163 Million Investment for Powell River which would increase the mill's paper production by 193,000 tonnes, bringing the Company's total annual newsprint capacity (including Port Alberni mill) to 1.4 million tonnes. Bruce Howe, Company Vice-President, said No. 11 Machine was expected to be profitable, productive and competitive in cost, paper quality and technology into the 21st century. It was the first major expansion of B.C.'s newsprint industry in 10 years and was expected to provide about 100 permanent jobs and make the mill more efficient by making better use of each log. Other newsprint producers in B.C. and United States had already announced plans to increase capacity.

By April the project was well under way, employing some 100 workers-increasing to 500 by the following spring and eventually to 700. Premier Bill Bennett officially started the work by using a front-end loader to dump a load of dirt into a truck.

No. 11 Paper Machine, a 300-inch-trim Bel Baie model from Benoit Canada Ltd., was the largest part of the expansion program, which included a new core-manufacturing plant, using modern computer and laser technology, and two new, Canadian-made TMP lines of improved design. Total TMP production would increase to 750 tonnes per day. A new 60-megawatt electrical substation would supply power to the TMP lines. The new paper machine and TMP lines were housed in steel-framed structures adjacent to Nos. 9 & 10 Machines. New finishing facilities for Nos. 9-11 Machines were required, as well as a new warehouse of 3,000 tonnes capacity to handle the increased production.

The Powell River Mill Story,
Bill Thompson, 2001

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Number 9, 10 and 11 Paper Machine Buildings
Circa 1992
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada


Credits:
P11027