Chilean Corrugated Mill Idled

Carrascal S.A., based in Santiago, Chile has reportedly ended operations permanently at its Quinta Normal mill in Santiago.

According to a areport from Industrial Info Resources (IIR), Sugar Land, Texas, the Chilean paper and paperboard company had temporarily suspended operations at the plant in January of 2009, though at that time company officials planned to re-open by the end of last year.

However, demand for corrugated boxes has remained tepid, leading to Carrascal’s bankruptcy. According to the IIR report, Carrascal created its Neopak subsidiary, in 2008 as a high-tech production mill for corrugated cardboard boxes. But that $26 million was made just as demand went sour. Now, both Carrascal its Neopak subsidiary are in bankruptcy and assets and industrial equipment are being sold.

The Quinta Normal paper mill, which used recovered fiber as its feedstock, began operations in the early 1960s. Carrascal was founded in 1964 as a Chilean company producing and selling paper and paperboard products.