Integrity Fiber acquires Ohio recycling firm

Integrity Fiber, part of the Indianapolis-based holding company Schwarz Partners, has reached an agreement to acquire River Valley Paper, an Akron, Ohio-based recycling company with locations in Akron; Syracuse, New York; Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Yulee, Florida.

Rick Torbeck, president of Integrity Fiber, says, “John Sharp, the owner and founder of River Valley, and his strong management team have built a very successful business through customer focus and strong business ethics. John has built a tremendous reputation in the industry for being honest, fair and consistent in his business dealings. We look forward to growing on the strong foundation that John has built since he started the company in 1987.”

Along with four paper recycling plants, River Valley also will have access to a wide network of converting plants in the company. Schwarz is the largest independent containerboard converter in the country.

Along with Integrity Fibers, Schwarz Partners also formed New Indy Containerboard, which owns two recycled paperboard mills in California.

Additionally, to feed the two mills with about 60,000 tons of recovered fiber per month, Schwarz’s Integrity Fiber Supply, along with International Forest Products, partnered to form New Indy Recycling. The California-based company will supply the two mills with fiber and will serve as a trading company for both domestic and offshore shipments.