New SCA Tissue Mill Up and Running

SCA Tissue has converted the first reels of paper for sale to customers at its Barton, Ala., mill, just 17 months after announcing plans to build the tissue mill in October of 2002.

Joe Raccuia, president of SCA Tissue North America, Neenah, Wis., calls this feat, “A remarkable team effort. SCA has gone from ‘shovel in the ground’ to cases of Barton-produced paper products on the truck in 17 months. We are very pleased with this accomplishment.”

SCA broke ground on the Barton tissue facility in late October of 2002. Tissue converting operations began in April 2003; the distribution warehouse opened in December of 2003; paper production began in late March 2004. The first case of Barton-produced paper products was sold to Dee’s Paper Supply in Mobile, Ala., in early April.

SCA’s paper machine in Barton produces brown and white towel and napkin products for "away from home" markets throughout the Southeast. Built by Voith-Andritz, it has a total capacity of 100,000 tons per year, according to the company.

“This is good news for SCA and for our customers,” says Don Lewis, senior vice president of sales and marketing. “We are strong in Southeast markets today, and an integrated facility will create supply chain efficiencies which will ensure the highest level of service to our customers.”