Potlatch Closing Michigan Converting Line

Potlatch announced that it is closing down its Benton Harbor, Mich., tissue converting line the end of next month. The company will relocate the equipment to its Elmwood, Ill., plant.

The company expects to start up the transported converting line by May 1, bringing to four complete lines for the company. Potlatch also will be installing a fifth tissue converting line by the end of this year.

Robert DeVleming, vice president of Potlatch's Consumer Products Division, emphasized that the consolidation at Elwood will also reduce transportation costs. "The Elwood facility allows Potlatch to use lower-cost rail to deliver large parent rolls from our paper manufacturing mills in Idaho and Las Vegas and then convert and distribute the finished goods in the Midwest and East. Consolidating the Benton Harbor converting line into our Elwood facility will reduce our operating and distribution costs," he said.