International Paper plans retirements, mill shutdowns

International Paper (IP) announced several retirements and new assignments among its senior management.

Wayne Brafford, senior vice president, Printing and Communications Papers, announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2009. With Brafford’s retirement, Mark Sutton, currently senior vice president of global supply chain, will become senior vice president, Printing and Communications Papers, the Americas. Sutton began his career with IP in 1984 and also has served as vice president of European Container, vice president of strategic planning and senior vice president of global supply chain.

Mike Balduino, senior vice president, Consumer Packaging, and Tom Gestrich, senior vice president and president, IP Asia, also announced their retirements, effective December 31, 2009. With their retirements, Tom Kadien, currently senior vice president and president, xpedx, will become senior vice president, Consumer Packaging and IP Asia. Kadien has been with IP more than 30 years and has held additional leadership positions in the company’s papers and IP Europe businesses.

Mary Laschinger, currently senior vice president and president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia, will become senior vice president and president, xpedx. Laschinger has been with IP since 1992 and has held leadership positions in specialty papers, pulp and wood products.

Maximo Pacheco, currently senior vice president and president of IP Brazil and Latin America, will become senior vice president and president, IP Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia. Pacheco has been with the company since 1994 and also has held executive leadership roles in Carter Holt Harvey Chile as well as IP Latin America.

International Paper shuts down three mills

International Paper also announced plans to close its paper mill and associated operations in Franklin, Virginia, and its containerboard mills in Pineville, Louisiana, and Albany, Oregon. The company announced it would permanently shut down the previously idled No. 3 machine at its Valliant, Oklahoma, containerboard mill. The Valliant Mill’s other two machines will continue to operate. These permanent shutdowns will reduce the company’s North American paper and board capacity by 2.1 million tons.

The closures, which will impact about 1,600 employees, will result in permanent North American capacity reductions.

Following these permanent shutdowns, International Paper will have approximately 10 million tons of North American containerboard capacity, 2.6 million tons of North American uncoated freesheet production capacity, and 1.7 million tons of North American coated paperboard capacity.