Irving Pulp & Paper invests $110 million in Saint John woodyard

Irving Pulp & Paper Limited is investing $110 million in its woodyard in west Saint John, NB. The investment will enhance the site’s technological capabilities to update how it receives and stores woodchips.

Currently underway, the upgrade includes the installation of a new automated stacker reclaimer that is the largest of its kind in the world. This technology ‘stacks’ woodchips into one large pile, while the reclaimer function removes the woodchips from the pile to be used in the kraft pulp making process.

This automated machinery will improve safety at the site while enhancing quality and reliability. The project is anticipated to reach completion in 2025.

The west Saint John site has been used for mill operations since the 1800s and has undergone many capital investments over the years, most recently with the addition of a new $300 million state-of-the-art pulp dryer. The mill now directly employs over 380 full-time employees and over 85 local contractors.