The Japanese owners of a Longview paper mill largely shut down by a fatal chemical accident in May plan to restart pulp production in December.
The Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant was shuttered after 11 people died and at least eight were injured in a May 26 spill of a corrosive chemical mixture known as white liquor.
Nippon Dynawave is targeting early December to restart pulp production," said Sam Jefferies, a spokesperson for the company, which is owned by Tokyo-based Nippon Paper International.
Because restarting production is "a multistep process," Jefferies added that the timeline "may change as that work progresses."
Plans for a restart were briefly mentioned in Nippon Paper's financial report posted Thursday.
A spokesperson for the union representing most of the plant's roughly 500 employees called the news "very encouraging."
"We are optimistic about the progress being made and what it means for our members, the mill and the Longview community," said Josh Estes, a spokesperson for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers.
Nippon Dynawave had already started test runs of its papermaking machines using pulp purchased from other mills.
Prior to the accident, the mill produced pulp as well as paper and packaging materials for food containers and other products.
Families of the accident victims are still awaiting the results of a state Department of Labor and Industries investigation. As of last month, the agency still expected to have those results by Nov. 20.
Nippon Dynawave has been steadily calling workers back to the facility, and has said it expected a majority of staff to be on the job by Oct. 12 at the plant, which it purchased in 2016.
The company has also agreed to pay workers at least through Jan. 17, even if they hadn't been called back.
In August, crews began dismantling the massive white liquor storage tank that failed and removing and rebuilding other tanks involved in the process of turning wood materials into pulp for paper goods.
The activity has helped diffuse initial fears in the community that Nippon Paper might take until next year to restart the mill, which is a major local employer. Some worried the mill might never restart.
Still, the accident has been a financial blow for Nippon Paper, which was already struggling amid broader changes in the global paper market. The company also operates in South America, Asia and Europe.
In last week's financial report, Nippon Paper said the tank accident and shutdown, along with broader market challenges, contributed to a forecasted operating loss at Nippon Dynawave of around $133 million for its fiscal year.
The company also recently announced the retirement of Nippon Dynawave's president, Matt Peerboom.
Peerboom had planned to retire earlier this year, but "postponed those plans after the May 26 incident so he could help lead the company’s response and recovery, according to the company.
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