PORT ANGELES — With four of its Japanese mills closed indefinitely, Nippon Paper Group could be calling on its Port Angeles mill to take up some of the production.
Harold Norlund, manager of the Nippon Paper Industries USA mill on Ediz Hook, said Monday that although the Port Angeles unit hasn’t yet been asked to ramp up production.
But the parent company in Japan sent a letter saying that after damage is determined and demand is assessed, the international plants — including the Port Angeles mill — could be called on to supply more paper.
“Certainly the reports that are coming out of Japan are horrifying,” Norlund said.
“For our company, we are trying to calculate what each mill has and what its operating status is,” he said.
“There is not only the damage to each mill itself, but the general infrastructure damage — the port, rail lines, the power lines might all have damage as well.
“It is in pretty bad shape, and it is hard to tell.”
So far the Port Angeles Nippon Paper Industries employees who hail from Japan have heard that their families back home are safe, Norlund said.
“We did talk to them about that ,and although there might be some extended family that is not accounted for, their families are OK.
“It is a bit early to tell for those extended family members who are not in communication,” he said.
Nippon Paper Group properties in Japan damaged include:
■ Ishinomaki mill: The company’s flagship mill is not operating indefinitely because of sand, soil and debris inside the mill caused by the tsunami. One employee was injured.
The equipment is still under evaluation and almost all of the stock was damaged.
■ Iwanuma mill: The mill is not operating. No employees were injured.
Possibly the ceiling collapsed, but the company has not yet confirmed that. About half of the stock is damaged, and the equipment is still under evaluation.
■ Nakoso mill: The mill is not operating indefinitely while the company looks into damage in its equipment.
Half of the stock is damaged, but no employees were injured.
■ Akita mill: The mill is not operating and is not expected to reopen.
■ Fuji mill: The mill is stopped while a few machines are repaired. It is expected to reopen soon.
The Iwakuni, Yatsushiro, Kushiro and Hokkaido mills are all without damage and operating as usual, Nippon Paper Group said in a status report.
The Sendai-Port and Tokyo-Ariake-Port mills incurred some damage but a detailed description of operations wasn’t available.
Nippon in Port Angeles employes about 250 people as it produces newsprint — including the paper you’re reading here — as well as telephone directory paper.
Its pulping systems consist of refined mechanical pulp and recycled paper. A de-inking facility processes upward of 80,000 tons of recycled paper each year.
The parent Nippon Paper Group, the Tokyo-based holding company, oversees about 180 affiliates and related companies worldwide.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
