FRANCE — Fibre Excellence Saint-Gaudens pulp mill faces liquidation after no firm takeover offer was submitted by the October 22 deadline. The mill, which employs 238 people and reported €140 million in revenue in 2025, remains the subject of a proposed €200 million investment by Portugal’s Ghost Group, supported by the French government and Occitanie Region. The proposal would restart pulp production within 12 months and establish a 50,000-square-metre facility to manufacture paper towels, toilet paper and diapers. Ghost, already a Fibre Excellence customer, says it needs at least six months to finalize the project. A commercial court hearing is scheduled for early November, with liquidation considered likely despite the continuing negotiations. Regional authorities are working to preserve the mill’s equipment and workforce capabilities while supporting affected employees. Fibre Excellence’s other pulp mill, at Tarascon, was placed in liquidation in July. [article in French]