COOSA PINES, Alabama — Pulp and tissue company Domtar announced it will indefinitely idle operations at its Coosa Pines fluff pulp mill in May. The decision will impact 285 employees, the company said. The mill on the Coosa River in Talladega County began operating in 1950 as a joint venture between Kimberly-Clark and newspaper publishers. For several years, it produced newsprint for publishers, mostly in the Southeast. It has an estimated annual economic impact of $569 million. “The Coosa Pines mill has been challenged by difficult market conditions, as well as its aged assets, resulting in high costs of maintaining and operating the facility, underscoring the need for this strategic decision,” Domtar said in a statement. Domtar said it will conduct a “safe and orderly wind-down of production” at the plant, and will support employees “through career transition resources, benefits guidance, and open communications during this period.

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