Appvion Roaring Spring Mill Celebrates 150 Anniversary October 7

Appvion's Roaring Spring pulp and paper mill, Roaring Spring, Pa., USA, will conduct a celebration event at the mill tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, beginning at 10 a.m. to observe the 150th anniversary of the founding of the mill. 

Congressman Bill Shuster and Roaring Spring Borough Mayor Ronald Glunt will be featured speakers at the anniversary event. Other speakers include Appvion's CEO Kevin Gilligan, Roaring Spring Mill Manager Phil 

Pack, and Roaring Spring Paper Products CEO Dan Hoover, who is a descendant of mill founder D.M. Bare.

In addition to remarks from featured speakers, event activities will include guided mill tours and a display of historical artifacts associated with the mill and its papermaking process. Due to limited seating capacity and mill tour accommodations, participation in the mill's 150th anniversary event will be limited to mill employees and retirees. Media are welcome.

Appvion's Roaring Spring Mill employs approximately 470 people. Those employees produce more than 450 grades of carbonless, security, colored, high-speed inkjet, and archival papers on the mill's three paper machines. The mill is a fully integrated pulp and paper mill, which means it processes logs and wood chips to produce the fiber or pulp needed to make paper on site. 

 

 

Recognizing the abundance of natural resources in the central Pennsylvania area, D.M. Bare, John Elby, and John Morrison set out to build "the pioneer paper mill for the region." They founded their mill in 1866 in what was then known as Spangs Mills, which later became Roaring Spring, a name touting the powerful sound emitted by the local spring. 

The mill operated as the D.M. Bare Paper Co. until 1946, when it was purchased by the Combined Locks Paper Co. of Combined Locks, Wis., later to become Combined Paper Mills. In 1969, Combined Paper Mills was acquired by The National Cash Register Co. and in 1971 it was merged with Appleton Coated Paper Co. to form Appleton Papers. DUring the next 20 years, Appleton Papers operated under several domestic and foreign owners until November 2001, when employees purchased the company. Appleton Papers changed its company name to Appvion Inc. in May 2013.  

Appvion creates product solutions through its development and use of coating formulations and applications. The company produces thermal, carbonless, security, inkjet, digital specialty, and colored papers. Appvion is headquartered in Appleton, Wis., In addition to the paper mill in Roaring Spring, Appvion has manufacturing operations in Appleton and West Carrollton, Ohio. The company employs approximately 1,400 people and has been 100% employee-owned since 2001.