Domtar’s Mill at Kingsport, Tenn., USA, was chosen as a 2016 winner in the highly sought-after Faith in the Future Awards, presented by CenturyLink on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, at the Millennium Centre in Johnson City, Tenn. Nominees were evaluated by judges based on their commitment to the future of their business, their employees, their community, and the region. For its century-long investment in Kingsport and forward-looking commitment to the region, Domtar was nominated and won in the Manufacturing category.

For the past 100 years, Domtar’s Kingsport mill has been a significant part of the economic, social, and cultural heritage of the city of Kingsport and the surrounding region. The company has manufactured paper products since its founding in 1916 as the Kingsport Pulp Co.

In the nomination, it was noted that while the pulp and paper industry has experienced countless changes, the mill’s commitment to remaining a cutting-edge operation has remained constant. In the 1970s, the mill featured one of the fastest paper production machines in the world. In 2002, following a $475 million investment, the mill was rebuilt as the newest and most modern paper production facility in North America. At the time, the rebuild represented the largest single capital investment in the history of the state of Tennessee. Today, the Kingsport mill has the capacity to produce nearly 420,000 tons of paper and more than 300,000 tons of pulp annually.

 

 

Since being acquired by Domtar in 2007, the mill has remained a first-class operation in the pulp and paper industry, and has strengthened its support of the Kingsport community. Domtar ranks as the city’s third-largest manufacturing company, employing 390 workers at the mill and the Ridgefields converting facility, and generating an additional 750 indirect jobs for the Kingsport area. In total, more than 1,100 workers benefit from Domtar’s presence in Kingsport, and the mill’s estimated regional economic impact is $190 million each year.

"From both an economic and community involvement perspective, we want the Kingsport mill to remain a key contributor to our city’s growth and prosperity," said Bill McPherson, Kingsport mill manager. "Kingsport has been a vital partner in the mill’s century-long history of success, and we are thrilled to add the Faith in the Future Award to our accomplished story."

Businesses and individuals from Carter, Greene, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties (Tennessee and Virginia) are invited to participate in the award nominations process. An evaluation team from outside of the area reviews all nominations based on the criteria, choosing one winner per category. The nomination process allows a business to review its strengths, as well as its impact on the community.

This is the seventh year for the Faith in the Future awards, with 26 nominees represented among the eight award categories.

Domtar is a provider of a wide variety of fiber-based products, including communication, specialty, and packaging papers, market pulp, and absorbent hygiene products. Domtar has approximately 9,800 employees serving in more than 50 countries around the world. The company’s annual sales are approximately $5.6 billion.