Kruger, Montreal, Que., Canada, this week officially dedicated Paper Machine No. 10 (PM 10), which was completely rebuilt to manufacture 100% lightweight and high-strength linerboard at its Trois-Rivières, Que., mill. Several dignitaries and project partners were present, including Luc Blanchette, minister of forests, wildlife, and parks; Julie Boulet, minister of tourism and minister responsible for the Mauricie region; Jean-Denis Girard, MNA for Trois-Rivières; and Gene Kruger, VP, business development, Kruger Inc.

Kruger invested $250 million in this project to completely rebuild PM 10 for optimal results. Well before work got underway, Kruger's engineers toured numerous manufacturing plants in North America and Europe to find the best technology for manufacturing 100% recycled lightweight and high-strength linerboard of the best possible quality. 

Commercialized as XTR, the new linerboard grades manufactured on PM 10 meet increasing demand for ultra-light packaging without compromising on strength, performance, or environmental footprint. 

PM 10's annual production will total 360,000 metric tons of XTR linerboard, an exclusive product that Kruger Inc. is the first to manufacture in North America. A portion of the production will be used by Kruger's packaging plants in LaSalle, Que., and Brampton, Ont., while the remainder will be sold to packaging manufacturers across Canada and the U.S.

Announced jointly by Kruger and the Government of Québec in September 2015, this $250-million project required some 500,000 hours of work over a 20-month period that ended in the spring when the machine entered its startup phase. The project also consolidated 270 jobs at the Trois-Rivières Mill, in addition to generating major benefits for the Mauricie region and Québec. More than 80 local businesses were involved in the project. Of the total budget, approximately $40 million were spent with local suppliers and $60 million with suppliers elsewhere in Québec.

Kruger Packaging specializes in the manufacture of containerboard products and corrugated packaging solutions made from 100% recycled fiber. The Montréal-based company was created in partnership with Kruger Inc. and Investissement Québec – acting as the Québec government's agent – which has a 25% stake in its assets. Kruger Packaging employs some 800 people, including more than 600 in Québec, and operates four production sites, namely the Trois-Rivières mill, the Place Turcot containerboard mill (Montréal), and the LaSalle, Que., and Brampton, Ont., packaging plants.

Founded in 1904, Kruger Inc. is a major producer of publication and specialty papers, tissue products, containerboard and packaging made from recycled fibers, renewable energy, cellulosic biomaterials, and wines and spirits. The company is also a leader in paper and paperboard recycling in North America. Kruger Inc. has facilities in Québec, Ontario, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as in Tennessee, Maine, New York, Virginia, and Rhode Island in the U.S.