According to a recent report (Aug. 11, 2018) by the Post Crescent (Appleton, Wis., USA) U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin spoke this month to workers at the Midwest Paper Group (Combined Locks, Wis.), formerly Appleton Coated, about TAA assistance and concerns facing the paper industry. 

The visit to Combined Locks is part of the Wisconsin Democrat's "In Your Corner" eight-day campaign tour across 18 counties. 

Appleton Coated had abruptly shut down last September as it went through receivership proceedings. It was bought by two used machine dealers, Industrial Assets Corp. and Maynards Industries USA, that decided to restart the mill rather than scrap it for parts. 

Baldwin previously pushed for Appleton Coated workers who were laid off to receive benefits through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which can be given if the federal government determines that a mass layoff was a direct result of foreign competition. When Appleton Coated shut down in September under receivership, the closure put nearly 600 people out of work. The 129-year-old paper mill has since recalled 310 employees. 

"We were talking on this stop about some of the changes in policy that we’ve seen in China," Baldwin told USA Today Network-Wisconsin. "China, as of the first of the year, decided they would no longer import recycled product from the United States, and that has met some volatile pricing, especially in regard to pulp. When pricing goes up dramatically in a short amount of time, that really impacts things."

Baldwin said paper dumping is another issue that has taken place because of China’s non-market economy.

"(China) can produce basically in an unfair way in terms of global competition, so we have to continue to focus on China’s cheating and make sure that is part of being a champion for these jobs because if we have a level playing field, these workers will compete and win."

Tom Becker, who has worked for the paper company for 29 years in various roles, called China’s trade practices a big concern.

"The fact that China is really infringing on everything — they’re buying the pulp and making wild swings in the market," Becker said. "China is probably the biggest threat right now, at least from what I’m seeing."

While global competition remains a concern for Becker, he also said that stagnant wages are an issue he would like to see worked out by political leadership.

"They talk about the little guy or the working man, but it seems to me that a lot of Washington is not in touch with a guy like me," Becker said. "I guess big banks, stockholders and all that — they’re making a ton of money but the guy down here at the bottom, we’re not seeing it yet."

"We need some help from Washington, I think, and we need some help from the state level. I think that’s going to be our biggest challenge, trying to get our wages up as compared to the big guys."

Appleton Coated was renamed Midwest Paper Group in April.

Any opinions expressed in the article are for industry informational purposes and do not necessarily reflect the position of TAPPI employees or any of the association's members.