Irving Investing $22 Million in Equipment Modernization at Saint John

More than 1,000 contractors from 45 companies from St. Stephen to Bathurst were on the job for 24/7 until September 17 as part of a $22 million investment on the west side of Saint John, NB, at Irving Tissue and Irving Pulp & Paper.

The pulp mill has been part of the Saint John community since 1893. Today, it is one of the longest running mills in Canada due largely to ongoing environmental improvements and equipment modernization. Anchoring these mills and the sawmills that provide the hardwood and softwood chips is a diverse, and sustainable wood resource where more wood is grown than is harvested every year. Today, the Saint John pulp mill is at the heart of a forest products value chain that sustains thousands of jobs across New Brunswick communities.

“The work underway with the help of some great New Brunswick contractors represents an annual investment in the future of our mill,” says Mark Mosher, vice president of pulp & paper for J.D. Irving, Limited. “Saint John is home, but we depend on suppliers from across New Brunswick to keep the mill running – from the woodlands through to the workers on site today. We’re committed to sustaining the mill jobs and the local suppliers – many of whom we’ve worked with for generations.”

Scot Chadwick has worked alongside his brother Trevor as a contractor for 38 years on Irving Pulp & Paper projects. They are both members of Local 900 of the International Labourers Union. “These maintenance shut down projects are great. They put money in our pockets and help the Irvings rebuild their mills so they can compete in the future. We’ve always had a great relationship with our union and the Irvings and hopefully it will continue.”

“Babcock and Wilcox had 150 tradespeople on site between the day and the night shift. day and night. We also employ local sub-contractors and businesses. The partnership and work with Irving are what keeps us going,” explains Adrien Belliveau, project manager for Babcock and Wilcox.

“We had150 people on site – millwrights, pipefitters, boilermakers, and laborers,” says Brad Van Steeg, project manager for Lorneville Mechanical of Saint John, a company that has worked with the mill since it was started by two brothers in 1977.

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