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Two Maine paper mills announce layoffs

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The Sappi paper mill in Westbrook will be shutting off one of it’s paper machines and laying off 75 workers by 2021.

The move, announced Thursday, came as a result of increased market competition and the costs associated with maintaining aging equipment. The company will also shut down other components used to make paper at the mill.

Some of the paper production will be shifted to the company’s mills in Skowhegan and Minnesota.

A company spokeswoman says some of the impacted workers will be offered work at Sappi’s other mills.

The Westbrook mill employs about 260 people.

In a statement released shortly after the announcement, Governor Janet Mills said the shutdown was “sad news” for Maine. She said she spoke with the company and was assured that there would be no such changes made at the company’s Somerset Mill.

In her statement, Governor Mills said “Sappi is a valued employer in our state, and my Administration will continue to support their ongoing R&D efforts in Westbrook, which are crucial as we continue to transform and revitalize our forest products industry, a vital pillar of our state’s economy that supports the livelihoods of thousands of Maine people.”

Also on Thursday, Pixelle, which owns the paper mill in Jay, announced it would be laying off 59 employees. It came after a massive explosion in April. The company said the layoffs were a result of the accident, which hampered the facility’s ability to produce pulp.

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