The American Eagle Paper Mill has been operating since November of last year and its president, John Ferner, is reporting full production at the historic plant.
“We have full production right now with both machines going seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” said Ferner in a phone interview late last week.
“We have about 185 employees and everything seems to be running smoothly.”
He indicated most of the paper is being shipped to locations within a 500-mile radius of Tyrone including Chicago, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
Some of the paper products are going to an envelope company in Williamsburg, while newsprint product is being used in Claysburg.
Other products are also being shipped to Altoona and other local operations.
Ferner also pointed out much of the product is of a recycled nature and the plant is heavily involved with envelope and reply card products.
The reopening of the paper mill was named the number one story of 2003 by The Daily Herald.
After months of negotiations between various factions, the mill began production on Nov. 14 last year marking the first time the mill had been open in more than two years.
A group of investors, Team Ten LLC, announced at the beginning of July 2003 they planned to reopen the mill after purchasing it from MeadWestvaco.
The factory was sold to Team Ten for $12.5 million dollars.
The sale was completed 21 months after the Tyrone plant had closed. The closure cost the area 265 jobs.
The mill originally opened in 1880 and was later purchased by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company in 1889. The plant nearly closed in 1970, but survived although the work force dropped from 1,000 to 300.
At the time, The Wall Street Journal published a full-page advertisement titled, “A Town for Hire,” which featured many workers and other citizens at a rally in downtown Tyrone.
When the purchase was announced last year, Ferner said the management team believed the size of the operation, its strategic location along Interstate 99 and a qualified work force would support the production and delivery of quality products faster and cheaper than larger and more diversified paper mills.
He went on to explain the facility would have the flexibility to change grades quickly to accommodate the needs of its customers. His recent description of current activity would seem to verify the plant’s capabilities.
The mill’s reopening was accomplished after the Borough of Tyrone reached agreement with company officials regarding sewage discharge and capacity issues.
