Norske Skog Union
Encyclopedia
Norske Skog Union was a paper mill
located in Skien
in Norway
. The mill was part of the Norske Skog
Corporation and opened in 1873 with the name Union Co. The mill had two paper machines that produced 240,000 tonnes of newsprint
and book
paper
. It was closed down in 2006.
beside the waterfall Damfossen in Skien. The pulp mill was not profitable and in 1873 Benjamin Sewell bought the waterfall and the lots. This is considered the foundation of Union Co. In 1890 Union Co was merged with Løveid Fabrikker at Skotfoss, where Union much later build Scandinavia
's first electric railway, operated until 1966.
In the years that followed Union acquired a lot of companies, in 1916 they bought Skiens Papirfabrikk on Klosterøya in addition of many pulp mills. The mill at Skotfoss was closed in 1986 while there still was operation on Klosterøya.
The Norske Skog corporation bought Union in 1999. Cutbacks were soon implemented and in 2005 it was decided to close the mill, to large protests from the local population and politicians. One primary complaint was that Norske Skog wanted to sell the mill despite it operating at a profit. Norske Skog declined to sell the plant to other investors. The mill ceased operations in March 2006.
Corporate entry on Union
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
located in Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The mill was part of the Norske Skog
Norske Skog
Norske Skogindustrier ASA or Norske Skog, which translates as Norwegian Forest Industries, is a Norwegian pulp and paper company based in Oslo, Norway and established in 1962...
Corporation and opened in 1873 with the name Union Co. The mill had two paper machines that produced 240,000 tonnes of newsprint
Newsprint
Newsprint is a low-cost, non-archival paper most commonly used to print newspapers, and other publications and advertising material. It usually has an off-white cast and distinctive feel. It is designed for use in printing presses that employ a long web of paper rather than individual sheets of...
and book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
. It was closed down in 2006.
History
In 1872 Ulrik Sinding had established a pulp millPulp mill
A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fibre source into a thick fibre board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical or fully chemical methods...
beside the waterfall Damfossen in Skien. The pulp mill was not profitable and in 1873 Benjamin Sewell bought the waterfall and the lots. This is considered the foundation of Union Co. In 1890 Union Co was merged with Løveid Fabrikker at Skotfoss, where Union much later build Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
's first electric railway, operated until 1966.
In the years that followed Union acquired a lot of companies, in 1916 they bought Skiens Papirfabrikk on Klosterøya in addition of many pulp mills. The mill at Skotfoss was closed in 1986 while there still was operation on Klosterøya.
The Norske Skog corporation bought Union in 1999. Cutbacks were soon implemented and in 2005 it was decided to close the mill, to large protests from the local population and politicians. One primary complaint was that Norske Skog wanted to sell the mill despite it operating at a profit. Norske Skog declined to sell the plant to other investors. The mill ceased operations in March 2006.
External links
Corporate web siteCorporate entry on Union