Hawesville Mill Stretching Its Way into New Packaging
Paper Markets
In October 2024, our Hawesville, Kentucky, mill produced its first roll of Energetec™ Paper, the company’s newest fiber‑based innovative product. While further development toward commercialization is ongoing, this promising new product has significantly greater stretch than currently available extensible paper, as well as a unique feel and flexibility. Employees celebrated the milestone by posing for photos with the first reel of Energetec™ Paper and taking a few paper samples to remember the occasion.
This milestone marks the culmination of over eight years of research, supported by a two‑year, $57‑million investment to add new patented technology to one of the mill’s two paper machines. Importantly, it also continues the Hawesville mill’s longstanding tradition of innovation in papermaking — reflected in its ongoing ability to expand capabilities and evolve with changing market needs, positioning it well to embrace this next step in technology.
Now, the H1 paper machine can produce Energetec™ Paper, an engineered paper that behaves very differently from conventional paper, providing a new option for packaging, in markets and applications where brands and consumers are looking for alternatives to plastic. The Hawesville mill will continue to produce communications papers on the H2 paper machine.
The addition of technology reflects the hard work, dedication and expertise of the mill’s employees and supporting corporate teams, while also creating exciting new market opportunities
for Domtar.
While further application development is ongoing, this stretchable paper product has properties that are beneficial in a wide variety of end uses, such as e‑commerce mailers, high‑end retail bags and various food packaging applications.
