Weyerhaeuser to Close Baltimore Plant

FEDERAL WAY, WASH.—Weyerhaeuser Co. will close its corrugated box plant in Baltimore. A specific closure date wasn't revealed. The closure will affect 104 employees.

Nine Dragons Buys Board Makers

GUANGDONG, CHINA—Giant containerboard producer Nine Dragons purchased board makers Qian Wei and Rui Song. Qian Wei will principally be engaged in the production of high value specialty board products. Its manufacturing facility is currently being built. Nine Dragons plans to buy Rui Song for approximately $2.5 million in this year's second quarter. It was established in June 2003 and makes high-value specialty board products. Its current market share for these products in China is about 50 percent.

Former Field Execs Form Partnership

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL.—Larry Field and Joe Kaplan of Field Holdings, a company that invests in or acquires packaging-related entities, have established a partnership in Converting Technology Inc. (CTI). CTI makes cutting dies, counter plates, stripping, and blanking tools for the folding carton, litho laminate, and specialty industries. Field and Kaplan were principals of Field Container Co. LP, an integrated folding carton manufacturer that was sold to Altivity Packaging LLC.

M-real Opens $26 Million Port

MOVERS&SHAKERS

BALTIMORE—M-real opened a new warehouse at the Port of Baltimore. The $26 million, 215,000-sq-ft, state of the art facility is responsible for shipping, receiving, and stocking M-real's paper and paperboard and serves the European-based company exclusively. The building is the result of a partnership among M-real, BalTerm, and the Maryland Port Administration (MPA).

SSCC Has Safest Year

CHICAGO—Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC), which has led its industry in safety performance every year since 2001, completed its safest year in company history in 2007 by achieving a 1.05 recordable case rate (RCR). The previous best mark was 1.15, recorded in 2006. RCR is the number of cases requiring medical treatment per 100 full-time employees per year, as measured by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Industry-wide 2007 safety data will be reported later this year. Smurfit-Stone reduced its rate of injuries and illnesses nearly 9 percent compared to 2006, and reduced the number of days lost due to occupational injuries and illnesses by 48 percent. A total of 70 Smurfit-Stone manufacturing facilities posted a 0.0 RCR in 2007.

G-P to Close Plant

ATLANTA—The Georgia-Pacific Corp. box plant in Batavia Township, Ohio, will close within the next couple months. Approximately 100 hourly and salaried employees are affected. G-P Spokeswoman Melodie Ruse told the media that the slow economy was to blame. The seven-year-old, 200,000⁺-sq-ft facility is being put up for sale.

Chesapeake Expands Pharma Operations

RICHMOND, VA.—Chesapeake Corp. is expanding its pharmaceutical packaging operation on Long Island, N.Y., and relocating from its current location in Lake Success to nearby Hicksville. In addition to the Lake Success manufacturing operation and administrative offices, Chesapeake's North American operations also include plants in Raleigh and Lexington, N.C. Prior to the move, which is set for completion by the end of this month, Chesapeake will install a new sheetfed press and large-format folders in the new location for a smooth transition.