WISCONSINREPORT.COM (08/08/08) - Two U.S. Congressional Representatives from Wisconsin have joined forces to try to get some help for mill workers who will be without work at the NewPage Corporation's Kimberly Mill. Republican Tom Petri and Democrat Steve Kagen wrote to the Labor Department seeking Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for the employees affected by the upcoming shutdown of the Kimberly mill. Kagen says paper imported to the United States from China is part of the reason that paper companies in the U.S. are having such a downturn.

"TAA benefits are designed for workers who lose their jobs because of imports. The aid includes extended unemployment benefits, help with health care insurance, substantial job training and other education support," said Petri.

"The Kimberly Mill has highly-skilled workers who turn out a first-class product. If they can't continue to do the same jobs, they deserve our help in getting their careers back on track," Petri continued.

On January 16, 2008, the NewPage Corporation announced the closing of one of the Kimberly Mill's three paper machines, resulting in the loss of 96 jobs.

On July 30, the employees and the community were hit with a second announcement from NewPage, this time notifying them of the complete closure of the mill and the elimination of approximately 470 papermaking jobs.

NewPage also closed its mill in Niagara, WI on July 12 putting 319 people out of work.

“The hard working men and woman at the NewPage paper plant in Kimberly, through no fault of their own, will soon find themselves out of work," said Congressman Steve Kagen.

"Congressman Petri and I are working hard to assist everyone involved in this unfortunate situation which I believe is a direct result of our failed trade policies," Kagen pointed out.

"China continues to import illegal paper into our domestic marketplace, destroying the coated paper market and the lives of thousands of families across this country," Kagen said.

"As Kimberly goes, and as Niagara goes, so goes our nation," Kagen suggested.

"TAA benefits are one part of the process, the next step must be trade policies that create a level playing field for American workers and our families here in Wisconsin," said Kagen.

In citing the need to close the paper mill in Kimberly, NewPage Corporation noted the increase in imports similar to those manufactured at the facility. Most recently, the Kimberly Mill has produced coated wood free printing paper, a product line which has seen a surge of non-Canadian imports into the United States market.

According to the Pulp and Paper Products Council, these imports grew from 650,000 tons in 2000 to 1,200,000 tons in 2007. During this same interval, domestic demand has been flat.

"Clearly, the closing of the Kimberly Mill has taken place in an atmosphere of rising imports," the congressmen say in their letter.