Woodland Pulp Set To Reopen At Full Capacity After Monthlong Downtime

Woodland Pulp, Washington County’s largest employer, is preparing to restart full operations after a monthlong shutdown driven by weakness in global pulp prices rather than U.S. tariffs on Canadian timber. Maintenance crews have already returned, with more staff brought in to restart bark-handling systems and the St. Croix chip mill ahead of the Baileyville mill’s full-capacity restart on Dec. 17. All 144 employees temporarily laid off in early November are expected back, restoring about one-third of the mill’s total workforce and providing crucial economic stability for the region. Industry representatives note that the downturn in global pulp markets and recent tariff escalation are squeezing Maine woodlot owners and logging contractors, who rely on mills for a major share of timber sales. Woodland Pulp is among several Northeast mills that recently curtailed wood deliveries, highlighting structural pressures on Maine’s pulp and paper sector.