BLUE RIDGE PAPER COMPANY

Blue Ridge Paper Products is one of America's largest producers of gable-top juice and milk cartons and also produces a variety of papers for envelopes, cups and other uses. The North Carolina manufacturer operates a pulp and paper mill, a plastic-coating extrusion facility, and four packaging plants employing more than 2000 workers.
From its corporate headquarters and original manufacturing base in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Blue Ridge Paper Products makes a wide range of paper, board, and packaging products. Its paper products include envelope, covering kraft, forms, offset, and specialty papers. The company's paperboard includes polycoated and uncoated versions. Blue Ridge Paper Products also makes gable top and folding forms of packaging.
The paper manufacturer is 45% owned by its employees through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). US private equity fund KPS Special Situations owns the balance. The company also has operations in Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia.
Blue Ridge has posted losses for the last five years. According to filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the unlisted company incurred a net loss of $US1.4 million in 2006, an improvement on a $US20.7 million loss in 2005.
On 28 March 2007 it was reported that the company had entered into talks with New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hart about a possible sale of the company to Mr Harts investment company Rank Group. Blue Ridge said in a statement that the takeover talks were "preliminary" and "there can be no assurance that a definitive agreement will be reached". Analysts estimate Blue Ridge could be worth between $US400 and $US450 million based on a multiple of less than one times annual sales. The company posted a 12 per cent rise in net sales to $US571 million in 2006.
On June 15, 2007, BRPPI issued a press release announcing that it had been purchased by the Rank Group for $338 million (USD). The acquisition passed US federal Anti-Trust review on July 2, 2007.
Mr Hart is already active in the paper and packaging sector, bidding US$2.3 billion for Swiss packaging group SIG in February 2007, which he seeks to add to Carter Holt Harvey and the US-based Evergreen Packaging.

Contents

See also

External Links

See also

★ Canton, NC

★ ESOP

External Links

www.bredl.org/pdf/051105_BR_LZ-RW.pdf

★ http://www.blueridgepaper.com

★ http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770614144

★ http://investor.internationalpaper.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=73062&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=956595&highlight=
www.bredl.org/pdf/051105_BR_LZ-RW.pdf
TOXIC AIR POLLUTION LEVELS IN CANTON, NCFROM BLUE RIDGE PAPER PRODUCTS, INC.Scores of toxic air pollutants are emitted by the kraft paper mill operated by Blue Ridge PaperProducts in the western North Carolina town of Canton. Actual environmental pollution levels can beestimated using computer models and emissions data to determine ambient concentrations. The attachedtable is based on Blue Ridge Paper’s analysis of air pollution caused by the mill. The company’scomputer modeling of ambient pollution utilized freely available AERMOD software. These data weresubmitted by Blue Ridge Paper Products to the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. AERMOD is anEPA air dispersion modeling system with three components: AERMOD (air dispersion model),AERMET (meteorological data preprocessor) and AERMAP (terrain preprocessor).The table shows maximum hourly ambient pollutant concentrations in micrograms per cubic meter.The ambient air estimates predicted by the model are for various distances from the paper mill. Forexample, the maximum hydrogen sulfide level is found at 396 meter from the plant, MEK at 514 meters,and sulfuric acid at 1666 meters. Also, the estimated maximums occur in various directions; at 75, 44and 248 degrees for these three compounds, respectively, relative to the paper mill. Looking at the fullrange of compounds for which BRP performed its analysis (26 listed in their report), we find maximumsat virtually all points on the compass. What may explain these variables? There are 43 separate airpollution emission points at the Canton facility including bleach plants, paper machines, dryers and otherprocess units. The air dispersion software takes into account individual stack parameters, which differfrom unit to unit, such as height and diameter, gas exit velocity and temperature. Meteorological factorsand local terrain effects are also accounted for by the computer model. These features could easilyexplain the variations noted. It is important to note that the maximum points are predictions developedfor air quality permitting purposes and that actual pollutant levels are more widely dispersed; that is,pollution goes where the wind blows.According to the company's Air Quality Modeling Report dated August 3, 2004, Blue Ridge PaperProducts meets North Carolina's acceptable ambient limits for toxic air pollutants. Their report is stillsubject to review by the NC Division of Air Quality. Nevertheless, it provides a conservative benchmarkfor pollution levels in the community around the paper mill. If Blue Ridge Paper’s estimates are indeedaccurate, the negative heath impacts of legally allowable levels of toxics is underscored.I believe these ambient pollutant estimates are on the low side of actual levels. Air dispersionmodels are universal tools with built-in assumptions. Experience shows that even the best availablecomputer models cannot account for all local anomalies. Also, state and federal hazardous air pollutantlimits are based on each individual compound’s impact. Even with suitable safety margins, they do notaccount for the fact that people living downwind from industrial smokestacks breathe all the poisons atonce, not one at a time. The combined impacts of multiple pollutants on human health are not accountedfor. Further, large volumes of air pollution are emitted from sources other than the smokestacks,so-called fugitive emissions. Air emissions from waste lagoons and landfills are not included in thisreport.November 5, 2005Louis Zeller, Clean Air Campaign DirectorBlue Ridge Environmental Defense LeaguePO Box 88 Glendale Springs, NC 28629(336) 982-2691http://www.BREDL.orgBREDL@skybest.com
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AMBIENT AIR POLLUTION LEVELSBLUE RIDGE PAPER PRODUCTS IN CANTON, NORTH CAROLINANorth Carolina DAQ Air Permit # 08961T04, Facility ID# 01/44/00159Modeled concentrationToxic air pollutant in micrograms/cubic meter
★ aceytaldehyde891.84 ammonia613.13 benzene0.02 carbon disulfide0.28 carbon tetrachloride0.27 chlorine8.45 chlorobenzene0.25 chloroform1.39 cresol68.07 formaldehyde13.55 hydrogen chloride1.80 hydrogen sulfide34.22 methyl ethyl ketone2309.86 phenol20.53 sulfuric acid0.39 xylene27.78
★ From Air Quality Modeling Report, Blue Ridge Paper Products Canton Mill, August 3, 2004.North Carolina’s Toxic Air Pollutant program requires paper mills and other industrial air pollution sourcesto meet standards under 15A NCAC 2Q .0700 which sets maximum allowable ambient levels for 105pollutants; 16 are listed in the above table. Paper mills are also subject to maximum achievable controltechnology (MACT) standards enforced by the state permitting agency under the authority of the federalClean Air Act.Louis Zeller, Clean Air Campaign DirectorBlue Ridge Environmental Defense LeaguePO Box 88 Glendale Springs, NC 28629http://www.BREDL.org BREDL@skybest.com November 5, 2005