Port Alberni
Located at the head of picturesque Alberni Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Port Alberni Division is one of the largest producers of telephone directory and lightweight coated papers in North America. The mechanical papers it produces are used to print a wide spectrum of products, including telephone books, magazines, catalogues, flyers and airline schedules.
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Our Division |
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Our Products |
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Directory Paper |
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Lightweight Coated Paper |
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Our Community |
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Our Division
An important fixture in the community of Port Alberni since 1947, the division began operation as a single-line kraft mill. Nine years later, a paper machine was added to produce linerboard. Two more machines followed, in 1958 and 1964. And in 1983, the first telephone directory paper was produced. Port Alberni is now a leading supplier of lightweight directory paper in North America.
In 1995, one of the division's paper machines was reconfigured to produce lightweight coated papers for the burgeoning magazine and flyer market. The reconfigured machine allows paper to be coated on both sides simultaneously, resulting in high-quality paper that requires less kraft pulp to produce. Subsequent upgrades have boosted production, solidifying the division's status as a top-tier supplier of lightweight coated papers.
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Our Products
Port Alberni has a long-standing reputation for producing quality mechanical papers for publishers and commercial printers throughout North America, South America and Asia.
With an annual production capacity of 337,000 tonnes of specialty papers, the division contributes to Catalyst's industry position as one of North America's largest mechanical paper producers.
Port Alberni draws on a number of sources for its pulp, which is the key ingredient for papermaking. An on-site thermomechanical pulp facility meets most of the division's pulp requirements, with the remainder supplied by our other Catalyst divisions. We also use de-inked pulp recycled from old newspapers and magazines at the Paper Recycling Division.
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Directory Paper
Anchored by Port Alberni, Catalyst is the one of the world's largest producers of directory paper. Valued for its strength, light weight, opacity, and brightness, our directory paper is the preferred choice of major telecommunications companies and their printers. Port Alberni's directory paper is also used to produce catalogues and other high-volume publications.
Lightweight Coated Paper
Port Alberni is a leading North American producer of lightweight coated papers. Designed for heatset web offset printing, the mill's Electracote™ LWC delivers the press performance sought by publishers and printers of magazines, catalogues, brochures, inserts and flyers.
Our Community
Our community of Port Alberni is home to about 17,500 people, and has been a forest industry centre for many decades. Its world-class deep-sea port is the closest to Asia on this continent, one-and-a-half days closer than the ports of Vancouver and Seattle.
Port Alberni is also a popular tourist centre. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit every year for such activities as skiing, swimming, hiking, sport fishing, diving and kayaking, or just to witness the outstanding scenery. Even the route from Parksville offers scenic highlights as it passes quaint communities such as Coombs and natural wonders such as Cameron Lake and Cathedral Grove.
