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Sunday, March 08, 1998     Page: 4A

PITTSTON- Pope & Talbot is now Plainwell Tissue.
   
The Michigan-based company Friday completed a $147 million acquisition of
two local paper plants formerly owned by Pope & Talbot Inc.
    Plainwell Senior Vice President Randy Rhodes said that the sale should not
affect the jobs of the 360 employees at the two local plants, which
manufacture paper towels, facial tissue, toilet paper and napkins.
   
“The signs will change, but it’s business as usual,” said Rhodes, adding
that the Pope & Talbot plants will now be known as Plainwell Tissue, the
consumer products division of Plainwell Inc.
   
Most of the products made at the plant are sold at grocery stores and
discount chains under the stores’ own names.
   
Approximately 90 percent of goods manufactured by the former Pope & Talbot
plants are sold under private labels. The remaining 10 percent are sold under
the names Capri, Gentle Touch, Nature’s Choice and Best Value, according to a
Plainwell press release.
   
Some of the company’s larger customers include Wal-Mart, Kmart and Stop and
Shop, Rhodes said.
   
The local plants are located in Pittston and Ransom Township. Plainwell
also acquired a third facility in Eau Claire, Wis., in the deal.
   
Large rolls of paper are made at the paper mill in Ransom Township, then
moved to the Pittston plant, where they are converted into paper products and
sent to customers.
   
The Oregon-based Pope & Talbot opted to sell its paper-making division to
focus on core pulp and wood products, a spokeswoman said.
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