Conveying Sustainability at Hawesville: Using Technology to Reduce GHG Emissions and Improve Safety

Domtar’s Hawesville Mill has received national attention for its strong efforts in sustainability. The facility constructed a world-class chip conveyor that stretches from the Ohio River waterfront all the way to the mill’s gates. The technology moves wood chips from barges using the Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, all the way across a mile-long (1.6 km) chip conveyor to mill staging areas.

By transporting chips via this system rather than by large trucks, the 24 hour-a-day conveyor will eliminate the need for more than half-a-million miles (800,000+ kilometers) of truck traffic each year. The update helps reduce carbon dioxide emission equal to the burning of over 100,000 gallons (400,000+ liters) of fuel each year. In addition to the reduced wear and tear on local highways and less traffic noise for the facility’s neighbors, and it’s easy to see why Hawesville has an infrastructure project that’s a poster child for sustainability.

Watch the video to learn more about Domtar’s Hawesville new conveyor belt and how Domtar is using technology to reduce GHG emissions and improve safety. 

Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiber-based products, including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers, and absorbent hygiene products. The foundation of our business is a network of world-class wood fiber-converting assets that produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulp. The majority of our pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer and manufacturer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar®, Lynx® Opaque Ultra, Husky® Opaque Offset, First Choice®, EarthChoice® and Xerox® Paper and Specialty Media. Domtar is also a marketer and producer of a broad line of absorbent hygiene products marketed primarily under the Attends®, IncoPack® and Indasec® brand names. In 2014, Domtar had sales of $5.6 billion from some 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 9,800 people. To learn more, visit www.domtar.com and sign up for the Domtar Monthly Minute newsletter.