Rumors Fly of Spring Mill Closing

Almost four years after filing for bankruptcy and three years after being sold in a “stalking horse” sale that saw employees lose millions in retirement funds, Appvion is apparently set to permanently close its Spring Mill plant in Roaring Spring.

While Appvion has yet to respond to the Herald's requests for confirmation, Spring Mill employees have posted news of the plant's closing on Facebook.

According to one employee’s post, employees were told Monday morning that the mill would be shutting down by the end of March.

According to Herald archives, the plant employs about 300 people.

About the Roaring Spring Mill

Appvion's Roaring Spring Mill employees produce over 450 grades of carbonless, security, colored, high-speed inkjet, and archival papers on the mill's three paper machines. The mill is a fully integrated pulp and paper mill which means the mill processes logs and wood chips to produce the fiber or pulp needed to make paper on site.

History of the Roaring Spring Mill

Recognizing the abundance of natural resources in the central Pennsylvania area, D.M. Bare, John Elby and John Morrison set out to build "the pioneer paper mill for the region." They founded the mill in 1866 in what was then known as Spangs Mills, which later became Roaring Spring, a name touting the powerful sound emitted by the local spring.

The mill operated as the D.M. Bare Paper Company until 1946 when it was purchased by the Combined Locks Paper Company of Combined Locks, Wisconsin, later to become Combined Paper Mills. In 1969, Combined Paper Mills was acquired by The National Cash Register Company and in 1971; it was merged with Appleton Coated Paper Company to form Appleton Papers. Over the next 20 years, Appleton Papers operated under several domestic and foreign owners until November 2001, when employees purchased the company. Appleton Papers changed its company name to Appvion, Inc. in May 2013.

About Appvion, Inc.

Appvion develops coating formulations and applications. The company produces thermal, carbonless, security, inkjet, digital specialty and colored papers. Appvion is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin. In addition to the paper mill in Roaring Spring, Appvion has manufacturing operations in Appleton, Wisc.