Pulp to drive growth at Fortress Paper: CEO

Fortress Paper (FTP-T), the maker of banknotes and other specialty paper, has begun the conversion of its Quebec-based mill so that it can produce dissolving pulp, a key component in the production of rayon.

With a spot price of around $16.50 US/tonne, Fortress CEO Chad Wasilenkoff tells BNN the retrofitted mill will employ 300 people and provide the bulk of the company's profit once it is fully operational.

"We'll generate about $1000 in EBITDA per tonne," Wasilenkoff says. "We anticipate if the commodity holds that [the Quebec mill] should generate about $200 million on a run rate basis in EBITDA."