Mitsubishi Paper Mills reports Japan earthquake impact

Mitsubishi Paper Mills (MPM) has revealed the impact of the recent earthquake in Japan to its personnel and operations.

Six employees have been reported injured, while production has stopped at the company’s Hachinohe mill in the Aormori region. The tsunami flooded the ground floor of the plant and electrical system was severely damaged. Damage to the buildings and the paper machines was mild.

Resumption of operations is planned from the end of April, with one-by-one start-up of power plants. In mid-May, the company’s seven paper machines and three coaters will return to production one at a time.

In order to contribute to a nationwide power shortage, MPM is negotiating with the relevant authorities to supply some power to Tohoku Electric Power from the Hachinohe mill plant as soon as it resumes.

At subsidiary Kitakami HiTech Paper Co., located in Kitakami City in the Iwate region, damage is reported to be minor and hygienic paper production was resumed on March 21. Despite concern about shortage of certain raw materials, the pulp plant, the paper machine and the resin coaters are expected to resume production shortly.

At the company’s Shirakawa plant, in Nishishirakawa County in the Fukushima region, damage is minimal and production has recovered since March 18. However, the company says it may take more time to reach full capacity.

Product inventory at Hachinohe mill has been flooded by the Tsunami and damaged by the earthquake. The total damage of the inventory is still under investigation. Inventory in the warehouses located in Kitakami, Sendai and Kanto area also suffered from the earthquake however the damage was minor and limited.

‘We sincerely express our sympathy to everyone affected by the earthquake,’ said the company in a statement. ‘MPM appreciates the understanding for the situation and inconvenience to customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.’

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