Toilet paper

Happy1406 · Mar 20, 2020

Jstpssng said:
Can we suppose that you work for one of Wisconsin's many paper mills? Your state produces more paper than any other in the country. :thumbsup:

You could suppose that.

I’ve said many times that if toilet paper production were to ever cease, there would be a war in the streets. People politely laughed. But sadly, it’s not far from the truth.

Wisconsin does have a great manufacturing base of paper, but more importantly, tissue products. States like Michigan and a lot of the north eastern states have lost a lot of manufacturing jobs which focused on the printing and writing grades. Those of us fortunate enough to work in tissue (and packaging - thanks to e-commerce) have managed to have pretty good careers is an a declining industry.

The southeast is the new hub of tissue manufacturing, or at least that is where the major capital investment is going at the moment, as companies chase population growth in those areas. Tissue products generally tend to be manufactured and converted more regionally because the shipping costs are very high. Especially on the super soft rolls of TP that people love.

Bird · Mar 20, 2020

Wisconsin does have a great manufacturing base of paper, but more importantly, tissue products.

Many years ago, we visited International Falls, MN, and took a tour of a paper mill; Boise, if I remember right. They were making the kind of paper we use in our printers, but I don't remember anything about other kinds of paper.

Happy1406 · Mar 20, 2020

Bird said:
Many years ago, we visited International Falls, MN, and took a tour of a paper mill; Boise, if I remember right. They were making the kind of paper we use in our printers, but I don't remember anything about other kinds of paper.

They are still there. I was there last fall for three days. They are now owned by Packaging Corp of America. They are doing well in a difficult market as they do an excellent job of managing preventive maintenance. The also have one of the most impressive manufacturing hygiene systems and protocols that I have ever seen in the industries that I’ve traveled.

MossRoad · Mar 20, 2020

Maybe 30 years ago, my wife and I were driving through Wisconsin. We kept getting passed by fire trucks for something like 30 miles. We could see smoke in the distance. When we finally go up to the town where all the excitement was, the Flambeau Paper Company was on fire. Kinda ironic.

Bird · Mar 20, 2020

Well, you made me curious. It was August 21, 1992, when we took the tour of the Boise Cascade Paper Mill. They said they had 1,300 employees, had one machine turning out a 29' wide sheet of paper and other machines only turning out sheets 13 feet wide. Pretty interesting place.

goeduck · Mar 20, 2020

I know if I was down to one last square left on the roll of TP and that is all that I had to wipe with, I would hope it is from an Ultra Strong roll

/pine · Mar 20, 2020

It is with great regret that White Castle must announce the nationwide closing of all restaurants, effective immediately.

This is not due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather due to the toilet paper shortage.

GeneV · Mar 20, 2020

/pine said:
It is with great regret that White Castle must announce the nationwide closing of all restaurants, effective immediately.

This is not due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather due to the toilet paper shortage.

They don't call them "sliders" for nothing.

ultrarunner · Mar 20, 2020

The machine shop where I worked did a lot of work for Crown Zellerbach and James River...

There was a large seaport mill in Antioch CA with its own locomotive and powerplant...

In it's worst year ever it still made a million a month and at one time employed thousands.

Gaylord consolidated production capacity and the California plant first to close...