A 10 week reprieve for the Clermont, Quebec newsprint machine has delayed unemployment for about 120 employees.

AbitibiBowater had scheduled the indefinite idling of of two machines in Clermont, Quebec for this October. The new orders, that have come in from outside of North America, will keep the machine operating until Jan. 15.

"It's sort of a normal phenomenon that you might have new orders come in by the end of the year, but it's too early to tell if those orders are the sign of a growing demand," company spokesman Pierre Choquette said.

Other mills haven't been so lucky. Beaupre, Quebec's mill closed last week putting 340 employees out of work. About 360 workers are affected by the shut down of paper operations in Thunder Bay, 75 from the closure of a machine in Fort Francis, and 85 from the idling in September of a machine in Coosa Pines, Ala. Capacity has been cut in half at its mill in Brooklyn, N.S., which employs 300.

Last week AbitibiBowater decided not to restart the plant in Dolbeau, Que., that has been idled since June 20. It employed about 300 workers.

Source:
New orders delay AbitibiBowater's closure of Quebec paper mill until new year (Canadian Press)