In 1966, the only sign a new paper mill was going to be built south of Ashdown, Ark., in a 2,000-acre clearing along U.S. Highway 71 was just that—a sign.

After the 1966 groundbreaking ceremony and two years of planning and construction, the Ashdown mill began operation in July 1968 with 450 employees and one paper machine, “The Communicator.”

Today the paper mill has more than 1,100 employees, four paper machines, one of the world’s largest converting departments and is an industry leader in employee safety, environmental compliance and product quality.

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