And What is Being Said?
Chillicothe, Ross County, & the Regional Economy — The U.S. Glove Company is partly confirmed as the buyer of some or all of the Pixelle Chillicothe paper mill, as covered in at least three news stories on Wednesday. Learn the partial facts in the main story…but what is some context surrounding this news?
Who is the possible buyer?
The website and Facebook page of the U.S. Medical Glove Company gives some context. From their “About” page:
“Not only is U.S. Medical Glove Company the largest producer of American-made nitrile and polyisoprene surgical and exam gloves.
“We have also revolutionized the way gloves are made—from remaking the machines to onshoring the production of raw nitrile and polyisoprene material.
Above a large aerial photo of a 1980s-1990s styled factory, they say:
“Part of the U.S. Medical Glove Company mission to reindustrialize American manufacturing is revitalizing existing facilities in American towns. Our new home in Harvard, Illinois, a small town on the Illinois/Wisconsin border is a 1 million square foot tech-manufacturing facility that was empty for more than 20 years. Now the parking lot is filling up and we expect more than 1,000 jobs by the end of 2025.”
“Explore Our Manufacturing Campus – 350-acre, 1.8M square-foot industrial site transformed from a vacant factory into a high-tech manufacturing hub…”
The website shows at least three logos:
- U.S. Medical Glove Company
- U.S. Medical Companies
- U.S. Machine Company LLC
They also apparently incorporated “US Paper Mill LLC,” presumably to handle buying and/or leasing all or parts of the Chillicothe facility.
The Facebook page of “U.S. Medical Glove” is short and has not been updated since April 1st, 2022.
What is being said?
A post on the Southern Ohio Bulletin Board (members only) by Debbie Lamontagne shared a news article by the “Stellar Films Motion Pictures.” Some comments in the SOBB post:
“I do know when It was running A glove manufacturer did come look at the building .. I do believe this may be true and he did buy it.. yay!!!”
“Yes it was bought and I know a company that is dealing with the new owners on helping supply equipment”
“Well something bought it they 20 to 30 semis in parking lot with all kinds machinery on them this morning”
“Winder [wonder] if it was all purchased or just certain buildings. If not there could be more opportunity.”
“Whomever bought it and is calling mill workers back certainly is NOT following seniority rights. Pretty sure that means this company 1- is not making any paper products and 2- they are non-union and will pay less. I know someone was called back for $5 less an hour than he made before and he told them no thanks supposedly.
“Didn’t lay us off by seniority, and apparently not calling back by seniority per the contract. Oh well, I wish everyone luck that goes back!”
“sorry to tell you I don’t think the union was put out. I think they’re still there. “
In the “Chillicothe Ohio Papermakers” Facebook page, Wayne Graves posted that “New Owners of Pixelle Are moving on RIGHT NOW. ALREADY CALLED IN SOME Pixelle people.”
Selected comments and responses (grammar from casual posts uncorrected):
If you read about US Medical Glove company, they took over an old Motorola site and invested millions. They only wanted the boilers there. They also purchased a big site in Cincinnati and also invested millions in the conversion. Very different processes than paper making but could a great thing for the area.
our paper machines can produce the board necessary for boxing the gloves, they can also produce parchment paper to separate them
Here’s an article from May 2, 2025
USMGC to make $200-$240 million private investment in Cincinnati facility
Acquisition complements USMGC’s existing operations in Honea Path, South Carolina, where it produces polyisoprene
USMGC, which successfully fulfilled its $63.6 million capacity building contract from the U.S. government in Q1 of 2025, remains the only nitrile glove manufacturer to meet the stringent requirements established by its government contract
Until everything is set in stone and it comes straight from the horses mouth everything everyone is saying is all hear say and speculations
is not hear say. They are bringing in equipment DAILY.
My husband is in there and hasn’t been laid off yet. It’s the US Medical Glove Co. They have called back a few. Sounds like they are going off of work ethics and if you were recommended to be called back. It’s not by seniority. No union in there. Not sure what the pay will be, they are setting up machines in shipping. They will not need all the employees that the paper mill required.
There have been a few flat beds hauling equipment of some kind in the last couple of days.
Pay should be around starting $16-$17 an hour according to their other locations.
Not sure what pay was starting at papermill but think that’s better places like Riffle and other places.
No go look i saw someone was taking some sort of machine off of a big truck right in the parking lot behind the paint grill and backing it up to the loading dock
Some of the pixelle signs have been replaced with USSG signage- (mostly signs warning that the site is protected by armed guards) they called a special few back to clean and paint for 3 days, unlimited hours, 20-25$- hr. Heard there are outside contractors trying to get a glove machine running by next week so the politicians can have a “ look what we did” photo op for the press.
So it HAS been purchased, but the union officers cant say if we will all get our jobs back yet.
Guess we will see…
Figured they would call mill writes and E/I back first
to make sterile gloves ?
gotta have people to fix machines and electrical equipment
yes, millwrights and E & I are mechanical, electrical and instrumentation every company have them and they are definitely needed……
I heard they are firing paper machines back up in spring next year. The machines they want and then lease the other machines out to other paper company’s
I worked for a glove factory years ago. I can’t see how the mill will work for that purpose. They have to be nearly sterile work area.
I read reviews on Google. Did not sound to me that this company worries about being sterile. And they move around a lot. I hope it is good for Chillicothe
I heard rumor they may lease the machines out. I don’t know what that means, like subletting? Also wondered if they might make paper medical supplies potentially. Just only wondering, otherwise why buy a papermill??
power and water- the mill generates its own power and supplies its own water- its getting harder to find metro areas that the utilities aren’t stretched to the limit.
I did hear they plan to lease the machines. Could be just a rumor but I hope paper in some form could still be made.
strong rumor is 12 pm [Number 12 Paper Machine] will be starting up around April.
Theirs [there’s] also a law that the EPA has if that mill closes its doors for a certain amount of time it can never reopen that pulp process is grandfathered in and it’s completely illegal to build that system now . Look that up also that went through actually like 20 Plus years ago
What does a fellow planner on the situation think?
The ‘paper mill response team’ has been meeting weekly to plan for all options for the fate of the property. I got the opinion of one member of the team Wednesday.
Mike Throne, head of the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce, answered rumors of the sale as best he could after a downtown ribbon-cutting – as well as commented on the economic health of the downtown and the region. Hear him in his own words in the below video.
Who is the apparently the first source about this news?
As I note in the main story, “Stellar Films Motion Pictures” in Vinton County eventually posted two stories on their website.
From their “About” page:
“Stellar Films Motion Pictures was founded in 2018 by Dakota J. Dunn, following his graduation from Vinton County High School and enrollment at Hocking College for Film and Video Production.”
“What started as a small-town creative team has since grown into a serious player in the indie film world, with major projects lined up for Amazon Prime Video and other global platforms, through our distribution partner, FilmHub in California.”
“…Our long-term goal is to construct a full-scale movie production studio right in McArthur, Ohio.”
