Chillicothe, the Local Economy, and Miami, Florida — With the announced closure of the paper mill in less than two weeks – and mill processes already being shut down – local leaders have attempted communication with the company that owns Pixelle. But no response has happened since the July 9th letter, and its July 17th deadline.
I caught Mike Throne at the start of the weekly session of the paper mill response team today, before they went into executive session. He is the leader of the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce, which coordinated the letter to H.I.G. Capital in Miami, Florida, a private equity firm.
He said there has been no response from H.I.G. – and it would have been nice to even get an acknowledgement of receipt.
Throne said he talks with Pixelle management “all the time.” Pixelle Specialty Solutions, the successor of Glatfelter as the owner of the Mead and Chilpaco paper mills, was bought by H.I.G. three years ago.
In the letter, dated July 9th:
“When H.I.G./Pixelle and elected officials agreed to delay the closure until the end of 2025, our families and businesses started planning for their futures accordingly.
“The sudden shift to August 10, 2025, along with the ongoing removal of equipment without informing local leaders, has not only disrupted these plans but also damaged the trust between your organization and our community…”
“Please also find attached the electronic signatures of more than 2,200 people spanning 34 states across the country who agree with the above letter.”
Those two pages are followed by 72 more pages of names.
Find a PDF of the letter linked in the page on “Scioto Valley Forward,” the recently created website intended to assist the multi-county workforce in the face of the Chillicothe paper mill closure.
Scioto Valley Forward notes: “Rather than making demands, community leaders have proposed a partnership approach that includes open communication, collaborative planning for the site, resource coordination with economic development partners, and worker support initiatives.
“The letter was signed by Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney, Ross County Economic Development Director Tammy Eallonardo, Chamber President Mike Throne, and all three Ross County Commissioners – Jack Everson, James Lowe, and David Glass.”
The surprise announcement from Pixelle / H.I.G. on April 15th set the original mill closure date on or after June 13th. But after U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno soundly criticized H.I.G., they relented three days later with a statement that they would leave the mill open “until the end of the year”…which, just before June 13th, was changed to August 10th.
Also shortly before June 13th, an informal agreement between the paper mill ownership and the state’s economic development corporation set five “preliminary terms” to be fulfilled before the August 10th revised shutdown date.
Rumors continue to fly about demolition…news grows about groundwater pollution issues with the nearby “zombie” Alcoa / Wear-Ever plant…photos and memories are added to paper mill Facebook pages such as “Chillicothe Ohio Papermakers“…and no word has come about possible buyers – while local leaders hold weekly meetings on the workforce and redevelopment issues.
Tammy Eallonardo, Director of “Greater Chillicothe & Ross County Development,” gave a statement on July 7th: “…At least fifteen potential buyers have toured the paper mill. The deadline set by HIG for purchase offers to be submitted – July 3 – has passed. To date, no information has been shared with local leaders or regional economic development partners regarding a sale or the future of the mill.”
Search the Scioto Post for many other news stories on the Chillicothe paper mill situation.
