Kruger Products inaugurates new tissue plant in Sherbrooke

Kruger Products Inc. officially inaugurated its new light dry crepe (LDC) tissue plant in Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada. The facility was built on a site adjacent to its existing TAD plant as part of a $377.5-million expansion project. The investment included the installation of a double-wide tissue machine using LDC technology and two new converting lines: a facial tissue line in the new plant and a bathroom tissue line in the TAD facility.

The project generated 205 direct jobs, bringing the total number of new positions at the Sherbrooke Operational Centre to 378 since 2020. Currently, Kruger Products employs 429 people in the Estrie region and supports approximately 1,500 direct and indirect regional jobs. Since 2018, the company has invested nearly $1 billion in Sherbrooke, reinforcing the city’s role as a strategic hub for tissue product manufacturing in North America.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Gene Kruger and Sarah Kruger, Co-Presidents of Kruger Inc.; Christine Fréchette, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy and Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development; Geneviève Hébert, Member for Saint-François; Évelyne Beaudin, Mayor of Sherbrooke; as well as Kruger Products executives Michel Manseau, Patrice Bégin, and Éric Blais.

With a capacity of 60,000 metric tons, the new LDC machine nearly doubles the Sherbrooke site’s output, raising annual production to more than 130,000 metric tons. Located in Sherbrooke’s Brompton borough, the ultra-modern industrial complex is now one of the most advanced and high-performing tissue manufacturing facilities in North America. It produces well-known brands such as Cashmere UltraLuxe®, Scotties® Ultra Soft, and SpongeTowels Ultra Pro®.

The expansion was backed by Investissement Québec, acting on behalf of the Government of Québec, which provided $165 million in loans.

“Paper producers need to renew and modernize to adapt to new market realities. Kruger understands this very well! Given the current geopolitical context, we need projects like this one to contribute to Québec’s economic development and boost the production of goods made right here. I extend my warmest congratulations to the Kruger family and the entire team,” stated Christine Fréchette, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, and Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development.

“Once again, our government is there to help businesses in Estrie with their major investment projects. Large-scale initiatives such as this one diversify our region’s economy and provide quality jobs for local residents. I congratulate the Kruger team for seeing this project through on time,” said Geneviève Hébert, Member for Saint-François.

“This second plant fulfills our vision to make Sherbrooke a major manufacturing hub in North America of premium-quality tissue products. The fact that two large-scale projects were completed in just six years is a clear indicator of outstanding success and a testament to stellar teamwork. I would like to extend special congratulations to the project team at our LDC plant and to everyone who was involved in building both facilities. I also applaud our employees in Sherbrooke, whose daily commitment is key to our success,” concluded Michel Manseau, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Business – Canada, Kruger Products.

 

REGIONAL IMPACT

Carried out over three years, the project required approximately 660,000 person-hours of work, generated an estimated $165 million in direct regional spending, and created around 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase. The project was completed on time and on budget in fall 2024.