ST Group Acquires South Carolina Mill, Expands U.S. Tissue Production Footprint

The ST Group of Companies, a leading North American manufacturer of away-from-home tissue parent rolls, announced Thursday that it has acquired a paper mill in Barnwell County, South Carolina, from Cascades Inc.

The acquisition, completed through the newly formed subsidiary, Barnwell Tissue Solutions, is ST’s third tissue facility and brings the company’s total annual production capacity to 220,000 tons. The expansion strengthens ST’s position as a premier supplier of high-quality parent rolls for bathroom tissue, paper towels, and napkins across North America.

“This acquisition enables us to stay one step ahead of our customers’ growth ambitions, and we expect the mill to start up by year’s end,” said Sahil Tak, owner of Barnwell Tissue Solutions. “We’re excited to become part of the Barnwell County community and are deeply grateful to local and state leaders for their support in making this possible.”

Founded in 2007 with the acquisition of its first mill in Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, ST has a history of customer-driven expansion. This includes the development of facilities in Franklin, Virginia, and Duluth, Minnesota (the latter of which it has since sold). The addition of the Barnwell mill enhances the company’s ability to deliver products with greater speed, consistency, and flexibility.

The Barnwell mill features a 110-inch Valmet hybrid QRT/DCT tissue machine, installed in 2016, with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons. It also houses a 40,000-ton-per-year recycled fiber deinking mill, enabling production of both virgin and recycled tissue. The 300,000-square-foot site includes warehouse space with room for future expansion.

“We also thank Cascades for their assistance throughout this process, which resulted in them securing future tissue from the Barnwell mill for their network,” Tak said. “We look forward to working with the local workforce, investing in the community, and contributing to South Carolina’s manufacturing heritage.”