WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to an announcement from Sappi Fine North America that it will invest $165 million in Paper Machine No. 1 at its Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King released the following statement:

“Sappi’s major investment builds on the company's leadership in modernizing and investing in the critical infrastructure that will continue to help the forest industry be a significant source of good jobs in Maine.  In conjunction with the substantive recommendations offered by the Economic Development Assessment Team last month, Sappi's investment is a critical, positive step forward in the ongoing effort to strengthen Maine’s forest economy by bolstering existing products and creating new ones,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “We welcome this announcement as yet another sign that our state’s forest economy is not only growing, but is well-positioned to thrive in the coming years.”

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