Seaman Paper Company of Massachusetts, Inc. is a privately owned paper manufacturer operating two paper machines with a capacity of 100 tons per day of MG and MF paper.

History
Seaman Paper Company of Chicago originally purchased the mill on November 21, 1945. At that time, the mill consisted of one machine producing napkin and toweling. The mill was spun off by the parent company in 1984 and now operates as an independent entity controlled by the Jones family.

Since 1954, the mill has been continuously upgraded and improved, including:
1954 - A second paper machine was added
1970 - The first water de-pollution plant on the Otter River was installed at the mill
1981 - A wood fired boiler was installed
1990 - The water de-pollution plant was updated with a new primary clarifier and a secondary treatment system.
1994 - The second paper machine underwent major renovations with the addition of a  new Headbox and a Yankee dryer. 
1995 - The first machine received a new headbox
1997 - A new pulper was installed on the #1 machine
2003 - A new press section is added to the #1 paper machine.
2006 - A new wood fired boiler was added to control energy costs. 

Further investments and upgrades have increased efficiencies on both machines. 

Products
As the mill was improved, the product line was upgraded to more specialized and technically demanding grades. During the 1970’s, one-time carbonizing tissue for the business forms industry was the only product produced at the mill. In 1980, as demand started to decline, the mill diversified into lightweight ground wood and opaque free-sheet printing grades, pattern tissue, kraft interleaving grades, lightweight specialties and wrapping tissues.

In 1985, management made the decision to develop products which added value to the paper grades. Accordingly, the company developed:

• Capacity for sheeting (1985)
• Waxing (1986)
• 4 color printing (1987)
• Folded resale tissue (1987)
• Shredding (1988)
• 6 color printing (1991)
• Automated folding and Packaging (1991)
• Drum Sheeting (1993)
• Dip-dying (1995)
• Rewinding (1996) 
• Narrow width slitting (1996)
• 8 Color printing (1998)
• Automated folding of shingled packages (1999)
• 10 Color Printing (2006)

With the investment in the above converting equipment, Seaman Paper Company developed the following product lines:

• SatinWrap line of white, colored and printed tissue for retail packaging
• Industrial Wrapping Papers
• A program for private label folded gift wrap
• Florist tissue
• Arts and Crafts tissue Program
• Decorative Crepe Party Goods Program

A specialty foodservice program was introduced in 2002, which promotes small runs of custom prints, and FDA permitted colored papers. A pear wrap tissue line was introduced in 2004.

Facilities
Seaman Paper Company has made significant investments to support its growth in converted product lines. 

Garlock Printing and Converting Inc was formed in 1987 to print, sheet and fold tissue.  It currently operates in an 80,000 sq. ft. facility containing 8 multi-color printing presses with up to 10-color capability.  A new 110,000 sq ft. converting operation was established in 2002 with sheeters, rewinder/slitters and automatic small roll rewinders for giftwrap rolls.  Garlock has also developed expertise in producing flexible packaging and it provides most of the packaging for Seaman’s value-added products.  Garlock has also developed the capability to utilize both water based and solvent inks.

360 Imaging is a wholly owned subsidiary established in 2000 to provide in house artwork and plate making capabilities. 360 Imaging produces plates and sleeves utilizing the most advanced technologies, including laser engraved “photo-in-the-round.”  360 Imaging supplies both Garlock and outside customers and it enables Garlock to offer custom printing with the speed and simplicity of a “one stop shop.”

Seaman Paper/MBW Orange: In 1993, Seaman Paper Co. established an 115,000 sqft converting and distribution facility in Orange, Massachusetts that was subsequently increased to 285,000 sqft in two major complexes. The “state-of-the-art” converting operation currently has two sheeters and six folders with a daily capacity for sheeting and folding over 100,000 pounds of tissue.

On July 1, 1994, Seaman Paper Company purchased the decorative crepe tissue division of Avery Dennison and formed a new company, Dennecrepe Corporation, located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The acquisition strengthened the mill’s commitment to value-added products as an integrated producer of printed and colored streamers, folds for the arts and craft, school and party goods marketplace. In July of 1999, the Dennecrepe operation was relocated to a new 60,000 square foot facility in Gardner and two new high speed automated slitting and packaging lines were added in 2003.

Seaman Paper/Specialized Paper Converting: In 1998, Seaman Paper added a 45,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Gardner, Massachusetts. This facility contains a drum sheeting line and a conventional backstand sheeter. Two tissue winders produce rolls in various widths and diameters. Two tissue shredders were added with the capability of shredding in widths of 1/32”, 1/10”, and 1/8” for decorative and specialty packaging markets.  An additional 30,000 sq. ft. of warehouse was later added.

As some of its customers relocated their manufacturing to China, Seaman responded by establishing Seaman Paper Asia in Hong Kong in 2003 to supply these customers. In 2004, Seaman Packaging Materials was created to manufacture and trade in mainland China. Seaman Packaging Materials currently has an office in Dongguan City and manufacturing facilities in Dongguan City and Putian City.

Seaman has identified an international market for its SatinWrap line and currently has more than 40 overseas customers covering every continent of the world.

Innovation
Seaman Paper Company continues to develop new, innovative products to meet customers’ needs.  Recent innovations include:

• Pure-Fresh treated tissue to prevent mold in shoes and leather goods and also to preserve flowers and fruits

• Gemstone tissue featuring iridescent sparkles manufactured into the tissue.