A Missouri demolition and redevelopment company may buy Canton's closed factory, a year after its sudden shuttering upended an economy and identity built over a century of paper production.
The current owner, Pactiv Evergreen of Illinois, said it had signed a letter of intent, agreeing to bargain solely with Spirtas Worldwide of St. Louis over a potential sale.
“Our exclusive letter of intent with Spirtas Worldwide is an important milestone in positioning our former Canton mill site for the future," according to a corporate statement sent to the Citizen Times May 16.
Pactiv said the agreement came after undertaking "a thorough process, working actively with the town of Canton and a number of potential interested parties."
"With Spirtas’ financial resources and significant industrial redevelopment experience, we are confident they are the right partner to invest in Canton for the future. We look forward to working closely with Spirtas in the coming months, as well as the town of Canton and other government officials, to negotiate a sale and ensure a smooth transition," the statement said.
The Citizen Times reached out to Spirtas President and CEO Eric Spirtas.
The company does industrial demolition, environmental remediation, redevelopment and other services around the world, according to its website. Projects include the Choren Biomass Gasification Refinery in Freiberg, Germany, and the Wausau paper mill in Brokaw, Wisconsin, the site says.
Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers told the Citizen Times he thinks the paper mill property, situated in the center of town over the Pigeon River, is suitable for multiple uses, including manufacturing, commercial uses, residential and outdoor recreation.
Smathers said he spoke May 15 with Spirtas and while no specific redevelopment ideas were discussed he pressed the company owner to consider the community's long-term well-being.
"I took the opportunity to advocate for the people of Canton and Haywood County and say that no matter what happens down there, that they have a say, that the history is honored and that when you do something it's not just good, but great," he said.
In the case of the gasification refinery in Frieberg, Spirtas bought the property and sold some of the equipment. "The remaining structure was decommissioned, demolished and sold to local and regional users," according to the company site.
The website does not give details about the Wisconsin paper mill project.
At the former International Paper/Hammermill Paper Facility in Oswego, New York, Spirtas bought the the property, cleaned up polluted areas, demolished some parts, put in wind and solar energy power and redeveloped warehouses for private use, according to Spirtas' website. After 10 years, the property was sold back to the leaseholder.
While the relationship with Pactiv has been rocky − the current owner is trying to get back $2.5 million in local property taxes, has been accused of dumping stock and has so far declined to give back $12 million in taxpayer funded economic incentives − Smathers said the potential sale offers hope after the May 24, 2023, shut down.
"It is remarkable that we're talking about a sale. This is less than a year and it has taken other places that have had this happen decades to get to this point," he said.
Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
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