Cascades, RichmondCC Partner on Funding for New Equipment Training

June 15, 2022 - Richmond Community College has recently provided Cascades Tissue in Rockingham with over $32,000 in state funds for customized training on new equipment and system upgrades.

Leading the industry with its Green concepts, Cascades Tissue manufactures recycled paper into usable products, such as paper towels and toilet rolls. 

The company is installing a new wet-end crane that will support daily operations by promoting preventative maintenance and repairs during planned outages.

“Our employees will undergo rigging and hoisting classes to ensure that critical lifts are completed successfully and safely,” said Cascades Plant Manager Corey Wyand.

The company is also installing an in-line stickie scanner, which will allow operations to quantify the contaminants that are present in the raw material.

“Being a 100 percent recycled facility and the tremendous push to a digital world, we have experienced significant challenges with the generation of a steady supply of office waste. With the decline in office waste and the pursuit of alternative fibers, Cascades has been pushed to explore opportunities to maintain the quality expectations of our customers,” Wyand said. “This equipment will provide real-time monitoring, which allows a proactive approach to process adjustments to combat the ever-changing supply of raw material.”

The Rockingham plant employs 68 people. Training will range from proper safety procedures to supervisory skills.

“It is our goal to bring in state funds for employers like Cascades that are evolving and growing with changes in technology and striving to be an environmentally friendly company,” said Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC.

Through the Customized Training program, RichmondCC supported retention of 191 jobs and creation of 56 new jobs in 2020-2021.