New improvements in technology are responsible for kraft and board machines that can operate at speeds up to 1500 feet per minute and can produce a sheet that can be trimmed to 212 inches in width. These high production machines helped St. Regis Paper Co. to increase total tonnage of kraft paper and boards, thereby solidifying its position as a dependable long-term source of these products to industry customers. View of interior of Florida St. Regis plant, either in Jacksonville or Pensacola. Photograph ordered by Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wisconsin. (1955 St. Regis Annual Report, p. 15)

St. Regis Paper Co.; Paper industry; Machinery; Beloit Iron Works (Beloit, WI);

An aerial view of the new multiwall bag plant at St. Regis. The plant was completely equipped to produce a full range of multiwall bags. Equipment included six production lines, three printing presses, a complete art and engraving department and auxiliary equipment. This plant replaced a leased plant in Seattle. (TNT, 10/19/1952)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Aerial photographs; Mills--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An aerial view on February 16, 1952, showing the new multiwall bag plant at St. Regis. St. Regis also had other bag plants on the Pacific Coast at Los Angeles and San Leandro, California. The company also maintained complete engineering and service facilities for automatic bag filling equipment, including a machine shop at Los Angeles, and packer sales and engineering offices at San Francisco and Seattle. The company was self-contained on the west coast. (TNT, 10/19/1952)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Aerial photographs; Mills--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

An aerial view of the new multiwall bag plant at St. Regis. The expansion of the bag plant facilities by St. Regis reflected the continuing trend of industry and agriculture to use the multiwall shipping sack. It was estimated that approximately 2 1/2 billion multiwall bags were used in 1951 for all types of products, compared with less than half a billion in 1938. The multiwall bag came into general use as an industrial container in the mid 1920's and was used for packaging cement and other rock products. Shortly thereafter is was adopted by the sugar industry. (TNT, 10/19/1952)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Aerial photographs; Mills--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

St. Regis Paper Company. Construction progress. New bag plant. Interior of warehouse. Machinery, boxes, scaffolding, exposed mechanical system on ceiling. This is possibly the big bag plant at 801 Portland Ave. which was part of St. Regis' expansion in the 1950s.

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

New Swenson evaporators and connecting tubes, stairways to different levels at St. Regis. "Black Liquor" was the substance that was left after the chemical "cooking" process that removed sap and pitch from the cellulose fiber. The evaporator evaporated the water content from the liquor to the point of 52% solids. The liquor was sent to furnaces where it burned like oil, and the chemicals not used in the "cooking process" were recovered. (TNT 2-17-1952, pg. C-14)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Two Swenson evaporators and pipes at St. Regis. The molten substance left after the "Black Liquor" burns through the furnace is called "Green Liquor." The green liquor is sent to the caustic department, where the insoluble matter settles out, also the calcium carbonate, and a clear white liquor is made. This liquor is the original one used in the "cooking process" to separate sap & pitch from cellulose fibers and the recovery and recycling is complete. (TNT 2-17-1952, pg. C-14)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Another machine, a large roller type machine, is used to strip bark from logs at the St. Regis Paper plant. At the end of 1951, St. Regis reached a point where it was able to supply from its own operations virtually all of the sulphate pulp requirements, both bleached and unbleached, of its kraft paper mills. St. Regis had been experimenting at its Tacoma mill in manufacturing kraft pulp from clean waste wood chips and in 1951 was making use of this material on a considerable scale in production. (St. Regis Paper Co. 1951 Annual Report)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mechanical systems--Tacoma; Machinery; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

Two men are at work at a barking machine at the St. Regis Paper Company. One man is checking the logs while the other handles the controls. The pulp mill at Tacoma was being expanded in 1950 and was expected to be completed in 1951. During 1950 St. Regis was preparing to participate in the national defense program by supplying its regular products in larger quantities for many uses related directly or indirectly to military preparations. Multi-wall bags were used for shipment of essential materials. St. Regis bags had a greater value overseas because of special papers developed to resist moisture and contamination, such as polyethylene-coated kraft paper, for which production capacity was tripled in 1940. (1950 St. Regis Paper Co. Annual Report)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Mechanical systems--Tacoma; Machinery; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960;

The exterior of St. Regis Paper Company's Vancouver, British Columbia, bag plant. The economy of Canada continued to expand in 1953 and St. Regis paper Company increased the production of its bags, required by the country's enlarged business activity. In addition to supplying multiwall bags, the Canadian company made available to its customers the same bag-filling and weighing machines which were manufactured and sold by St. Regis in the United States. (St. Regis Paper Co. 1953 Annual Report)

Paper industry--Vancouver, B.C.; St. Regis Paper Co. (Vancouver, B.C.);

A man is moving large rolls of preprinted paper for bags at St. Regis Paper Company's Vancouver, British Columbia, bag plant. Labels have the name "B.C. Sugar Refinery" on them. A forklift with a curved scoop on the front has been used to bring the roll to the open door and behind the door a hoist made with chains is seen lifting another roll.

Paper industry--Vancouver, B.C.; St. Regis Paper Co. (Vancouver, B.C.);

Workers are shown handling bags at St. Regis Paper Company's Vancouver, British Columbia, bag plant. A line of sewing machines have been arranged with large spools of string and bottles of glue to secure the bottom seam of the bags. TPL-3767

Paper industry--Vancouver, B.C.; St. Regis Paper Co. (Vancouver, B.C.); Sewing machines;

An elevated view of St. Regis Paper Company's new bag plant showing the covered loading dock where freight cars are being loaded. The roof has been built in a series of angled sections to allow clerestory windows to provide daylight to the interior of the plant. The Middle Waterway is seen immediately adjacent to the plant and the business district of Tacoma is seen further in the distance on the right.

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Mills--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

St. Regis Paper Company (Kraft Pulp Division) showing an overaged destroyer that was to be sunk to provide a breakwater. Scuttling of the warship hulk commenced on Thursday, September 19, 1940. St. Regis took over the Union Paper company in 1936. Logs litter the waterway in the foreground. (T.Times)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Scuttling of warships--United States;

Progress photograph of steelwork at St. Regis Paper Company. The new multiwall bag plant, adjoining the paper mill, was to replace a leased plant at Seattle. The plant was expected to be in operation before April 1, 1952. It would employ approximately 400 people, including a large percentage of women. (St. Regis Annual Report 1951)

Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;

St. Regis had been expanding their facilities for many years, the company had added new buildings and had recently begun the mass production of paper in Tacoma. St. Regis began producing paper in January 1949; the paper mill was converting the liquid pulp into heavy multiwall Kraft paper, using the most modern equipment available. Interior view of plant and new roll grinding machine.

Paper industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mechanical systems--Tacoma; Machinery; Machinery industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Link Belt equipment at St. Regis. The large rolls of paper are moved by a conveyer belt arrangement made up of lots of little rollers. It appears that the rolls of paper are rolled onto the belt when flat. The belt then uprights the paper and transports it. One man operates the machinery, while another stands to the rear with 2 more rolls of paper for loading.

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Mills--Tacoma--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Paper and pulp production at the R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. A worker controls the amount of liquid pouring on the rollers by means of a valve, as part of the pulp manufacturing process. Wood is composed of cellulose fibers that are cemented together with a substance called lignin. To transform wood into pulp, the fibers must be separated. This separation is done using either a mechanical or a chemical process. Wood is cooked in huge vats with chemicals. The combined actions of heat and the chemicals dissolve the lignin. The pulp is then bleached, using chemicals that make it not only whiter but also more resistant and absorbent. Photographs ordered by Malcolm McGhie.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960;

Pulp manufacturing process at the R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. A pipe pours hot liquid into this vat, forming a steaming cauldron at this stage of the pulp making business. Chemicals and steam are being used to separate the fiber from the lignin, the material that binds it together. Photographs ordered by Malcolm McGhie.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960;

Paper quality control testing at R.W. Paper Co. in Longview, Wa. The technician appears to be measuring by stopwatch how quickly the ink blots spread on the paper samples. Photographs ordered by Malcolm McGhie.

R. W. Paper Co. (Longview); Paper industry--Longview--1950-1960; Product inspection--Longview; Testing--Longview;

Pacific Waxpaper Co., photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie. This factory is processing paper for Scot Tissue. The machinery in the back is rolling the paper on huge rolls with the Scot log printed on the outside. The man to the left is operating what appears to be cutting machinery. The two women are wrapping the paper for shipment. In the front of the picture are large stacks of uncut paper measuring 4 squares by 4 squares; they are then cut into shipment size of 2 squares by 1. Scot distributed a number of household paper products. The paper carries the disclaimer, "New. Now even softer."

Paper industry--1950-1960; Pacific Waxpaper Co.; Scot Tissue;

St. Regis Paper Co.- dinner meeting. Kenneth D. Lozier, vice president in charge of promotion and advertising, points out the importance of "awareness of opportunity" and "selling all the way through" as factors in the rapid growth of all five divisions of the St. Regis Paper Co. during a dinner speech to the Sales Executive Club of Tacoma at the Winthrop Hotel. Paper production was the fifth largest industry in the American economy. The Tacoma plant manufactured kraft, pulp, paper and board and multiwall paper bags. Other Northwest plants were located at Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Leandro and Emeryville, Ca. Tacoma pioneered the utilization of wood chips, formerly a waste product of sawmills, in the production of pulp. St. Regis was in the forefront in selling the use of paper as a wrapping product for food and dairy. (TNT 2/8/1955, pg.7)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lozier, Kenneth D.; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

This huge condenser was one of a pair fabricated in the Birchfield Boiler shops, at 2503 E. 11th St., for installation in the St. Regis plant. Each condenser, the largest ever built in Tacoma and among the largest built in the Northwest, weighed more than 15 tons. They were manufactured of stainless steel and were 22 feet long and 6 feet high. Each was valued at $25,000. The condensers were used to recover waste heat from the pulp digesters. (TNT 3/13/1955, pg. B-17)

Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma); Boilers; Boiler industry--Tacoma; Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

In July of 1954 two Blake, Moffitt & Towne delivery trucks were photographed while being loaded with paper products in the company's new warehouse at 1157 Thorne Road. The new building had wooden ramps that made it possible for the trucks to back into the loading area, under cover and out of the wind and weather. Blake, Moffitt & Towne, one of the oldest paper and stationary companies on the west coast, opened in Tacoma in 1943 when they took over the Tacoma Paper Company. The Tacoma division was one of sixteen units the company maintained in six western states. They closed their warehouse in Tacoma around 1971. (TNT 7-18-54, C-15)

Blake, Moffitt & Towne, Inc. (Tacoma); Paper industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Warehouses--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Modular home on display. The "MODS" modular home manufactured by the St. Regis Paper Co. was divided into three sections. Here a crane has carefully lowered one section onto the cement parking lot behind the University of Puget Sound Fieldhouse. One more modular home would be placed on display for thousands of Tacomans to inspect as part of the 24th annual Tacoma Home Show. Photograph ordered by St. Regis Paper Co.

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1970-1980; Prefabricated houses; Hoisting machinery;

A Veneer Chip Transport Kenworth truck and trailer, indicating capacity weight of under 36,000, is parked outside the St. Regis plant on Portland Avenue on April 11, 1960. The photograph would be used for advertising. Photograph ordered by Kenworth Motor Truck Co., Seattle.

Trucks--Tacoma--1960-1970; St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1960-1970;

St. Regis timber operations in Mineral forest stand, August 2, 1960. Clear cutting is evident in this section of Mineral forest owned by the St. Regis Paper Co. Stumps and pieces of fallen timber are scattered amidst the knee-length grass. Photograph ordered by Malcolm McGhie, industrial consultant, New York.

Tree stumps; Clearing of land; Trees; St. Regis Paper Co. (Mineral);

July, 1961, saw the installation of a Fibre Making Processes, Inc., barking drum at the Tacoma St. Regis Paper Co. plant. The 12' x 67.5' drum tumbles logs or billets by mechanical rotation which strips the bark using abrasive action. Photograph ordered by Fibre Making Processes, Inc., Chicago, IL.

St. Regis Paper Co. (Tacoma)--1960-1970; Paper industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Machinery;

ca. 1961. St. Regis lumber operations, Klickitat. Timber is being loaded onto a yellow truck for transport. This is probably pine as the company's Klickitat mill produced ponderosa pine exclusively. (scan from original negative, no print on file)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Klickitat); Lumber industry--Klickitat;

ca. 1961. Timber being loaded onto truck at St. Regis Paper Co.'s Klickitat forest lands circa 1961. Company mill there would turn the pine logs into lumber for shipment. That particular mill produced ponderosa pine exclusively. The pine would be used for millwork, interior finish, and residential and light commercial buildings. (scan from original negative, no print on file)

St. Regis Paper Co. (Klickitat); Lumber industry--Klickitat; Hoisting machinery;