For the pulp and paper fanatics of Maine, the state may feel synonymous with paper. Our lush forests, expansive waterways, and modern papermaking facilities have all contributed to make it an important part of the global pulp and paper industry since the early 1700s. And today, Maine keeps innovating and adapting to remain an industry leader.
Despite our love for this beautiful state, we’re able to admit there are other places where paper is a big deal. We thought it was only fair to share our knowledge with you. And who knows? Maybe you’ll get a co-op or job opportunity in one of these cool places!
Atlanta, Georgia.
Atlanta is the largest metropolitan area in the southeastern United States; it’s also a paper-production hub and the place for engineers in the pulp and paper field.
Atlanta is known for being the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., its diverse culture and food scene, and its world-class sports, entertainment, and nightlife.
Fun fact: Atlanta is one of America’s most forested major cities with 50% of the cityscape covered in trees and greenery.
Top paper making companies (based on revenue): Westrock, Graphic Packaging Corporation, and Georgia-Pacific.
Main products produced at Westrock, Georgia-Pacific, and Graphic Packaging Corporation include containerboard, paperboard, paper pulp packaging tissue, manufacturing, and packaging design.
Memphis, Tennessee.
Not quite in the Midwest and not quite southern, Memphis is a friendly and welcoming city in the “mid-south” famous for its BBQ and blues music.
Memphis is known for Beale Street, one of the most iconic streets in America with a historic role in the development of blues and rock and roll music. Today, it’s filled with shops, restaurants, and live music 365 days a year.
Fun fact: You can cross a pedestrian bridge over the Mississippi River and walk into Arkansas.
Top paper making companies (based on revenue): International Paper, Sylvamo, Evergreen Packaging.
Main products produced at International Paper, Sylvamo, and Pactiv Evergreen Packaging include specialty paper, and paper and paperboard products.
Irving, Texas.
Irving, Texas, located outside of Dallas, is an enterprising city. Home to 8,500 local businesses and nearly 50 Fortune 500 (that’s 10%!) and Fortune 1,000 companies, there’s plenty of business savvy and opportunity for an engineer. Like Atlanta, Irving has an abundance of trees, greenery, and recreation trails such as the 22-mile Campion greenbelt that travels along the Trinity River.
Irving is known for being the home of the Dallas Cowboys, Tex-Mex cuisine, the bronze sculpture “The Mustangs of Las Colinas,” and the Mandalay canal, a Venice-inspired waterway that winds itself through the city.
Fun fact: Co-founded by surveyors J.O. Schultz and Otis Brown in 1903, the city was believed by historians to have been named after Mrs. Brown’s favorite writer, Washington Irving.
Top paper making companies (based on revenue): Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
Main products produced at Kimberly-Clark Corporation include paper and personal hygiene products such as Kleenex, Cottonelle, and Huggies brands.
Filer City, Michigan.
Many UMaine students and Pulp and Paper scholarship recipients find themselves at co-ops and full-time jobs in Filer City, most notably in positions at the Packaging Corporation of America. Although Filer City is a small midwestern town right on the edge of Lake Michigan, it’s only a few hours from the larger cities of Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chicago, South Bend, Milwaukee, and Green Bay.
Filer City is known for its rich history in forestry and lumber production. Sound familiar?
Fun fact: In addition to lumber and paper production, the area around Filer City is known for its salt deposits and has been home to a Morton’s Salt production facility since the late 1800s.
Top paper making companies (based on revenue): Packaging Corporation of America.
Main products produced at Packaging Corporation of America include containerboard and corrugated packaging materials and uncoated paper materials.
Boston, Massachusetts.
Boston is one of the cradles of American history and a globally renowned destination for art, culture, higher education, sports, entertainment, and, of course, quintessential New England charm. You’d never be without something to do or explore while in Boston, and it’s easily navigable by foot, bus, or riding the T.
Boston is known for a long list of American “firsts” including the first college (Harvard), subway system, public beach, Dunkin Donuts, and chocolate factory, to name a few. It’s also the only state capital of the United States with a coastline.
Fun fact: America’s oldest park, Boston Common, was established in 1634 and consists of over 50 acres of beautiful greenery, gardens, statues and more.
Top paper making companies (based on revenue): Sappi North America.
Main products produced at Sappi North America include pulp, packaging, specialty paper materials and biomaterials.
There’s no denying the papermaking history here in Maine, and we love sharing reasons why Maine is great for engineers. But there are so many places throughout the United States—and the world—where paper manufacturing is thriving. So, where will your next move take you?
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