Clearwater Paper
An American manufacturer and supplier of bleached paperboard and pulp for North American packaging markets.
Last updated October 17, 2026
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Overview
Clearwater Paper Corporation is an American pulp and paperboard manufacturer headquartered in Spokane, Washington. The company was established on December 9, 2008, when Potlatch Corporation separated its tissue and paperboard manufacturing operations from its timberland and real-estate businesses. Potlatch distributed Clearwater Paper shares to its shareholders in a tax-free spin-off, and Clearwater Paper began trading as an independent public company on December 17, 2008. The company's industrial history reaches back to the Clearwater Timber Company, founded in Idaho in 1900 by Frederick Weyerhaeuser and John A. Humbird. That enterprise developed timber holdings and a sawmill near Lewiston before being acquired by Potlatch Forests during the Depression. Potlatch subsequently expanded into pulp, paperboard, and tissue manufacturing. A Lewiston paper mill began operating in 1950, followed by a paperboard mill in Arkansas City, Arkansas, in 1977. Potlatch also built a substantial private-label tissue operation, which became part of Clearwater Paper at the 2008 separation. For much of its independent history, Clearwater Paper operated two principal businesses: consumer products and pulp and paperboard. Consumer products included private-label bathroom tissue, facial tissue, paper towels, and napkins made for grocery chains and other retailers. The business expanded through the 2010 acquisition of Cellu Tissue Holdings and through investments in through-air-dried tissue capacity at facilities including Shelby, North Carolina, and North Las Vegas, Nevada. At its peak, the consumer-products network included facilities across the United States and in Ontario, Canada. The company progressively narrowed that footprint. It closed or divested several former Cellu Tissue sites between 2013 and 2021, including facilities in Thomaston, Central Islip, Oklahoma City, and Neenah, and sold other locations to Dunn Paper. Clearwater Paper also sold its Lewiston sawmill to Idaho Forest Group in 2011. In 2016, it acquired Manchester Industries, a paperboard sales, sheeting, and distribution business serving packaging and commercial-print customers. Clearwater Paper's strategic focus shifted decisively toward paperboard packaging. Its core paperboard products are solid bleached sulfate grades used in folding cartons, liquid packaging, cups, plates, carded packaging, blister packs, and commercial printing. The company also produces softwood market pulp and slush pulp. In 2024, it acquired Graphic Packaging's solid bleached sulfate mill in Augusta, Georgia, and sold its consumer-products division to Sofidel Group for approximately $1.06 billion. The divestiture transferred four remaining tissue plants in Lewiston, North Las Vegas, Elwood, Illinois, and Shelby to Sofidel, leaving Clearwater Paper focused on supplying paperboard to North American converters. Products sold by the company include Candesce, Ancora, NuVo, and ReMagine. It emphasizes fiber certification and chain-of-custody programs associated with the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. After the 2024 transactions, Clearwater Paper's manufacturing base consists principally of three solid bleached sulfate mills in Lewiston, Idaho; Arkansas City, Arkansas; and Augusta, Georgia, together with paperboard converting, sales, sheeting, and distribution capabilities associated with Manchester Industries.
History
Clearwater Paper's corporate history is rooted in the timber and paper industries of Idaho. The Clearwater Timber Company was founded in December 1900 by Frederick Weyerhaeuser and John A. Humbird to develop timberland along the Clearwater River. Its holdings expanded substantially, and the company opened a Lewiston sawmill in 1927. The economic crisis of the Great Depression weakened the business, leading to its acquisition by Potlatch Forests in 1931. Potlatch expanded after the Second World War from timber into pulp and paper manufacturing. It began operating a paper mill at Lewiston in 1950 and opened a second mill at Arkansas City, Arkansas, in 1977. Potlatch had also entered tissue production in the 1950s and developed private-label tissue manufacturing at Lewiston during the 1960s. Later investments included tissue facilities in Nevada and the Midwest. On July 17, 2008, Potlatch's board announced a plan to separate its manufacturing operations from its timberland and real-estate assets. The transaction created Clearwater Paper as an independent company on December 9, 2008. Potlatch became a real-estate investment trust, while Clearwater Paper received the tissue, pulp, and paperboard manufacturing businesses. The new company began public trading on December 17, 2008. Clearwater Paper initially operated consumer-products and pulp-and-paperboard divisions. Its tissue business made private-label bathroom tissue, facial tissue, paper towels, and napkins for retailers. The company expanded its tissue network through the 2010 purchase of Cellu Tissue Holdings, adding plants in several eastern and central U.S. states and in Ontario. It invested in premium through-air-dried capacity, including a Shelby, North Carolina, operation that started production in 2012 and upgrades at North Las Vegas. The consumer-products network was subsequently reduced. Clearwater Paper closed facilities in Thomaston, Georgia; Central Islip, New York; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Neenah, Wisconsin, and sold other operations to Dunn Paper. In 2011, it sold the Lewiston sawmill to Idaho Forest Group. In 2016, the acquisition of Manchester Industries strengthened paperboard distribution, sheeting, and customer service. The company completed a major portfolio transformation in 2024. It sold its private-label tissue business to Sofidel Group for about $1.06 billion and acquired Graphic Packaging's Augusta, Georgia, solid bleached sulfate mill. After the transaction, Clearwater Paper was positioned primarily as a paperboard producer, operating mills in Lewiston, Arkansas City, and Augusta, with additional converting and distribution capabilities through Manchester Industries. Its principal markets are North American packaging and commercial printing, while its product portfolio includes certified and recycled-content paperboard grades.
- 2024
Portfolio shifts to paperboard
[1]Clearwater Paper sells its consumer-products division to Sofidel and acquires the Augusta, Georgia, paperboard mill from Graphic Packaging.
- 2016
Manchester Industries is acquired
[1]The purchase adds paperboard sales, sheeting, and distribution capabilities serving packaging and commercial-print customers.
- 2012
Shelby tissue facility starts production
[1]The Shelby, North Carolina, facility begins producing private-label through-air-dried tissue products.
- 2011
Lewiston sawmill is divested
[1]Clearwater Paper sells its Lewiston sawmill to Idaho Forest Group.
- 2010
Cellu Tissue Holdings is acquired
[1]The acquisition expands Clearwater Paper's private-label tissue manufacturing network across the United States and Canada.
- 2008
Clearwater Paper is spun off from Potlatch
[1]Clearwater Paper is created as an independent public company holding Potlatch's tissue, pulp, and paperboard manufacturing assets.
- 1977
Arkansas City mill begins operation
[1]A second major paper mill starts production in Arkansas City, Arkansas.
- 1950
Lewiston paper mill begins operation
[1]Potlatch starts a pulp and paper manufacturing mill in Lewiston, Idaho.
- 1931
Clearwater Timber is acquired by Potlatch Forests
[1]The timber company becomes part of Potlatch Forests during the economic conditions of the Great Depression.
- 1900
Clearwater Timber Company is founded
[1]Frederick Weyerhaeuser and John A. Humbird establish Clearwater Timber Company to develop timber resources along Idaho's Clearwater River.
Products and positioning
A North American independent supplier of bleached paperboard and related pulp products for packaging converters and commercial-print customers, with an emphasis on certified fiber and specialty grades.
Packaging paperboard
Solid bleached sulfate paperboard
The company's principal product family consists of bleached paperboard grades used by converters to make folding cartons, liquid-packaging containers, cups, plates, carded packaging, blister packs, and other printed or formed packaging. Clearwater Paper offers coated and uncoated grades, including products designed for premium appearance, printability, stiffness, and food or liquid-packaging applications.
Coated paperboard
Candesce
Candesce is a coated paperboard line positioned for premium folding cartons and commercial-print applications. It is also used in carded packaging and liquid-packaging contexts where a bright, printable surface and consistent converting performance are important.
Premium paperboard
Ancora
Ancora is a high-end, coated, double-side-bleached white paperboard grade. Its intended uses include premium packaging and print applications that require a clean white surface on both sides and a strong presentation at retail.
Cupstock paperboard
NuVo
NuVo is a paperboard product for cup applications. Certain grades incorporate up to 35 percent post-consumer fiber, combining cup-converting performance with a reduced reliance on virgin fiber.
Recycled-content packaging paperboard
ReMagine
ReMagine is a folding-carton and blister-pack paperboard line offered in grades containing 10 percent or 30 percent post-consumer fiber. It is intended for customers seeking packaging substrates with recycled content.
Pulp
Market pulp
Clearwater Paper produces softwood market pulp for use as a raw material in paper and other fiber-based products. The company also produces slush pulp, including material supplied to the tissue operation transferred to Sofidel at Lewiston.
Consumer tissue
Private-label tissue products
Before the 2024 divestiture, Clearwater Paper manufactured private-label bathroom tissue, facial tissue, paper towels, and napkins for retailers and grocery chains. The business included premium, value, two-ply, three-ply, lotion, and through-air-dried products. The division was sold to Sofidel Group in 2024.
Brand decisions
2024
Divest tissue and acquire Augusta paperboard millM&ABackground
Clearwater Paper decided to focus its portfolio on paperboard packaging rather than continue operating a broad private-label tissue platform.
Action taken
The company sold its consumer-products division to Sofidel Group for approximately $1.06 billion and acquired Graphic Packaging's solid bleached sulfate mill in Augusta, Georgia.
Aftermath
The divestiture transferred four tissue facilities to Sofidel and left Clearwater Paper operating three principal solid bleached sulfate mills in Lewiston, Arkansas City, and Augusta.
Sale consideration. Approximately $1.06 billion (2024 transaction)
2016
Acquire Manchester IndustriesM&ABackground
Clearwater Paper sought to expand its paperboard commercial, sheeting, and distribution capabilities.
Action taken
The company acquired Manchester Industries, a Richmond, Virginia-based supplier serving packaging and commercial-print customers.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Clearwater Paper's route to market for paperboard products.
2008
Separate manufacturing from Potlatch's timber and real-estate operationsStrategyBackground
Potlatch's board announced a plan to create a dedicated manufacturing company while converting Potlatch into a real-estate investment trust.
Action taken
Clearwater Paper was formed on December 9, 2008, and received Potlatch's tissue, pulp, and paperboard manufacturing assets. Its stock began public trading on December 17, 2008.
Aftermath
The transaction established Clearwater Paper as an independent publicly traded pulp, tissue, and paperboard manufacturer.
Recent events
Clearwater Paper appoints Michael J. Murphy as CFO[3]
Clearwater Paper announced Michael J. Murphy's appointment as senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective April 13, 2020.
Reported
Clearwater Paper reports fourth-quarter 2019 earnings[4]
Clearwater Paper reported fourth-quarter 2019 net income of $2 million, its highest earnings in two years. The company reported earnings of $52 million, its best over the past eight quarters.
Sources4 sources
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