Milestones

A Rich History in Paper & Newsprint Manufacturing

1941 – BATO Company is formed by Murray Brant and Dave Allen.
1972 – BATO acquires F.F. Soucy, Inc. in Rivière du Loup, Québec.
1974 – F.F. Soucy, Inc. joins with Dow Jones and Rexfor in a partnership named F.F. Soucy, Inc. & Partners to construct a new paper machine at Rivière du Loup.
1976 – Production commences at F.F. Soucy, Inc. & Partners.
1978 – Bear Island Paper Company, L.P. is formed with Dow Jones and The Washington Post Company.
1979 – Bear Island Paper Company, L.P., a greenfield mill, begins newsprint production in Ashland, Virginia.
1987 – The BATO Company name is changed to Brant-Allen Industries, Inc.
1994 – Bear Island begins the operation of its newly built recycled fiber facility.
2004 – The acquisition of the Stadacona mill in Québec City doubles the company’s newsprint capacity while adding directory paper and paperboard diversification to its business.
2006 – The acquisition of Papier Masson, Ltd., in Masson-Angers, Québec, adds an additional 240,000 metric tons to the company’s annual newsprint capacity.