Kruger will invest $333 million to enter the wipe nonwovens sector with a new production facility in Trois-Rivières, Québec. The project includes the installation of the first production line of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start up in 2028.
The new operation will be built on Île-de-la-Potherie, adjacent to Kruger’s Wayagamack pulp and paper mill. The company said the line will manufacture plastic-free, chemical-free nonwoven materials designed for a broad range of wipe applications.
The investment marks Kruger’s entry into the nonwovens market as part of a broader diversification strategy focused on sustainable fibre-based materials.
According to the company, the future line will combine wet-laid and dry-laid forming technologies to produce high-performance nonwoven materials with high absorbency, wet and dry strength, and a more textile-like feel. The products will be made from natural ingredients, including wood fibres sourced primarily from responsibly managed Canadian forests.
Kruger said the materials are intended to offer an alternative to wipe products that still rely heavily on plastic fibres and chemical binders.
The project is supported by both the federal and Québec governments, including a $35 million contribution from the Government of Canada through the Strategic Response Fund and financial support from Investissement Québec.
Kruger expects the investment to create 56 permanent jobs, bringing total employment at the Île-de-la-Potherie site to more than 340 workers. Construction and equipment installation are expected to generate approximately 500 direct and indirect jobs over nearly two years.
Official photo of dignitaries
Front row, from left to right: Jean Boulet, Québec Minister of Labour, Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and Member of the National Assembly for Trois-Rivières; Bernard Drainville, Québec Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy and Minister responsible for the Maritime Strategy; Sarah Kruger, Co-President of Kruger; Gene Kruger, Co-President of Kruger; the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions.
Back row, from left to right: Simon Lavigne, Coordinator, Strategic Research and Development, Unifor; Éric Ashby, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Kruger; Caroline Desrochers, Member of Parliament for Trois-Rivières; Jean-François Aubin, Mayor of Trois-Rivières; Mansoor Parvaiz, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kruger Nonwovens; and Jean-François Cartier, General Manager of the future Kruger Nonwovens production site.
Founded in Montréal in 1904, Kruger operates in the tissue, packaging, pulp and paper, and renewable energy sectors. The company employs approximately 6,000 people across Canada and the United States.
