The story
Origins in Britain
Domtar's origins track back to 1848, when Henry Potter Burt founded Burt, Boulton Holdings Ltd. in England, a company that specialized in treating timber against with creosote to extend its durability. The company expanded internationally and established operations in Canada in the late 19th century.
In 1903, the Dominion Tar and Chemical Company, Limited was formed in Canada, with its first plant in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The company grew rapidly by supplying treated wood and processing coal tar products, securing major industrial contracts and expanding across the country.
Incorporation in Canada
In 1929, Dominion Tar and Chemical Company Ltd. was incorporated as a Canadian entity and listed on the Montreal and Toronto stock exchanges. Despite the economic challenges of the Great Depression, the company expanded its operations and diversified into industrial materials, including salt production under the Sifto brand.
During the 1950s, Dominion Tar experienced significant growth through acquisitions and investments, including a strategic move into the pulp and paper industry with the acquisition of Howard Smith Paper Mills. Over time, the company began focusing more heavily on paper manufacturing.
Creation of Domtar
In 1961, Dominion Tar merged with several companies, including Howard Smith Paper, St. Lawrence Corporation Limited, and Hinde & Dauch Limited. In 1965, the company was renamed Domtar Ltd. (later changed to Domtar Inc.) and reorganized into multiple operating divisions.
During the following years, Domtar consolidated its pulp and paper operations and gradually shifted its strategic focus toward becoming a paper manufacturing company.
Acquisitions and rationalizations
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Domtar expanded its operations through acquisitions and investments in paper manufacturing, distribution, and forestry activities. At the same time, the company divested several non-core businesses, including consumer products and industrial materials, to focus on paper and packaging.
In 1997, Domtar formed a joint venture with Cascades Inc. called Norampac, a major North American container board and packaging producer. The company continued do grow through acquisitions, including E. B. Eddy Company in 1998 and Ris Paper Company Inc. in 2000.
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In 2001, Domtar acquired several paper mills from Georgia-Pacific Corporation, significantly expanding its presence in the North American paper market and becoming one of the largest producers of uncoated freesheet paper in the region.
Merger with Weyerhaeuser
In 2007, Domtar merge with the fine paper business of Weyerhaeuser, creating one of the largest uncoated frees paper manufacturers in North America..
In 2011, Domtar expanded into personal care products through acquisition of Attends Healthcare, a manufacturer of incontinence products. In 2013, the company acquired Xerox's paper businesses in the United States and Canada, becoming the exclusive distributor of Xerox-branded paper products in those markets.
Acquisition by Paper Excellence
On May 11, 2021, Paper Excellence announced the acquisition of Domtar Corporation for US$2.8-billion. The transaction marked a significant shift in ownership, transitioning the company from a publicly traded entity to a privately held subsidiary.
Following the acquisition, Domtar was integrated with other forest products businesses owned by Paper Excellence, including Resolute Forest Products, forming a larger, vertically integrated forest products company operating across North America.
From Wikipedia’s article on Domtar, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4