“Pausing the closure provides us additional time to evaluate what’s possible,” said Ross Bushnell, President and CEO of Pixelle Specialty Solutions. “This decision reflects a public-private partnership rooted in our shared belief that this facility, and the people who power it, deserve every opportunity to be part of something sustainable and strong moving forward.” 

Among the key leaders engaged in this process is Senator Bernie Moreno, who today announced plans to establish a permanent Senate office in Chillicothe to support the mill’s future and monitor progress. “This is not over,” Moreno said Friday. “It just gives us time. All options are on the table,” Moreno said. “A thousand people losing their job in Chillicothe is like 15,000 people losing their job in Columbus. That’ll be devastating to that community. We can’t allow that to happen.” 

Both he and U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) took aim at problems they say private equity firms pose in communities like Chillicothe. “They’re buying up perfectly functional businesses, breaking them up, selling off their parts and using the system that we’ve created in this country to do that,” Husted said. “That’s not capitalism. That’s not entrepreneurial spirit.”

“This is a moment of optimism,” Bushnell said. “We are grateful to leaders at the city, county, state and federal level who came together to help us explore sustainable options for our team, this facility and the Chillicothe community. Our commitment now is to our employees, our customers, and to doing the hard work that comes with turning this opportunity into a positive outcome.” Pixelle will continue coordinating with its ownership group, government partners, and community leadership to define next steps and work towards a mutually agreeable solution. The Company will provide regular updates to employees, customers, and partners throughout this process.