Paper merchant Spicers is clearing the decks ahead of its impending sale to Kokusai Pulp & Paper, realising sales on two of its Tasmanian properties, in Wesley Vale and Burnie.
The 56 hectare site at Wesley Vale used to house the company's paper mill, and has been sold for $1.74m. The 30,000sqm site includes various buildings and a pine plantation. It began operations 50 years ago, and produced paper for the company until 2010.
At the same time Spicers has disposed of its remaining land at Burnie, achieving $2.85m for the site. The deal was first mooted in November conditional on a slip road being able to be built, but is now going through without any conditions.
The Wesley Vale mill was closed almost a decade ago, following the sale of the Paperlinx manufacturing business Australian Paper to Nippon Paper. The closure of Burnie followed a year later. Australian Paper now manufactures exclusively in Maryvale in Victoria.
Spicers shareholders are due to vote on a $147m deal with Kokusai Pulp & Paper, which will see Spicers become part of the Japanese giant by July if it goes through